[kasparek]

I was reading this thread to understand how good Laudo models are, so sorry if I contradict you.

This time the 131 sits alongside a successor, if in chronological terms rather than motorsport impact.
Fiat did try the Ritmo in rallying (and circuit racing), but the arrival of the Audi quattro re-wrote the rules for what was required.

Fiat Ritmo wasn't at all a successor of 131.
The 131 successor in rallying was Lancia 037, made always by Abarth.
(and also in road cars, Ritmo was 128 successor, while 131 was a larger car).

Fiat group chose the Lancia brand, but the car development didn't start specifically as a Lancia. It could have been also a Fiat.
(Even if it was "cousin" of Beta Montecarlo turbo).

And yes, 4WD introduced by Audi made racing difficult for 037, but it was anyway competitive (we remember it for the last 2WD championship win in wrc - 037 has been able to win costructor championship in 1983, between 1982 and 1984 won by Audi).

Fiat Ritmo was just a smaller car, front wheel drive. I think also different racing group from 131, 037, Audi Quattro and so on.
For example Bettega and Cunico raced with Ritmo.

 

[kasparek]

Have you got other Laudo models?
What do you think about them overall?

 

[kasparek]

Thank you very much. Feedback from collectors is important.
I'm interested in Uno Turbo rally car, and I would be also in Ritmo rally car, if they wanted to make it.

 

[kasparek]

Go to the website and look through their 2018 catalogue page 26.
They list a Fiat Ritmo 125TC - 1982 Rally San Remo (Totip).
In the 2016 catalogue they also showed something I would be very keen to see in 1/18th scale - the 1975 Giro d'Italia winning Fiat 031 prototype.
I'm still waiting.....

Good! Totip always nice. The best livery would be this one in my opinion (but also Alitalia would be great):

Yes, also 031 would be nice. Maybe it's late because less important car, overall.

 

[kasparek]

131 2000 TC Racing (was that the Mirafiori Sport in the uk?)

Yes, I confirm!

 

[kasparek]

But that bug eye Montecarlo is awful looking.

It should be an Abarth 030, that run in 1974 Giro d'Italia.
Based on prototype Fiat X1/20 (that later became Beta Montecarlo, branded Lancia), with a V6 engine from Fiat 130.
Engine later modified and mounted on 031.

 

[kasparek]

They have years to make all the subjects you like, I think!
I'd like also a Stratos gr 5 / silhouette.

But I think this 030 has, like 031, a nice historical value, representing the beginning of the "new" Abarth owned by Fiat: these are the first steps that took then to all rally and track race cars we know (Fiat and Lancia), ending with Alfa 155 in DTM.
Just to say, this 030 was driven by Giorgio Pianta, almost 20 years later team manager in DTM and BTCC for Alfa.
We think also that the new rwd Alfa platform, used for Giulia and Stelvio, has been named "Giorgio" as a tribute to him.

 

[kasparek]

Agreed about the silhouette Stratos turbo, in my case the unsuccessful 1976 Marlboro circuit racer - I have a number of good looking motorsport 'duds'.

I would only hope with a correct Marlboro livery, not like the Kyosho rally car or other models!
Otherwise, Alitalia would anyway be nice.. even if I'm still waiting for Alitalia to go bankrupt, but this is another kind of problem.

 

[kasparek]

plus, I never knew that the Giulia/Stelvio platform was named in honour of Giorgio Pianta. That's quite neat

Nothing officiall. It's named "Giorgio" for sure, and many think for Giorgio Pianta.

 

[kasparek]

It should be a buggy made by Puma; a kit car based on VW Beetle like many others.
https://en.wikipedia...it_car_company)

In Italy we love it because of this movie:
https://en.wikipedia..._We're_Mad!

This buggy is almost one of the main characters!

 

[kasparek]

And a MK1 Ford Escort - which sounds like it has a tuned crossflow engine.
Slightly unusual choice for an Italian film....

Yes of course, love also it!

These movies had to look as foreign movies, not as italian movies!
Also Bud Spencer and Terence Hill had been using, of course, english stage names.

People from Italy are often xenophilous!

 

[kasparek]

I agree, the first model looks better!
It should be an early Alfetta GT (1800), not a 2000 GTV.

What fault do you see?

 

[kasparek]

When I contacted them about the shape of the 128 Berlina they were very snotty with the reply - saying no-one else complained about it!

You should say them you help them for free.

 

[kasparek]

I found this:
http://therefueler.b...rnberg-een.html

 

[kasparek]

I was very happy to see the Montecarlo. Only had a quick look at the pics, but they look very promising indeed. I'm a tad disappointed that the blue one isn't the light metallic blue I was hoping for, but I see that's the base colour for one of the Carrera Messicana versions, which are a pleasant surprise, so I can live with that. The roof appears to open too, which is nice.

I like all the colours - even the white - and I'd really like one of the Carrera Messicana versions, too. Just a bit torn over which colours to get.

A little curiosity about these Montecarlo.
I noticed they mount different kinds of license plate, and I made a little research about it.

The carrera messicana versions mount an appropriate license plate for 1975: square, with white letters on back one.
The number (TO M6 ecc) is also appropriate for 1975.
I wasn't able to check if these are real correct numbers.

But the normal versions mount the "new" license plate: the back one is horizontal with orange letters for province, but it was a kind introduced only in 1976.
That precise number, indeed, seems to be from 1983.
It should really be (or have been) on a white Montecarlo, that probably received a new license plate years after its construction.
http://platesmania.com/it/foto11310846

 

[kasparek]

Is it possible some owners changed to the newer plate?
Perhaps it was compulsory.

Yes, probably.
It was compulsory if the new owner was resident in another province. Now no more.
Or if a license plate is damaged / destroyed. Italy's bureaucracy is terrible: license plates are made by state mint, and they can't make, by law, a new one with the same numbers. You need a new registration.

 

[kasparek]

I was surprised too, but it looks like maybe they did:

I found the same brochure in italian language, same pictures, so maybe they made it.
I checked on an original 1979 magazine, when they tested that car, but no mention about those colour combinations.

 

[kasparek]

Perhaps they were colour combination options from the factory, and no one bought any.
I wouldn't.....

Haha probably!
I found just a couple of pictures of real cars on the web, with those coloured bumpers..

In that 1979 magazine I found also an article about an hybrid 131: electric + gasoline.
But we know, hybrid is "new"..

 

[kasparek]

I'm looking Alfa 164 model.
They make the Q4 version (top version): it has spoilers and side skirts that, in my opinion, don't look very well (also on real car).

I'd like to see a normal version, with the more equilibrated original design.

 

[kasparek]

This is a pleasant surprise, being originally promised as a 2017 release.
The 3D images look to be spot on, for this rather unique 'rally car'.

SE031 (I know you know...)
http://www.voltaraci.../abarth-031.htm