Another top 10 means another year ending and I cannot even tell you from how many years I’m part of the Lamley team, but it’s always the same joy. I’m thrilled to be in and I’m happy to present you my top 10 new models for 2023. I might be the “Inno guy” of the team, but I’m not making a top 10 full of Inno, because I also collect other brands, even if I’m collecting less 1:64 models than before. Before what ? Before the start, or I would say the explosion of my Spark resin 1:43 models, racing oriented collection. Still, the 1/64 is a scale I appreciate and I have the feeling it will always be.
This top 10 is starting now, in no particular order. It wasn’t that easy to pick only 10, and obviously I made a mistake as I forgot a model I particularly like, thinking it was 2022. Never mind, I’ll say a word about it. It’s black, and gold. And it started ground effect.
AutoWorld Ford GT40 Mk1 1965 Custom Silver
The Ford GT40 is an all timer for me. I am almost ready to say it might be my all time favorite (race) car. I know the lines of this car are not making unanimity, but holly cow I’m in love with it. I also very much like street versions of it and you can imagine how happy I was when AutoWorld, a brand I adore and collect, announced a plain street GT40. I have the blue in my display but I went with the Silver color as my favorite. Classic, classy, low, noisy car of the late sixties, all I like on earth. The model is tiny, it’s a Mk1 and it is surely in my top 10 new models of 2023.
Inno64 Toyota 2000GT MF10 SCCA 1968 (from collectors box set)
This is by far the best model of 2023 in term of new casting from Inno64, to me. A classic sport and racing car also from the 60’s, perfectly tooled by the brand. I have made a full feature of the box set (both cars #33 in red and #23 in blue). This is a racing car for connoisseurs and I absolutely love it!
Inno64 Nissan GT-R R33 LM Limited (blue)
I love when diecast teaches me something and in this case, it did. As far as I knew the R33, I didn’t know the R33 LM Limited, a special edition made to celebrate the R33 LM that was racing in 24h of Le Mans, back in the 90’s. This special edition is very welcome, and even better when you start to understand it. Now, how long will it take for Inno64 to tool the R33 LM ?
Hot Wheels Audi 90 Quattro
A shock. It was a shock. Straight away I knew this car would end in my top list when it was announced. Again, it is a very connoisseur race car from IMSA GTO 1989. I’m still amazed of Hot Wheels transformation since big rear wheels muscle car cars to nowadays. This type of choice is incredible when you look back. For a less than 2€ car, it is impressive. Recolors are obviously fantasy cars but who cares, it started as one of the best Hot Wheels ever to me. Now, what premium version will come ?
Tomica Limited Vintage Lamborghini Miura SV (red)
It wasn’t easy for this one to enter my collection because of the price Tomica is asking for a premium 1:64. I’ve dedicated a full article on the Miura SV, and I encourage you to read it. Price is exorbitant but car is very, very sweet with a lot of details. This early 70’s sport coupe is one of the most beautiful cars ever done. I needed one in my collection, upgraded from Kyosho’s version. This is done now. Tomicas like this can always be bought from Japan Booster.
Inno64 Nissan Skyline 2000 GT-R (KPGC10) (silver)
A proper KPGC10 in my collection, nothing more to say. It took ages to have one but Inno64 finally made one. As far as I know, this is the best replica of this car, beating Kyosho, Car-Nel and Konami. 2023 is not the best year for Inno64 new models, I think, but this Skyline is very well done. I’m sure 2024 will be better.
AutoWorld 1985 Plymouth Voyager Minivan (radiant silver)
For us, it’s a Chrysler Voyager. Here it is a Plymouth Voyager Minivan and it also can be a Dodge Caravan. Autoworld is all about details like this, and little modifications of castings to replicate all variations of stock cars (in a Tomica Limited Vintage fashion I would say). I’ve seen some on the roads as a kid, and honestly they were more often out of order than really driving around. I remember having a black Matchbox Minivan I adored and I just have a good feeling with Autoworld replicas. It’s obvious for me to collect them all.
Hot Wheels Boulevard Series Porsche 911 Turbo (930) (yellow)
Some in the Lamley team would say “still no Boulevard”. I must admit that the end of Toys’r’Us in France and after a strange transition with PicWicToys, the new Smyth’s SuperStores are the best way on earth to grab new and fresh Hot Wheels. I had no difficulties to find this series, but this luck can end anytime, being understood that some others series never come in my country. Anyway, this yellow 930 is an absolute masterpiece. New mold, premium, iconic. It is Hot Wheels at its best.
Hobby Japan Initial D Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT Apex AE86 (panda Tofu)
I love Hobby Japan 1:64, but I’ve decided to stop the headache and don’t (really) collect the brand. Too many models, no cheap, absolute nightmare distribution … Sometimes, I grab some models I really want and I thought this Apex Trueno was a good candidate to replace my old Kyosho. 3 things made me have it : opened headlights, the representation of the lights on the base and a video of Japanese Drift Master (a future video game from an independent studio that seems to be an absolute masterpiece and featuring, among other cars, a Sprinter Trueno).
Majorette Alfa Romeo Tonale
My childhood brand continues to make me hunt the new models in stores and it’s a blast. I cannot say that all the new Majorette models are masterpieces, but this Alfa Romeo Tonale definitely is. I love everything about it : casting choice, wheels choice, color. I’m on the way to find the red recolor.
The forgotten Black & Gold classic
Reading our friend Graham Heeps top 10 made me remind I absolutely forgot this atomic bomb, that should be in my top 10. The Lotus 78 from Mini GT is a superb replica of a classic Formula One from one of my favorite brands of all time, Lotus. The story behind is amazing and I cannot exclude this car.
The section of the honorable mentions
Like many of my team mates, here are some models that missed the cut, but mainly because there are only 10 spots. This allows me to highlight some new entries in my collection up to late 2023 that deserve to be shown. Like this Majorette Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS, an absolute all timer that we will have the pleasure to see by many manufacturers in 2024. White with green stripes, what else ?
Hot Wheels interpretation is also one of favorite models of the year, particularly in this pure 70’s orange color. A very good model, with a very well done rounded rear glass as it should be!
If we stay in the Porsche world, this Majorette Porsche 911 (992) GT3 Cup is also one of the best Majorette of 2023. The casting choice is genius and the car is very well done for a toy. I love the race car interior with the single seat. As a complement, the Majorette Premium Porsche Taycan Safety Car (inspired from Formula E safety car) is also a fave.
Discreet, but so realistic. That is the destiny of the Hot Wheels Car Culture Porsche 944 Turbo (1989) from Canyon Warriors. I just love it.
It’s a lot of Porsche, but what can I do ? Matchbox tooled a classic Porsche 910 that is just amazing (maybe a bit big), all metal. Ittook me a long time to have this one (with the help of the friend Pascal), the first one to go on the rare places it was sold in France.
In term of “car culture”, we can say that Hot Wheels has really gone one step up for tooling this unique Mercedes-Benz “Blaues Wunder” from 1955. What future to this casting ? God only knows, but this replica has nothing to be ashamed of in front of Norev version. It is from the Jay Leno pack.
This Volvo XC40 is probably my favorite basic Matchbox of the year. It’s also a car I regret, in real life. I was about to buy one and choose a VW Golf MK8.
I will stop here the 2023 year in review by the last recolor of the Nismo 400R from Inno64, that has once again improved a lot the casting, specially on the wheels. Not only the color is fantastic, but the wheels are now perfectly as the brand wanted them. Definitely my favorite 400R so far.
This year was pretty good and brought many nice cars from Majorette, Hot Wheels or Matchbox for the toy side. Premium brands like Mini GT, AutoWorld and Inno64 were also pretty good although I hope 2024 will be better for Inno64’s casting choices. Looking at Tomica Limited Vintage, I’m less excited by 2023 releases. Let’s see what 2024 will bring.
See you soon for more articles!
@Willdiecast