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Find Kyosho Ferraris at Japan Booster |
There are a lot of Ferrari-deprived collectors out there. Of course that isn’t a surprise, as it has now been a few years since Hot Wheels lost the Ferrari license. Some of you collect Bburago, but the large size of their smallest replicas and sparse distribution in many countries have left the 1/64 collectors a little out in the desert.
Unless you collect Kyosho.
We have discussed this many times before, but Kyosho brilliantly works around the exclusivity of the Maisto/Ferrari license by making their 1/64 Ferraris technically model kits. All the pieces are there, you just have to put them together. And when you are done, the model is just like any other Kyosho. Really the only difference is that all the Ferraris roll. Many Kyoshos don’t.
So for someone like me, who doesn’t even do wheel swaps, putting together an unassembled Kyosho Ferrari is kind of fun. I can hunch down and for 90 seconds pretend I am Luke Baumstark working on another creation.
While going through all my stuff this weekend, I cam across a bag of Kyosho boxes, all from the last Ferrari release, Ferrari 12. Japan Booster had sent them over, and I put them aside and totally forgot about them.
Among them were the five red models from the series that I wanted most: the 599XX Evo, 488 GTB, 458 Speciale A, 458 Speciale, and the bonkers FXX K.
What a group. While I will call the 599XX Evo my favorite, there is no getting over how cool the FXX K is. Just over-the-top brilliance. There is also a retro vibe to the 458 Especiale A. Maybe it is the stripe and the black rims, but I keep thinking low slung GT40 for some reason. Don’t know why, I just do.
I am happy to add this beautiful set of 5 Ferraris to the collection, and happy that Kyosho has found a way to make them. Now, with the 812 Superfast announced, I cross my fingers for a Kyosho replica soon…
I love the FXXK
Nice post
JESUS.
CHRIST.
IN HEAVEN.
Get me a defibrillator RIGHT NOW!
They are nice. But I have slowed down on my acquisitions of non Porsche Kyoshos. Just don't have the space.
As for the 458 think more Dino than Ford. Enzo would only want it that way.
I was a bit late to the party with this release. I was able to get the FXX K, 458 Speciale and 488 GTB at a reduced price thanks to a fellow collector in Texas. The FXX K is my favorite Kyosho Ferrari, hands down.
I miss the days when us long time Kyosho collectors didn't have any sort of spot light put on our brand of choice. Its getting harder and harder to get the cars I want at a reasonable price. 🙁
How do they roll? I have some experience that they dont roll well. Not hoping it to to as good as hot wheels but i expected it to roll fairly well. Somehow mine doesnt. The wheels touch the fender a bit. Dont know if its because of how i built it. But i followed the instructions correctly. Hope for some advise from the Lamley group. Thanks
Some don't roll at all but I find the Kyosho Lamborghini models to be much worse.
As I have all my Ferrari on glass shelves it is probably safer that the newer ones with the delicate mirrors don't roll. My disappointment with the recent Kyosho runs is that there are only a couple of new castings per set which jacks up prices considerably from what I used to pay.
Most of the Ferrari's roll better than other makes, but some still have trouble rolling. And there can be variance too in the same car. I have some that one color rolls and another doesn't. But with the Ferrari's, since they are model kits, if you're feeling adventurous you can fiddle with them to get them to roll, adjust how tightly they are screwed together, trim some of the plastic off the base or wheel wells, etc. It's never bothered me enough to go to that extent, but I've seen it done.
I bought a case from Japan Booster and was lucky enough to get the white 599 XX Evo Secret car. Then Good Smile announced two exlusives of the FXX K and 599 X Evo in a really nice looking blue. They sold out of singles before I was able to get them, so I bought two more cases. But I ended up with the missing colors of the 599 XX Evo and FXX K, so I now have all 5 versions of the 599 XX Evo and all four of the FXX K. The 599 XX Evo is definitely my favorite of this release.
Serious? Have never had issues with that, unless you're just relying on the retailers Lambert is advertising as an example
Does anyone have any info on new kyosho 1/64 collection? It's March soon, but I'm not hearing any news.
Ferraris are some of my favorite Hot Wheels in my collection and I was disappointed that Mattel lost the license. Thanks Lamley, for covering these Kyoshos. I may have to look into these.