I thought all my SPARK Alfas had black bases - aren't they plastic, unpainted? Perhaps their batch of black ran out and they switched to silver? Is silver for a more limited edition?

 

Huh. Glad to see I'm not the only one in the dark.

As far as I can tell, the change in colors doesn't seem to demarcate a time period or a mass change over. I'll use RUF models as an example since they're the Spark pieces I'm most familiar with.

So far, in a variety of standard and exclusive releases, Spark has produced a total of 30 different RUFs in 1:43. (Differences being colors, not necessarily molds). Of those 30, only two were put on silver display bases.
1) a BTR NATO II that was released, I believe, in 2007
2) and a production CTR3 (pictured above) that was released June 2009.
Since that CTR3, they've put out two more RUFs, both of which are on the standard black bases....

Is silver for a more limited edition?

I'd had this thought as well. But it doesn't quite pan out, at least as far as the RUFs are concerned. About the same time, Spark put out two limited edition BTRs, one white and one dark green, both limited to 1,000 pieces. The green one got a silver base, the white one a black base.

So I don't know what to make of it.

 

All my older Spark models (ones that I had bought 3+ years ago) were all mounted on silver coloured wood bases. It wasn't until within a couple years ago that I started seeing them on black plastic bases. Sorry, tHat's more of a limited observation than an explanation.

 

Currently I have only three Spark models, of which two (the C55 AMG and the Apollo S) have a black base. Only my Pagani Zonda has a grey/silver base. I also think they just changed it over time, can't imagine what made them change it though

.

 

I think I have about 15 Spark and they are all black bases made out of resin.

 

Mine are all black as well... all 2 of them, anyway!