Model of the Day: Kyosho Ferrari 599XX "Secret" Nurburgring Test Car…

Here is a promise:

I will do a post on all the Kyosho 599XX models I have.  It will probably happen in the next 2-3 weeks.  I will also take some photos of an unassembled 599XX, which is pretty fun to put together (especially if you have a 6-year-old daughter that wants to help).  I will show the basic red, black, and white models, as well as the two “Secret” chase models.

But before we do that, why not dedicate an entire post to the first Kyohso Secret 599XX I was able to acquire.

And yes, Kyosho does chase models.  So that is something all of my Treasure Hunt and Green Machine-obsessed friends can like about the brand, beside the fact these models are amazing.  Except Kyosho, like other Japanese 1:64 diecast companies, does it a little differently.  My friend Ricky Silverio explains:

In Japan, the way they sell the 1/64 is through what they call blind boxes. Meaning you cannot see what is inside. This guarantees a good percentage of most castings being sold and not having the shop stuck with the unpopular castings. The Kyosho 1:64s are marketed this way. It is favorable in most cases to just buy the whole box for all the cars. In other cases there are random “secret cars” and to mix it up there would be two kinds so not all cases were packed the same.

Just as Ricky explained, Kyosho did two Secret versions of the 599XX, both based on real cars.  This version we are featuring today is based on the speed-record-setting Nurburgring Test Car, which was the first production car to break the 7-minute barrier on the very difficult Nurburgring track.

These Secret cars are another reason to love Kyosho.  When they do a chase, they make it realistic, and make it worth collecting whether you collect chase cars or not.  Brilliant.  I wanted this model not because it is a rare chase car, but because it is based on a real, well-known car.

I have said it before, and I will say it again.  If you have not jumped into the amazing world of Kyosho and other Japanese brands, you should.  These cars are about the same size as Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars, and their realism and detail are amazing.  It is certainly worth going to Daboxtoys (DMC) or ebay to see which of your favorite cars Kyosho has done.  Chances are, if they haven’t done it already, they might in the future.  Look for BMW and Lamborghini sets coming soon.  If they look anything like the latest Ferrari set, we are in for a treat…

Kyosho Ferrari 599XX (Nurburgring Test Car/Secret Model):

The family so far (two more coming…)