The Nissan Silvia S14, by Ottomobile (1/18)

Here's a first. Finally, someone decides to make an eighteenth-scale model of every aspiring-drifter-teen's favorite FWD sports car line, and it's by none other than our favorite resin brand. This is Otto's rendition of the S14-generation Nissan Silvia.

First off, the color - wow! Perfect choice. Thinking back at some of the famed Midnight Purple Skylines, it's pretty clear that purple is the ideal color for Nissan sports cars. I've already fallen in love; there's really no need to continue the discussion. But anyways, one of the things you'll also notice about this S14 is that it's bone stock, like it's straight from a 1993 showroom. Good luck finding an example this clean on the streets today. But that's also what makes this model all the sweeter. The beige-ness of it is admirable. The simplicity of 90's-era Japanese automotive design is well-captured here, from the economy-car wheels to the dull finish on the exhaust. 100% nostalgic.

The Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG Black Series, by Ottomobile (1/18)

Hardly a month goes by without me having to place a pre-order with these guys - they just keep churning out the good stuff. Part of Otto's May selection of new models, this is the Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG Black Series.

Keeping in tradition with producing models that have not yet been done at this scale, at least not to my knowledge, Ottomobile continues to fill the voids for the obsessed model car collectors. While other companies have largely focused on the flashy, instant-appeal exotics such as the SLS and the AMG GT, the best resin model company today has been giving us everything else Mercedes, from vintage machines like the AMG Hammer to modern classics like the Black Series shown here. As an avid AMG fanatic, I'm game to pretty much anything from the Affalterbach tuner's wild creations, so here is yet another one.

Dressed up with massively flared fenders, an aggressive rear diffuser, decklid spoiler, and stylish 16-spoke wheels - amongst a host of performance tweaks - the Black Series is clearly the evil child of Mercedes' CLK lineup. It looks pretty wicked here in miniature form too. Sure, the ride height in the back might need a little work, but everything else looks accurate at first glance.

When viewed up close, the model starts to break down a bit, if only because Otto has set such high standards for itself with its consistently high-quality, high-detail products. Solid grilles up front - you know the drill. What I didn't like the most were how side gills and rear spoiler were done; they're molded directly into the casting and then coated with black paint. The effect comes out fake and unrealistic, not to mention that they should be carbon-fiber patterned as well. If this had been branded as a more upscale GT Spirit, I imagine we would have gotten individualized plastic parts with carbon fiber decals instead.

At the end of the day, this is a 60 Euro model that easily beats out most anything in its price range. It's also a Black Series, which means it should be a welcome addition for anyone who is even remotely a fan of cars. This one shall sit nicely next to my C63 and SL65.

It's Le Mans Day!

The big race is today and, while I likely won't be watching it, it never hurts to break out models of some of its past contestants.

Old-School Beetle: The Porsche 911 GT, by GT Spirit (1/18)

Vintage 911's, for all their greatness and exponentially-increasing popularity, are cars I try to stay away from for fear of falling into the trap that is wanting to collect way too many things. There are so many variants out there, with each brand making entire swarms of these old bugs, that it's become impossible to keep up with all of them. Then you add in all the tuned ones, from RUF to RWB to Singer, and it's a total nightmare. And that's before we get into those racecars. You could fill an entire house if you collected one of each variation of 911's alone.

But every now and then, there's one that catches your eye and has that must-have cachet, and such is the case here. This is the European-exclusive recolor, limited to 504 pieces, of GT Spirit's 911 GT resin model, in a silvery-blue hue reminiscent of one of my favorite car colors of all-time from another brand: BMW's Silverstone Metallic. The first iteration debuted in a dark blue colorway (with gold wheels for contrast) that has been repeatedly criticized for being too dark and not blue enough.

Whatever the case, this one is better anyway. Execution by GT Spirit is superb as always. Death, taxes, and them doing a great job with their models - you can take it to the bank. If it's not the color, then it's the wheels and the wing that won me over. Or the fat fenders and flushed stance. Or all of the above. It's got me feeling like I've been missing out this entire time.