Amalgam Collection

Official Marketing Text:

• Limited to just 199 pieces
• As raced by Sir Henry (Tim) Birkin and Jean Chassagne in the 24 Hours of Le Mans at Circuit de la Sarthe on the 21st and 22nd of June 1930
• 1:8 scale model, over 54 cms/21 inches long
• Each model hand-built and assembled by a small team of craftsmen
• Made using the finest quality materials
• Over 4500 hours to develop the model
• Over 450 hours to build the model
• Thousands of precisely engineered parts: castings, photo-etchings and CNC machined metal components
• Built using original CAD designs developed from a scan of an original car
• Original drawings, archive photographs and material specifications supplied by Bentley Motors

The Bentley Blower is, for many, the iconic racing Bentley of the pre-war years. Ironically, the 4 ½ Litre Supercharged was the least successful of all the Cricklewood Bentleys in competition – and founder W.O. Bentley bitterly opposed its development. By 1928, it had become clear that the 4 ½ Litre was reaching the end of its development and that competitors were closing the gap fast on Bentley’s racing supremacy. W.O. Bentley believed the solution was simple: increase the engine capacity. However, Sir Henry (Tim) Birkin, one of the Bentley Boys, preferred the supercharging alternative, one that W.O. saw as ‘perverting the engine’s design and corrupt its performance’. Birkin convinced Bentley Chairman Woolf Barnato to overrule W.O. and approve the project. Only 55 of the 720 Bentley 4½ litres ever produced between 1927 and 1931 were Blowers, but this still complied with the minimum production run for competition racing. Funded by the wealthy heiress, the Hon. Dorothy Paget, Birkin put together a racing team of four remodelled "prototypes" (three road cars for Le Mans and Blower No.1, his original) and assembled a fifth car from spare parts. Birkin's blower Bentleys were too late for Le Mans in 1929 and only two of the cars reached the start line in 1930. Neither car reached the finish line, but it is widely considered that the Dudley Benjafield and Birkin privately entered Bentley Blowers’ relentless pursuit of the Rudolf Caracciola's Mercedes SSK paved the way for the victory to the Bentley works team Speed Six of Barnato and Glen Kidston. Despite this, many consider the Blower’s finest hour to have come in the 1930 French Grand Prix at Pau. Amid a field of Bugatti Grand Prix cars, Birkin wrestled the huge Bentley to a heroic second place in what was almost certainly the heaviest car ever entered in a grand prix, at over two tonnes.

This model is a perfect scale replica of the No. 9 Bentley 4½ litre which competed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans on 21 and 22 June 1930. Driven by Sir Henry (Tim) Birkin and Jean Chassagne, the #9 was involved in an epic duel with fellow Bentley Blower racers Dr Dudley Benjafield and Giulio Ramponi and the Rudolf Caracciola and Christian Werner piloted Mercedes-Benz SSK. The SSK started strongly in the bright sunshine but, by the fourth lap, Birkin was on Caracciola's tail at the Pontlieue curves. Reaching 195 km/h, he passed the Mercedes as they braked heavily for the Mulsanne corner. Birkin continued from this manoeuvre, setting a new lap record of a 6m48s, but on the next lap the tread came off a rear tyre and he had to pit. It took only half a minute to change the wheel, and then in only five laps Birkin was right behind the Mercedes. Just as he again overtook Caracciola on the Mulsanne Straight the tread on the other tyre let go. Although he dropped two wheels off the road, Birkin was able to complete the pass until the tyre blew at Arnage forcing him to pit yet again. By nightfall, after five separate tyre failures, the Birkin/Chassagne car was running seventh. However, the pressure the duo placed upon the Mercedes soon became clear, the SSK retiring at the halfway point with a flat battery after a wire had come loose on its dynamo. The second half of the race devolved into a routine procession, early morning mist and a heavy rain shower contributing to a dour race. Just before midday, four hours from the end of the race, the Birkin/Chassagne Bentley broke a conrod and had to retire, leaving the victory to the Bentley works team Speed Six of Woolf Barnato and Glen Kidston. Birkin's courage and fearless driving, in particular his selflessly harrying Caracciola into submission, are regarded as embodying the true spirit of the Vintage Racing era and are widely considered the very reason Bentley emerged victorious at the 1930 Le Mans.

This fine scale model has been handcrafted and finished in our workshops with the co-operation and assistance of the manufacturer regarding original finishes, materials, archive imagery and drawings. The use of original CAD and supremely accurate digital scanning of the original car has allowed us to perfectly recreate every detail at scale. Furthermore, the prototype model has undergone detailed scrutiny by the manufacturer’s engineering and design teams to ensure complete accuracy of representation.

The Bentley Blower 1930 Le Mans is limited to only 199 pieces.

Official Marketing Text:

• As raced by Sir Henry (Tim) Birkin and Jean Chassagne in the 24 Hours of Le Mans at Circuit de la Sarthe on the 21st and 22nd of June 1930
• 1:18 scale model, over 24 cms/9 inches long
• Each model hand-built and assembled by a small team of craftsmen
• Made using the finest quality materials
• Thousands of precisely engineered parts: castings, photo-etchings and CNC machined metal components
• Built using original CAD designs developed from a scan of an original car
• Original drawings, archive photographs and material specifications supplied by Bentley Motors

Please note the above image is a composite. Images of the 1:18 scale model will displayed as soon as they are available. 

The Bentley Blower is, for many, the iconic racing Bentley of the pre-war years. Ironically, the 4 ½ Litre Supercharged was the least successful of all the Cricklewood Bentleys in competition – and founder W.O. Bentley bitterly opposed its development. By 1928, it had become clear that the 4 ½ Litre was reaching the end of its development and that competitors were closing the gap fast on Bentley’s racing supremacy. W.O. Bentley believed the solution was simple: increase the engine capacity. However, Sir Henry (Tim) Birkin, one of the Bentley Boys, preferred the supercharging alternative, one that W.O. saw as ‘perverting the engine’s design and corrupt its performance’. Birkin convinced Bentley Chairman Woolf Barnato to overrule W.O. and approve the project. Only 55 of the 720 Bentley 4½ litres ever produced between 1927 and 1931 were Blowers, but this still complied with the minimum production run for competition racing. Funded by the wealthy heiress, the Hon. Dorothy Paget, Birkin put together a racing team of four remodelled "prototypes" (three road cars for Le Mans and Blower No.1, his original) and assembled a fifth car from spare parts. Birkin's blower Bentleys were too late for Le Mans in 1929 and only two of the cars reached the start line in 1930. Neither car reached the finish line, but it is widely considered that the Dudley Benjafield and Birkin privately entered Bentley Blowers’ relentless pursuit of the Rudolf Caracciola's Mercedes SSK paved the way for the victory to the Bentley works team Speed Six of Barnato and Glen Kidston. Despite this, many consider the Blower’s finest hour to have come in the 1930 French Grand Prix at Pau. Amid a field of Bugatti Grand Prix cars, Birkin wrestled the huge Bentley to a heroic second place in what was almost certainly the heaviest car ever entered in a grand prix, at over two tonnes.

This model is a perfect scale replica of the No. 9 Bentley 4½ litre which competed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans on 21 and 22 June 1930. Driven by Sir Henry (Tim) Birkin and Jean Chassagne, the #9 was involved in an epic duel with fellow Bentley Blower racers Dr Dudley Benjafield and Giulio Ramponi and the Rudolf Caracciola and Christian Werner piloted Mercedes-Benz SSK. The SSK started strongly in the bright sunshine but, by the fourth lap, Birkin was on Caracciola's tail at the Pontlieue curves. Reaching 195 km/h, he passed the Mercedes as they braked heavily for the Mulsanne corner. Birkin continued from this manoeuvre, setting a new lap record of a 6m48s, but on the next lap the tread came off a rear tyre and he had to pit. It took only half a minute to change the wheel, and then in only five laps Birkin was right behind the Mercedes. Just as he again overtook Caracciola on the Mulsanne Straight the tread on the other tyre let go. Although he dropped two wheels off the road, Birkin was able to complete the pass until the tyre blew at Arnage forcing him to pit yet again. By nightfall, after five separate tyre failures, the Birkin/Chassagne car was running seventh. However, the pressure the duo placed upon the Mercedes soon became clear, the SSK retiring at the halfway point with a flat battery after a wire had come loose on its dynamo. The second half of the race devolved into a routine procession, early morning mist and a heavy rain shower contributing to a dour race. Just before midday, four hours from the end of the race, the Birkin/Chassagne Bentley broke a conrod and had to retire, leaving the victory to the Bentley works team Speed Six of Woolf Barnato and Glen Kidston. Birkin's courage and fearless driving, in particular his selflessly harrying Caracciola into submission, are regarded as embodying the true spirit of the Vintage Racing era and are widely considered the very reason Bentley emerged victorious at the 1930 Le Mans.

This fine scale model has been handcrafted and finished in our workshops with the co-operation and assistance of the manufacturer regarding original finishes, materials, archive imagery and drawings. The use of original CAD and supremely accurate digital scanning of the original car has allowed us to perfectly recreate every detail at scale. Furthermore, the prototype model has undergone detailed scrutiny by the manufacturer’s engineering and design teams to ensure complete accuracy of representation.

Note: This is a 'Kerbside' model and does not any feature moving parts.

Official Marketing Text:

A beacon of defiance in its darkest hour, the Supermarine Spitfire is Britain’s most famous World War II fighter. The brainchild of Reginald Mitchell of Supermarine Ltd., the Spitfire was developed in response to a 1934 Air Ministry specification calling for a high-performance fighter with an armament of eight wing-mounted 0.303inch (7.7mm) machine guns. The aeroplane was a direct descendant of a series of racing floatplanes designed by Mitchell to compete for the coveted Schneider Trophy in the 1920s. One of these racers, the S.6, set a world speed record of 357mph (574km/h) in 1929. Mitchell created a more radical design for the Spitfire than the steel, wood and cloth-derived Hawker Hurricane, the favourite of many a RAF Commander for the 1930s. It featured a stressed-skin aluminium structure built around a 1,000hp, 12-cylinder, liquid-cooled Rolls-Royce PV-12 engine (later known as the Merlin). The design featured a graceful elliptical wing with a thin airfoil that, in combination with the Merlin’s efficient two-stage supercharger, gave it exceptional performance at high altitudes. Due to the aluminium body, the Spitfire was not only tougher to build, but harder to repair, prompting concerns that it may be too advanced to be practical. The wing-mounted guns were all oriented to fire at a centre point in front of the aircraft. To aid with targeting, Spitfires were also equipped with an electric sight that pilots could turn on and off. Once activated, an orange dot would appear on the windscreen in front of the pilot’s field of view in an extremely early precursor to the digital heads-up displays (HUDs).

The Spitfire first flew in March 1935 and entered service with the British Royal Air Force in July 1938, with the first operational aircraft arriving at 19^th Squadron’s Duxford airfield on August 4^th. Sadly, Mitchell never saw his creation reach service, passing away from cancer in June 1937. Even after learning that he was terminally ill, Mitchell continued to pour himself into the effort, against the advice of his doctors and family.

In the early months of the war, Spitfires were largely kept out of the fighting, though they were involved during the evacuation of Dunkirk, as the Ministry of Defence favoured the use of Hurricanes squadrons. The first kills by a Spitfire occurred on 16^th October, as fighters from Nos 602 and 603 Squadrons shot down two German Junkers Ju 88s in the Firth of Forth. In the summer of 1940, the German offensive began. Many within England and her allies (including prominent figures in France and the USA) saw war with Germany as a losing enterprise after the rapid Nazi advance through Belgium and the Netherlands, and British pilots were not only contending with more advanced opponents, even with the Spitfire, they were also squaring off against vastly superior numbers. RAF estimates at the time made it clear that the Spitfire was, by every metric, the underdog.

Spitfires were sent by preference to engage German fighters while the slower Hurricanes went for the bombers. More Hurricanes than Spitfires served in the Battle of Britain, and they were credited with more “kills,” but it can be argued that the Spitfire’s superior high-altitude performance provided the margin of victory. Throughout the Battle of Britain, the Luftwaffe sent an average of 1,000 aircraft into British airspace a day, striking at London with more than 1,100 in one massive wave, but just as they had each time before, the RAF beat them back, with Spitfires leading the way.

Mk 1s Spitfire were not solely used by the British, but were also delivered to Portugal, Turkey and France. In all, 1533 Mk1 Spitfires were built by Supermarine, with an additional 50 by Westland Aircraft. All Mk 1s were declared obsolete by February 1945.

This fine Amalgam scale model is a faithful 1:16 scale reproduction of the Mk 1a aircraft flown by Geoffrey Wellum of 92 Squadron in September 1940, and is undoubtedly the most accurate and highly detailed model of the Spitfire ever produced. Every minute detail of the aircraft has been reproduced including the thousands of rivets, every tiny detail of the cockpit and the top end of the Rolls Royce Merlin Engine. Like all Amalgam’s work, this model is the result of a powerful combination of art and technology, using original digital scanning combined with high sculpting and finishing skills to create a model indistinguishable from the real aircraft in photographs. It has been developed using extremely accurate digital scan data gathered from aircraft in the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight based at Coningsby in Lincolnshire and is offered in a ‘bare metal’ finish to reveal every detail of the refined engineering of this most beautiful aircraft. Every Spitfire is built to order, so please contact our friendly sales team to discuss any bespoke requirements.

The Mk 1a Spitfire is limited to just 50 pieces.

Please note that, due to the large size of this piece and complexities of shipping, additional costs will be calculated and billed separately based on delivery location.

Official Marketing Text:

From development prototype to Geneva Motor Show star and 150mph road-test car, 9600 HP played a key role in the launch of the sensational Jaguar E-type. This latest book tells the story of this unique car’s life, its intricate restoration, and the unsung hero behind its creation – Malcolm Sayer.

First published in 2000 and extensively expanded and updated for this new edition, it includes interviews with many of the characters who were central to the car’s adventures. It also features a wealth of exclusive archive material from the family of Malcolm Sayer – the man who created some of Jaguar’s most iconic designs.

9600 HP is the only remaining prototype and is the oldest surviving Jaguar E-type. In 1961, it served as a press car and was driven flat-out across France to be in Geneva in time for the E-type’s official launch. Subsequently owned by the likes of racing driver Jack Fairman, 9600 HP was acquired by Philip Porter in 1977 and kept in a barn until 1999, when a deal was done that would lead to its emotional return to the road.

Key content

• How ‘prototype number 7’ played a central role in the development of the Jaguar E-type and the model’s 1961 Geneva launch.
• The full story of 9600 HP’s famous 150mph road-test by Autocar magazine.
• Fascinating insight into 9600 HP’s post-Jaguar life, including its ownership by film director John Paddy Carstairs and racing driver Jack Fairman.
• Detailed account of the car’s painstaking restoration, its triumphant return to Geneva in 2000, and its busy life since.
• Extensive celebration of Malcolm Sayer and his enduring legacy, using never previously published drawings, sketches and photographs from the Sayer family.

Collector’s Edition

Reflecting the enduring style of the car, the Collector’s Edition of 9600 HP is hand-bound in grey leather. The cover features a stylishly foiled, debossed graphic of the car with its famous number plate in white on black leather; the overall look set off by silver-edged pages. Limited to just 96, each copy comes in a slip case and is signed by author and owner of 9600, HP Philip Porter, and by Jaguar’s former Director of Design, Ian Callum CBE.

Title Information

Author: Philip Porter
Publication: June 2021
Specifications: 320 pages
Illustrations: Over 500 images
Language: English
Publisher: Porter Press International
ISBN: 978-1-913089-40-5

The author

Philip Porter is the author of more than 30 motoring books. He started competing in hill climbs and sprints while still at school and was later bitten by the classic car bug. He has written motor racing books with Sir Stirling Moss, Murray Walker and Martin Brundle. In 2005, he created Porter Press International, which is now one of the world’s leading motoring publishers.

The A1 Grand Prix Series ran four split seasons, 2005/2006 through 2008/2009. It never fulfilled the objective of drawing F1 fans during the Northern Hemisphere Winter.

This was one of a series of  'Presentation Cars' that may not be representative of the vehicles that actually raced. It appears that Amalgam did this for three A1GP split seasons beginning with 2005/2006.  There is no mention of any 1:43 models on their website today.  The company makes high quality models and these sold for twice the price of a Minichamps. In the secondary market, they are very inexpensive. They may be of interest as an early ride for some sportscar and Indycar names.

Jos Verstappen drove for the Netherlands team in their 1st season.

The A1 Grand Prix Series ran four split seasons, 2005/2006 through 2008/2009. It never fulfilled the objective of drawing F1 fans during the Northern Hemisphere Winter.

This was one of a series of  'Presentation Cars' that may not be representative of the vehicles that actually raced. It appears that Amalgam did this for three A1GP split seasons beginning with 2005/2006.  There is no mention of any 1:43 models on their website today.  The company makes high quality models and these sold for twice the price of a Minichamps. In the secondary market, they are very inexpensive. They may be of interest as an early ride for some sportscar and Indycar names.

Jan Lammers was the 'seat holder' for the Netherlands team but was not a driver in any of the races.  This car seems to have been created to introduce the series to the public and it carries the flags of all the participating nations, rather than the orange livery of the Netherlands team.  Lammer probably drove the car for the press conference.

This was one of a series of A1 Grand Prix Series 'Presentation Cars' that may not be representative of the vehicles that actually raced. It appears that Amalgam only did this for the split 2007/2008 season and there is no mention of any 1:43 models on their website today.

The series ran four seasons, 2005/2006 to 2008/2009.  It never fulfilled the objective of drawing F1 fans during the Northern Hemisphere Winter.  Amalgam makes high quality models and these sold for twice the price of a Minichamps.  In the secondary market, they are very inexpensive.  They may be of interest as an early ride for some sportscar  and Indycar names

Official Marketing Text:

A fine 1:8 large-scale collector’s model of the Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari as unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2009.

This model has been hand-crafted utilising the original CAD data supplied directly by Abarth and has undergone strict scrutiny by both the design and engineering teams to ensure complete accuracy.

Official Marketing Text:

A fine 1:8 large-scale collector’s model of the Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari as unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2009.

This model has been hand-crafted utilising the original CAD data supplied directly by Abarth and has undergone strict scrutiny by both the design and engineering teams to ensure complete accuracy

Official Marketing Text:

• Limited to 199 pieces
• 1:8 scale model, over 49 cms/19 inches long
• Based on the car as raced to victory by Tazio Nuvolari at the 1932 Monaco Grand Prix on the 17^th of April 1932
• Each model hand-built and assembled by a small team of craftsmen
• Made using the finest quality materials
• Complete with removable engine cover
• Over 5000 hours to develop the model
• Over 500 hours to build each model
• Thousands of precisely engineered parts: castings, photo-etchings and CNC machined metal components
• Original CAD designs created after scanning chassis 2111043 in the ownership of Ralph Lauren

Seldom has there been a more convincing claimant to the title of the complete car than Vittorio Jano’s masterpiece, the Alfa Romeo 8C. The epitome of the spirit of racing in the glamorous 1930s era, with victories in Grand Prix racing, at Le Mans four years in succession, and in no less than seven editions of the Mille Miglia, its competition credentials are beyond reproach and, yet, only tell part of the 8C story. The chassis, available in both long chassis Lungo and short chassis Corto form, underpinned some of the finest and most elegant touring cars of its day, featuring timeless coachwork from contemporary Carrozzerie including Zagato, Touring, Castagna, and Brianza.

This said, it is in its renowned ‘Monza’ form that the 8C is perhaps most admired. In 1931, Alfa Romeo added two additional cylinders to the 6C 1750, creating the 8C 2300, before preparing a stripped down, short-wheelbase version of the chassis—complete with tapered racing tail and full-length side exhaust—to be driven by Tazio Nuvolari and Giuseppe Campari in their home Grand Prix in Monza. A dominant victory in Alfa Romeo’s back yard would lead to the moniker by which it would forever be known.

Victories followed repeatedly for the Monza, including three consecutive Targa Florio wins (1931-1933), the domination of the 24 Hours of Le Mans for four uninterrupted years (1931-1934) and numerous Grand Prix successes across Europe, parading the fact that the 8C had become practically invincible. The 8C became inescapably linked with the legendary Italian racing driver Tazio Nuvolari who won many competitions behind the wheel, including the 1931 Coppa Ciano, two instances of the Targa Florio (those 1931 and 1932 victories), the 1932 Monaco Grand Prix, the 1933 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 1933 Mille Miglia to add to that prestigious Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

The 8C enjoyed an excellent power-to-weight ratio and the 1932 variant no doubt benefited from an enlarged 2665cc version of the engine, fed through not one but two superchargers. In 1933, Alfa Romeo retired the Monza from works racing, but a brigade of successful privateers carried the 8C mantle. The supremacy of the 8C meant that it continued to perform well on track well into the middle of the decade and its undoubted character and style made it an icon of the age. It remains one of the most sought-after cars of all time; in 2016, a Monza sold at sold for just short of $12 million.

This fine 1:8 scale model is of the Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 as raced to victory by Tazio Nuvolari at the 1932 Monaco Grand Prix on the 17^th of April 1932. It was the fourth running of the event, which had already gained international fame, and Alfa Romeo’s first appearance as a works team in Monaco, where they faced the teams from Bugatti and Maserati. Racing for the outfit from Portello, all in red Monzas, were the Italian trio of Nuvolari, Giuseppe Campari and Mario Umberto Borzacchini. There was a fourth car, a white Monza, for the German Rudolf Caracciola, who was not yet part of the official factory team.

The entry list was by invitation only and just 17 cars appeared on the grid, after two of the original 19 failed to start. Even though all the cars had been timed throughout practice, the order of the starting grid was still determined by ballot, Nuvolari being handed eleventh on the grid. The Italian started fantastically, passing seven cars within the first five laps, and settling into second position after ten laps. Despite Nuvolari's speed, he set a new fastest time of two minutes and four seconds on lap 12, he was unable to gain ground on the fast-starting Bugatti of Louis Chiron. The leading trio, including the Bugatti of Achille Varzi only five seconds behind the Alfa, began to pull away from the rest of the field, the followers matching the front-runner’s pace. After thirty laps, Nuvolari started to apply the pressure and gained ground on the leading Bugatti. Chiron rushed to pass one of the backmarkers and grazed the sandbags on the corner at the Quai de Plaisance, propelling the car into the air and turning it over, throwing Chiron into the road. Fortunately, Chiron was uninjured by the fall from his vehicle, except for some cuts and bruises, and recovered quickly, but this had wrecked Bugatti’s best chance for the win and handed the lead over to Alfa Romeo. It was a lead Nuvolari would not relinquish. Caracciola followed behind in the privateer Alfa Romeo, for the last forty laps, slowly closing the distance lap by lap, but declined to win when presented with the opportunity to overtake, as Nuvolari had almost dealt with the challenge of Bugatti singlehandedly and was now suffering from interruptions to his fuel supply. The duo crossed the line just 2.8 seconds apart. From the 17 cars at the start only ten finished after three and a half hours of racing.

The Alfa Romeo 2300 8C is limited to only 199 pieces.

Official Marketing Text:

• Limited to 199 pieces
• 1:8 scale model, over 49 cms/19 inches long
• Based on the car as raced to victory by Tazio Nuvolari at the 1932 Monaco Grand Prix on the 17^th of April 1932
• Each model hand-built and assembled by a small team of craftsmen
• Made using the finest quality materials
• Complete with removable engine cover
• Over 5000 hours to develop the model
• Over 500 hours to build each model
• Thousands of precisely engineered parts: castings, photo-etchings and CNC machined metal components
• Original CAD designs created after scanning chassis 2111043 in the ownership of Ralph Lauren

Seldom has there been a more convincing claimant to the title of the complete car than Vittorio Jano’s masterpiece, the Alfa Romeo 8C. The epitome of the spirit of racing in the glamorous 1930s era, with victories in Grand Prix racing, at Le Mans four years in succession, and in no less than seven editions of the Mille Miglia, its competition credentials are beyond reproach and, yet, only tell part of the 8C story. The chassis, available in both long chassis Lungo and short chassis Corto form, underpinned some of the finest and most elegant touring cars of its day, featuring timeless coachwork from contemporary Carrozzerie including Zagato, Touring, Castagna, and Brianza.

This said, it is in its renowned ‘Monza’ form that the 8C is perhaps most admired. In 1931, Alfa Romeo added two additional cylinders to the 6C 1750, creating the 8C 2300, before preparing a stripped down, short-wheelbase version of the chassis—complete with tapered racing tail and full-length side exhaust—to be driven by Tazio Nuvolari and Giuseppe Campari in their home Grand Prix in Monza. A dominant victory in Alfa Romeo’s back yard would lead to the moniker by which it would forever be known.

Victories followed repeatedly for the Monza, including three consecutive Targa Florio wins (1931-1933), the domination of the 24 Hours of Le Mans for four uninterrupted years (1931-1934) and numerous Grand Prix successes across Europe, parading the fact that the 8C had become practically invincible. The 8C became inescapably linked with the legendary Italian racing driver Tazio Nuvolari who won many competitions behind the wheel, including the 1931 Coppa Ciano, two instances of the Targa Florio (those 1931 and 1932 victories), the 1932 Monaco Grand Prix, the 1933 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 1933 Mille Miglia to add to that prestigious Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

The 8C enjoyed an excellent power-to-weight ratio and the 1932 variant no doubt benefited from an enlarged 2665cc version of the engine, fed through not one but two superchargers. In 1933, Alfa Romeo retired the Monza from works racing, but a brigade of successful privateers carried the 8C mantle. The supremacy of the 8C meant that it continued to perform well on track well into the middle of the decade and its undoubted character and style made it an icon of the age. It remains one of the most sought-after cars of all time; in 2016, a Monza sold at sold for just short of $12 million.

This fine 1:8 scale model is of the Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 as raced to victory by Tazio Nuvolari at the 1932 Monaco Grand Prix on the 17^th of April 1932. It was the fourth running of the event, which had already gained international fame, and Alfa Romeo’s first appearance as a works team in Monaco, where they faced the teams from Bugatti and Maserati. Racing for the outfit from Portello, all in red Monzas, were the Italian trio of Nuvolari, Giuseppe Campari and Mario Umberto Borzacchini. There was a fourth car, a white Monza, for the German Rudolf Caracciola, who was not yet part of the official factory team.

The entry list was by invitation only and just 17 cars appeared on the grid, after two of the original 19 failed to start. Even though all the cars had been timed throughout practice, the order of the starting grid was still determined by ballot, Nuvolari being handed eleventh on the grid. The Italian started fantastically, passing seven cars within the first five laps, and settling into second position after ten laps. Despite Nuvolari's speed, he set a new fastest time of two minutes and four seconds on lap 12, he was unable to gain ground on the fast-starting Bugatti of Louis Chiron. The leading trio, including the Bugatti of Achille Varzi only five seconds behind the Alfa, began to pull away from the rest of the field, the followers matching the front-runner’s pace. After thirty laps, Nuvolari started to apply the pressure and gained ground on the leading Bugatti. Chiron rushed to pass one of the backmarkers and grazed the sandbags on the corner at the Quai de Plaisance, propelling the car into the air and turning it over, throwing Chiron into the road. Fortunately, Chiron was uninjured by the fall from his vehicle, except for some cuts and bruises, and recovered quickly, but this had wrecked Bugatti’s best chance for the win and handed the lead over to Alfa Romeo. It was a lead Nuvolari would not relinquish. Caracciola followed behind in the privateer Alfa Romeo, for the last forty laps, slowly closing the distance lap by lap, but declined to win when presented with the opportunity to overtake, as Nuvolari had almost dealt with the challenge of Bugatti singlehandedly and was now suffering from interruptions to his fuel supply. The duo crossed the line just 2.8 seconds apart. From the 17 cars at the start only ten finished after three and a half hours of racing.

The Alfa Romeo 2300 8C is limited to only 199 pieces.

Official Marketing Text:

The 8C 2900 was always destined for greatness, being designed for the fearsome Italian Mille Miglia and the formidable 24 Hours of Le Mans, and being engineered by the legendary Vittorio Jano. It sported the 2.9 litre version of Alfa’s established 8C engine, said to boast 225bhp, aided and abetted by two superchargers and double updraught Weber carburettors. Bodywork for the model was largely provided by period coachwork maestro Carrozzeria Touring, who crafted the 2900’s stunning teardrop-shaped mudguards to the tapered rear. Over the course of five years of production, five examples, all made in 1938, stood out alone, from the 40 or so 2900s made.

This fine 1:8 scale model is based on one of only five cars built especially for the Mille Miglia, chassis 412031. The No. 143 car, driven by Clemente Biondetti, emerged victorious in the 1938 edition of the legendary Italian race, two minutes ahead of another 8c 2900 driven by Carlo Pintacuda. Pintacuda was on course to win the fabled race after setting incredible average speeds in the early stages, leading from the Italian town of Piacenza to Terni but, unfortunately for him, locked his brakes and lost position to Biondetti whilst undertaking repairs. After a gruelling twelve hours at the wheel, Biondetti was a worthy winner. The Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 Mille Miglia remains one of the most sought-after pre-war cars of all time.

This model has been handcrafted and finished in our workshops with the co-operation and assistance of the manufacturer regarding original finishes, materials, archive imagery and drawings. The use of original CAD and supremely accurate digital scanning of the original car has allowed us to perfectly recreate every detail at scale. Furthermore, the prototype model has undergone detailed scrutiny by the manufacturer’s engineering and design teams to ensure complete accuracy of representation.

Official Marketing Text:

The 8C 2900 was always destined for greatness, being designed for the fearsome Italian Mille Miglia and the formidable 24 Hours of Le Mans, and being engineered by the legendary Vittorio Jano. It sported the 2.9 litre version of Alfa’s established 8C engine, said to boast 225bhp, aided and abetted by two superchargers and double updraught Weber carburettors. Bodywork for the model was largely provided by period coachwork maestro Carrozzeria Touring, who crafted the 2900’s stunning teardrop-shaped mudguards to the tapered rear. Over the course of five years of production, five examples, all made in 1938, stood out alone, from the 40 or so 2900s made.

This fine 1:8 scale model is based on one of only five cars built especially for the Mille Miglia, chassis 412031. The No. 143 car, driven by Clemente Biondetti, emerged victorious in the 1938 edition of the legendary Italian race, two minutes ahead of another 8c 2900 driven by Carlo Pintacuda. Pintacuda was on course to win the fabled race after setting incredible average speeds in the early stages, leading from the Italian town of Piacenza to Terni but, unfortunately for him, locked his brakes and lost position to Biondetti whilst undertaking repairs. After a gruelling twelve hours at the wheel, Biondetti was a worthy winner. The Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 Mille Miglia remains one of the most sought-after pre-war cars of all time.

This model has been handcrafted and finished in our workshops with the co-operation and assistance of the manufacturer regarding original finishes, materials, archive imagery and drawings. The use of original CAD and supremely accurate digital scanning of the original car has allowed us to perfectly recreate every detail at scale. Furthermore, the prototype model has undergone detailed scrutiny by the manufacturer’s engineering and design teams to ensure complete accuracy of representation.

Official Marketing Text:

Built in 1933, ‘2211130’ was raced that year by the Hon Brian Lewis and won the arduous Mannin Moar race on the Isle of Man. The car continued to be raced until the war by John Cobb (1934), Luis Fontes (1935), Anthony Powys-Lybbe (1936–37) and Fay Taylour (1938), at venues as diverse as Vila Real (Portugal) and Phoenix Park (Ireland). Post-war, it passed through several significant collectors to arrive at its status today as one of the more important surviving Monzas, and a car with so much charisma and historic interest that it is a most worthy addition to the acclaimed ‘Great Cars’ series.

Key content

• The 1933 season with the Hon Brian Lewis, including wins on début at Brooklands and in its next race, the Mannin Moar, plus sixth place in the Nice Grand Prix.
• Bought in 1934 by John Cobb (later to become notable for speed record-breaking on land and water) and raced both by him and Charlie Dodson, who finished second in the Mannin Moar.
• Another new owner for 1935, Luis Fontes (something of a ‘wild man’ who also raced aeroplanes) took the car back to the Mannin Moar, where he finished third, and won the Limerick Grand Prix.
• The period with Anthony Powys-Lybbe (a fascinating character who was extensively involved with Alfa Romeos) brought more good results, especially in Ireland, with second places in the Cork Grand Prix in 1936 and 1937.
• More racing at Brooklands in 1938 with Fay Taylour (a champion speedway rider whose Fascist links led to her internment during the Second World War).
• Post-war, a succession of notable owners included Peter Hampton, the Hon. Patrick Lindsay and Hubert Fabri, all passionate collectors and men of significance.
• Nearly 300 period photographs, many previously unpublished, supported by a portfolio of commissioned special photography at Brooklands.

Limited Edition

Limited to only 100 copies and signed by the author.

The Author

Mick Walsh’s passion for Alfa Romeo 8Cs was sparked aged 10, when the Hon. Patrick Lindsay, driving ‘221130’, blasted past his father’s car en route to VSCC Silverstone in 1967. As the long-serving Editor-in-Chief of Classic Sports Car, Mick has driven and written about many great 8Cs, including co-driving a Touring Spider on the Monte Carlo Rallye Historique and testing a Monza in the Alps after the Klausen hill climb. As organiser of the Louis Vuitton Concours and the Cartier Style et Luxe, he has created two 8C tributes where ‘221130’ was among the winners.

Title Information

Author: Mick Walsh
Publication: 2018
Specifications: 285x230mm portrait hardback, page extent 320pp over one volume. Bound in dark green leather with gilt edges. Slip-cased in grey cloth.
Illustrations: 300
Language: English
Publisher: Porter Press International
ISBN: 978-1-907085-45-1

Official Marketing Text:

First seen by the wider world at the 1961 Geneva Motor Show, the Jaguar E-type redefined perceptions of how a sports car could – and perhaps should – look. No less a figure than Enzo Ferrari is said to have described it as “the most beautiful car in the world”. Small wonder that demand swiftly exceeded supply after Jaguar initially laid down plans to build the car in relatively small numbers.

It was an instant hit on racing circuits too: little more than a month after the launch, Graham Hill took a roadster to victory on its debut at Oulton Park. Chassis 875027, the focus of this story, was the first E-type campaigned by American racing entrepreneur Briggs Cunningham’s famous team and its performances helped persuade Jaguar to use the E-type as the basis for a competition thoroughbred that has become one of the most coveted of all time: the Lightweight.

Key content

• The E-type evolved from a distinguished series of Jaguar sports cars that notched up a sequence of victories at Le Mans in the 1950s. The car’s development is covered in detail and illustrated with exquisite cutaways.
• Briggs Cunningham had an interesting tale to tell away from motorsport – as did many of his racing companions. He skippered the winning yacht in the America’s Cup; his right-hand man Alfred Momo won the Targa Florio as a co-driver, aged 14, and later climbed onto the wing of an airborne biplane to repair a leaking fuel line. Their contrasting backgrounds are covered in detail.
• Before aligning with Jaguar, Cunningham harboured hopes of putting together an all-American team capable of winning the Le Mans 24 Hours. His eponymous cars made their mark, without ever quite fulfilling his dream, and feature as part of an engaging wider story.
• In addition to running some of motorsport’s best-known names, including Bruce McLaren, Dan Gurney and Jack Brabham, Cunningham was also associated with several unsung heroes. Here, racers such as John Fitch, Phil Walters and Walt Hansgen receive the credit they deserve.
• The book is handsomely illustrated with period photographs from some of the world’s most respected collections, as well as a gallery of studio photographs showing the car as it is today.

Limited Edition

Limited to just 22 copies, only 3 remaining beautifully bound in white leather.

The Author

Phillip Bingham has been writing about cars and motor sport for more than three decades, working in Britain and the USA as a journalist, author, and PR consultant. Phillip started his career as a staff writer for the weekly newspaper Motoring News and monthly magazine Motor Sport, reporting in successive seasons on the Aurora British Formula 1 Championship, European Formula 2 Championship, and World Sportscar Championship. By also reporting on the BMW M1 Procar series, Phillip was introduced to many leading Formula One drivers of the time, and subsequently joined Automobile Sport magazine as Grand Prix Correspondent.After all this globe-trotting, Phillip spent 18 months in London as Deputy Editor of Performance Car magazine. This led to a 14-year association with the USA’s best-selling automotive publication, Motor Trend, first as Los Angeles-based International Editor, then as UK-based European Editor in a freelance capacity. Freelance status allowed Phillip to also write for other motoring magazines around the world and to establish and run a specialist motorsports PR agency, Media Matters, which represented clients such as Total Oil and Vauxhall Motors during the halcyon days of the British Touring Car Championship. Phillip later also handled PR for Automobili Lamborghini in the American Le Mans Series and Corvette Racing at Le Mans, and worked as strategist and writer on PR campaigns for big brands including Subaru and MINI USA.

Phillip says his most memorable working days will always be the 52 he spent in 2013 as writer-in-residence on Land Rover’s Silk Trail Expedition. This 11,000-mile trek from the UK to India traversed 13 nations and two continents on the dirt tracks, desert trails, and high mountain passes of the Silk Road trading routes which first connected Asia with Europe more than 2,500 years ago. Phillip has also written books about motor racing’s entry-level category, Formula Ford, and America’s favourite sports car, the Chevrolet Corvette.

Title Information

Author: Phillip Bingham
Publication: July 2020
Specifications: 310mm x 260mm portrait hardback, page extent 288pp. White, buckram slipcase.
Illustrations: Period photographs
Language: English
Publisher: Porter Press International
ISBN: 978-1-907085-81-9

Official Marketing Text:

Driven by returning drivers Pato O'Ward and Felix Rosenqvist, and by Juan Pablo Montaya on a part-time basis for the GMR Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500, the Dallara IR-12 with Dallara IR-18 Aero Kit was Arrow McLaren SP’s competitor for the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES. The 2022 season would see O’Ward claim two victories in Alabama and Iowa, as well as two further podiums, while Rosenqvist achieved an additional podium in Toronto. O'Ward and Rosenqvist would finish second and fourth in the Indianapolis 500, the team's best finish at Indianapolis, and claimed seventh and eighth in the Drivers’ Championship respectively.

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES allows manufacturers to develop different types of engines, while every team uses the same chassis. Since the 2018 season until the end of the 2023 season, this has been the Dallara IR-12 chassis with IR-18 Aero Kit, whilst Honda and Chevrolet have provided the teams with different engines. Commonly referred to as the 'IR-18', the IR-12’s IR-18 Aero Kit was inspired by CART's 1990s and 2000s designs, but with a more streamlined appearance to reduce both aerodynamic downforce and team and manufacturer design development costs. The Aero Kit has fewer small aerodynamic pieces that can become broken or dislodged, with the intent to reduce the quantity of debris that ends up on the track, and is most notably lacking wheel guards, which were deemed to be a particular issue. The cockpit protection system, a combination of the Halo mandated in Formula 1 and a reinforced windscreen dubbed the “aeroscreen”, provided by Red Bull Advanced Technologies, was added in time for the 2020 season, to lessen the probability of traumatic head injuries from flying debris.

This fine model of the Dallara IR-12 with Dallara IR-18 Aero Kit is a 1:8 scale replica of the #5 Arrow McLaren SP car raced to victory by Pato O’Ward in the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park on the 1st of May 2022. O'Ward qualified second, his teammate Rosenquist sixth. The race, which took place in dry, sunny conditions after morning thunderstorms, unfolded initially as a strategic duel between drivers who chose a three-stop strategy and those who opted for two stops. However, that strategy unravelled when rookie Callum Ilott spun his No. 77 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet into the gravel trap adjacent to Turn 9 on Lap 32. That incident triggered the only full-course caution of the race and essentially returned the entire 26-car field to the same tire strategy. Nearly every driver pitted either just before or after Ilott’s incident and, following the restart on Lap 35, O’Ward remained second behind SONAX Chevrolet’s Rinus VeeKay and Rosnequist had dropped to eighth position. Dutch driver VeeKay managed to extend his lead to 2.0875 seconds over O’Ward by Lap 60 before pulling in for his final pit stop on lap 62, O’Ward following him in for fresh tyres. VeeKay was first to leave the pit lane but O’Ward pounced on the out lap; the Mexican racer passed VeeKay with a brave outside move in the hairpin Turn 5, before pulling ahead. The danger was far from over, however, as reigning champion Alex Palou produced sizzling in and out laps in the #10 The American Legion Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, and re-entered ahead of VeeKay in second. Palou kept O’Ward on his toes until the chequered flag, pulling to within 8951 of a second on Lap 73. O’Ward held off the threat though, taking victory by 0.98 seconds, sealing his and Arrow McLaren SP’s first win of the season. It was also Pato's third career victory. Sadly, for his teammate Rosenquist, a slight miscalculation in fuel meant he was forced to focus on efficiency rather than racing, and he dropped to sixteenth position by the end of the race.

Official Marketing Text:

• Limited Edition of 199 pieces
• Bespoke Models can be built to the owner's specification
• Each model hand-built and assembled by a small team of craftsmen
• 1:8 scale model, over 53 cms/21 inches long
• Made using the finest quality materials
• Over 5000 hours to develop the model
• Over 500 hours to build each model
• Thousands of precisely engineered parts: castings, photo-etchings and CNC machined metal components
• Built using extraordinarily precise digital data from scanning the original car, 1 VEV

British Aston Martin engineering, combined with Italian Zagato body design: a powerful partnership that has given birth to many extraordinary cars since the 1960s, but none more beautiful and valuable than the Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato. There is good reason for the current valuation of 1 VEV between $10 and $15 million USD. Discipline is the father of creativity, and the beautiful form of the DB4 GT Zagato was moulded and forged by the demanding brief handed to Ercole Spada to take every aspect of the already exceptional DB4 GT’s performance, and push it to a new level.  With a raised top speed of 154 mph, the Zagato bodied car added three miles per hour to the top speed, with 0-60 in only 6.1 seconds. This was truly a race car made legal for the road, and anyone who has seen one of these cars up close will have experienced the impression of aircraft quality engineering they exude. In a nutshell, this car is automotive art at its most refined, and with only 19 cars created it is no surprise that the value is so very high.

To faithfully recreate 1 VEV, we were honoured to be given access to the original car to capture every detail with a very precise digital scan, and make a photoshoot of around 1000 high resolution images. Primary references have been taken from photographs shot at the 1961 Goodwood TT, with secondary references from other races of the period, and from the car today which was carefully restored to its original specification in 2007.

Considered by many as the most desirable Aston Martin road car of all time, the DB4 GT Zagato is easily one of the most exciting and beautiful sports cars to ever emerge from the UK. It was unveiled at the London Motor Show at Earl’s Court in October 1960, clothed in a stunningly beautiful and lightweight body from the famous Italian coachbuilder Zagato. As pre-cursors to perhaps the most famous Aston Martin, DB5, DB4GT and DB4GT Zagato played a crucial role in defining some of the iconic design cues still used in by Aston Martin today. Only 19 examples of this car were ever produced, and this rarity is reflected in their high value today: an original could be expected to be achieve over five million pounds at auction.

The DB4 itself was released to universal acclaim in 1958, whilst the GT variant was introduced just a year later, with Aston Martin eager to take it to the track. For this reason, the GT model had distinct modifications which prepared the DB4 for racing endurance. A shortened wheelbase, a much sparser interior and lighter bodywork contributed to its 85kg weight loss over the standard car, whilst the hood concealed a potent version of the 3.7 litre, straight six-cylinder engine that used triple Weber carburetors, twin-spark ignition, high lift camshafts and a 9:1 compression ratio raise power output to 302 bhp. Furthermore, the model had a dual-plate clutch, close-ratio transmission, Salisbury Power-Lok differential and larger Girling disc brakes. The GT’s maximum speed was 151 mph (243 km/h) and could sprint to 60 mph (97 km/h) in just 6.1 seconds. It was the fastest road legal production car at the time.

With a large factory backing, the DB4 GT was raced extensively with success by many famous drivers of the day. Despite this, Aston Martin felt they could achieve more, having emerged victorious at the 1959 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the purpose built DBR1. Enter Milan-based coachbuilder Zagato. Styling of the car was enlisted to Ercole Spada who was a newcomer to the Zagato firm and only 23 years old. In less than a week, Spada had transformed the DB4 GT, combining the essence of the Aston Martin’s shape with Zagato’s free flowing lines into a smaller, even more lightweight car. Many steel components were replaced by aluminium counterparts. Nearly every non-essential element disappeared such as the bumpers. With the help of Perspex and aluminium components, a further 45kgs were shed from the GT’s weight. The front incorporated the curved profile of Aston’s signature grill and the front was low enough to warrant twin bulges on the hood for valve cover clearance. In the trunk was a huge fuel tank and spare tire which left room for little else.

The Zagato did race, earning a podium on its first competitive appearance in the hands of Stirling Moss. Three Zagatos competed at Le Mans in 1961, including the most well-known 1 VEV and 2 VEV of John Ogier's Essex Racing Stable. A repeat of the 1959 Le Mans victory was not to be, with all three cars retiring. Success would follow for the first time just a month later at Aintree in a British Grand Prix Support race, as Lex Davison, behind the wheel of 2 VEV, took a last lap lead from a Jaguar E-Type. Further success followed at several British circuits such as Silverstone, Oulton Park and Brands Hatch.

This fine 1:8 scale model of the Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato replicates chassis DB4GT/1082/R, more commonly known as ‘1 VEV’, exactly as raced at the 1961 RAC Goodwood Tourist Trophy in the hands of Roy Salvadori for John Ogier’s Essex Race Stable. Arguably one of the car’s finest moments, Salvadori qualified third fastest after practice with a time of 1 minute 36.6 seconds, ahead of his teammates Jim Clark and Innes Ireland, but behind Stirling Moss and Mike Parkes in their Ferrari 250 GT SWBs. A slightly slower start dropped 1 VEV to fourth behind Clark at the end of the first lap, though Salvadori regained this place soon after as the trunk of Clark’s Aston had opened itself and had to pull into the pits to fix the issue. Around halfway through the race, Parkes was black-flagged when part of his undertray began to drag on the road after an off-course excursion behind the bushes at Woodcote, allowing Salvadori and 1 VEV up into second place. This was not to last, as Parkes made a tactical surprise on his fourth and final pit stop, managing to undercut both Salvadori and Ireland to regain second place. Although Salvadori tried hard in the last 15 minutes to pull back the seven second deficit, the heavier Aston Martin just did not have the steam to make up any ground and he brought the car home to claim the final podium position.

1 VEV was originally built and raced together with sister car ‘2 VEV’ (DB4GT/0183/R) by John Ogier’s Essex Race Stable. Both cars were lightweight track focused versions of the Zagato derivative. 1 VEV was originally purchased and raced in the ‘green’ shade of Aqua Verde Caliente “1 VEV” and appears to have been sold by Ogier around early 1968, by which time it appears to have undergone at least 3 colour changes – ‘white’ around April 1965, ‘maroon’ around April 1966 and ironically ‘Ferrari red’ in October 1967. The car remained with Mr. Gregory up to 1990, in which it appeared to have undergone several bodywork changes to trim and arches, as well as minor interior modifications such as a radio, before being restored around 1990 and bought at auction. Despite these changes, given the lengths of ownerships and that the car had no major accidents, it remained very original. In 2007, under the watchful guidance of 1 VEV’s owner, the car was faithfully and extensively restored again, this time as accurately as possible, ensuring a return to its original 1961 specification.

This model has been handcrafted and finished in our workshops with the co-operation and assistance of Aston Martin regarding original finishes, materials, archive imagery and drawings. The use of original CAD and supremely accurate digital scanning of the original car has allowed us to perfectly recreate every detail at scale. Furthermore, the prototype model has undergone detailed scrutiny by the manufacturer’s engineering and design teams to ensure complete accuracy of representation. 

The Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato is limited to just 199 pieces.

Official Marketing Text:

• Limited Edition of 199 pieces
• Bespoke Models can be built to the owner's specification
• Each model hand-built and assembled by a small team of craftsmen
• 1:8 scale model, over 53 cms/21 inches long
• Made using the finest quality materials
• Over 5000 hours to develop the model
• Over 500 hours to build each model
• Thousands of precisely engineered parts: castings, photo-etchings and CNC machined metal components
• Built using extraordinarily precise digital data from scanning the original car, 1 VEV

British Aston Martin engineering, combined with Italian Zagato body design: a powerful partnership that has given birth to many extraordinary cars since the 1960s, but none more beautiful and valuable than the Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato. There is good reason for the current valuation of 1 VEV between $10 and $15 million USD. Discipline is the father of creativity, and the beautiful form of the DB4 GT Zagato was moulded and forged by the demanding brief handed to Ercole Spada to take every aspect of the already exceptional DB4 GT’s performance, and push it to a new level.  With a raised top speed of 154 mph, the Zagato bodied car added three miles per hour to the top speed, with 0-60 in only 6.1 seconds. This was truly a race car made legal for the road, and anyone who has seen one of these cars up close will have experienced the impression of aircraft quality engineering they exude. In a nutshell, this car is automotive art at its most refined, and with only 19 cars created it is no surprise that the value is so very high.

To faithfully recreate 1 VEV, we were honoured to be given access to the original car to capture every detail with a very precise digital scan, and make a photoshoot of around 1000 high resolution images. Primary references have been taken from photographs shot at the 1961 Goodwood TT, with secondary references from other races of the period, and from the car today which was carefully restored to its original specification in 2007.

Considered by many as the most desirable Aston Martin road car of all time, the DB4 GT Zagato is easily one of the most exciting and beautiful sports cars to ever emerge from the UK. It was unveiled at the London Motor Show at Earl’s Court in October 1960, clothed in a stunningly beautiful and lightweight body from the famous Italian coachbuilder Zagato. As pre-cursors to perhaps the most famous Aston Martin, DB5, DB4GT and DB4GT Zagato played a crucial role in defining some of the iconic design cues still used in by Aston Martin today. Only 19 examples of this car were ever produced, and this rarity is reflected in their high value today: an original could be expected to be achieve over five million pounds at auction.

The DB4 itself was released to universal acclaim in 1958, whilst the GT variant was introduced just a year later, with Aston Martin eager to take it to the track. For this reason, the GT model had distinct modifications which prepared the DB4 for racing endurance. A shortened wheelbase, a much sparser interior and lighter bodywork contributed to its 85kg weight loss over the standard car, whilst the hood concealed a potent version of the 3.7 litre, straight six-cylinder engine that used triple Weber carburetors, twin-spark ignition, high lift camshafts and a 9:1 compression ratio raise power output to 302 bhp. Furthermore, the model had a dual-plate clutch, close-ratio transmission, Salisbury Power-Lok differential and larger Girling disc brakes. The GT’s maximum speed was 151 mph (243 km/h) and could sprint to 60 mph (97 km/h) in just 6.1 seconds. It was the fastest road legal production car at the time.

With a large factory backing, the DB4 GT was raced extensively with success by many famous drivers of the day. Despite this, Aston Martin felt they could achieve more, having emerged victorious at the 1959 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the purpose built DBR1. Enter Milan-based coachbuilder Zagato. Styling of the car was enlisted to Ercole Spada who was a newcomer to the Zagato firm and only 23 years old. In less than a week, Spada had transformed the DB4 GT, combining the essence of the Aston Martin’s shape with Zagato’s free flowing lines into a smaller, even more lightweight car. Many steel components were replaced by aluminium counterparts. Nearly every non-essential element disappeared such as the bumpers. With the help of Perspex and aluminium components, a further 45kgs were shed from the GT’s weight. The front incorporated the curved profile of Aston’s signature grill and the front was low enough to warrant twin bulges on the hood for valve cover clearance. In the trunk was a huge fuel tank and spare tire which left room for little else.

The Zagato did race, earning a podium on its first competitive appearance in the hands of Stirling Moss. Three Zagatos competed at Le Mans in 1961, including the most well-known 1 VEV and 2 VEV of John Ogier's Essex Racing Stable. A repeat of the 1959 Le Mans victory was not to be, with all three cars retiring. Success would follow for the first time just a month later at Aintree in a British Grand Prix Support race, as Lex Davison, behind the wheel of 2 VEV, took a last lap lead from a Jaguar E-Type. Further success followed at several British circuits such as Silverstone, Oulton Park and Brands Hatch.

This fine 1:8 scale model of the Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato replicates chassis DB4GT/1082/R, more commonly known as ‘1 VEV’, exactly as raced at the 1961 RAC Goodwood Tourist Trophy in the hands of Roy Salvadori for John Ogier’s Essex Race Stable. Arguably one of the car’s finest moments, Salvadori qualified third fastest after practice with a time of 1 minute 36.6 seconds, ahead of his teammates Jim Clark and Innes Ireland, but behind Stirling Moss and Mike Parkes in their Ferrari 250 GT SWBs. A slightly slower start dropped 1 VEV to fourth behind Clark at the end of the first lap, though Salvadori regained this place soon after as the trunk of Clark’s Aston had opened itself and had to pull into the pits to fix the issue. Around halfway through the race, Parkes was black-flagged when part of his undertray began to drag on the road after an off-course excursion behind the bushes at Woodcote, allowing Salvadori and 1 VEV up into second place. This was not to last, as Parkes made a tactical surprise on his fourth and final pit stop, managing to undercut both Salvadori and Ireland to regain second place. Although Salvadori tried hard in the last 15 minutes to pull back the seven second deficit, the heavier Aston Martin just did not have the steam to make up any ground and he brought the car home to claim the final podium position.

1 VEV was originally built and raced together with sister car ‘2 VEV’ (DB4GT/0183/R) by John Ogier’s Essex Race Stable. Both cars were lightweight track focused versions of the Zagato derivative. 1 VEV was originally purchased and raced in the ‘green’ shade of Aqua Verde Caliente “1 VEV” and appears to have been sold by Ogier around early 1968, by which time it appears to have undergone at least 3 colour changes – ‘white’ around April 1965, ‘maroon’ around April 1966 and ironically ‘Ferrari red’ in October 1967. The car remained with Mr. Gregory up to 1990, in which it appeared to have undergone several bodywork changes to trim and arches, as well as minor interior modifications such as a radio, before being restored around 1990 and bought at auction. Despite these changes, given the lengths of ownerships and that the car had no major accidents, it remained very original. In 2007, under the watchful guidance of 1 VEV’s owner, the car was faithfully and extensively restored again, this time as accurately as possible, ensuring a return to its original 1961 specification.

This model has been handcrafted and finished in our workshops with the co-operation and assistance of Aston Martin regarding original finishes, materials, archive imagery and drawings. The use of original CAD and supremely accurate digital scanning of the original car has allowed us to perfectly recreate every detail at scale. Furthermore, the prototype model has undergone detailed scrutiny by the manufacturer’s engineering and design teams to ensure complete accuracy of representation. 

Official Marketing Text:

• Each model hand-built and assembled by a small team of craftsmen
• 1:18 scale model, over 25 cms/10 inches long
• Available in a Silver Birch exterior paint scheme
• Made using the finest quality materials
• Over 800 hours to develop the model
• Precisely engineered parts: castings, photo-etchings and CNC machined metal components
• Built using original CAD designs developed from a scan of an original car
• Archive imagery, paint codes and material specifications supplied by Aston Martin

Often billed as the “most famous car in the world”, the Aston Martin DB5 Vantage is widely considered to be amongst the most beautiful cars ever made and is often labelled as the most attractive built by the British marque. Certainly it is one of the most beloved, thanks largely to its now eternal association with a certain agent of international espionage.

Built between 1963 and 1965, the DB5 was nearly visually identical to the previous DB4. However, DB5’s most substantial change occurred under the bonnet: the introduction of a 3995cc naturally-aspirated straight-six, producing 282bhp and 280lb ft, with that power sent through to a synchromesh five-speed ZF gearbox and a robust Borg & Beck clutch to the rear wheels. It was the first time this engine was used by Aston Martin in a road car, having first seen service in the Lagonda Rapide (based on Aston’s DB4) and the Aston Martin DP215, the 1963 Le Mans endurance racer. Chassis changes included the adoption of the Girling disc brakes that had only been used on DB4 GT, along with 15” wheels. Many other improvements were incorporated including electric windows and twin hydraulic brake servos. Inside, the new car was more luxurious than any Aston before. A Normalair air-conditioning system was available as an option. However, the DB5’s many upgrades meant it weighed over 100kg more than the car it replaced, though the bigger engine kept things on track, reducing the 0-60mph time to around 8sec.

The DB5 was propelled to worldwide fame when used as James Bond's car in the movie 'Goldfinger,' as well as a number of subsequent James Bond films, eventually spawning a special Aston Martin Works creation known as the Goldfinger Continuation that was built in 2020. The association with James Bond was a marketer’s dream, the perfect example of product placement, which nearly didn’t happen at all: Jaguar’s E-type was the preferred choice, but Jaguar turned EON down, and Aston Martin’s owner David Brown was also initially reluctant to supply a DB5. The rest is history, and James Bond’s gadget laden Silver Birch DB5 became an immortal silver screen phenomenon.

This fine 1:18 scale model of the Aston Martin DB5 Vantage features an exterior specification in the iconic Silver Birch, with an all-black interior. Following in the footsteps of the successful DB4 GT, the DB5 Vantage-specification engine featured an upgraded high-compression cylinder head, altered cam timing, and triple twin-choke Weber carburettors. Power also rose to 325 bhp, forty more than the standard engine, achieving 0-60mph (0-96.5kph) in 6.5 seconds. Aston Martin produced only 65 DB5 Vantages, of which approximately 40 were right-hand drive.

This model been handcrafted and finished in our workshops with the co-operation and assistance of Aston Martin regarding original finishes, materials, archive imagery and drawings. The use of original CAD and supremely accurate digital scanning of the original car has allowed us to perfectly recreate every detail at scale. Furthermore, the prototype model has undergone detailed scrutiny by the manufacturer’s engineering and design teams to ensure complete accuracy of representation.

Note: This is a 'Kerbside' model and does not any feature moving parts.

Official Marketing Text:

• Limited Edition of 199 pieces
• Bespoke Models can be built to the owner's specification
• Available in a Silver Birch exterior paint scheme
• Each model hand-built and assembled by a small team of craftsmen
• 1:8 scale model, over 57 cms/22 inches long
• Made using the finest quality materials
• Over 5000 hours to develop the model
• Over 500 hours to build each model
• Thousands of precisely engineered parts: castings, photo-etchings and CNC machined metal components
• Built using original CAD designs developed from a scan of an original car
• Archive imagery, paint codes and material specifications supplied by Aston Martin

Often billed as the “most famous car in the world”, the Aston Martin DB5 Vantage is widely considered to be amongst the most beautiful cars ever made and is often labelled as the most attractive built by the British marque. Certainly it is one of the most beloved, thanks largely to its now eternal association with a certain agent of international espionage.

Built between 1963 and 1965, the DB5 was nearly visually identical to the previous DB4. However, DB5’s most substantial change occurred under the bonnet: the introduction of a 3995cc naturally-aspirated straight-six, producing 282bhp and 280lb ft, with that power sent through to a synchromesh five-speed ZF gearbox and a robust Borg & Beck clutch to the rear wheels. It was the first time this engine was used by Aston Martin in a road car, having first seen service in the Lagonda Rapide (based on Aston’s DB4) and the Aston Martin DP215, the 1963 Le Mans endurance racer. Chassis changes included the adoption of the Girling disc brakes that had only been used on DB4 GT, along with 15” wheels. Many other improvements were incorporated including electric windows and twin hydraulic brake servos. Inside, the new car was more luxurious than any Aston before. A Normalair air-conditioning system was available as an option. However, the DB5’s many upgrades meant it weighed over 100kg more than the car it replaced, though the bigger engine kept things on track, reducing the 0-60mph time to around 8sec.

The DB5 was propelled to worldwide fame when used as James Bond's car in the movie 'Goldfinger,' as well as a number of subsequent James Bond films, eventually spawning a special Aston Martin Works creation known as the Goldfinger Continuation that was built in 2020. The association with James Bond was a marketer’s dream, the perfect example of product placement, which nearly didn’t happen at all: Jaguar’s E-type was the preferred choice, but Jaguar turned EON down, and Aston Martin’s owner David Brown was also initially reluctant to supply a DB5. The rest is history, and James Bond’s gadget laden Silver Birch DB5 became an immortal silver screen phenomenon.

This fine 1:8 scale model of the Aston Martin DB5 Vantage features an exterior specification in the iconic Silver Birch, with an all-black interior. Following in the footsteps of the successful DB4 GT, the DB5 Vantage-specification engine featured an upgraded high-compression cylinder head, altered cam timing, and triple twin-choke Weber carburettors. Power also rose to 325 bhp, forty more than the standard engine, achieving 0-60mph (0-96.5kph) in 6.5 seconds. Aston Martin produced only 65 DB5 Vantages, of which approximately 40 were right-hand drive.

This model been handcrafted and finished in our workshops with the co-operation and assistance of Aston Martin regarding original finishes, materials, archive imagery and drawings. The use of original CAD and supremely accurate digital scanning of the original car has allowed us to perfectly recreate every detail at scale. Furthermore, the prototype model has undergone detailed scrutiny by the manufacturer’s engineering and design teams to ensure complete accuracy of representation.

The Aston Martin DB5 Vantage is limited to just 199 pieces.