1/43 Scale Models

Bang: Good, getting better.
Best: Good value.
Brumm: Lack of detail, but some good shapes. Is cheap.
Art Model: Sister brand of Best, very good value.
Red Line: Almost a BBR,almost...
Top model: Shapes are always wrong...
Ixo: They are starting with Ferrari but the first ones are very good.
Tokoloshe: For the money asked, one of the best.

etc,etc,etc...

This are my reviews, try www.grandprixmodels.com or www.alpimodel.com and www.ewacars.com

if you want a opinion about a certain model dont hesitate.

Regards

 

Minichamps is good, but sometimes a little overrated. Their F50 looks mighty fine, but their 355 is not all that great shape-wise. Same goes for their 456 (front too flat) but the 512 TR is amazing again.

Best has some very nice pieces. Their 330 GTC and GTS look very nice for it's price. Same goes for their 312P. The 308-series isn't that good (just compare it to the Vitesse-one) and their 512 BB is simply dissapointing. The Lusso however is very nice.

Bang is very good. I love their 250 GTE and 250 Testa Rossa. Very good detailling. Paintwork not always up to par, but still very acceptable for the money.

Artmodel again, very good when looking for vintage Ferrari-racers. Beautiful 166 MM.

Earlier mentioned Vitesse: not much Ferrari, but their 308 and 246 Dino are the best around.

TopModel I would rate lower than all of these. I have their 500 Mondial and 340 America, which look ok, but be aware not to pay too much.

DetailCar have an ok looking F50, but lacks in every aspect when compared to the Minichamps one. Their Daytona's look stunning however. I have two Berlinetta's, one in yellow and one in silver.

Brumm has very good value for money. They are really very cheap, but their 312 PB, 412P, 330 P-series, 126C2, well, you name it, look all perfect.

Jolly Models aren't too detailed and not always in order when it comes to overall shape. Their 330 LMB has way too thick pillars for instance. What I like about Jolly is that they deliver the not too obvious Ferrari-models.

In conclusion: it all depends on what specific Ferrari-model you are looking for, but all in all these manufacturers deliver very nice models for very nice prices.

 

For the 330P4 (or 412P) both Brumm and Bang are good.
For the Enzo, go pick up an IXO one when the Redline is too expensive. The Redline looks good by the way.
Same goes for the F430. Redline looks good, but I'm waiting for the IXO.
For the SWB, I would recommend Bang, and as well for the 250 TR.

(oh, and when 333 SP's are your thing, go have a look at Spark Model)

 

For the F430 I think the Looksmarts are a good option!!

 

Another possibility is Jouef. These have been out of production for several years, but they show up on ebay every now and then. They are among the most detailed 1:43 diecast ever made. Don't be put off by the crappy 1:18 Jouef products. The 1:43 and 1:24 are different animals altogether. Be aware, though, that there are two lines of 1:43. The cheaper "legende" ones come in typical acrylic cases and do not have opening parts. I would not recommend those. The ones shown here, however, are definitely worth watching for.

Sorry I don't have better photos. The P4 is a targa. There's also a 1967 Daytona 24hr winner P4 and a 250 SWB. These last two come in velvet-lined jewelry boxes.
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What's the price range??

 

With patience, the high-detail Jouefs can be had for $50 each. There were some recently with a minimum of $79 that did not sell. The SWB is the most difficult to find.

 

Try Looksmart (new brand by MR): same quality as BBR, half the price!

 

Ferrari 330 P4 : Bang
Ferrari Enzo : If you have the money, go to Redline.
Ferrari F430 : The same.
Ferrari 250 GT SWB: Bang, but the recent ones not the first ones.

 

To be honest, I'm not that impressed with the Redline Enzo and F430 if you take their price into consideration. The edges of the Enzo's nose are too sharp and the F430's roofline looks bad to me. Also the rear lights on the F430 are too small, so they don't fill the gaps in the body as on the original car. IMO the Looksmart F430 is the same model, as it has the exact same problems.

I'm not saying the Redline and Looksmart models aren't any good and that you should buy any of the considerably lower priced models instead, but I think the Redline Enzo and F430 don't offer the accuracy to justify their price.

 

I have one of these with Daytona winner decals. It's a beautiful piece of diecast. Unfortunately, as you suggest, because it's 1/24, it mostly sits in the closet. They also made a 1/24 '64 GTO.

Good price on the P4 here. Too bad for the ebay bidder, but maybe they wanted the "Creative Masters" box.
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