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This long, lean Teutonic roadster bespoke wealth, taste and style, as well as cachet in the halcyon days of pre-WWII Hollywood. 1:24 Precision Diecast Replicas began their evolution with this excellent subject, in 1983. I still have mailers describing progress on the new venture. The text was apologetic at times for delays in delivery, but there were always photos showing stages of completion of the model or its components. First announced at $60, the price rose to $90 before initial deliveries took place, well into 1984. What you paid at the time depended on which application you sent in!
So how does this granddaddy of 'em all compare to the array of replicas that followed, from Franklin, Danbury and others? In my opinion, it is a highly presentable model still. There is much fine exterior detailing, good fit of operating panels (the doors shut AND open with a snap!), chrome instrument bezels, a jewel-like supercharged ("Kompressor") engine complete with ignition wiring, and very decent injection-molded wire wheels. Much of the exterior trim is in foil, which must have been laborious, as tampo printing is used in its place on the revised blue version. The self-colored plastic "upholstery" has a tactile feel, but lets the model down in appearance.
The original issue carried a "Made in the Crown Colony of Hong Kong" hang-tag; like the model, a piece of history. The issue price is $135.
(09/06/1998)
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