The more we see the vintage Formula One race cars from AUTOart the more we like them. Their latest sneak peak is the upcoming 1:18 Lotus 72E 1973 Ronnie Peterson #2. The Lotus 72E comes from AUTOart’s Millennium Series, though it appears to feature a closed-body design. BOO! There is an alternative model for someone looking for a lower priced budget piece, look into Quartzo from Sun Star.
Product# 87329
I wonder if Autoart made the common mistake of basing this model on a modern historic racer. All of the images I have show the ‘E’ with a taller – more rectangular type airbox that was typical of how such things were developing at the time. That is how my budget price Quartzo is replicated……
Yeah they always do that. Alfa 33 TT12, Porsche 804, and a few others I’m sure, are examples. They refuse to go off pictures, they only settle for hard data from vehicle scans.
The Lotus 72 switched to ‘E’ designation after the 1973 South African GP (round 3). That is when the cars were updated to conform to deformable structure regulations technically became 72Es. The bigger airboxes didn’t appear until round 10, the Dutch GP.
So from the Spanish GP (round 4) to the British GP (round 9) you had Lotus 72Es running with the lower profile anvil airbox. So Autoart didn’t necessarily screw this particular detail up :)
To be more specific…according to the # of JPS victory decals on the rear wing, the car modeled has to be from either Belgium, Monaco, Sweden, or France.
The only thing that immediately stands out to me is the gold steering wheel boss…I doubt that that is period correct.
Even models scanned form 1:1 cars are acceptable…..IF the manufacturer tells the world ahead of time. No offense to Auto Art fans, but having read articles in diecast publications authored by Jimmy Yee ( AA Pres ), I find their attitude to be a bit condenscending…….like they are the ONLY ones who could possibly do things correctly.
I will admit they make nice models, but I do not see this as a good choice…..the Sunstar/Quartzo editions are pretty decent for the $$$….and if AAA choose to make this like the Honda RA272, it will cost a fortune, Not that the Honda is a slouch…it’s not…..but $250-ish for an historic F-1 car ?….this is not the car to test the market with.
I wish them well with this venture….but their were so MANY more ‘historic’ F-1 machines that have never seen light of day yet………..oh well
True, but I think most people outside Japan would consider the Lotus 72 to be far more iconic than the Honda; it was far more successful and is one of the best-looking F1 cars of all time in terms of its shape and livery. I wish they *had* done this as a high end version, because it might not have had those awful mould lines on the anti-roll bar and the engine might look a little nicer…
Whilst the Quartzos are OK for the money, their driver figures are offensively bad, so this version is still welcome in that sense. I just hope it will be a lot less than €200 here in Europe.
I have the Exoto version of this model. It is an archive masterpiece. If you can get one on eBay at a decent price I would strongly suggest you do. It has the full JPS decals etc as well as detailed Bosworth DFV. It is a shame that AA didn’t go the whole hog. That said I think they produce some excellent models for the price, the recent pieces I have bought, the Delorean DMC 12, Lotus Honda 99T, McLaren Honda MP4-30 and RA272 are excellent models in their own right which I am sure this one will be as well.
Not sure if I should get this or keep the exoto the. Stance and shape look nice, engine less so?
I would keep the Exoto, they won’t be making anymore and it is so difficult to replicate to that level of detail at the price. I have the Emerson Fittipaldi 72D, I am thinking of adding the Petersen 72E from AA but will not be selling any of my Exotos’.
this a composite or plastic body where are the John Player Special “JPS” decals like the Quartzo model and the Spark models with cigarette logos have them on a separate sheet and more detailed F1 cars for under $200.00
These Autoart historic models don’t mention anything about being race specific. So that gives them the freedom to make the air-box preferably like it was at the end of the year. Also I would think all manufactures like to pat themselves on the back. As opposed to saying, Hey are models really suck.