The Cars Are Small in Scale, but Not the Expectations
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PROOF User: cci Time: 16:53 - 12-14-2006 Publication: TheNewYorkTimes_PressMarks Desk: PubDate: 12-17-2006 Region: NewYork Edition: 1 Page Name: AuFeat3 PROOF User: rpeele Time: 16:53 - 12-14-2006 Region: NewYork Edition: 1 16 AU MB THE NEW YORK TIMES, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2006 WHEELSPIN The Cars Are Small in Scale, 12 Worth Collecting VID toy car collectors tend to gather on the message boards But Not the Expectations A at diecast.org. The Web site has reviews of cars, many with pho- tos, made by some 50 manufacturers. By DAVE CALDWELL William Bakaleinikoff, whose nom de vroom is Paul Theriot, is moderator ERRARI collectors are an incredibly A detailed 1:18 nitpicky bunch, according to Frank of the forum on 1:18 scale cars. He F Lemire, who can say this with some scale model of a made a list of 12 models that created authority because he has 14 Ferraris in his 1961 Ferrari 250 the most excitement on release and 124-car collection — and is very particular GT Berlinetta by reflected collectors’ tastes. Manufac- about the features of each one. C.M.C., right, turers are in parentheses. DAVE Mr. Lemire, a construction project man- costs about $250. CALDWELL ager from Montclair, N.J., is not a tycoon A full-size 250 GT ¥ 1953 Kaiser (Highway 61) with acres of garages. The Ferraris in his sold at an October ¥ 1937 Lincoln (Ertl Precision 100) collection, which focuses on racecars, are models. auction in Geneva ¥ 1966 Ford Fairlane 500 (GMP) But even if his cars are not 200 mile-an- for $1.8 million. ¥ 1961 Morris Minor (Minichamps) hour autobahn missiles or multimillion-dol- ¥ 1933 Pierce-Arrow (Signature) lar restorations from the Italian sports car ¥ 1956 Lincoln convertible (Sun Star) maker’s past, he is demanding about the ¥ 1968 Ford Mustang GT 390 from the quality of their construction and the accura- movie “Bullitt.” (AutoArt) cy of their details. Some — even limited edi- ¥ 1965 Chevelle Malibu SS (Lane) tion diecast models that sell fully assembled ¥ 1957 Continental MKII (Yat Ming) for $200 and up — are not good enough out of the box to join his collection without a few fi- ¥ 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air hardtop nal touch-ups. (Precision Miniature) Such lapses cause concern not only for ¥ 1929-30 BMW Dixi (Ricko) collectors and the companies that make the ¥ 1963 Chaparral 2 (Exoto) models, but also for the automaker that li- censes the reproduction. Ferrari wants peo- ple who buy anything with its name at- tached to be pleased. “Analyzing the market, and from the rec- Or at least it has to look very close to the ommendations coming from collectors, we real thing. understood they were not happy because the A vintage Ferrari racecar by C.M.C. has real wire wheels and wood trim, left and center Collectors have been known to hold mod- model is not accurate enough,” Giulio above. Above right, the wheels of the 250 GT can be removed to expose the disc brakes. els next to the actual vehicle just to pick out Zambeletti, director for brand inconsistencies. But they are willing to take development of Ferrari, price tags into consideration. A $25 model Cars. “these models must be packaged, transport- to a year to develop, he said. Mattel engi- simply cannot carry the detail of a $250 said in a recent tele- The pre- ed and displayed, so maintaining the illusion neers make an initial prototype, which they phone interview from model. cise detail of perfect scale with operating features like take to Ferrari for comment. They revise “C.M.C. cars have real leather interiors, Italy. work of opening, hinged panels and functioning sus- the model until Ferrari likes what it sees; It is not easy to gas lines, brake lines,” Mr. Lemire said, not- C.M.C. models pension is an art and science in itself. only then is it put on the market. “We think ing a few of the details that makers of less shrink a car and make wins high praise from Wil- “With part counts in the hundreds, every we’ve built that level of trust, that if they its proportions look expensive models can hardly be expected to liam Bakaleinikoff of Moss component must be of give us that data, we’ll be able to make a include. right. And the challenge of Beach, Calif., moderator of a mes- perfect scale replica they’ll be proud of as well,” Mr. Stas- Stepping up from the Hot Wheels toys pleasing customers can get sage board for 1:18 collectors on and shape to kin said. loved by many children, Mattel is expanding tougher when the model is www.diecast.org. Mr. Bakaleinikoff un- allow for as- James Zhao, a director large enough — cars done in the its line of diecast collector models. A range abashedly compares C.M.C.’s products to sembly. These at C.M.C., said some auto- popular 1/18th scale may be a foot long — to of special-edition cars, which will cost about the work of Da Vinci. models are a makers were very gener- include interior trim and mechanical sys- $250 each, includes the Ferrari FXX super- For example, C.M.C.’s recently released product of ous. tems. car; Mattel says it will sell only 2,006 of model of the 1961 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta computer gen- “They want us to make the Tweaks need to be made when scaling these. In February, Mattel is also planning Short Wheelbase has, among other things, a eration, laser best representations of their down a car, Michael Staskin, marketing di- measurements as cars,” he said. to unveil six commemorative 1:18 Ferrari rector for motorsports at Mattel, explained hood that opens to reveal a finely detailed models, one for each of the six decades Fer- V-12 engine, leather-covered bucket seats well as 3-D laser Mr. Zambeletti, the Fer- in a telephone interview from Milan. The and machine cutting rari brand director, rari has been in business. The price for company, which makes several lines of 1:18 and carpet in the trunk. Buyers with deft fin- those will be $69.99. gers can even open the gas cap. to make each master said there were models as well as the more famous line of component.” physical and techni- “The accuracy of a car can go to an unbe- C.M.C. cars like the Ferrari 250 GT may 1:64 scale Hot Wheels toys, has a licensing It is a meticulous pro- cal reasons to make lievable level,” Mr. Zambeletti of Ferrari have more than 1,000 parts and are finished agreement with Ferrari. cess. Ferrari helps Mat- slight changes from said. “Mattel does understand the impor- The curvature of body contours may need with the same paint the automaker uses. tel by providing raw data the real car, but tance of this anniversary. It’s smart mar- to be altered slightly. The roof on a model C.M.C. is allowed to make one Ferrari mod- from the road cars, Mr. what was important keting. And this is what the collectors are cannot simply be 1/18th as thick because the el a year; these sell for about $250 each. Staskin said. Mattel then was the final product. looking for.” metal would bend or wrinkle like aluminum “We try to make it as high-precision and measures the real Ferraris “This product is an Mr. Bakaleinikoff, the moderator of die- foil. A windshield 1/18th as thick as that of a as high-value as we can,” Shuxiao Jia, and takes hundreds of photo- official product,” he cast.org , said that models provided the real car would be too fragile. C.M.C.’s director, said from her office in graphs — exterior and interior, said. “It has to be thrill of an exotic car, which for most people Ferrari has licensing agreements with Rochester. “It’s very fine work.” wide shots and close-ups. The Ferrari FXX is part of very, very, very close is unattainable. several other model manufacturers, Mr. Rich Sufficool, who reviews models for A model takes from six months Mattel’s Super Elite line. to the real thing.” “They’ll never be able to afford the car, Zambeletti said, including Classic Motor diecast.org, wrote in an e-mail message that and probably never will be able to sit in.