The Ferrari F40 Lightweight, by Kyosho (1/18)

Ferrari's legendary F40 is the ubiquitous supercar that everybody has in their collection in some scale. This one, made by Kyosho, is my first in 1/18.

It's the Lightweight version, so it has different wheels (aftermarket O.Z. Racing) than your standard F40, but is otherwise more or less the same. Kyosho has made a number of iterations of the F40, the current one being a sealed resin model of the stock form, and thankfully this one is made of that heavy, durable material that we all love. That means there are opening parts all the way around, which is almost like a necessity given the type of car this is - of course you would want to see what's going on back there.

This is one of the more highly-detailed models I've come across, and it has just about every feature you're expecting for a top-tier 1/18 model. If I want to complain, I would say that the steering is too restrictive, which is unfortunately also the #1 reason why I prefer diecast models over resin. Otherwise, everything is there as indicative of this F40's extravagant price tag. Pop-up headlights that open up in sync. Working suspension - a feature that's becoming obsolete with high-end models these days. Fine mesh pieces behind every grille, vent, and duct. Brake discs with a realistic finish, as if it just came off the mill. A strut bar is included to hold the rear engine cover up while you examine the details. The front trunk even has a little Ferrari bag to top things off.

In short: glorious.

The Hot Wheels Elite 1/18 Ferrari FXX

It's also known as the Enzo that you can't drive on the road.

Speaking of the Enzo, you should probably know that it's my numero uno Ferrari of all time. We all know of its otherworldly performance but to this day, I've been entranced with its design since day one, a design which had drawn mixed reviews and harsh criticism. It's a bold departure from every preceding Ferrari, and I just happened to like the angular nose, swooping lines, and overblown fenders. The real question is: how did I end up with an FXX instead?

In short: limited choices. Ferrari is notoriously stingy with its licensing. In eighteenths, you have two choices for the Enzo: the Hot Wheels and the BBR. Hot Wheels can't get the wheels right. The BBR costs half a grand. So I went with the next best thing, the Ferrari FXX.

Hot Wheels makes a plethora of variations for the FXX. There are multiple colorways, some with extra decals, the Evoluzione, and even a Michael Schumacher edition. I chose the "standard" red one because that's what all Ferraris should be - bone stock in Rosso Corsa. This one has the black wheels and is currently the hardest-to-find of the various releases. This example is kind of how you picture the FXX in your head, and that's what I was aiming for.

It's funny that as much as I love the Enzo, I have a very indifferent opinion of the FXX. Perhaps it's just that I don't care for racecars. Maybe it's that all the edges of the original Enzo design have been smoothed out. In any case, Hot Wheels nailed the FXX when it couldn't do the Enzo properly. The wheels are finally the right size. Overall fit and finish is good, though the windows are made of a thin plastic and prone to peeling off the pillars. The detail is amazing throughout and particularly within the hidden compartments. This is something that I've started taking for granted when it comes to models from Hot Wheels Elite, and this surely won't be the last of them.

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.