A Model Of Perfection

A closer look at some of the most interesting Ferrari scale models.

Exoto 1/18th scale F1 Ferraris

Exoto is a high-end scale replica model manufacturer established in California, USA in 1986. 

They make models of a wide range of racing cars and road cars from every era, including a large number of classic Ferrari’s. 

The detailing on these Exoto models is incredible.

The covers of the car are removable in exactly the same way as the real cars, revealing internal and engine details that include every cable and wire represented in perfect scale.

Ferrari 312T4 - Jody Scheckter (1979 F1 season)

This is a model of the last winning car of the F1 Drivers Championship before Michael Schumacher revived Ferrari’s fortunes in the year 2000.

The sister car (#12) was, of course, driven by the legendary Gilles Villeneuve. But it was Scheckter who took his one and only crown in ’79.

My model here is actually signed by Jody Scheckter on the top cover of the body. (I bought it this way - he didn’t sign it “for me” by the way!)

I absolutely love the proportions and “look” of the 312T4. It looks aggressive and chunky. Wide tyres and low, wide body - such drama!

The car was designed by Mauro Forghieri and was the first Ferrari “Ground-effect” focussed racer. It was a great effort and incredibly reliable, considering the technology was largely new compared to any previous Ferrari F1 builds. Can you imagine such a ‘new’ design hitting the racetrack in a state that it can win the Championship at its first attempt these days?!

These were the days when huge strides were being made from year-to-year. Nowadays, the progress is much less noticeable from season to season. Largely due to the restrictive rules, allowing only very narrow areas of development to be worked on by each factory. A lot of the effort is so hard to see for the average viewer. I do feel F1 is going in the wrong direction (and has been for some time). Hopefully the brilliant Ross Brawn can solve it very soon!

Ferrari 641/2 (F190) — Nigel Mansell (1990 F1 season)

This is a model of the beautiful 1990 tittle challenger, as driven by Nigel Mansell (this model, as #2) and Alain Prost (#1). The predecessor of this car (the 640) was designed by the great John Barnard. The /2 revision update was handled by Steve Nichols after Barnard had left for the Benneton team.

The main difference being in the side-pod and radiator inlet design.

I absolutely love this generation of Formula One cars. The elegance and purity of the design strikes me as much more appealing than the current generation of over-engineered aero-adorned cars, with endless fiddly features. The beautiful tear-drop shape of the body of the Ferrari 641 has a sculpted finesse that just sits so nicely on the eyes. Maybe Pininfarina were secretly brought in to help!?

I think if current-gen cars didn’t have so many little attachments and winglets, the actual central body shape they have now is actually also beautifully curved, and for sure ‘hugs’ the mechanical components that the body is there to cover in a much tighter way than these older cars, but it’s harder to see that design elegance with all the other fuss.

The other major factor of my joy of this era of F1 is of course the engines. The Ferrari V12, revving to a crazy 12,000+ revs, sounded incredible. Even the V10’s sounded great but since F1 moved to the V8’s and now V6 Turbo cars, they just don’t sound right to me. Such is the eco-world we live in now!

At least we have a few more years before being forced to have full-electric F1 silent cars. Enjoy it whilst you can!

Mark Hockings