Welp. The end of another year in 1:64. And it’s been a slightly quieter one for me in terms of new diecast but a bumper one for my vintage additions. As it does every year, making this list proved to be tough. But my final choices I think are broadly representative of my random collecting habits as well as just how bright and varied the hobby is right now. Regular readers of my twaddle will no doubt be unsurprised to see Majorette on this list as well as personal favourites Pop Race. A couple of new brands make a well deserved appearance but one brand sadly missing from a regular spot in my best of posts is Schuco. Aside from Tarmac collaboration recolours of 2022 castings, the merger with Spark put paid to any new 1:64 in 2023 and the German brand normally makes up a big chunk of any new arrivals in my collection. But their absence opens up space which has been filled comfortably. Time to look at what made the cut (in no particular order of course).
BR Classics 1973 Chevrolet Opala SS
We start with a cult classic from south of the Equator, and one that truly blew me away when it arrived in November. I’m late to the party when it comes to obtaining a BR Classics model (they’re on their third series of models) but they’re incredibly hard to obtain in the UK so when a favourable shipping rate put this in my sights I didn’t hesitate to pull the trigger. A unique subject executed beautifully, and I hope my first of many more BR cars.
(Find the BR Classics range on Ebay)
Pop Race Aston Martin Vantage GT3
This isn’t an award for a specific version of this casting, but an award for the casting itself. It’s one of the most incredible models I’ve seen in 2023 and manages to look good in every livery. Pop Race really excelled with capturing the proportions of this one. The Eva Racing release remains an all time favourite but the R-Motorsport version in my collection is way up there too.
(Find the Pop Race Aston Martin Vantage GT3 on Ebay)
Pop Race Nissan Skyline C210 “Kaido Racer” (Bape 30th anniversary livery)
Ok so the livery may be as divisive as Marmite, but the casting and detail are superb. A diecast this low should not roll yet Pop Race have shifted what is possible and this glides along on those miniature SSRs without a bump or wobble; testament to the hard work brand founder Marchy Lee and his staff put into their models. A very special model and one that will look even better when the new colours arrive in 2024.
(Find the Pop Race Bape Skyline C210 on Ebay)
Majorette Porsche 935 K3 (#41 Kremer Racing)
As is always the way with Majorette, wheels can make or break a model. I have to admit when I got my hands on the Premium Deluxe Vaillant-Kremer 935 earlier this year I felt the wheels really let it down. However Majorette chose wisely on this one by utilising their new turbofan style wheels. And my god do they complete this casting. Combine them with one of the coolest Porsche race liveries and you’ve got an easy entry into my top 10.
(Find the Majorette Porsche 935 on Ebay)
Majorette Renault Clio 16S
Another Majorette and another welcome addition in 2023, the Clio 16S was a must have for me. Memories of personal adventures with fast Renaults came flooding back along with another welcome excuse to look at videos of Jean Ragnotti’s tarmac rally heroics. A perfect fit into the Majorette range and a real standout model of 2023 for me.
(Find the Majorette Renault Clio 16S on Ebay)
Hot Wheels ’92 Dodge Viper RT/10
You probably didn’t expect a big, brawny US muscle car to feature on my top ten did you? Nor did I really. But the Viper was every car nut’s poster car at some point, including mine. And I still go a bit funny when I see one in the flesh. The previous Hot Wheels Viper casting was a misshapen blob that should have disappeared long ago. But this is perfection. And for less than the price of a bottle of Coca Cola.
(Find the Hot Wheels ’92 Dodge Viper on Ebay)
Coffaro Wheels IKA Torino 380
A real standout moment in my collecting in 2023 was discovering the masterful work of Argentine model builder Dario Coffaro. I love exploring this hobby to the literal ends of the Earth; finding new brands and forming new connections along the way. And I especially love finding a brand that can create unique models of unique vehicles. And they don’t come more unique than hand crafted 1/64 scale replicas of South America’s most important cars, with the IKA Torino perhaps being the most important. It was very hard to pick between this and the Siam Di Tella 1500 I featured back in October, the Torino just pipping the Di Tella purely on the basis of its legendary status in Argentina.
(visit the Coffaro Wheels site)
Hot Wheels Alfa Romeo GTV6 3.0
Ok so I know I wasn’t fair on the paint on this casting, but the rest of it I absolutely love. That a niche car like this (the real GTV6 3.0 was a limited run South African creation) can make it to the mainline is great proof that there are proper car people working for the Mattel brand. It really does hit all the right notes: great looks, stunning wheel choice and a little easter egg under the body for customisers. A complete package.
(Find the Hot Wheels Alfa GTV6 on Ebay)
Minichamps Porsche Cayman GT4 RS (Rubystar Neo)
This could go on the list just for the colour alone. Rubystar Red is one of the great Porsche colours in my eyes and I was won over by the Cayman when it arrived in August. I’m stoked that Minichamps are back in 1/64 and even though they’ve exclusively stuck to Porsches they have managed to pick some unique colours from the chart to create some very nice and rather limited specials. This Cayman is my pick of the range so far.
(Find the Minichamps Cayman GT4 on Ebay)
Tarmac Works Renault 5 Maxi Turbo (Jean Ragnotti/Pierre Thimonier, 1985 Tour de Corse winner)
I know not all of my Lamley colleagues are convinced about this one but I love it. Like the Majorette Clio 16S this brought a wave of nostalgia washing over me as memories of seeing Ragnotti in action at Renault World Series events came back to me. The 5 Turbo sometimes doesn’t get the attention it deserves compared to Group B counterparts such as the Audi Quattro, so to see Tarmac choose this to replicate in 1:64 was refreshing.
(Find the Tarmac Renault 5 Maxi Turbo on Ebay)
Any other business: the models that just missed the call.
This section allows me to cheat a bit and share with you some diecast highlights and stuff that didn’t quite make the top ten but yet still warrants a mention. Pop Race’s incredible work with Singer Porsches continued in 2023; the Mulholland commission was superb and the “Wakeboard” edition even better. The wakeboard car narrowly missed out to the Vantage GT3 on the top ten but is a very cool model indeed.
In terms of Matchbox and Hot Wheels, 2023 bought more of the Mattel brand’s offerings to my collection than any other year. The Honda CB750F Cafe Racer impressed as did the brutish Mercedes-Benz 560 SEC AMG.
However there were two cars I really lusted after but never managed to find on the pegs: Matchbox’s Ford Bronco Sport and Hot Wheels Proton Saga. The Bronco just ticks all my boxes (an MB Bronco made my 2021 honours list) and the Proton is such a cool and unique model for Hot Wheels to produce and as you all know by now I love obscurity!
MiniGT’s McLaren F1 road car and the 1995 Le Mans winning Kokusai Aihatsu Racing Ueno Clinic GTR would have easily been top 10s but again I couldn’t secure either before I drew up my final shortlist. One car from the 1995 Le Mans that I did secure in 1:64 was Tarmac’s Ferrari F40 LM of Aldix Racing. Sponsored by pen manufacturer Pilot, the livery is a classic and the F40 just missed the top 10.
Para64’s DeTomaso Pantera arrived almost at the year end and went straight behind the MiniGT McLarens in my 2024 “to buy” list. It’s just so damn cool.
MSZ were a fixture of my 2022 best of and their very neat BMW M4 GT3 made it to Lamley’s 64 car tournament for good reason. I love the brand’s approach to embracing wheel swappers and diecast customisers and I also love to see the progress they are making as such a new brand in this scale.
Another brand that impressed me was the Argentine company Claseslot. Like Coffaro, this is a brand run by hobbyists for hobbyists. Their Chevrolet SS TCR car was a great find this year and featured in one of my favourite articles to write this year.
Small victories: vintage additions and other highlights
2023 has seen my hoard grow with me managing to finally secure some older European diecast high up my wishlist. The rarest of these is probably the minute Volkswagen Furgao (T2 panel van) of Portuguese company Metosul. Probably as rare still are the Chaparral 2F and Porsche 906 of Spanish brand Dalia’s “Mini Dalia” line that I picked up in a moment of blind luck. A Guisval SEAT 124 also arrived ticking off another grail car. A Czechoslovak Smer Tatra 138 truck, a Minichamps Saviem van, a Peugeot 205 from Polish brand Seba, two Paya International cars (Fiat 600 & Simca 1100) and a handful of Buby and Galgo cars also arrived. I could go on and on but I’ll refrain from doing so, instead sharing some shots of my favourite finds from this year.
Next year looks set to be another bright year for 1:64 and given what’s been released this year I’m already excited for when I sit down to gather my thoughts for 2024’s top 10. Until then I hope you to continue to enjoy my articles and those of my Lamley colleagues. Happy new year!
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