#NowCollecting Porsche: Part 1
Scale models. It is an unending desire, pretty much like collecting cars. The great bit about model cars is that anyone who's visited this hobby once is affected by it lifelong. Which is a bit of an assurance for myself — as false as it might be — that this self-inflicted path to bankruptcy isn't going to be traversed alone. On the other hand, blame it on the weird import taxes, the ever-increasing cost of models, and also, the consistently varying quality, the process of building a collection is a bittersweet experience. But if you don't let that deter you, that you can spend hours looking at your car without having to worry about possible ownership pitfalls is an experience only scale models offer. And that's reason good enough for me to enjoy a 996 without a sanctimonious c*** on the Internet telling me that the car would just bring despair via an IMS bearing failure or whatever...
I can confidently say that Porsche's frequently updated range of scale models — dealer editions, available via Porsche Lifestyle — is by far the best among carmakers. You could always look at regular issues by various model companies, but even those aren't close to Porsche's curated selection, I feel. A great way to follow Porsche's launch schedule is by going to Porsche GB shop or by contacting either of my trusted sellers: Dan at Werk-1 (UK; worldwide shipping) and Exclusive Porsche Models (Germany; worldwide shipping).
We'll start with my current favourite, the GT3 duo. Both old issues are made by Minichamps, both diecast, and both don't have as much a stance issue as some of the others I came across in the past. The 992 GT3 is a bit more special here, as, unlike most of the new Porsches made available globally, this one's right-hand drive. Porsche did a limited run of 992.1 GT3; one was specced in the new iteration of Rubystar while the other replicated the press/demo car of the time '911 GB'.
The 997 GT3, on the other hand, is probably a bit more special in real life. From my understanding, the model first appeared at the end of 2010s, or roughly 10 years after the actual 997.1 was replaced. As one of the last cars to get a Mezger, the 997 holds a special place in the hearts of Porsche enthusiasts. And even next to the 992, it looks quite contemporary. Also, the Carrera GT seats look ace!
Up next is the 997 Sport Classic, which was essentially for those who fancied the liveability of a brand-new Carrera S but wanted the styling that harks back to the 911s of yore. It was produced in limited numbers, and didn't look like a desperate attempt to capture the market. When you look at the car, it’s just impossible to ignore the double-bubble roof, the 'Ducktail' spoiler, Fuchs-style wheels, and the grey paint. There are many updates made to the interior, too; and underneath, it was a rear-wheel drive Carrera S (despite the widebody), manual-only, but standard with lowered chassis and a power upgrade.
The scale model is a reissue; it's now made by Spark in resin. The first Sport Classic 1:43 model was made by Schuco, but it isn't the easiest to get unless you want to pay eBay Japan money for one. I haven't been able to do a side-by-side comparison of both high-quality resin models, but in isolation, the new Spark-made car looks quite good.
For 1:43 scale, I feel getting the lines, details, and even the stance right is a bit more challenging than in larger sizes. Which means, and this is true about mid-range brands like Spark and Minichamps, that every once in a while, a model completely exceeds your expectations, and sometimes, it's the other way round.
The 964 30 Jahre special edition is a good example of the former. Modelled after the special edition 964 with which Porsche celebrated 30 years of the 911, the Spark-made example is finished in Viola Spark — one of the three colours in which the 964 30 Jahre could be specced in. It was essentially a limited-run Carrera 4 underneath the wide 'Turbo' bodywork. The Cup 1 wheels added to what was already a great looking motor, and even when scaled down to 43rd the size of the real thing, this 964 captures attention like no other.
Going slightly away from the dealer edition models, I also wanted to include the absolute banger of a 1:43 model that is the 924 by Kess. The choice of models for brands like Autocult, Kess, Matrix, and Neo to some extent, is always commendable, and it didn't take us too long to find something that was more characterful than the usual ones in the price range. Having said that, the Minichamps 924 (especially the Carrera GT) looks quite alright. Worth considering in the future? Maybe yes.
Kess made two versions of the 924: a white 'Le Mans' version replete with a nice coachline running around the waist of the car, and a 50 Jahre edition with an annoyingly longer aerial but a cleaner exterior. The 15-inch multi-spoke wheels share the same design with the Turbo wheels but had a different lug pattern. (Source)
I usually take the models out quickly but somehow this one has stayed inside the protective packaging. Maybe I want to take photos of the model next to a real C16 924, so until that day, I'd rather have it sat comfortably inside its original packaging — unlike others here.
This is just the first part and hopefully I'll have a feature dedicated to some more models soon. Also, if you have any questions, inputs, or just want to have a chat about scale models, please drop me a DM on The Car Cult's Instagram.