Well, no photos this week (Minichamps website issue), but there are some new announcements from the Minichamps brand in both 1:18 and 1:43 scale.  The 1:18 BMW 1M Coupe is now available in Street and Race trim.  It could have been a win for Minichamps if they presented the model 100%, but the model lacks access to the motor and storage, though strangely enough the price went up.  Retail is roughly 129 Euro.  This car is all about performance, why wouldn’t I want to see the monster under the hood!?!  Epic fail Minichamps, I’ll stick with my GT Spirit piece!

1:18 – BENTLEY ´BLOWER´ 4 1/2 LITRE – BIRKIN/WOOLF – 24H LE MANS 1930
1:18 – BMW 1er M COUPÉ – 2011 – ORANGE METALLIC (VALENCIA ORANGE METALLIC)
1:18 – BMW 1er M COUPÉ – 2011 – SAFETY CAR MOTO GP
1:18 – RED BULL RACING RENAULT RB8 – SEBASTIAN VETTEL – BRAZIL GP 2012 – WORLD CHAMPION
1:18 – PORSCHE 956L – ´NEWMAN´ – TEAM JOEST RACING – PESCAROLO/LUDWIG/JOHANSSON – WINNERS 24H LE MANS 1984
1:18 – BMW M3 (E30) – ´RAVAGLIA´ – 1989 – SILVER
1:43 – BMW 320I – STREETVERSION – 2005 – ORANGE
1:43 – BMW 320I – SCHUBERT MOTORS – PRIAULX/MÜLLER/HUISMAN – VLN NÜRBURGRING 2005
1:43 – FORD FOCUS WRC – ´BETA/MONSTER´ – ROSSI/CASSINA – MONZA RALLY 2009
1:43 – PORSCHE 914/6 – ´ONS R2´ – 1974

Abou the Bentley ‘Blower’…  “Bentley Motors Limited was founded in England on January 18 , 1919 by Walter Owen Bentley, who previously operated a company with his brother under the name Bentley & Bentley, which specialized on DFP automobiles. W.O. Bentley himself was an ardently race car driver who won a couple of races with self tuned cars. The Blower Bentley, a supercharged 4,5 Litre, was instigated and produced by Sir Henry `Tim` Birkin in his quest for more power and speed. The decision to supercharge the existing car was not, however, universally acclaimed. W.O. Bentley believed that an equal increase in performance was obtainable by increasing engine capacity as with the Speed Six. As well as five special `Team` cars that formed the Birkin Paget race team, a further batch of fifty cars were built at Birkin`s Welwyn Factory. It was the production of these road cars that enabled the Blower to be raced. Whilst proving to be quicker than the Speed Six, the Blower was not as durable and never won at Le Mans. Its performance however, was never in doubt. The car still holds the lap record, at an average speed of 89.69mph (144.362km/h), for the course as it was at the time. The Blower Bentleys, if somewhat controversial, are undoubtedly amongst the most charismatic and best known Bentleys ever produced.”