FSW Weekly Edition #27/2026

Shelby's Continental Carrier

Ixo's Bartoletti 306/2 Transporter 1962 Shelby American in 1:43 scale captures one of motorsport's most romantic support vehicles. Built by Fiat's Bartoletti coachbuilding arm, the 306/2 was the definitive racing transporter of its era, and in Shelby American colours it carried Carroll Shelby's Cobras and, in time, the Daytona Coupes that would wrest the World Sportscar GT crown from Ferrari to circuits across Europe. Finished in the familiar "Cobra Powered By Ford" livery, it represents the glamorous, hard travelling world of early sixties international sports car racing as vividly as any of the cars it hauled to the grid.

Ixo's diecast interpretation presents the big Bartoletti with real presence for the scale. The imposing cab over bodywork, the full length upper and lower decks and the period Shelby signage are all cleanly resolved, while the blue and white "Cobra Powered By Ford" scheme is sharply applied across the transporter's considerable flanks. It is exactly the kind of characterful centrepiece that lifts a collection beyond the cars themselves and is available now for immediate dispatch while stocks last.

The Bartoletti heads an Ixo delivery with a strong historic flavour, arriving alongside the iconic Lancia Stratos, winner of the 1977 Monte Carlo Rally in the hands of Sandro Munari and Silvio Maiga. Beyond Ixo, the week runs deep in classic sports and endurance content, with Werk83's 1:18 Porsche 956 of Joest Racing, driven by Bob Wollek and Stefan Johansson to second at the 1983 Silverstone 1000kms, CMR's imposing 1:12 Porsche 917 LH as raced at Le Mans in 1970 by Vic Elford and Kurt Ahrens in the #25 entry, Tecnomodel's 1:43 Ferrari 330 LMB Press Car 1963 in striking yellow, and Marsh Models' selection of 1:43 kits and hand built models covering the March 83G Chevrolet Pennzoil from the 1984 Charlotte 500kms and a range of Porsche 908/02 "Flounder" subjects from Imola, Le Mans and Monza.

Looking ahead, endurance collectors have plenty to plan for. Spark has now confirmed its 1:43 Le Mans 2026 line up and, with the exception of three of this year's racers and the Ferraris covered by Looksmart, every car on the grid is set to be modelled over the coming twelve months. The only current omissions are the usual pair of Manthey Porsches and the AO Oreca "Rockie". Spark's earlier announcement of a fresh collection of Le Mans winners, including the Ford GT40 MkII, Ford MkIV, Ford GT40, Audi R10, Rondeau M379B, Sauber Mercedes C9, Peugeot 905s and Porsche 911 GT1-98, is available to pre order now. The news that Spark is also working on a 1:64 model of the 1991 Le Mans winning Mazda 787B raises the tantalising prospect of a small scale Le Mans winners collection to come.

Bartoletti 306/2 Transporter 1962 Shelby American - IXOTTR041

BMW 330i BTCC 2026 #99 Rainford - SPKUK049

West Surrey's BTCC Challenger

Spark's BMW 330i BTCC 2026 #99 Rainford in 1:43 scale brings the current British Touring Car Championship to the shelf in fine style. Run by the vastly experienced West Surrey Racing squad, the team that has carried BMW to so much BTCC success over the years, Rainford's #99 330i races in the colours of Cognition Land & Water and Apex. It is especially pleasing to see Spark itself listed as a sponsor of both of West Surrey Racing's BMWs this season, neatly bringing the model maker and the real cars together. As a subject, it captures the closely fought, endlessly popular spectacle that keeps the BTCC at the very heart of British motorsport.

Spark's resincast interpretation upholds the standards that have made the range the benchmark for 1:43 touring cars. Limited to just 500 pieces, the model resolves the 330i's aggressive aerodynamic details and busy sponsor livery with the crisp printing and fine etched detail collectors expect, capturing the purposeful stance of a modern BTCC contender. Due in September, it is precisely the kind of limited run subject that rewards early commitment.

There is good news for BTCC collectors more widely, as Spark expands its 1:43 model grid to include not just the Ford and BMW teams, but Hyundai and Audi as well. The growing driver line up now runs to Sutton, Cammish, Osborne, Selby, De Leon, Rainford, Ingram, Chilton, Collard, Hamilton, Dorlin, Smiley, Doble, Moffat and Patterson, promising the most comprehensive collection of the current championship yet.

Built and ready made Formula 1 content runs equally deep this week in the wake of Silverstone. Looksmart, alongside BBR, expands its 2026 Ferrari SF-26 programme with Charles Leclerc's British Grand Prix winner in 1:64, 1:43, 1:18 and 1:12 scales, Lewis Hamilton's Silverstone car in 1:43 and 1:18, and his Catalunya Grand Prix winner in 1:12. BBR continues its 1:43 history of the 2026 Ferrari season with the British Grand Prix versions of both the Leclerc and Hamilton SF-26s. Silverstone delivered Leclerc's first win of the year, with Hamilton finishing third. The models are offered with or without driver figures, while BBR has also confirmed 1:18 diecast versions of both cars, each featuring removable nose sections, front wings and wheels. Spark, meanwhile, adds a substantial shipment of race result models spanning the McLaren MCL39s of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, Fernando Alonso's Aston Martin AMR25 from Hungary and the USA, George Russell's British Grand Prix Mercedes W16, Kimi Antonelli's Azerbaijan car, Max Verstappen's Las Vegas winning Red Bull RB21 and the iconic Tyrrell P34. Joining them are complete 2026 Formula E entries, Super GT additions and new 1:5 helmets for Alexander Albon and Oscar Piastri, all available to pre order.

GT collectors are well served too. Mini GT has created new master tooling for the 2025 Daytona 24 Hours Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo of Magnus Racing and the hugely popular "Test Card" Mercedes AMG GT3 that finished third at the 2025 Bathurst 12 Hours for Team GMR. Looksmart also expands its 1:64 range with the AF Corse Francorchamps Motors Ferrari 296 GT3 that finished second in the 2024 Spa 24 Hours in the hands of Alessio Rovera, Davide Rigon and Alessandro Pier Guidi, now available to pre order.

Fourmaux's Monte Carlo Charge

Spark's Hyundai i20N Rally1 4th Monte Carlo 2026 #16 Fourmaux/Coria in 1:43 scale captures the modern World Rally Championship at its most spectacular. Adrien Fourmaux, partnered by co-driver Alexandre Coria in the Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT machine, produced a hard-charging run to fourth on the notoriously treacherous mixed surfaces of the Monte Carlo Rally, the event that has tested the world's best crews since 1911. As one of the leading hybrid Rally1 cars, the #16 i20N represents the cutting edge of current rallying and the fierce fight between Hyundai and Toyota at the front of the championship.

Spark's resincast interpretation does the subject full justice, with the excellent casting quality and fine etched detail that have become hallmarks of the range. The i20N's dramatic aerodynamics, deep front splitter, prominent rear wing and busy Hyundai Shell Mobis livery are all beautifully resolved, capturing the purposeful, planted stance of a modern Rally1 car. Due in August, it is an easy recommendation for any collector of contemporary rallying.

The Hyundai heads a rich week for rally collectors. Sparks same shipment annoucement features a further two Hyundai i20N Rally1 Monte Carlo which include entries for Thierry Neuville/Wydaeghe and Hayden Paddon/Kennard, alongside the Lancia Ypsilon Rally 4 HF and Rally2 HF Integrale presentation cars. The earlier Spark shipment announcement also features the Peugeot 309 GTI of François Delecour and Tilber from the 1990 Monte Carlo Rally, adding another iconic Monte Carlo contender to the growing range of historic rally subjects. Ixo's Lancia Stratos Monte Carlo winner has already been noted, and it is joined by Trofeu's pair of 1:43 historic rally subjects, the Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HSR of Kaby and Arthur from the 1982 Bianchi and the Fiat 131 Abarth of Cane and Brancatelli from Monza 1979, while DSN 43 offers an intriguing group of 1:43 releases taking in a Henri Toivonen 1000 Lakes Porsche, a NART Ferrari 365 GTB/4 from Le Mans, a London to Mexico Ford Capri and an Opel Kadett driven by "PêQêPê".

Road car collectors are equally well catered for this week. Looksmart continues to prove it has its finger on the Bugatti pulse, adding the 2025 Bugatti Tourbillon "Equipe Pur Sang" to its 1:43 listing alongside the extraordinary one-off W16 Mistral 2026 "Blanc Eternel", designed in collaboration with Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur and featuring porcelain interior detailing. Revell's latest delivery brings the 1:24 plastic kit of the stunning McLaren 750S, KK Scale is to reissue its accessible 1:18 diecast 1976 Porsche 911 3.0 Turbo in Guards Red, together with new black, silver and white colour options due from August, and Matrix adds a characteristically eclectic run of 1:43 resincast road cars in the Aston Martin Lagonda S1, Ford Zodiac 206E Mk2 Convertible, Marcos 3-Litre GT and Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph.

Elsewhere, three New titles tempt from the bookshelf, with 20 Years of GT3 Racing, Andrea Moda Formula: The Legend of the Formula One Team Too Bad to Be True and Ferrari: Icons of Excellence rounding out a week with something for every taste.

Hyundai i20N Rally1 4th Monte Carlo 2026 #16 Fourmaux/Coria - SPK6918