The MotorSport One

BURNING rubber, clutches and oil, it’s the..

MOTOR SPORT ONE

DIECAST DISPATCH PAGES 3-12

SECONDS IN DEMAND PAGE 13

advertorial PAGE 14-17

SNOW MOTION PAGEs 18-22

TOP SECRET GARAGE PAGEs 23-42

RACING WITH ADRIAN MA PAGEs 43-61

SHENZEN COOL CAR SHOW PAGEs 62-66

ROAD TO LEMANS PAGEs 67-84

build your own PAGEs 85-98

RAMBO LAMBO PAGEs 99-104

WHITE KNUCKLE PAGEs 104-110

NEW HOOVES PAGEs 111-116

toms story PAGEs 117-128

HEARTS OF MONSTERS PAGEs 129-140

QUIRKY PIKE’S

Nissan PAO

LV-N379a (Aqua Gray)

New tooling from Tomica featuring the quirky works of the NISSAN PIKE FACTORY drops in the coming months and this will be their second PIKE car in the catalogue. This whimsically designed car is the result of NISSAN’s PIKE Factory design team taking the initiative to bring about retro futuristic design to cars. Limited production in real life makes these cars somewhat desirable to car enthusiasts and collectors.

Like wise with diecast collectors. Diecast brands are always looking for fresh subject matter and these PIKE cars from NISSAN are really fun.

WAGON MAJESTY

Estate. And with TOMICA’S magic this will be yet another stunning classic with a beautiful paint finish

amount of chrome that is used to highlight and edge certain sections. This has not gone amiss and of course this makes your 1:64 scale model look regal and fit for a…crown.

Crown Estate

LV-N378b (Navy Blue)

Wagon fans WILL NOT be able to resist this temptation.

LV-N377b Honda Street G Raccoon 4WD (White)

CITY RACOON

New tooling alert! This gorgeous KEI van symbolizes Japan’s ability to understand space and how not to waste it. It has an opening back door thanks to the micro hinges that TOMICA has been using for some time to achieve some decent shut lines. Additionally, just look at this, it’s cute and perfectly fits next to all the Honda Kei cars you have been picking up from

Welcome to the Auto World Store—where die-cast isn’t just a hobby, it’s a commitment to getting it right. From store-exclusive releases to meticulously crafted replicas of American muscle, classic cruisers, and slot car legends, every piece is built with purpose.

Our exclusives are the crown jewels—limited runs, authentic details, and the kind of accuracy collectors demand. But that’s just the start. Explore a full lineup of die-cast cars, slot cars, model kits, accessories, and collector essentials designed to fuel every level of enthusiast.

Whether you prefer it ready to display or ready to build, Auto World Store delivers realism you can hold.

GLITTER BOMBS

Obviously, all that glitter is not gold BUT this new Classic Gold Set from JL is a shining example as to why Round 2 has the licenses and castings to keep things interesting in the diecast community. We’re looking at 6 of JL’s best and funkiest castings with their usual bright and solid paint finishes. My personal favourites and on my Wishlist is that Gold Toyota SR5 followed by the Blue/Grey MR2. But I wouldn’t mind adding the bright orange VW convertible, Fiero, RX-Z and 300ZX TURBO to the collection as well. The quintessential 80’s bad boys crew cars. Look out for this set because there is a really good collection of some of JL’s finest castings that have been released in the last 2 years.

PRE-ORDER

This ultra limited edition is worth its weight in Gold. Which means you can pick this TOW & GO for a good price, but you must get to it fast because it is in lower production quantities than the usual limited editions from JL. This 1978 DODGE Midnite Express looks supreme with the raise suspension and Gold Graphics on gloss black. Unusual, stylish, and will spruce up your trailer shelf.

AUTO WORLD IS COOKING

HOT STUFF

Auto World has got some exciting new releases planned for this year coming out of the upcoming hits we saw four that we know are going to tantalize collectors. One is a gorgeous and ever popular Eagle Talon TSi in an 80’s two tone Blue/Black that looks like a proper vibe. Admit it though, you stopped to read this because of the GULF livery Pontiac Firebird that you know you want and you will also want the ‘Version A’ version as this is from the ‘Version B’ set. You are not fooling anyone when you say this raised 1987 SILVERADO with what looks like a detachable front grille add-on was ‘not’ what you were checking out. And finally I died and went to heaven when I saw this casting of the TOYOTA 4Runner…thoughts?

TINNED DREAMS

Now that is a great color scheme I can certainly get behind. Sedona Sunset Metallic paint with those rims is particularly stunning and the new tooling’s on the Auto World wheels look

The added detail and depth certainly improve the look of the car and certainly a Supra we would like to add to the collection of Modern Muscle. That’s how fearsome the reputation of the Supra is, it’s considered a muscle car in the US. The only other Japanese car worthy of that title in

Now that is a great color scheme I can certainly get behind. Sedona Sunset Metallic paint with those rims is particularly stunning and the new tooling’s on the Auto World wheels look amazing.

DIECAST DISPATCH

JON SIBAL X SEAN WOTHERSPOON WIDEBODY

R32 NISSAN SKYLINE

TW do it again! In fact, when it comes to releases TW is firing on all creative cylinders. It feels like last week we saw the ‘Buzz BOZO’ which I have to say has crossed many new interest lines appealing to the Comic Con and Hardcore Toy Story fans. With this new upcoming release TW and Jon Sibal work with Street Artiste turned Street Wear designer Sean Wortherspoon. His style of art looks like it is based on colorful swatches patchworked together to create a very high contrast of bright shades. His other canvases include shoes, walls and of course a PORSCHE 911.

KIMERA EVO37

The KIMERA EVO37 is probably one car I would choose over a FERRARI if I was given the choice of owning one. Unfortunately, the dream of owning a FERRARI has sailed the 7 seas and fell off the edge of the earth never to be seen again. And I have lived long enough to see Ferrari produce a hideous hunchback of a car. The Kimera is none of that. It has the stylish DNA of an already stunning car, the LANCIA 037 mixed with the DNA of a unicorn, to produce this beauty. And the only way I’ll ever own one of these like you is by ordering this new tooling from Tarmac Works.

VERTEX Toyota Aristo JZS161

Japan’s sleeper cell Toyota made an insane luxury car aptly called the ‘Aristo’ and we’ve seen the first version that was released so we have no doubt that those who missed the first drop are going to be clamoring for this new release in crystal white. You can also pull a chase version in Chrome so keep your eye out for that. Again, like the first release this one has the VERTEX widebody kit, but unlike other tuner kits this one is subtle and more in line with it’s sleeper moniker, which I like very much.

TW and Schuco have now become regular collaborators in terms of castings and first of all, no one is complaining because we see more diverse castings and both parties produce solid detailed 1/64 scale cars for collectors so both brands know what people will respond to and both know what they are doing. The Porsche Cup is one of the fiercest Porsche races and they have produced some amazing, homologated cup cars. One of them is the 911 993 Cup car with flat lights and large aero wing a must have for Porsche fan.

Once again, a car that had a fresh tooling recently and got snapped up like minnow in a Piranha tank at feeding time. It made its debut in bright red as a very good casting with nice detailing and hopefully TW will see the opportunity to release the Rothmans Dakkar version of this model as part of their brilliant rally series. Though it looked hot in red, the white looks pure and innocent in comparison. If I get the white one as well, I’ll probably sit them on either side of my shoulder.

Will the world end when the last PORSCHE on earth is finally turned into an RWB? This is yet another new RWB from Solido and the bright colours will certainly liven up the conversation and the room, but I must wonder if some of these cars don’t exist in the real world is RWB white paper licensing their body kit design and brands can use their own creativity and branding? Which is quite possible considering how diecast sales are surpassing the sales of the actual body kits and cars, leading some of these brands to move more closely into licensing. But these are some of things I wonder as I unbox some of these gorgeous models do mu photography and then sit them on the shelf.

COPS SPEEDERS

catalogue, but it is a lot. And some of them have been quite iconic, like RWB Darth Vader and RWB Zebra but for Solido it has become second nature like they can cast these in their sleep. As an ADVAN collector myself I do find it hard to see how it would fit into my collection but at the same time I do like the loud colours that seem to match the wide-body vibe coming from the RWB. It all seems to work.

I’m going to go out on a limb for everyone right now and just say OMG OMG OMG! Is this something we have been waiting for in 1/18 scale without even realizing it. Now that SOLIDO has presented this stunning POLICE Prefecture perfect Skyline I want one in 1/12 scale from OTTOMobile. Just the other day I was admiring the amount of R34 Skylines SOLIDO have done in the past and my Favorite is the Purple R34 that sits on Matt Siver NISMO LMGT4 Alloys AND they recently expanded the line with two new Z-TUNE Skylines. Now, the beautiful part about SOLIDO is their price isn’t going to leave wondering how you can remortgage your liver for a third time. And you may be able to keep your last kidney.

PTRLHD DIFFUSER CLKGTR AMG

SHADOW CASTER

Has this decade seen the most number of Nissan Skyline models ever hit the shelves? Well, not to be left out but GT Spirit bring their own Nissan Skyline R34 to the party with the mad cap over tuned Silhouette version. In Japan Silhouettes raced in the Group 5 and of course NISSAN was one of the constructors that took many accolades specially with what was known as the ‘NISSAN TRUBO GUNDAM’ or the TURBO Team.

This hypercar was purpose built to put PORSCHE and McLAREN to bed with their domination of the LeMans track. Dominating more than half the races it took part in over 2 seasons Mercedes cemented their mark in creating hypercars and because of this 20 lucky ultra-rich people will have the opportunity to own one of these.

For those of us who will never be able to say “I have a homologated Mercedes in my garage” will get the chance to claim some shelf space for their CLK GTR thanks to GT SPIRIT. This beautiful 1/18 scale model is about to put the kibosh on you spending on rational things like rent for a stunning replica of Merecedes finest example of engineering.

Magnesium styled wheels cut to precision, perfected resin bodywork and of course

Fast forward to our modernday heroes who now come out as tuners and Modifiers with the resulting homage to MASAHIRO HESEMI’S KDR30 Skyline by LBWK. For the hardcore R34 purists, this is not representative of GODZILLA because it doesn’t share the same engine with an actual R34. In fact, LBWK have installed a much older HAKOSUK GT-X bored up to 3.1 liters making this a complete ‘built not bought’ number.

MEMBER ON TRACK

Ottomobile is well known for doing some beautiful HONDA resin models but this one is brilliant in every way. The S2000 has always been a cult classic car, what with it being a low production model, beautiful in looks and amazing to drive. One of HONDA’s finest achievements in road going cars. But then the Japanese are never really satisfied with being the just the best. They like to take things further and thus the HONDA S2000 went through a mechanical evolution and was called the S2000 CR (CLUB RACER)

Only 699 units made exclusively for the North American market. That was the real car. The resin model by Ottomobile will have a few more numbers than 699 and will be available worldwide for the international market and at a far better price than the real thing. Also, if you are a big HONDA fan and this is the first time you are hearing about Ottomobile you should know they have an entire range of amazing HONDA’s if you can find them.

FORD CAPRI

A bit of British in bright flaming orange can do wonders for your collection. 1/18 resin recreation of one UK’s screamer car classics that was the poster car of all boys dreams in the 70’s. It chased bad guys and caught the eye of many a young lass. The resin model won’t do any of those things, but it looks damn good.

A hot hatch that was really really hot. This was VW’s way of saying we can shoehorn giant engines into small car bodies and then you can race them on the Autobahn because they are so fast when you compare the power to weight ratio. Releasing it in bright yellow this one will sure as hell, fire up the collection with some legit classics.

LANCIAthe037 that could!

Italian brand Laudo Racing Models is coming up with some stunning Italian classic that complete re-invent the way you think about collecting cars. A good example is the road going version of the LANCIA 037 that surprised the rally world with its pluckish resilience in an AWD world.

These resin models are quite exquisite capturing every single detail in perfection and Laudo racing is known for

FIAT 130 BERLINA

If you want FIAT models in 1/18 scale other than the very very famous 134 ABARTH the Laudo Racing has you covered. They have an insane amount of FIAT’s fantastic motoring history lined up in highly detailed models and in some beautiful shades of the 60’s 70’ and 80’s. I especially love this COBOLT Blue version of the 130 Berlina.

unkind to the brand that we so few mainstream brands making anything more that than the 134 and it is brands like Laudo Racing that have concentrated on educating the world on the extensiveness of motor history. Not everything is a LBWK.

SECONDS IN DEMAND

EDIFICE EFK-100XPB-1A

EDIFICE has been making watches for motorsport fans with some awesome collaborations like HONDA and TOYOTA, so they know exactly what car culture lovers like on their wrist. Enter the new 100XPB Automatic. This glorious yet subtle piece of wrist candy is like a ‘Black Edition’ AMG. It looks unassuming, has an air of authority but it has the best technology and engineering one can find under the hood, luxuriously reliable.

This watch represents two first for EDIFICE. 1. It is an Automatic driven watch and 2. Except for the strap it is completely made from compressed carbon fiber and resin that has been pressed at high temperatures and intense pressure to make it stronger and lighter than steel. The process also creates a beautiful marbling effect which makes the watch more unique and has an extremely elite organic look of a newly created material .

New entrant into the world of Motorsport themed watches is Spanish brand Aeroluft. They have a generous range of watches styled after Motorsport legends, icons and brands. The machines inside are Japanese Seiko Quartz which is the Mitsubishi of watch machines in terms of reliability. It was hard to choose one with the amount of choices available but eventually I settled on the JPS and the one feature I really like is under the watch on the battery cover is an etched in steel helmet with the years this car won with Ayrton Senna.

Continuing to tickle our fancy with the allure of classic motorsport design, Marchand is fast becoming the master of decently priced watches that look gorgeous and over the top. And some of them look way over. This stunner comes in GT Blue with Ivory and Orange accents with a comfortable leather strap in Azure Blue with orange side stitch. The MKII MECA Quartz range is powered by JAPAN Seiko’s VK64 Hybrid engine powered by battery keeping precision time with the feel of a mechanical watch.

Celebrating their partnership with the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal as official timekeeper, OMOLOGATO have released 250 pieces of this Limited-Edition Chronographs with either the choice of leather or steel strap. In my opinion the shape of this watch and style can only be complimented by a leather strap, especially OMOLOGATO’s Leather ‘Rally’ Strap. Looking at this watch and the rest of their range it’s fair to say the big brands that used to be the pinnacle of wristwear are fading away and better more affordable micro brands like OMOLOGATO are redefining wrist mentality.

popular with serious collectors who ample space and to be honest this Mustang is going to brighten up your life. Covered in Coca Cola livery the 302 BOSS Mustang is lovely shape of a car befitting of such a large scale. The Detailed interior will keep any car enthusiast ecstatic and the whole gorgeous ensemble sits on authentically replicated Minilite wheels and Goodyear tires. As a bit of history this car secured 78 wins from 188 races making Allan Moffet’s 69 FORD TRANS-AM Mustang a legend in Australian Motorsport.

Big Sister company of MINI GT TSM Models or TRUESCALE does a stunning array of 1/18 and 1/43 scale models. They also have a long-standing license agreement with the sporting body IMSA and have been producing IMSA cars in all scales. This latest model is in pre-order at CarMOdel. com and is representative of the Multimatic Team that run FORD Performance factory works cars including this blindingly gorgeous MUSTANG GT3 V8.

TEAM MULTIMATIC

TRUESCALE Models represent the upper echelons of detailed models which means you will be blown away by the gloss finish on the carbon fiber parts that make it look so realistic, the incredible body work and of course perfectly cut and mounted aero parts and diffusers. Worth the price? It certainly is because you get what you pay for.

THE SCHUMI MACHINE

We are slowly getting into this type of collecting which literally is building your collection from the ground up and it is quite exciting FANHOME X DeAgostini gives creating collectors the opportunity of building and getting intimate with one of the most famous F1 cars in motorsport. A mechanical and engineering lesson wrapped up into one beautiful 1/18 scale model of Michael Schumacher’s winning F1-2000. You have the immense pleasure of not just building but learning about every intricate part that went into an F1 car at the start of the century. And, because of its subscription model the cost of owning and detailed 1/8 scale

SCHUMI MACHINE

SNOW MOTION

Unfortunately, spring has kicked in, and the chance to do a ’snow’ shot has melted away, leaving me to drop this winning piece from TARMAC WORKS on a gravel surface where most rally cars are comfortable as well.

It is a shame this wasn’t released a few months earlier in the colder climate, because the Swedish Rally Event is the only ‘snow’ circuit in the WRC calendar, and this specific car was the winner of the 2024 event, all the more reason to want a little snow in the background.

What we can celebrate is the addition of another 1/64 WRC model built for the hardcore rally collector. As we see the brand fall into a regular rhythm of releases, we can expect at the very least 12 rally cars under the HOBBY64 line yearly. Which will not just concentrate on past icons but also include current drivers, winners and team manufacturers.

Like everything else, rally cars have evolved over the years, fighting against rising production costs

Manufacturers have become more technologically advanced and have found ways to enhance the additions and accessories that can be added to their homologated models. These additions are clearly reflected in the replica-scale version by Tarmac Works, aided by the right information provided under licensing

Tarmac Works continues to lavish collectors with a wide range of Motorsport winners and icons, along with real-world vehicles and tuner delights. You could easily say that they explore all aspects of car culture and would be a great place to start for serious 1/64 collectors.

TOP SECRET TOP SECRET

passion FOR performance

From the TOP SECRET lair of ‘Smokey Nagata’ comes three fire-breathing beasts powered by an unholy number of horses, wielding power beyond our puny minds. The only way you can acquire these 3 dragons is if you win a giant lottery or scale down the size of your dream.

INNO64 makes it possible for you to collect all the great cars built by Smokey and his team that make up the TOP SECRET garage. Dedicated to delivering detail at 1/64,each one of these cars is a perfect representation of the real thing.

GT-R 34

SYLVIA S15

The latest drop on offer is the SYLVIA S15.A stunning-looking car,further exacerbated by the TOP SECRET body kit.Unfortunately, the brand’s underpinnings are based more on performance parts that go under the car, and we collectors don’t get to experience that side of the fun.But we can still celebrate the aesthetic value and derive joy from admiring these works of mechanical genius and design.

No denying the great job INNO64 has done. Especially with the rims.Being able to achieve that chrome shine without resembling a cheap plastic finish on this scale is what we love to see.No errors on the carbon fibre-padded parts,which include a well-sculpted rear aero wing and front bonnet.Unlike the other TS cars, the graphics on this are minimal,but what is available is crisp and clear.

Is it possible to say that Nissan is the most “performance-based car manufacturer in Japan? Do they have the widest range of modifiable and tunable rear-wheeled drive cars? It does seem that NISSAN’s range is more tuned towards being tuned.

SUPRA GT300

During the final moments of 2025 Inno64 released some event cars for the GT Show 2025, and one of them is the silver version of SMOKEY NAGATA’s one of 03, hand-modified and tuned by Smokey Nagata himself. This is based off the SUPRA known as ‘The GT-300’, which is originally gold.

For the event,this version of the car was painted silver,rather than gold,although INNO64 has previously released the original gold version as well.This version of SUPRA does not use the 2JZ-GTE engine but instead utilises a modified Celica 3S-GTE engine, capable of revving over 10,000 RPM and producing 700 horsepower at the rear.

But Smokey Nagata’s desire for speed and achieving the highest number in a road run has landed him in trouble with one of the strictest traffic police forces in the world.In 1998,Smokey’ received legendary status when he stopped in the middle of the UK motorway known as the A2,did a burnout and then proceeded to attempt a top speed record, which he did before getting arrested.

The record: Smokey Nagata is the only man todate who has been clocked at 194Mph on UK roads. Of course, WHEN the Police caught up to him, they arrested him, and he received a 10-year driving ban in the UK.

GT-R34

It would seem super odd if Japan’s top tuning company ignored the potential monster madness hidden in the depths of an RB26DETT, so let’s not be odd, thought the TOP SECRET Team. Turning an already insane tarmac munching GODZILLA into a MEGALADON GODZILLA that only people like SMOKEY NAGATA can train and manage.

This gorgeous TS Skyline is finished in Nissan’s Greyish Blue colour code, as opposed to the original TS Gold finish that you usually get. Another GT SHOW 2025 release completes the entire set of TOP SECRET Skylines in this colour variation.

MOTORSPORT

DRIVING THE DIECAST MARKET

words by ADRIAN MA

The world of motorsports and collectibles has always operated in tandem with each other, and in more recent years, that union involving diecast models has been felt especially stronger.

Many collectors also happen to be passionate followers of motorsports themselves, and no matter what scale, these collectibles offer another level of immersion for the fans to bring memorabilia immortalizing these circuit machines to add to their collections, dioramas, or as home decor.

Long-standing brands have provided replicas of all types of racers, from the earliest open-wheel racers of the postwar era with attentive details, to touring car sedans and rally cars for fans of specific teams, brands, or vehicles to shape a collection dedicated to them.

The cult following, or ‘pop-culturalisation’ of disciplines like Formula One in recent years, has evidently led to brands like Hot Wheels to take note and launch their own replica castings to take advantage of these rising trends within the market.

The connection between diecast models and motorsports has definitely been taken note of by the teams and racing talent themselves.

Attend certain activations hosted by the racing teams’ marketing departments, or be among the lucky few to attend an ‘inviteonly’ meet and greet/garage tour - you will likely walk away with a 1/43 or 1/64 scale memento of said team’s entry - often made even more special with the autograph of the driver/s tasked to finish on podium that race weekend.

Tarmac Works x IXO Models

1/64 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992) Fire Monkey Motorsport

This particular model was a first for Tamac Works, serving as one of their first 1:64 toolings of the 911 GT3 Cup (992) racer made in collaboration with IXO Models. The honors of this new release were represented by China-based Fire Monkey Motorsport and their success in the Thailand Super Series touring car championship, with their vibrant green and black livery colors adorning this new casting of the Porsche racer.

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Tarmac Works

1/64 Mercedes-AMG GT3

Craft-Bamboo Racing #77, GT World Challenge Asia 2025

Being Hong Kong-based brands/companies, Tarmac Works and CraftBamboo Racing are frequent collaborators. But this particular casting of the Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing team’s #77 AMG GT3 racer marked a key point of history for team Craft-Bamboo Racing; being their 2025 GT World Challenge Asia entry, where team director Darryl O’Young’s final stints behind the wheel took place before his retirement from racing the same year altogether. With fellow driver Alex (Liang) Jiatong,

they secured a victory in the Silver Class at the 2025 edition’s finale in Beijing - a memorable moment for both the team and Darryl’s career immortalized in miniature form.

Tarmac Works

1/64 Mercedes-AMG GT3

HRT TeamRacingBilstein #4, 24H of Nurburgring 2023

Regarded as one of the most demanding endurance races in the global racing calendar, the 24 Hours of Nurburgring tests cars, teams, and drivers from every stretch of the planet, with a diverse range of racing hardware aiming to conquer all 110 corners of Germany’s ‘Green Hell’.

Representing Mercedes-AMG for the 2023 edition, Team Bilstein by Haupt Racing Team’s #4 AMG GT3 entry (piloted by Philip Ellis, Raffaele Marciello, and Luca Stolz that year) stood out with a comicstyle livery over the signature Bilstein yellow; with all of the ‘action-line’ graphics reportedly hand-painted over several days to make this a truly unique livery, and the same details carry over in its 1/64 form.

Tarmac Works

1/64 Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II

Uno Racing #30, FIA GT World Cup 2024 (Macau GT Cup)

Tarmac Works’ Macau Grand Prix casting of recent years has focused on one of the Audi R8 LMS Evo II GT3 entries by Chinese-based Uno Racing, with their featured liveries tapping into popular fandoms close to many fans’ hearts, including Sanrio Characters (Hello Kitty/Melody/ Cinnamoroll) and for the #30 car driven by James Yu in 2024, the classic anime series ‘Future GPX Cyber Formula’.

The casting is an accurate recreation of the in-universe ‘Sugo Asurada’ team colors as creator Shoji Kawamori envisioned, captured by the car’s striking blue/ red highlights on top of a White body. It’s no surprise that, like many of Tarmac Works’ Macau race weekend releases, this model infamously drew long queues as early as day one and daily allocations sold out in a flash!

Tarmac Works

1/64 Audi A4 Quattro

Macau Guia Race 1996 Winner #3

Tarmac Works’ first castings consisted of iconic racers from the Macau Grand Prix, and they continue to pay homage to one of Asia’s most celebrated international motorsport events ten years on.

This particular 1/64 casting is based on the Audi A4 quattro Super Touring, also known as the Audi A4 STW; the touring car racer based on the B5-gen Audi A4 sedan, designed to meet FIA Class 2 / Super Touring regulations that dominated over rivals thanks to the competitive edge its quattro all-wheel drive offered over rear-wheel drive counterparts.

After dominating previous rounds in the 1996 season, the Super Touring race for the Macau Grand Prix that year saw two Audi A4 Quattro entries join the grid, with Tarmac Works’ focused on replicating the #3 car driven by Frank Biela - made somewhat iconic during a fierce battle on the Guia Circuit against the rival #22 BMW E46 320i STW driven by Joachim Winkelhock, concluding in a 1-2 finish for the Audis.

Notably, regulations for the Super Touring car series took note of the success Audi flourished in, leading to the ban of all-wheel drive for all entries in the touring car class the following season.

Shenzhen Cool Car Show 2026

As Spring begins, so does the Chinese automotive event schedule, with 2026’s season kicking off prominently with the Shenzhen Cool Car Show held on the second-to-last weekend of March.

Held in the Bao’an district near Shenzhen International Airport and a roughly half-hour metro ride from the city centre, the Cool Car Show aimed for a far greater international profile this year - with guest appearances by actors and motoring personalities, Sung Kang and Daniel Wu, alongside influential figures like automotive photographer Larry Chen taking centre stage.

The result was that this latest edition of the Shenzhen Cool Car Show had a more diverse international attendance than previous years, with visitor numbers arguably one of the highest numbers this show has seen post-pandemic across each day.

Not only were full-scale cars at the center of attention across the multiple event halls, but diecast collectibles also held a strong presence, with a hall dedicated entirely to the collectible industry from internationally recognised brands to the latest in China’s emerging 1/43 and 1/64 scale model companies.

Well-recognised brands like Tarmac Works, MiniGT, Greenlight, Spirit GT, and BMC Creations had booths the entire event weekend to display their latest releases, alongside sneak previews of castings still in development; joined by the current crop of emerging and growing diecast brands from the Chinese market.

Tarmac Works notably brought their Liberty Walk R32 GTR project car up north, with the car prominently taking place in the event hall alongside neighboring displays that showcased an RWB Porsche 911 Coupe and a widebodied W124-gen Mercedes-Benz sedan.

Also drawing attention at Tarmac Works’ end was confirmation that another Craft-Bamboo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 casting was in developmentspecifically their latest 12 Hours of Bathurst entry adorned in ‘Fujiwara Tofu Shop’ Black and White colors that paid tribute to the famed anime/manga series, Initial D, and its 30th anniversary.

The Cool Car Show aims to showcase the best of Chinese automotive culture in all forms, from full-scale cars to miniatures; with the organizers aiming to take the event to the next level this year. There is no doubt their efforts will continue for the next edition.

Adrian Ma joined the Castheads team as a contributor in 2023, but has been a passionate diecast collector since his childhood (with a particular Hot Wheels ‘Faster Than Ever’ 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X close to his heart).

A stint with Craft-Bamboo Racing further exposed him to the world of motorsports, gaining further appreciation for motorsports-themed castings and releases - with models immortalizing entries in the GT World Challenge, Macau Grand Prix, Super Taikyu, and Super GT series on his hotlist.

Outside of covering diecast events/ shows within Asia, Adrian is a freelance motoring correspondent and marketing specialist for various outlets and companies, allowing him to apply his in-depth knowledge of automotive topics to everything - from trendworthy articles to strategies proven to best sell modern classic cars in the international collectable market.

He’s currently partial to 1/64 releases from Hot Wheels, Tomica, and Tarmac Works, but doesn’t mind the occasional 1/43 model by Hi-Story, Spark, or Kyosho (when the space permits)

ROAD TO

Legends on track is what TW brings us, with a super scoop of LeMans cars that span the years and of course castings that have been perfected by the brand. For 2026 there has been no relenting in what’s on offer. Over the next few pages you’ll see an exciting example of what a roll TARMAC WORKS is on now in One64.

Kremer Racing Team

The Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 2.8 #45

Driven by Erwin Kremer, Paul Keller and Clemens Schickentanz the 911 3.0 RS finished 8th Place overall in the LeMans standings and won first place in its GTS 3.0 Class which was significant because being a production-based car it ruined the day for many race-built prototypes in its class.

The casting is taken from Schuco’s range of 911’s in collaboration with TARMAC WORKS and let’s be real the quality is still as good as the first TW x Schuco release. It is a great replica of the LeMans version with the famous Kremer livery on point.

In terms of whether this is good for collectors or not. Of course, it is but my advice would be to leave this one for the hardcore LeMans fans as it is more of a motorsport piece and about the cars that have crossed the checkered flag.

ENNEA SRL Igol

FERRARI F40 GTE #44

LeMANS FASHIONISTA

The Ferrari F40 although a beautiful car, although legendary famous, although loved by millions of fans around the world, was never destined for victory at LeMans.

Partially because it was never made for LeMans from the factory and all the F40 entries were private teams and the cars usually tuned by Micheletto. But reliability issues plagued the cars that had a complicated transmission system at the time and was not really geared to run for 24 hours straight. 22,000 to over 30,000 gear shifts throughout the race.

This however didn’t stop team Igol Ennea SRL with drivers Jean-Marc Gounon, Éric Bernard and Paul Belmondo for taking part in a beautiful two tone shaded F40 GT Evo in 1996 and yes the did bow out at an early stage due to reliability issues but it didn’t stop the team from looking stunning round the track for quite a few laps.

Now you can drop one more LeMans raced F40 into your 1/64 collection. Unfortunately, due to the size and the fact no one really wants to pen these pricey detailed cars but there are elements of interior detail if you can peek inside and see.

AS a hardcore F40 fan I can’t get enough of these cars and having such a wonderful range to choose from will always be exciting. Nowadays collectors don’t spend their time hunting for limited editions so much as time hunting down missed drops to complete a collection. For me I love looking at the F40 shape in all those interesting liveries.

The Ferrari F40 has 15 castings from TARMAC WORKS from road going versions to motorsport.

Ferrari’s returning rise to LeMans starts here with the 488 GTE in 2016. From this point onwards Ferrari begins to take podiums and lay down rubber for what would become the return to the top of the leaderboard in every way and overall winner not once but twice in a row. Like a Star Wars intro this is how their journey started, with one of the most reliable race engines Ferrari could muster for the 2016 LeMans.

Of course, this was not instant victory and 2016 was not the year for Ferrari. To be honest it was the worst start to a brilliant decade, but Ferrari has had much worst years in the past, so a rocky start was anticipated.

For Collectors of LeMans TARMAC WORKS is probably one of three or four other brands doing the same subject in one64 which gives you the ability to set up some nice period correct race shots or even collect LeMans not by brands or manufacturers but by eras. This leads to a completely different style of collecting with research involved almost like doing a thesis on the sport over a season

I have been holding out on building this Ferrari for more than a month.

My biggest fear: clumsiness.

This is not an excuse or a joke. It is an admission to a serious problem that I have had to live with all my life and when it comes to model collecting it can be disastrous. Now, I’m going to try and build one. My confidence is not overflowing right now. There is a possibility that halfway through this build I might need to bring in professional help either in the field of engineering or medicine.

“A man is only as good as his tools” –Emmert Wolf

This is very true with model building and to be honest it would be easier to have these things from the beginning.

Magnifying glass on a stand, better with independent lights. Even with good vision after a while staring at tiny parts can make your eyes go sideways. A self-standing magnifier will make sure you get to see the end of the build.

Magnetic screwdrivers, suited for most precision applications. You do get one with the build but you can never run short and different sizes can be helpful for a lot of things.

A plastic sprue cutter is perfect for clipping off those plastic parts like the tiny plugs that fit on the distributor cap. A plastic sprue cutter gives you a precision chop and less chance of the tiny flying off to disappear for the next 5 years.

Tweezers will come in later packs but, I say be prepared you can use them much earlier and you will be happier for it.

A really good playlist.

The first two bags are relatively easy. From stage 3 onwards is when you get really thrown into it. So don’t expect a gradual introduction.

The Pro’s: In each issue that you get the instructions are in the last two pages so there is not a lot to follow. They are also pretty clear most of the time sometimes they can get a little mind bendy for a bit, that’s when I would suggest a break. I do wish they had access online to 3D sections with full rotation.

It is a very satisfying feeling of accomplishment at the end of each stage and to be honest having to wait in-between for the parts to come will cause a little anxiousness. But as the pieces come together you start to feel a little more excited.

The Cons: If you are like me fat fingered and buttered, it will take you double the time of everything. Do not attempt a build without magnetic screwdrivers…ever. Even a magnetic work mat might serve to be a great savior of sanity. Be extra careful when attaching the tiny hoses on to plastic pins.

They can break and you can’t use superglue. For now, I haven’t tested DeAgostini’s (FanHome) spare parts policy but in case I strike out I will find alternatives.

Like the song says, “you can’t hurry love”.

You have to learn to take time especially with tricky procedures. This will avoid you having to add more precarious procedures to your build or sanity in the future.

However, once you start getting into the groove of things you start to create your own ways of dealing with problems and researching solutions through the hundreds of build videos available on Youtube that have never-ending tips and tricks you can try out.

The main thing is ‘keep focused’ the hard bits come and go at the end of this you will have a 1/8 scale Ferrari legend which is worth the effort!

The RAMBO LAMBO

JADA Pink Slips keeps collectors on their toes with hit after hit in their range that moves through 1:64 to 1:18 scales of shiny hot looking exotics. We love the Pink Slips treatment on their cars, and a perfect specimen is this Performante’ that is sleeker than a newt in baby oil.

A combination of black and lizard green, this gorgeous metallic finished Huracan on steroids captures JADA’s increasingly effective ability to create great models for budget-based collectors.

This is one of the biggest reasons why we love JADA. They engage all ages of collectors with price ranges that make it affordable to have fun.

For the price this Huracan does not lack any details. Wide body Performante kit, black gloss Lamborghini rims with massive disc brakes and opening parts all round.

JADA has done many casting of many different Lamborghini models and to be very honest they are all really good. If one was looking to start a Lambo collection and would like it in 1/24 scale, we would highly recommend filling your display with JADA’s

WHITE KNUCKLE

JADA back again pairing their castings with POP Culture to give collectors a little bit more ‘pop’ in their display. Continuing with the “SONIC’ license JADA serves up collaborative release with the character ‘Knuckles’ and a Lamborghini Aventador. The result hits you in the face with a stunning combination of comic art livery adorning the sharp edges of an Aventador shaped canvas.

culture FANS pop

Abstract car art applied to an exotic fit perfectly together with the added pleasure of getting a figure of Knuckles along for the ride. JADA has got an amazing number of these POP Culture character collabs with their cars and kind of makes them the only one to do this both successfully and with the proper licenses in place. Playful yet at the same time their models have fitted into quite a few serious collections.

There are the usual staples that JADA applies and one of them is ‘opening parts’ all around. More for show that parts open as opposed to having anything spectacular interior wise. Although some models have seen an increase in interior details. But this is a bit of a last years older casting with new livery but also part of the Sonic the Hedgehog set of cars released in the Hollywood rides series.

Once you get all your Hollywood rides out with their figures in one display space it will be an epic sight to see especially if you have been collecting these for a long time. This is a series that spans DC Comics, Marvel, Anime, Warner Brothers, Fast and the Furious, CAPCOM and so much much more. If you are POP culture screen fiend with a side hustle for loving cars. Check out the JADA catalogue!

HOT HOOVES FOR LeMANS

They have had decades of close relationships and partnerships with the highest echelons of the sport, and they have successfully combined this DNA with their street wear culture specially for the likes of you and me who loves cars and love fashion. Grease stains and dirty jeans don’t cut it anymore.

These are the PUMA X PORSCHE LEGACY ‘Sau’ Future Cat Sneakers.

The “Future Cat’ is an evolution of the PUMA “Speed Cat’ with a similar sole shape and curved heel guard however the eyestay is not centered like the ‘Speed Cat’ but fashionable off kilter.

The design is a tribute to PORSCHE’s #92 911 RSR that won in its class at Le Mans in 2013. AS a tribute, the car carried the same livery that first appeared at LeMans in 1971 on the Porsche 917 which due to infamous design of the butcher-style cut-line was called “Pink Pig’. This design has become famous and iconic and apparently will be regurgitated onto many future Porsches and future LeMans.

A comforting shoe that hugs your foot within the warm embrace of PUMA’s signature leather, gives you that racers edge with amazing grip at the heel which is what you would expect from racing footwear DNA.

Combined with the knowledge of street fashion this statement for your feet will certainly stand out in a crowd. And if you really want to raise eyebrows swap out the standard pink laces for the accompanying red ‘sausage-link’ ones and find yourself a nice RSPCA gathering to go for.

Some people go gaga over basketball sneakers, some lose the plot on certain types of ‘art’ sneakers, but let’s be real you and me, slap a car logo on in and we will wear it. What is surprising is that PUMA has never released anything with NISSAN with a GT-R line if they did they probably would up the richest fashion company in the world.

TOM’S Diner

For die hard Toyota Supra Fans this specific car and the iterations it spawned after are the holiest of holies in terms of Supra grails. If you own one of these creations, you will have attained car nirvana immediately without needing to pass GO and collect two hundred.

Layered underneath the CASTROL branding is a ballerina that was Frankenstein’d together to take on the monster R33 at the JGTC in 1997. The year brute force battled nimble light footedness. In the end there can be only one, and the brute monster that stomped all over Japan’s racing circuit was tripped up by a tiny dancer.

TOM’S Admirer

Having a great GR Supra mold in their arsenal (BTW GO ARSENAL!) Solido is pulling punches left right and center on the SUPRA tributes. Earlier last year we saw the GR Supra running with the famous FNF livery as a tribute to Brian’s Supra and now for your collecting pleasure comes a partner for the famous TOM’S JGTC GT500 Supra.

The Racing Tribute version from SOLIDO Works.

Fans of such crucial and memorable racing machines will love getting their hands on the brand that is fast becoming the quintessential go to for 1/18 scale historic and iconic motorsport models. The beauty is, you get more than what you pay for in terms of model quality. You will be looking at spending USD150 on one of these (LiveCarModel Pre-Order) and what you get is an excruciatingly detailed resin model that will style out any Motorsport themed room, restaurant, lair or cave.

TOM’S Admirer contd...

SOLIDO is now a pretty solid deal in the 1/18 scale market pinching an ideal spot where creating a 1/18 scale model with significant detail in diecast metal doesn’t need to be an obscene price. Elitists would beg to differ, and we’ll let them because it’s nice to see an elitist beg. In the meantime, one can enjoy the wonderful art of collecting and displaying models along with all the new modern ways an adult can have with their toys. However, we discourage you from using your time in any way that could lead you to an A&E.

TOM’S Diner contd..

Then there is the onscreen fame with the appearance in Play station’s biggest cash cow Gran Turismo. 3 Season of the game and the Supra is still a driver favorite because it does what it says on the label. With Gran Turismo being one of the

most hyper realistic driving experiences on a gaming platform the Supra’s agility is replicated from aerodynamics to driving physics giving users and exquisite driving experience.

TOM’S Admirer contd...

Having been smitten so much with how SOLIDO have done a great yet easy job of making the new Supra seem like an adoring grandchild who see’s his grandfather as this ancient warrior and wants to wear the same traditional war colors in pride you can appreciate why this would make a great partner for current collection and if you have elitist money you could get the OTTO Mobile version as well and then you will be as slick as a CASTROL stain on the tarmac.

Now, don’t you think this will look good sitting next

to your PS rig?

HEARTS BUILDING MONSTERS OF

By 1998 Nissan had cemented its reputation for building the most reliable and powerful engine known to Asia. The car was affectionately referred to as ‘Godzilla’ for its monstrous engineering and winning streak however improvements of competitive cars for LeMans saw changes which Japan had to adapt to. The Skyline of the previous year was replaced by the R390 which had a lighter engine supplanted as opposed to the RB25DETT. Lighter, faster and tested to the hilt with three 24 Hour tests covering 4000km Nissan took their cars to LeMans.

NISSAN R390 GT1 MONSTERS

THE CARS DELIVERED A STUNNING PERFORMANCE AGAINST SOME OF THE MOST INTENSE MECHANICAL COMPETITION AT THE TIME COMING FROM THE LIKES OF MCLAREN AND MERCEDES LOSING ONLY TO THE PORSCHE GT1’S. THE NISMO TEAMS STARTING WITH ALL JAPANESE DRIVER LINE UP DROVE TO 3RD, 5TH AND 6TH OVERALL WITH THE #32 CAR PICTURED HERE SERVING UP THE BEST RESULT.

The ‘special’ Calsonic livery on this car was chosen to celebrate and wish support to the Japanese football team who were taking part in the World Cup that year for the very first time. So, you could say as a car collector, this model embodies a lot of historic sport symbols.

Considering all the parts you can see in detail from the outside it is heart breaking to note that this resin model does not contain opening parts but because of the resin you can be sure the car’s lines are accurate and beautiful with no visible gaps at all. Replication of the lightweight magnesium alloy wheels will make you shed a few tears as well as the perforated grilles, accurate tow hooks and glass looking lights.

A beautiful car and a moment of inspiration from GT Spirit to get this casting into the licensing holder ship. This is a cash cow model and all versions of this car that are released are going to disappear faster than Kanye West’s sanity. These are the cars that make your collection look like you know about cars and GT Spirit have a new version coming out soon, are you ready for that?