The Porsche 911 (996) GT3, by AUTOart (1/18)

You either love or hate the 996-generation Porsche 911 Carrera. Often dubbed the "runny egg" 911 (and not in a good way) because of the odd shape of the headlights, the 996 is seen by many as the one sore spot of arguably the most legendary sports car lineage of all time. While those lights look more like jellybeans to me, you can never go wrong with eggs either. Eggs are tasty, much like this car right here.

It's AUTOart's 996 GT3, and it's yet another gem of a model. Compared to the Turbo and GT2 variants, the GT3 possesses more subdued styling, with a rounder front fascia, fewer air ducts, and more simplistic wheels. In short, take the wing off and you have what looks like an entry-level 911, not a top-of-the-line, supercar-beating machine. I was never a fan of the GT3 until this one won me over, and that's a testament to how great the AUTOart model is despite its age.

While most older AUTOarts have numerous, creaky plastic parts and feel rather light for eighteenth scale cars made primarily of metal, the GT3 stands solid and high-quality. The detail, especially on the wheels on brakes, surpassed all of my expectations. As is the case with 911's, there's virtually nothing to see in the engine hatch, but the interior is well-decorated with carpeting, textured racing buckets, red seat belts, roll cage, and even a fire extinguisher in the passenger footwell. This is amazing stuff for high-end models of today, let alone an early AUTOart product.

The Best 911 Ever? The Porsche 996 GT2, in 1/18, by AUTOart

It's no secret that I adore the 996 generation model of Porsche's prestigious 911 Carrera line. While most Porsches are what I would call conservative designs, the 996 is the eccentric child of all 911's. Over here, 911's are a dime a dozen. Nobody bats an eye unless you're driving one of the special editions with the big wings that are screaming for your attention.

The overall shape of the car has remained relatively unchanged through decades of updates and improvements, but it's the headlights that distinguish this one from the rest. For the most part, enthusiasts have been overly critical of its design, an oblong shape that resembles a number of things depending on how you look at it. Fried eggs. Jellybeans. Perhaps a set of kidneys?

But fried eggs are delicious, so why shouldn't this car be as well?

The 996 is the one Carrera that I need in my life, so I got myself a miniature. This GT2 variant is a 1/18 model by AUTOart and . As an older model, the details on the exterior are good, and the accuracy is top of its class as always. With old AUTOart's, there are a few nitpick-y things you can expect that you don't get on newer models. The compartments don't stay open, the badges are printed, and the car feels a little creaky as a whole, but it does what all AUTOart's do best: look good.

In my opinion, what really sets off the GT2, besides the aforementioned headlights and the rear wing, are the futuristic, five-spoke "fan" wheels. The same type of wheel is also used on other trim levels of the 996 generation, I believe the 4S as well as the Turbo, and is one of my favorite wheel designs of all-time - a perfect match for the weirdness of this car.

Bravo, Matchbox: The Fantastic Exotic 5-Pack

It seems once every year, Matchbox does a 5-pack that just about every collector wants. Last year, it was the Classic Rides 5-Pack which, although nice, contained a few models that had already been released as singles. This year, Christmas came early with this Exotic 5-Pack, featuring five models that are all exclusive to this set. Five brilliant models, may I add.

It features the Ford Shelby Cobra Concept, Ford GT, Lotus Evora, Porsche 911 (996) Turbo, and Chevy Corvette ZR1. Five modern sports cars. Five licensed models. Zero generics. That alone makes it a winner in my book. Let's take a look at these models. Shall I start with the good or the bad?

Okay, I'll start with the bad. What's crazy is this casting isn't even that bad; it's simply outshined by all the other models in this pack. This is the Ford Shelby Cobra Concept, a car that I don't particularly care for. It certainly doesn't do any justice to the original Shelby Cobra, which was a beautiful car. This, however, is not. In an attempt to modernize the Cobra, Ford took away the curves of the original in favor of a more square-bodied shape. In my opinion, it's far from a success.

Nonetheless, you can't really blame Matchbox for it. They did what they could to make it true to the real thing. However, I do think the wheels are too small for the casting, which is abnormally large to begin with.

You know you have a great 5-pack when the Ford GT isn't even near the top of the list. It's always been a great casting, and this time it comes in a pretty metallic blue color with two-tone, 5-spoke sport wheels. I love these wheels to death, but they somehow manage to look wrong on this model. I think something more traditional, like the 6-spoke or the multi-spoke wheels in mono-tone, would've looked better.

Things are starting to heat up now. Here we have the 911 Turbo of the 996 generation. It's a fairly old casting that doesn't see much production anymore. It briefly made an appearance as a single a few years ago, in dark purple, and has since gone into hibernation, until now. I have a weakness for the 996. I think it looks miles better than the 997, and I don't mind the kidney-shaped headlights at all. Needless to say, I'm glad it's back.

Then we have the Corvette ZR1 in black with a touch of red and white striping. Not too much, but just the right amount. It looks absolutely sinister when paired with the black 5-spokes.

It's been a while since we've gotten a ZR1, and I've started to miss seeing these on the pegs. Even though this may be one of the rare instances where the Hot Wheels model is better than the Matchbox, there's never been a more deserving runner-up. And here in this 5-pack, it finishes in second place once again, but just barely.

The award goes to...

The Lotus Evora. British Racing Green. Gunmetal wheels. Racing decals. How could you not like it?

And I don't even care one lick about the real car. That's how good this one is. And that's how good this 5-pack is. Go out there and get it!