Capri development update and presenting an Enterprising duo
Welcome to the latest edition of Corgi Die-cast Diaries, your regular blog review of all the news, updates and topical stories from the captivating world of Corgi die-cast model collecting.
We have a fascinatingly varied overview of current Corgi model project updates for you this time around, with a pair of impending new Vanguards model additions sandwiching an exciting dual addition to our Pop Culture range, both of which are quite literally out of this world. As we prepare to close a sizeable subject gap in the popular Vanguards range, we continue to chart the development of our new Ford Capri Mk.II tooling by bringing you a fascinating selection of images from the design files of one of our development engineers, allowing us a rare insight into what it takes to introduce a new Vanguards model tooling to the range.
We will be following this up by boldly going where only a couple of Corgi models have ever gone before, as we seek out our latest, hugely appealing die-cast model tributes to one of the most popular science fiction TV series ever to air, the sight of which will undoubtedly bring back pleasant memories for many thousands of people. Star Trek and the Starship Enterprise will be familiar to many DCD readers, and many will also support our desire to release beautifully produced representations of this spaceship through the ages, bringing them to a new diecast collecting audience in the process. In this major project update, we will be including a selection of model images which highlight why Star Trek fans should be getting a little excited about their arrival and how we have tried to stay faithful to the programme which inspired their range inclusion.
As you can see, we have quite a lot to get through this time, so let’s start that V6 engine and do our best to see over that massive Ford Capri Mk.II bonnet, because we have new Corgi models incoming.
First major styling facelift for a Ford motoring classic
The start of all major new Vanguards tooling projects, this Ford Capri scan features a rather distinctive model within the Mk.II range.
The Vanguards range has earned a proud reputation for creating accurate 1/43rd scale models featuring some of the most important cars to have graced the roads of the world over the past 28 years, a tradition which continues to be enhanced with each new range launch. Announced at the beginning of the year, our latest range includes our tribute to a British motoring icon which has so far eluded Vanguards model collectors, but one which already seems destined to become a firm range favourite, the Ford Capri Mk.II. Despite the Capri first appearing in Ford showrooms in early 1969, these cars are still regarded as being highly desirable vehicles in their own right and if you are fortunate enough to own one, you can be sure you will be admired and envied in equal measure.
The Ford Capri project actually started life as an intended European equivalent of the hugely successful Mustang Mk.I introduced by the American parent company and was first unveiled at the end of the 1960s. The spectacular success of the Mustang took Ford officials by surprize and clearly highlighted an appetite for mass-market cars which offered something more than just functional motoring. At that time in the UK, Ford could only claim the Lotus Cortina as anything resembling a sporty model, with the rest of the range being manufactured for the masses, dare we even suggest lacking in excitement.
The new US inspired model was intended to change all that, a racy looking car with a sporty image, but one which was within the reach of large sections of the population. Just like the Mustang did in the US, the Capri utilised many existing components used in the production of other cars in the Ford range, but cleverly wrapped them all up in a beautifully stylish coupe bodyshell. You could say that by adopting this production ethos, the Capri was almost guaranteed to be a motoring success.
Design drawings produced in support of the new Vanguards Ford Capri Mk.II new tooling project.
A truly fascinating CAD screenshot exclusive, showing all the various tooling options included in the design of this significant addition to the Vanguards range.
Yet another project image exclusive, this time showing the resin prototype model produced from the Ford Capri Mk.II design files.
Marketed as a stylish, yet affordable two-plus-two sports coupe aimed at the working man, the Capri proved to be a real success for Ford and would go on to enjoy a 17-year production run, with almost 2 million cars sold during that time. It’s hardly surprising that this handsome car proved to be such a winner, particularly when referring to how Ford’s marketing department positioned the car to the British public at the time. The Capri was described as ‘The car you’ve always promised yourself’ and with motoring temptation like that, how on earth could the nation possibly resist?
Launched at the 1969 Brussels Motor Show, the new Capri was the talk of the motoring world, a landmark model for Ford which changed the face of popular motoring in Britain for good. Unashamedly masculine with plenty of feminine charm in its beautiful styling, the Ford Capri appealed to everyone and if you couldn’t quite afford one straight away, you made a promise to yourself that you would own one some day.
In February 1974, the already iconic Capri received its first major upgrade, one which arguably made it more suitable for everyday motoring, featuring a shorter bonnet, larger cabin and more modern dashboard presentation. Significantly, the Capri Mk.II also featured the adoption of a hatchback, the first Ford model to do so. The Mk.II continues the success of the Capri model range and helped establish the reputation of a car which is still seen as being sporty, refined and desirable to this day – is it any wonder collectors want the Mk.II in the Vanguards range?
The first release from this new Capri Mk.II tooling is advancing through development toward a late Spring release, however as we now have a picture of a sample model from this project, we thought you might like to have an update.
VA15401 Ford Capri Mk2 3-litre Ghia Automatic in Sebring Red
The Mk.II Capri, advertised as ‘The Car You Always Promised Yourself’, was an enormous success for Ford with over 1.1 million produced. It was a fashionable halo car that generated showroom traffic and added motorsport glamour but was also profitable because it shared components with high-volume saloon cars. A Capri II development programme, known as Project Diana, was thus inevitable and when the new car emerged in February 1974, it retained the general coupé profile, the distinctive oval rear side window and the long-bonnet sports car feel, but was a less compromised machine.
A hatchback tailgate replaced the boot lid and with folding rear seats, this intercontinental GT was as practical as it was stylish. The Capri modelled here was purchased on May 24th ,1974, from Ford dealers Cowies of Sunderland by Mr B. Wake, who had it serviced meticulously and retained it until October 22nd, 1990, covering 53,000 miles. He ordered the most expensive Ghia model, which featured black and silver alloy wheels, but saved £42 by deleting the power steering and £7.90 by not specifying wing mirrors. So, all told, he paid a total of £3,109, including tax.
In 2002, it was purchased by Essex-based Capri enthusiast Dave Eady who totally restored it in time to win best car at the Capri II Register’s National Day in 2007, an award it has won six times. Since late 2021, it’s been owned by long-standing Capri enthusiast, Shropshire-based Gordon Millington.
Hopefully, our next update will include pictures of a production sample model and a definitive release date for this fabulous new model.
A pair of ‘Highly Logical’ additions to the 2024 Corgi range
Does this image bring back memories, or do you need to be beamed up? Star Trek fans will be interested to hear how the Corgi team have been working hard to create some new and highly collectable representations of these magnificent spacecraft.
When we now have access to hundreds of channels to choose from when settling down for a little relaxation time in front of the television, its easy to forget how things used to be very different only a relatively short period of time ago. For those of us with more than a few years under our belts, we can even remember time before DVD’s, videos and even TV remote controls and how certain iconic programmes where the undoubted highlights of our viewing week. Unfortunately, these programmes were usually being aired at times when things were on other channels that your parents wanted to watch and you had to promise to do your homework, tidy your room and be on your best behaviour to be in with a chance of booking the TV for that latest must-see episode.
Thankfully, when it came to James T. Kirk and the Starship Enterprise, it didn’t take our parents long to also become hooked, and how Kirk, Spock, Bones and Scotty became some of the best loved characters for a generation of people transfixed by the thought of space exploration and the futuristic adventures such a thing would entail.
Incoming – Star Trek fans have much to look forward to.
To many youngsters though, the real star of the show was USS Enterprise, a starship which was not only the catalyst for all those exciting space adventures, but a craft which captured everybody’s imagination – it just looked so futuristic. Even though the crew got themselves into many a scrape with a Klingon Battlecruiser, surely nothing could withstand being on the receiving end of a phaser strike, or photon torpedo barrage!
From those initial programming beginnings, Star Trek would go on to be something of a science fiction phenomenon and if you were ever infatuated by any of the Star Trek series and the characters they featured, it really is an interest that never leaves you. No matter how busy your like, the sight of a programme still, or a model Enterprise will immediately see you being beamed up, right back into the world of Star Trek.
It was as a result of this enduring interest that we decided to revisit our die-cast links with Star Trek and introduce the first in a series of models intended to not only commemorate the series, but the most iconic craft to appear in it. More than that, we were determined to create the most accurate representations of them that we possibly could.
CC96610 Star Trek - USS Enterprise NCC-1701 (The Original Series)
A selection of design and development images produced in support of this exciting new model project.
Corgi is thrilled to return to the Final Frontier with a new range of models based on the Star Trek Universe. The detailed starships include a Starfleet delta display base to enable dramatic display in your die-cast collection.
The legendary fleet flagship of the golden age of interstellar discovery, the Constitution-class USS Enterprise NCC-1701 was launched in 2245 and served the United Federation of Planets for over forty years, most famously under the command of Captain James T. Kirk.
CC96611 Star Trek - USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D (The Next Generation)
Beautifully produced and hugely collectable, these new Star Trek models will appeal to Corgi collectors old and new, not to mention the army of Trekkies out there in the final frontier!
Corgi is thrilled to return to the Final Frontier with a new range of models based on the Star Trek Universe. The detailed starships include a Starfleet delta display base to enable dramatic display in your die-cast collection.
One of the most celebrated Starships to serve in Starfleet, the Galaxy-class USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D was launched in 2363 under the command of Captain Jean-Luc Picard as the new flagship of the United Federation of Planets.
One of the main aims with these new Star Trek model releases was to create updated product decoration which felt more in keeping with what was originally seen on television screens. In the case of the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D from Star Trek: The Next Generation, this would see a more dramatic difference compared to the original release of the model nearly two decades earlier. The original 2006 model release used accurate paint colour charts that were created by the model makers at visual effects house Industrial Light and Magic that were then issued onwards to model kit makers. These colours however looked much darker in reality than they do when you see the ship on TV, as the paint colours reacted quite differently when the model was lit internally and externally using studio lights during production of the series.
As a result, the new CORGI release is based more closely on the ‘as seen on screen’ version of the ship, with a lot of consultation with the approvals team at Paramount Pictures to get the colours and finer detail decoration as good as they could be.
All present and correct, CC96610 Star Trek - USS Enterprise NCC-1701 (The Original Series) will be released in this appealing, bespoke collector presentation packaging.
In addition to the improved decoration, a brand-new Starfleet delta display base has been developed, based on an Aviation Archive range display stand design. The original models all had bespoke but relatively flimsy display stands, which previous customer feedback were reported as being frustratingly prone to damage. The more robust display stand that we have created for these new models gives them a far more dramatic presence when placed on display.
The final, and extremely appealing addition these new model releases benefit from is the deluxe collector grade packaging which not only protect the models, but are a statement of collectability intent. The new CORGI Star Trek Collection packs are designed to appear as an in-universe design, featuring a foiled Starfleet Command logo appropriate to the era of the starship it contains. It also features a detailed in-universe description of the starship, listing its service history as well as the commanding officers, along with the ship’s motto which is displayed on the dedication plaque on the bridge of the ship.
Everything has been designed intentionally to appeal to the Star Trek fan, with the premium grade packaging becoming a part of the overall collectability of the product itself.
More packaging presentation delights, this time featuring CC96611 Star Trek - USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D (The Next Generation).
The eagle-eyed amongst us will have also spotted a rather high-tech addition to the presentation packaging, a new benefit which has only appeared sparingly on previous Corgi model releases, but something which definitely points the way to the future, an Augmented Reality QR code. If we can all now use our phones and computers to see what furniture might look like in our homes, or how a particular paint colour might look on our walls, why shouldn’t we be afforded the same visual access to the most desirable new Corgi models?
The AR object generated is obviously the respective Star Trek starship which is contained inside the box, however, when scanning the code, to can see a digital representation of it in your phone camera, either with a plain white background, or superimposed over where the camera is pointing, be that your front room carpet, or a space in your display cabinet.
A process which uses photogrammetry technology to allow the photography and measurement of a physical object to be displayed in this digital manner, enabling the viewer to manipulate the image seemingly without limits, it not only allows you to inspect the product inside the packaging in a way that simply hasn’t been available before, but also allows you to have a visible indication of how it might look in your own home.
How very modern – this Augmented Reality image was generated using the QR code on the front of the box and shows one of these beautiful models on digital display in our Margate WonderWorks.
Whilst researching this update, we were told how the QR code for the Star Trek models has been displayed in the new WonderWorks at our Margate HQ and how people can see how one might look of placed on display there – we have even included a picture to prove that!
An exciting addition to these beautiful new models, the technology is currently only available to users of the IOS system, however, our team are looking at how they can make this accessible to as many people as possible in future.
These beautiful new models will be a welcome addition to the current Corgi range and even though Space may still be the final frontier, if we have one of these beauties within our displays, were sure to ‘Live long and Prosper!’
A new Rover that’s been around the block
This attractive new model has endured something of a protracted development period, one which has taken it almost 17 years to negotiate.
Our final project update for this edition marks the impending release of a non-Ford addition to the Vanguards range, one which was first announced to be joining a Corgi range back in 2007. As we saw with some regularity when it came to range announcements in the days immediately prior to Corgi coming under the protection of the Hornby Hobbies name, this model was announced as being under development, but never actually materialised. In what proved to be a rather confusing time for collectors, some models were announced, then later officially cancelled, whilst others were announced but just never turned up!
Thankfully, even though this Vanguards Rover 75 found itself in this rather confusing category, it’s finally about to take its place in a Vanguards range, even though it’s been around the houses somewhat.
VA09206 - Rover 75 V6 Contemporary SE in Ski Blue
When the development of project R40, as the Rover 75 was known internally, began in earnest at Longbridge, the mood was optimistic because, to joint-venture partner Honda’s surprise, BMW had purchased the company in February 1994. They injected the development cash the business had hitherto lacked. The resulting car was launched at the Birmingham Motor Show on October 20th, 1998, and was praised for its elegant exterior design by stylist Richard Woolley and very British interior ambience.
Production commenced at Cowley, Oxfordshire, but when BMW sold the company in May 2000 it was moved to Longbridge. The 75 remained in production until 2005 by which time 211,175 had been produced. The automatic 2.5-litre V6 Rover 75 modelled was sold new by MG-Rover dealers Vantage-Preston and was first registered in July 2005, just three months after the Longbridge-based company went into administration.
It features the later-revised bumpers, grille and single-light facelifted nose treatment launched in 2004, which gave the 75 a more modern look, although it cleverly used the same lamp base units with a new single lens on top. Since November 2022, it has been owned by Greater Manchester-based Rover 75 enthusiast Tim Hubbard, who bought it because it showed a genuine 87,000 miles and was in very good overall condition. The 75 and its MG-badged ZT cousin have now acquired a strong following in the classic car world and values are increasing.
The two images included here feature an advanced production sample model of the new Rover 75 model, so we can all now look forward to the imminent arrival of a model which has been forced to endure a rather unusual development. Don’t worry little Rover, we always kept a little space especially for you in our display cabinets.
That's all we have for you this time, however, please join us again in two weeks’ time for another exclusive insight into the wonderful world of Corgi. Between editions, we are always interested to hear your views on all things Corgi, so if you feel like dropping us a line to comment on anything blog, collecting or Corgi model related, or perhaps to suggest a topic you might like to see us cover in a future edition, please do get in touch at diecastdiaries@corgi.co.uk.
If you can’t wait for the next blog, you will find plenty of Corgi model collecting discussions taking place on our official social media channels, access to which can be obtained by clicking on the respective links at the foot of the Corgi website homepage.
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Thank you for continuing to support your Die-cast Diaries blog. Our next edition is scheduled for publication on Friday 8th March.
