The World of ‘Mini Cars’ that Cost More than the Real Thing

Luxury ‘mini cars’ are on the rise and cost more than the real thing. This includes a £41,000 ‘Ferrari’ barely big enough for a child.

A manufacturer has crafted detailed replicas of iconic sports cars that look exactly like the full-sized models.

UK-based Amalgam is known for creating intricate miniature cars.

It has unveiled a line of Ferrari, Lamborghini and Aston Martin miniature cars.

Manufacturers have made the mini cars to perfection based on plans of the original models – including original CAD data, engineering drawings and even paint codes.

Experts used high-resolution pictures and digital snaps to build the perfect mini replicas.

Each car is 1:8 scale and takes up to 450 hours of work to craft.

But they are not cheap as drivers can snap them up for prices that can reach £30,000.

The £41,750 Ferrari is a 1:4 scale of the original Ralph Lauren sports car from 2009.

The rare motor is only 42.5 inches long with a weight of around 5 kilograms.

According to Amalgam manufacturers, the mini car has been “hammered from aluminium sheet” and hand-made details.

They said: “We have created several perfectly detailed models of the car at 1:8, but to fully honour the beauty of the body form we have now created a hand-hammered aluminium replica of the 250 GTO body at a quarter the size of the original.

“Each piece has been created from aluminium sheet using traditional panel-beating methodology, forming the panels over a buck, exactly as the original full-size bodies were created by Carozzerie Scaglietti in the early 1960s.”

The miniature Lamborghini costs £14,835 and is a limited edition made of 199 pieces.

Measuring 20 inches, it is based on the first-generation Countach, which has a 4-litre V12 and 370 horsepower.

The handcrafted yellow figure includes castings, photo-etchings and CNC metal parts.

Meanwhile, the Bugatti Type 59 has been 3D printed and handpainted in Venice.

This rare model is just 20 inches long.

For £20,755, car enthusiasts can also get their hands on a miniature 1935 Belgian GP version along with a Jean-Pierre Wimille figure.

Another luxury mini car created by Amalgam is the Ferrari 250 LM.

The sports car was Ferrari’s last model to scoop the victory at Le Mans in 1965.

It is a rare mini car, limited to just 22 models. All have been handpainted and detailed to replicate the real car raced by Masten Gregory and Jochen Rindt at the Circuit de la Sarthe.

Measuring 20 inches, the model sells for a staggering £17,375.

The 1:8 scale Ford GT40, meticulously crafted in just 40 individual pieces, showcases an exceptional level of detail, with each component expertly manufactured in Bristol.

This stunning replica pays homage to the iconic chassis 1075, renowned for its triumphant victory at the gruelling 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1969, where racing legends Jacky Ickx and Jackie Oliver clinched the title at the historic Circuit de la Sarthe.

Enthusiasts of finely crafted figurines can acquire this exquisite model for £17,375.

The models also include an archive-quality A1 portrait-sized Giclée print capturing the essence of the car’s victorious moment on the track.

On a different note, the Mercedes-AMG, first unveiled at the Silverstone Circuit alongside Lewis Hamilton and George Russell in February 2022, now finds its exquisite miniature counterpart in a hand-built replica.

Despite its diminutive size of 27 inches, this miniature marvel is a testament to precision engineering, constructed from thousands of meticulously crafted parts.

Every detail of the original Mercedes Petronas Formula 1 Team’s design, including the CAD design and paint codes, has been faithfully reproduced in this scaled-down version.

Despite its compact size, this miniature masterpiece comes with a hefty price tag of £8,495, reflecting its unparalleled craftsmanship and attention to detail.

Manufacturers said: “This model was created by the Amalgam Collection, in collaboration with the Memento Group.

“These exquisite models have been developed in the workshops of Amalgam with the assistance of Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team regarding CAD data, original finishes, materials and original drawings.

“The Mercedes-AMG F1 W13 E Performance has been crafted under licence from Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Limited.”