Gran Turismo Omologato: The Ferrari 599 GTO, by Hot Wheels Elite

The original GTO, the Ferrari 250 GTO, is widely regarded as the most beautiful car of all time. The second GTO, the 288 GTO, is a legend in its own right and the grandfather of Ferrari's hypercar lineage that has spawned machines such as the F40, F50, Enzo, and LaFerrari. I'm sure those names ring a bell.

The acronym, which stands for Gran Turismo Omologato, is therefore not to be used lightly. So when Ferrari souped up their already formidable 599 GTB Fiorano and threw on the GTO namesake, critics questioned whether this modern take of the classic stallion was deserving of the title. And in short, yes. Yes it was.

Ladies and gentlemen, the Ferrari 599 GTO, as done by Hot Wheels Elite in 1/18 scale.

This high-performance and limited-production version of the 599, essentially the 599XX in street clothes, was at the time the fastest Ferrari to lap their Fiorano test track. And how fitting it was, as the car with which it's based on was named after the track itself. The 599 GTO is a modern classic and has seen its value more than double since its release.

There remains a divided opinion on the design of the 599 GTB, but the GTO is what some say the GTB should've been in the first place. A more aggressive exterior packed with more power and carrying less weight. I think the Ferrari 599, any variant, is one of the most gorgeous cars ever made, defying norms that a Ferrari needs to be bold and loud in its design.

This model is produced by Hot Wheels and falls under the Hot Wheels Elite branding, which means it has a high level of detail. That's an understatement to be completely honest, and I did not expect that at all. The detail here would put almost all models in this price range to shame, and it would certainly give a premier brand like AUTOart a run for its money.

Most of the Ferrari models produced by Hot Wheels ironically end up with wheels that are either too small or too large; this one hits the sweet spot. The interior is nothing short of amazing. When collectors say the 599 GTO is one of their best, now I can fully understand why.

Scuderia Sunday: A Pair of Ferrari's from Maisto Design

Maisto's 1/64 line has been a surprising hit among collectors ever since they've rebranded themselves as "Maisto Design" and distributed their product to select Target stores in the U.S. From what I've seen both on social media and in person, the models have been generally well received and stock is consistently low. Although Maisto has been doing these "1/64" cars (scaled very liberally) for years, they've been hard to acquire anywhere besides on the internet. As a result, the brand has remained very low-key and often dismissed by collectors.

Just recently, Targets have received new batches of cars, this time with a more diverse selection that includes exotics, sure to excite many including myself. The other day, I spotted a Porsche 911 GT2 in cop car guise, a couple of Lamborghini's, and these two beauties out of Maranello. And you know I can't leave a Ferrari behind.

We as collectors have been Ferrari-starved for too long. Being the only diecast company with official Ferrari licensing, can Maisto do them right?

So what we have here are a LaFerrari and a 599 GTO. Again, these are nowhere close to 1/64 scale; they're significantly larger than comparable castings from Hot Wheels. To many, that's an instant turn-off. I wanted to give them a second chance, if for no other reason besides the fact that they are Ferrari's.

At a price point of $4, the detail is there and certainly does not disappoint. Wherever there should be tampo treatment, there is tampo treatment. The castings are well-proportioned and crisp. Other than scale, the one that bothers me are the wheels. The wheel designs are true to their real forms, but the axles are not wide enough. This means the wheels are not flush with the fenders and the models look less "sporty" than they should be (for the record, I pulled them out as far as I could for these photos). These are supercars!

The LaFerrari is clearly not Maisto's strongest effort. The ride height is totally wrong and it has a growth on its chin. OK, it's actually a place for the front screw, but there has to be a better way to get the job done.

Either way, I'm sold, and I hope Maisto puts its exclusive licensing to good use. One can never have enough Ferrari's.