Another year brings another round of voting for the DiecastSociety.com Model of the Year—and once again, the community has spoken. We are pleased to announce that Norev has taken top honours, capturing first place with 16% of the total vote for the stunning Porsche 718 Spyder RS with Weissach Package. An exceptional showing by any measure.
In fact, Norev dominated the results in historic fashion, placing three models within the Top Five—the strongest performance by any brand to date. Collectively, those entries accounted for 1,849 votes, representing an impressive 42% of all ballots cast. Simply put: wow. An absolute masterclass in execution and value, and a result that is thoroughly deserved. If you haven’t taken a closer look at Norev recently, now is the time. What the team has delivered over the past few years has firmly positioned them as one of the best values in the hobby—and we suspect many collectors would agree.
Taking first runner-up honours is GP Replicas with their compelling Ferrari 126 CK #27, a model that continues to resonate with Formula One enthusiasts. Special recognition also goes to CMC, which placed two models in the Top Ten for the first time ever—a notable milestone for the brand. Meanwhile, Almost Real made a strong impression with the elegant Pagani Huayra Dinastina Yazi, while MotorHelix and LCD Models rounded out this year’s Top Ten with excellent showings of their own.
As with any large-scale vote, the process itself offered lessons. It became clear that certain individuals were willing to go considerable lengths to influence the outcome—you know who you are. As a result, we implemented additional safeguards for the first time in the award’s history, including mandatory voter registration. While this added an extra step for participants, it was a necessary measure to preserve the integrity of the vote. To everyone who took the time to register and cast their vote fairly: thank you.
Another takeaway was equally revealing. Despite large followings across various social media platforms (ours and manufacturers included), converting those numbers into actual votes proved more challenging than expected. It has led us to question the true impact—and authenticity—of social media engagement. Are storefront impressions always an accurate reflection of genuine community sentiment?
The voting process even sparked debate within our own team. Some suggested the award was drifting toward a popularity contest. Perhaps there’s some truth to that—but isn’t popularity, to a degree, the essence of an open vote? Others have proposed removing public voting entirely in favour of a curated selection committee. That approach has merit, but it’s also a departure from the core principle on which DiecastSociety.com was founded: community-driven participation.
These are important questions, and ones we’ll continue to revisit throughout the year. We’d love to hear from you:
- Do you support the current voting system?
- Should the DS team select the winner instead?
- Or is it time to rethink the award altogether?
Finally, a heartfelt thank you to everyone who voted and participated. Thank you as well to our immediate team for their candid feedback and honesty. And of course, thank you to all the brands that made this year’s shortlist—this hobby does not move forward without your passion, innovation, and continued commitment to excellence.
RESULTS (TOP 10):
Norev – Porsche 718 Spyder RS WP (16%, 711 Votes)
GP Replicas – Ferrari 126 CK #27 (15%, 667 Votes)
Norev – Porsche 911 (964) Carrera 4 30th (13%, 582 Votes)
Norev – Mercedes C111 Concept (13%, 556 Votes)
LCD Models – Pagani Huayra R (11%, 480 Votes)
Almost Real – Pagani Huayra Dinastina Yazi (5%, 233 Votes)
CMC – Ferrari 250 LM (5%, 218 Votes)
MotorHelix – Mercedes S600L (W221) (3%, 119 Votes)
AUTOart – Ford Mustang GT500 (3%, 113 Votes)
CMC – Porsche 904 Carrera GTS (3%, 112 Votes)
My approach for this vote was to choose only the models I currently own or have at least had the chance to handle in person. To me, it doesn’t make sense to vote for something I’ve only seen in pictures. We all know that the main aspect that defines a good model is the finer details. From a distance, a BBR model can look almost identical to a Burago.
If most voters used the same approach, the results might reflect sales volume more than which models genuinely stand out. I’m not saying I disagree with the results, I’m simply pointing out that it may be slightly biased because of how people choose what they vote for.
Thanks for the feedback.
About 50% of the models presented on the final list have been reviewed and handled in one capacity or another by immediate and or extended teams.
Do you support the current voting system?
I love the community aspect of the vote, but I definitely think there should be safeguards to prevent one person from voting multiple times. Sounds like you guys implemented that (though I don’t remember having to register to vote).
Should the DS team select the winner instead?
I think the DS team should provide an “editor’s pick,” but the main award should still be community-driven. I think it would be very cool to read an article from the DS team’s point of view, and even hear the different editors argue over models and the differences between them, and the rationale behind choosing different models as MOTY.
Where is any BMW (M3 E46, E92, M4 F82) ? There is missing something really beautiful
Was there a model that exhibited Model of the Year?
This is about the best model car, not which car brand you are a fanboy of.
It would make sense to me to keep the current voting system because a “curated selection committee” is already the basis for the list of models open for a public vote.
At most you might make an addendum where you highlight what DS considers the best models of the year (perhaps per price range as well) in addition to what was voted by the public.
PS: Didn’t you use to declare winners per price bracket before?
“PS: Didn’t you use to declare winners per price bracket before?”
No. Not here.
Sorry to have to contradict, but we in fact did differentiate in between winners in categories and an overall winner. That´s why vehicle classes and price ranges were introduced (hence all the $ signs and letters after each model in the polls).
I voted, but did not register at all. I have my own critiques of some of the models that made this list, but many I have not purchased, so will abstain from critiquing them.
Overall, a good variety and emphasizes that price and quality (value) can come in many forms..i.e. Norev offerings..
The register piece came very late. Depending on when you voted, you may not have been required then.
I bought C111, so I vote happily for C111. Why? For that price offer C111 astonishing level of detail and quality, and I was thinking why I sometimes bought pricier models that offer less.
I’m fan of of Norev, because it always offers great balance for its price. And seeing, how it goes up in hierarchy is heartwarming.
I supplort the current voting way. Thank you guys!
Thank you.
Popularity contest? I voted for Norev’s 718 even though I haven’t bought it and don’t know if I plan to (there’s no color combo I like so far) – I saw it in person though.
They are more attainable and therefore more people can relate to them, that’s true. But that’s not all there is to it. It’s relatively easy to make a stellar, detailed model when it’s priced in a stratosphere. It’s definitely much harder to find a balance between the price and fidelity and find ways to deliver satisfying quality for less, all while making things people actually want unlike some other model makers. That’s why Norev deserves to win, not just because more people can afford their models than, say a CMC Ferrari. Closing off the voting and making it a choice of the ‘experts committee’ will likely end with those factors overlooked.Unless you’re certain you have a good enough overview of the market’s offering. Which, judging by the models shortlsted, I wouldn’t be certain of.
The comments reflect the principles that guide each voter. They all make sense, but tend to vary quite a lot. As a consequence, it becomes impossible to know what winning Diecastsociety´s Model of the Year title really means.
Breaking it down into two-fold categories, retail-price as one category and type of vehicle as the other, was an attempt to fairly compare apples with apples. It makes sense that NOREV wins in its price-range. It makes sense that NOREV wins over some more expensive models, both in terms of not only offering the better qualtiy-price-ratio, but often enough the sheer superiority of higher detail and quality even if compared with more expensive models. But noone in their right mind should read the results as NOREV models being the better, more detailed models over highend manufacturer´s entries like LCD, CMC or Almost Real.
That´s, however, what this year´s result could wrongly be interpreted as, because no criteria and no principles are applied as guidance. So it can only be read as a popularity contest, irrespective of whether or not the voter has bought a model or seen it in person. Social media communities only remotely related or totally unrelated to the hobby can be enlisted to influence the vote and increase the total voter turnout.
This is not to say that I deem it necessary to have bought or handled a model to vote for it. On the contrary, our reviews here are meant to give fellow collectors an honest impression of a model (hence accompanied by photos) that they have not (yet) bought or seen for themselves. We are trying to be unbiased (although drive by the same enthusiasm, or disappointment, as everyone else), which is why this site is not sponsored by manufacturers, e.g. by submitting sample models in return for a positive review. This website is not a hidden advertiser, even when recommending a product. Thus regular readers of our reviews (even when disagreeing based on the photos) are enabled to assess which model to give preference in terms of adding it to their collection or voting for it.
And this is why I would suggest only entering models for the competition that have been reviewed here in the particular year. If anyone feels, we are neglecting some models, please submit your review of it. If all of them are too many, a shortlist could yet be curated by the team (as currently done). If the community finds that too intransparent, categorized scores to be awarded by reviewers in their review can be introduced and models than shortlisted by score and category. Actually, those merit points in themselves would generate winners (best model per price category, best hypercar model, best truck, best detail overall, etc.).
But something needs to be done to define what „Model of the Year“ actually means if the title is not to become meaningless.
Oh thanks.
Yeah, I do pay attention to the dollar signs.
I honestly didn’t expect these results. I truly appreciate Norev’s ability to reach a nice balance between quality, price and variety. Too bad they made way too many interesting models in sealed form.
In general though I tend to cast a vote for those models that I consider to be technically superior and would like to own.
I really think the LCD Huayra R should be the model of the year. The details are absolutely stunning and the execution is top notch. It’s not like i am biased because i own the Huayra R but it’s just that i think that when is comes down to Model oh=f the year judgement it should be based on details,quality rather than Value for Money!!
Great! You could at least have used a Norev model in the title photo, though. ;)
@ DS Team: The white 718 Spyder you show on “And the winner is…” is not the Norev but the Minichamps…