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We’re firmly entrenched in the gift-giving season, and if you’re reading The Drive, that means there’s a strong likelihood you’re searching for delightful trinkets for your fellow car nerds. To potentially assist you in that endeavor, I’m here today to share something I recently learned as an enjoyer, though I’d hesitate to say capital-C Collector, of miniature cars: did you know your favorite (or least favorite) big-box retailer’s website sells some pretty rad and esoteric 1/64-scale models?
I’m talking specifically of the Mini GT and Tarmac Works lines. I first happened upon these when browsing Target’s app before a late-night grocery-and-essentials run I really wasn’t looking forward to. Of course these aren’t sold in physical stores, but next time you’re ordering something mundane, consider that for another $18, you could snag yourself a little yellow Mazdaspeed FD RX-7 A-Spec with the best rims to live on your desk. Or a Martini-liveried Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evoluzione for $14.
That’s just Target; Wal-Mart and Amazon have their own selections, and certain retailers offer some cars others don’t through third-party sellers that sometimes jack up prices for rare casts. (You’ve been warned.) Not too long ago as gifts, I was given a 1995 Toyota Supra GT LM, a Neon Genesis Evangelion-liveried GT4 Audi R8 that competed in Japan’s Super Taikyu series, and an old Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI WRC car. I did not know you could order these kinds of miniatures from the website of a major retailer, and now that I do, I’m finding myself scoping our model cars more frequently than I have since I was a teenager, and my disposable income was split evenly between scale cars and video games.
Of course, I’d be remiss not to mention that there are obviously small businesses that offer this stuff too, sometimes with a greater breadth of selection than your average big-box store, or specific cars that are hard to find through names you recognize. The issue with this is, for someone who fell out of habitual model car buying about a decade ago, is that the players in this space have changed a lot since I was last paying attention, so I unfortunately can’t recommend a go-to source. A cursory Google search turned up two sites that seem promising to me: DiecastDirect in Kentucky, and Jcar Diecast in Texas. I can’t speak to either, but they could be an alternative if you’re looking to shop small. If you know of any local stores that deserve a shout out, please give them some love in the comments!
I mainly wanted to share this because, as a 30-year-old, I am continually amazed by the kinds of model cars that are easily attainable today, that I would’ve loved to be able to beg my parents to buy as a kid. Hot Wheels in and of itself is but one aspect of this trend; have you seen the stuff Mattel has been putting out over the last few years as part of its higher-quality Car Culture line? Getting your hands on those releases is another story, thanks to especially avid collectors that time their visits around when brick-and-mortar stores restock, and inevitably, scalpers.
You end up spending a little (or a lot) more for 1/64-scale models from the likes of Mini GT and Tarmac Works, but the quality is obviously much better, and the particular cars they’re replicating are truly inspired. I mean, here’s a FATurbo-liveried Porsche 911 RSR from the 1994 24 Hours of Le Mans. I’m pre-adding that to my cart as we speak, so I don’t forget about it the next time I need to bulk-order toilet paper.
Point is, however you choose to buy these kinds of premium models, for yourself or someone else, they’ve never been easier to find. Let this be a notice to all my car friends reading this that a tiny version of a rally or endurance racing car from the ’90s is always an acceptable gift for me for any occasion, from now until I stop getting gifts.
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