Incredible model cars that cost more than some real ones
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Small wonders
© AmalgamThese definitely aren’t toys you might race down the stairs or smash into a skirting board. Made by British company Amalgam, each model is based on a digital scan of the actual vehicle, plus up to 1,000 photographs to capture every detail. The downsized supercars, classics and racing cars can cost as much as a family hatchback, too.
Two new arrivals are the Aston Martin Valkyrie (pictured here) and Valkyrie Spider. The cars took more than 3,000 hours to develop and each one requires around 300 hours to hand-assemble. Let’s take a closer look at the 1:8 scale Valkyrie, followed by some of the other incredible models from Amalgam’s car collection.
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Aston Martin Valkyrie
© AmalgamThe Valkyrie hypercar sprang from a partnership between Aston Martin and Red Bull Racing. If you happen to own a real Valkyrie, Amalgam offers a tailor-made service, customising your model car to match the specification of the real thing.
Both versions of the Valkyrie are limited to 199 examples and priced at £14,740. If you want a bespoke model, however, be prepared to splash out an additional £6,000. Still, if you can afford £2.5 million for a Valkyrie…
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Aston Martin Valkyrie
© AmalgamThe Valkyrie model was built using original CAD designs, material specifications and paint codes supplied by Aston Martin. Here, you see the car’s F1-style rectangular steering wheel, complete with toggles for Urban, Sport and Track chassis settings, plus an ERS button for a boost of recovered hybrid-electric energy.
The best thing? In a real Valkyrie, you need to wear ear defenders or risk being deafened by the 6.5-litre Cosworth-developed V12 screaming to 11,100 rpm. Here, you can just enjoy the sound of silence.
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Aston Martin Valkyrie
© AmalgamAmalgam’s ‘standard’ Valkyrie comes in Podium Green: the same colour as Aston Martin’s F1 racing cars. Indeed, this is the only Valkyrie model approved by Aston Martin itself. The 1:8 scale car measures 56cm (22 inches) in length and comes with its own display plinth.
The ultimate stocking-filler for Christmas? Just leave this page open on your phone or laptop and hopefully your partner will take the hint.
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Lamborghini Countach LP400
© AmalgamNow let’s round up some of our other favourite Amalgam models, starting with this 1:8-scale Lamborghini Countach LP400, priced at £16,495. The real thing is powered by a 370hp 4.0-litre V12.
This one is somewhat slower, but it certainly looks the part: a dramatic wedge that still seems futuristic today. It’s hard to believe Marcello Gandini penned this shape in the early 1970s.
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Ferrari GTO
© AmalgamThe Ferrari GTO, more commonly known as the 288 GTO, was revealed at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1984. Arguably the first hypercar, it had a mid-mounted 400hp turbocharged V8 and styling by Pininfarina.
Amalgam’s 1:8-scale GTO model is limited to 199 examples worldwide. It features opening doors to display the intricate details of its interior. Like the Lamborghini featured previously, it costs £16,495.
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Ferrari F40
© AmalgamThe 1987 F40 was the fastest, most aggressive Ferrari road car ever – the closest thing to a road-legal racer. Its advanced engineering included a twin-turbocharged V8 and a lightweight body made of carbon fibre and Kevlar composite.
Amalgam’s Ferrari F40 is also limited to 199 examples and priced at £16,495.
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McLaren F1
© AmalgamBeautifully engineered and stupendously fast, the F1 was McLaren’s first road car. It broke numerous world records during the 1990s and remains the fastest naturally aspirated production car of all – having clocked 240.1mph on a private test track in 1998.
This 1:8 scale model is available in dark metallic green or silver with a black interior, as unveiled at the 1992 Monaco Grand Prix. At £14,835, it’s a lot cheaper than the real thing.
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Red Bull RB19
© AmalgamThis 1:18 scale model is of the Oracle Red Bull Racing RB19, as raced by Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez during the 2023 F1 season.
Hand-crafted in Amalgam’s workshops using the original RB19 CAD data, finishes and paint codes – all supplied directly by Red Bull Racing – the completed prototype underwent detailed scrutiny by the team’s design and engineering departments to ensure total accuracy. It’s a relative bargain at £985.
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Indycar Dallara IR-18
© AmalgamAlternatively, for our American cousins, how about an Amalgam Indycar model? Created by automotive designer Remco de Reus, the sculpture is based on the NTT Indycar series Dallara IR-18.
It measures 11cm in length and weighs 180g. Each model is presented in a beautiful box that contains an official booklet full of facts about Indycar racing. Yours for £195.
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Bentley Blower
© AmalgamThis model is a perfect scale replica of the No. 9 Bentley 4.5 litre, which raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June 1930, driven by Sir Henry (Tim) Birkin and Jean Chassagne.
Limited to 199 pieces and priced at £18,995, the model required more than 4,500 hours of research. Each car also takes more than 450 hours to build, using thousands of precisely engineered parts, including castings, photo-etchings and CNC-machined metal components.
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Jaguar E-type Series 1
© AmalgamOften hailed as the most beautiful car of all time, the original Jaguar E-type stirred passions in automotive aficionados – including a certain Enzo Ferrari – when launched at the Geneva Motor Show in 1961.
Priced at £16,495, this 1:8 scale model of the E-type FHC (Fixed Head Coupe) was made with cooperation from Jaguar. The company advised on original finishes and materials, and supplied archive images and drawings.
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Formula E sculpture
© AmalgamOne for fans of electric racing, this hand-made sculpture was designed by Remco de Reusbased and is based on the 2023 Gen3 Formula E car. It measures 11cm in length and weighs 180g.
Each model costs £195 and comes in a presentation box, along with an official fact booklet about Formula E.
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Porsche 917 KH
© AmalgamMade as a special edition of 22 models, this 1:8-scale Porsche is delightfully race-weathered. It’s an exacting replica of the 917 that raced to victory at Le Mans in 1971.
Meticulously hand-painted and detailed by Amalgam’s master model makers, it shows every detail of the dirt and damage present as the car crossed the line. Each model comes with an archive-quality Rainer Schlegelmilch Giclée print of the 917 in the 24-hour race’s latter stages. Yours for £19,115.
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Bugatti Type 59
© AmalgamBased on the car raced by Tazio Nuvolari at the Monaco Grand Prix in April 1934, this £1,095, 1:18-scale model was developed using digital scans of an important example of the Bugatti Type 59.
Race-specific details on the model were sourced from archive photographs and respected Bugatti experts.
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Ford GT40
© AmalgamThis 1:18 scale Ford GT40 is based on chassis no. 1075, which was victorious at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1969. Driven by Jacky Ickx and Jackie Oliver, the no. 6 car beat Hans Hermann’s Porsche 908 by just 120 metres after 372 laps.
Priced at £985, each car comes with a Giclée art print of a Rainer Schlegelmilch photograph that shows the GT40 cruising down the pit lane after its victory.
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Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster
© AmalgamAimed at the affluent American market, the Mercedes-Benz 300SL was introduced at the 1954 New York Auto Show. Around three-quarters of the car’s production run was eventually sold in the US.
Amalgam’s 1:8-scale model costs a not-insubstantial £16,495 and features opening doors and an opening bonnet, showing off the inner workings of this classic roadster.
