CORGI announce their first new model range for 2025

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.

As this edition of DCD is the first to be published since we announced our first range launch of 2025 earlier in the month, it will come as no surprise to hear that we will be taking this opportunity to provide an overview of our new January to April model range. It’s actually been quite an active start to the year for us, with some of the models we introduced as blog project exclusives over recent editions already coming into stock, and some of the new models which were only announced at range launch being already inbound to our warehouse.

With new model additions to many of the current Corgi collector ranges and some much loved returning tooling options which haven’t been in the range for many a year, there so many highlights that no single review will ever do range launch justice and there really is no substitute for heading to the Corgi website and inspecting the latest range for yourself. Whilst there, make sure you also download your pdf copy of the latest Jan – April catalogue, to make sure you maintain your electronic catalogue collection. Finally, and as this is the first edition of our blog since range launch, we will also be including our Head of Marketing David Mather’s range launch video as part of this update, which is always required viewing for any Corgi collector.

With new models galore to tell you about, let’s get cracking straight away.

Make space in those display cabinets - new CORGI models inbound!

Our Thunderbirds 60th Anniversary models have proved so popular since they were announced, that we’ve decided to add a model collection offering as a web exclusive.

There’s nothing quite like starting a new year with a new collection of Corgi models to inspect, something to calm our nerves as we return to work after the excesses of the festive period. As has now become the norm for Corgi, our range launch events take place three times each year, covering four month periods and for a very specific reason. All the new models added to each range come with the consumer expectation that they should all be available during the period covered by that particular range/catalogue, and whilst there can always be the odd delay with manufacturing on the other side of the world, in general, we’ve nearly always managed to maintain this goal.

That being the case, what die-cast delights can we look forward to tempting us over the coming four months? Well, in actual fact, some of the new models we’ve reported on as future range addition exclusives over recent editions of the blog are actually very close to being available, including some much loved classic models and one in particular which is about to boldly go where no Corgi model has gone before. 

In our previous edition, we gave readers an exclusive preview of a modified series of classic Corgi model toolings which were intended to be our die-cast tributes to this year’s 60th Anniversary of Thunderbirds, and since that announcement, we appear to have stirred the collecting passions of Gerry Anderson fans everywhere. On range launch day, we could hardly believe how many orders were being placed for these models, either individually, or as the discounted bundle pack for the entire collection. We decided to make this late addition to the range by virtue of the response we had to our Thunderbirds blog post last time around, as so many people seemed to be intending to take all three model sets, and everyone loves a die-cast bargain, right?

With the anniversary taking place this coming September, we’re actually ahead of the curve on this project, with all models in this collection having already been produced and winging their way towards our warehouse. Unfortunately, they are being transported via the usual channels and not in the delivery pod of Thunderbird 2, so we’re actually expecting the models to be available during March. Rather than cover the same ground in this update, we will restrict our attentions to Thunderbird 3, as this model has been completely retooled and is very different to its previous release incarnation, however, should you wish to re-visit all the Thunderbird details, they can be accessed HERE.

Beautifully crafted, these models are already proving popular.

Our Thunderbird 3 model has been the subject of some significant tooling modification.

Thunderbird 3 is International Rescue’s space rocket piloted by astronaut Alan Tracy. The blond-haired, baby-faced astronaut and champion race driver is utterly dedicated to International Rescue, meeting his tremendous responsibilities with a maturity that belies his years as the youngest brother in the Tracy family.
 
TB3 is the tallest vehicle in the International Rescue fleet, measuring 200 feet in height. Launched from its concealed hanger beneath the Tracy Island Round House, the rocket is used for all space rescues and also acts as a link to Thunderbird 5. The basic crew requirement is two usually meaning Scott will accompany Alan as co-pilot. Apart from piloting Thunderbird 3, Alan also assists his brother John by taking turns at manning the Thunderbird 5 space station.

As you will now be aware, this model will be release as a set of two, along with Thunderbird 1, benefitting from their own new bespoke packaging and both having been produced following meticulous decoration research. As already confirmed, the tooling for Thunderbird 3 has also undergone tooling modification, making it more accurate to the original and preparing it for a forthcoming sortie with another Thunderbird, a project we’re looking forward to telling you about a little later in the year. The fascinating images above show the models as they were released previously, and how they will be finished for this forthcoming anniversary series.

It's a big year for this iconic futuristic science fiction series, and as far as Corgi are concerned, our Thunderbirds tributes are almost GO!

Boldly going where no Corgi model has gone before

A stunning new tooling addition to the Corgi range this year.

Another model which has been exclusively previewed in a previous edition of DCD, the launch of our latest range saw the opening of pre-orders for the latest model destined to be joining our growing range of Star Trek models. Representing a significant new tooling investment in the Corgi range, our new USS Enterprise NCC-1701 (Refit) starship will be the first newly tooled Star Trek model to grace our range in almost 20 years and is as exciting for us, as it is Star Trek fans.

Various Corgi model ranges over the years have always had their finger on the product pulse, releasing models which serve existing ranges and collections, whilst also gauging the mood of the hobby and introducing new models to feed our passion for die-cast representations of the most interesting craft around. This variety of subject matter also saw each respective range growing exponentially and whilst classic models could always be relied upon to grace the range again at some point in the future, new tooling additions always proved particularly popular.  

For those of us who used to report for front room couch duty in time to experience each new thrilling episode of Star Trek during the years of our youth, this show was required viewing for active young minds and whilst the adventures of James T. Kirk and his crew seemed to be ‘of another world’ back then, however, a renewed impetus in a desire for manned space exploration appears to be bringing them much closer to reality these days.

No matter how engrossing the story and how much we came to love the individual characters involved, for many youngsters, the true star of the show was the USS Enterprise itself, a starship which was not only the catalyst for all those exciting space adventures, but was also a craft which captured everyone’s imagination – as futuristic as it was powerful, even our parent were impressed with Enterprise. In episodes when the crew managed to find themselves in a scrape with an alien life-form or two, Enterprise was always there to bail them out, because as we all know only too well, nothing could withstand being on the receiving end of a phaser strike, or photon torpedo barrage!

Starting with an image of our USS Enterprise pairing, which is now available on the Corgi website, this series of images show our beautiful new U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 (Refit) model tooling, a model which we think benefits from the most intricate paint detailing we have ever challenged our factory to reproduce.

With the original Star Trek series becoming something of a science fiction phenomenon over time, it was also responsible for spawning a space franchise which encompassed other TV programmes and films which went on to captivate future generations of Trekkies, with the sight of anything Star Trek related immediately transporting us back to the task of seeking out new life and civilizations, or more probably just admiring some nice models.

Earlier this year, we decided to revisit our Star Trek die-cast model production heritage once again, by introducing a pair of models which we intended to be the best representations of two different generations of the USS Enterprise we had ever produced. Featuring many production upgrades and presented in beautifully created packaging, these models proved to be a real triumph for us and a hit with collectors, however, there were rumblings on the bridge and there was more to come.

Proudly going where no blog has gone before (okay, we might have got a little carried away there) we’re delighted to be bringing you this latest blog exclusive, and a first look at the ‘first shot metal sample model’ produced from our new U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 (Refit) model tooling, which is scheduled for release next year. As always when allowing these images to get out into the die-cast world, we do have to stress that these are still working samples and are subject to alteration, but that being said, isn’t it exciting!

Boldly going where no Corgi model has gone before, this new Enterprise model is a real beauty, and the first time a newly tooled Star Trek model has graced our range in almost 20 years.

Following her five-year mission of exploration under the command of Captain James T. Kirk, the U.S.S.  Enterprise NCC-1701 subsequently returned to Earth. Kirk was promoted to Admiral and handed command to Captain William Decker, who oversaw a dramatic modernisation refit. Essentially a complete rebuild over the skeleton of the ship, the vessel that emerged after eighteen months of work was larger, sleeker and more powerful, and Starfleet retroactively deemed the refit an entirely new class of ship – the Constitution II-Class.

A beautiful addition to this growing range, this is a BEAST of a model and with a high metal content, weighs in at an impressive 278g. We look forward bringing you much more from this exciting project as we head into the new year, but for now, please enjoy this very latest selection of images featuring a model the Corgi team can’t wait for you to get your hands on. For anyone with even the slightest interest in Star Trek, you’re going to absolutely love this new model.

All this talk of new models reminds us that we need to include our latest range launch overview video in this edition. Even though we’re doing our utmost to inform you of all the models available in the Corgi range, we’re bound to miss something, and there really is something for everyone in our latest collection. There’s no substitute for heading to the Corgi website and discovering our latest range for yourself, however, should you simply want to sit back and take a guided range tour, let our Head of Marketing David Mather do just that for you now.

A car that still sets pulses racing

Looking good from any angle, the Ford Capri has certainly stood the motoring test of time.

Although we always like to include something for every collector taste at each range launch event, those who have a main collecting theme favourite will quickly head towards that section, just to see if the model they were hoping to see has been included and indeed, if any of the announcements stand a chance of tempting them over the weeks and months to come. If you have a leaning towards our Vanguards range, you would have been pleased to see no fewer than eight new models joining the range during this release cycle, including our latest tribute to one of the most attractive models to ever wear the Ford badge, the stylish Capri.

The Ford Capri project started life as the intended European market derivative of the hugely successful Ford Mustang Mk.I introduced in the US by the American parent company, with the European car being first unveiled to an excited motoring world at the end of the 1960s. The spectacular success of the Mustang took Ford officials by surprise and clearly highlighted a consumer 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 being anything resembling a slightly sportier model, with the rest of the range being manufactured for the masses, with a reputation for being reliable, if a little staid and uninspiring.

The new US inspired model was intended to change all that, a racy looking car with a sporty, desirable image, but one which was within the reach of large sections of the motoring population. Just like the Mustang did in the US, the new Capri needed to use as many existing components from other models in the Ford range as possible in its construction, but cleverly wrapping 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, cost effective to produce, but possessing huge customer appeal. 

Marketed as a stylish, yet affordable two-plus-two sports coupé 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 noting how Ford’s marketing department cleverly positioned the car to the British public at the time. The Capri was described as ‘The car you’ve always promised yourself’ and once this got into our heads, how could we possibly resist its appeal?

The next model release in the Vanguards Ford Capri family is a real beauty.

Launched at the 1969 Brussels Motor Show, Ford’s marketing gurus played a blinder once more, as they kept the new car covered until the final day of the show, keeping the suspense going, but only increasing excitement levels still further. Once unveiled, 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 one day you would.

Central to the success of the Capri was its distinctive styling, a sleek, sporty and capable  looking car, with a growing range of powerful engine options which gave it something of a muscle car mystique. Exhilarating to drive and incredibly easy on the eye, perhaps the most appealing feature of the Capri was how it wasn’t out of reach for large sections of the population, and if you were fortunate enough to own one, you knew you would be attracting admiring glances wherever you went. Also going on to be widely used by Police Forces across the country, both in marked and unmarked versions, the Capri is undoubtedly a British motoring icon and one which still commands our attention if we see a pristine example to this day.

The latest impending release from our Ford Capri Mk.3 tooling is a little beauty, and one which will surely find a home in many a Vanguards collection

VA10824 – Ford Capri Mk3 2.0S in metallic Imperial Red.

The Capri modelled here was initially purchased by West Midlands-based Henry Adams, on March 22nd, 1983, from Brooklyn Ford, Redditch, Worcestershire. He’d initially placed an order for a black Capri 2.8 Injection but returned to Brooklyn’s to discuss the cost and instead bought this unregistered car off the showroom floor from salesman David Stringer. It cost £6,000 and Henry had it transported to Protectol, Wolverhampton, to be rust-proofed. He was working at West Bromwich A.A. Vehicle Inspection Centre at the time, and they checked the cavities had been filled using an endoscope. This resulted in it being transported back to Protectol twice more for further treatment until he was certain the entire car was protected.

Henry kept it covered in a garage, checked the weather forecast to avoid using it when raining, and serviced it himself, changing the oil every 1000 miles. He sold it in April 1990 to his long-standing friend, enthusiast Barry Dunn, who used it sparingly. After Barry passed away, his sister Liz gave lifelong Capri enthusiast and Barry’s friend, West Midlands-based Daniel Ball, first refusal and he took ownership in September 2021. He recommissioned it and won the Capri Club International’s (CCI) 2023 UK National Rally. Consequently, it was nominated for the prestigious Meguiar's Concours, at the NEC Classic Car Show. Amazingly, Henry Adams spotted the Capri, which has still done less than 12,000 miles, at a CCI event and the pair have become friends.

This beautiful new model is scheduled for an early March release, so we’d better all get our pre-orders in, as this one’s going to shift like greased lightning.

The Focke Wulf ‘Ace of Aces’

An Aviation Archive classic, this Focke Wulf was the mount of one of the foremost fighter aces the world had ever seen.

We end this latest update with a quick look at one of the new models added to our Aviation Archive range, a model which is already looking like being something of a classic. Although the Messerschmitt Bf 109 series is widely recognised as the most famous German fighter aircraft of the Second World War, the Focke Wulf Fw190 which followed it into service was definitely the more capable of the two. Rugged and hard-hitting, the Focke Wulf was a brute of an aeroplane, and many an Allied aircraft would fall to the guns of the Würger.

Although we have released several classic Focke Wulf Fw190A models over the years, this latest addition is an absolute stunner, the mount of a man who was hailed as the Focke Wulf ‘Ace of Aces’.

The son of a farmer, Otto Kittel didn’t exactly conform to what most people’s opinions of what a successful Luftwaffe fighter ace would be like, being more reserved and modest, as opposed to being brash and boastful, simply going about his duties in a ruthlessly effective manner. Initially posted as wingman to a more experienced pilot, where his role was to protect his leader as he went about the business of scoring victories, Kittel didn’t have any victories to his name when assigned to take part in the opening exchanges of Operation Barbarossa with his unit JG54, but that situation would quickly change over the Eastern Front. 

Already gaining a reputation as a rising star within Luftwaffe ranks, Kittel started to show his aerial combat qualities once JG54 had converted from the Messerschmitt Bf 109 to the Focke Wulf FW190 in late 1942. The pilot immediately formed a close bond with the rugged new fighter, with one of his fellow pilots commenting that he ‘rode the fighter like a comet’ and on his return to combat flying, the victories soon started to come. By mid-January 1943, Kittel’s victory tally stood at 26 and he would already have a reputation as being something of an Ilyushin Il-2 Sturmovik specialist. These Soviet ground attack aircraft could absorb lots of punishment before they were brought down and as they could also return fire against any attacking enemy fighter, some of the more successful Luftwaffe aces on the Eastern Front would avoid tangling with the dangerous Il-2s whenever possible. Kittel had no fear of the Il-2 and would ultimately become the most successful ace of the entire war against these attack aircraft, however, it would also be a Sturmovik which claimed the life of the celebrated Luftwaffe ace.

An exclusive look at the product artwork file produced in support of this stunning new model.

One to keep an eye out for, this latest Focke Wulf Fw190 model is a real classic.

With his victory tally growing, Kittel was promoted to the position of Schwarmführer, a significant change, which would see him freed to take the lead during combat sorties, using his talents to score more victories, as opposed to protecting the flank of another pilot while he gained kills. With his destructive potential now unleashed, Kittel would use his trusty Focke Wulf to claim JG54’s 4,000th victory on 19th February 1943, however, he would also be in that same aircraft just a few weeks later when it was hit by enemy fire during combat, and was forced to make a crash landing 60 miles behind enemy lines. With no food and little in the way of warm clothing, Kittel stealthily made his way back to friendly lines by travelling mainly at night, returning to his unit to great celebration. Once back there, he learned that he had been awarded the Deutsches Kreuz in gold for scoring 47 victories, had been promoted to Oberfeldwebel and been granted a period of home leave – that was a very good day for him.

Kittel returned to combat in time to take part in the aerial support for the Battle of Kursk, where is true talents really came to the fore and during the first six days of action, he was credited with no fewer than eleven Soviet aircraft shot down, a figure which included his 20th Sturmovik victory. By 14th September 1943, the ace pilot had claimed his 100th victory, quickly followed on that same day by his 101st and 102nd, however, that was still only an indication of what was to come. Over the course of the following twelve months, Soviet aircraft continued to fall to the guns of Kittel’s Focke Wulf at an impressive rate and by 26th August 1944, the ace had his 200th victory.

Otto Kittel would eventually be credited with 267 aerial victories, with his final victory being over another Il-2 Sturmovik on 16th February 1945, on what was his 583rd combat sortie of the war. Unfortunately, moments after dispatching his latest victim, the hunter became the hunted, as another Sturmovik attacked Kittel’s FW190 from below, scoring hits on the German fighter and immediately causing it to lose altitude. As the combat was already taking place at low altitude, Kittel didn’t have a chance to react before his stricken fighter ploughed into a forest at speed, with the pilot making no attempt to jump clear. When the wreckage was located in 2013, those who discovered it noted that the pilot had released his harnesses prior to impact, suggesting that Otto Kittel had been alive immediately prior to impact.

An exclusive image taken during a recent visit to the Corgi section of the showroom at Head Office, this new model is a representation of a fighter flown by one of the most prolific air aces in history.

The unassuming and well-liked Otto Kittel was credited with 267 aerial victories, a figure which positioned him as the fourth most successful air ace of all time, in less than four years spent flying over the Eastern Front. He was also to most successful Focke Wulf FW190 ace of the war, and with 94 victories against the excellent Il-2 Sturmovik, also had the distinction of being the most successful ‘Sturmovik Hunter’. Scoring all his victories over the Eastern Front, Kittel would also take the dubious honour of being the most successful fighter ace ever to be lost in combat.

Perhaps it’s the fact that the quiet and relatively unassuming Otto Kittel didn’t conform to the stereotypical profile of a poster boy Luftwaffe ace that he became arguably one of the less well-known of the leading Luftwaffe aces of the Second World War, despite the fact that he was revered by those who knew and served with him. He does, however, stand in a position of prominence as the Focke Wulf FW190 ‘Ace of Aces’.

An Aviation Archive release of some repute, we’ve already taken huge numbers of pre-orders for this stunning model, and we can’t wait to bring you more updates from this exciting project in a forthcoming edition of DCD. We are expecting Kittel’s Fw190 to be in our warehouse and ready for shipping at the back end of February, early March, so look out for an update soon.

I’m afraid that's all we have for you this time around, however, we’ll be back as usual in two weeks’ time with a further exclusive selection of the latest Corgi model updates. As ever, you could always drop us a line if you felt moved to do so, to comment on anything blog, collecting or Corgi model related, or even perhaps to suggest a topic you might like to see the team cover in a future edition. As always, our diecastdiaries@corgi.co.uk address is the one to use.

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 Corgi Die-cast Diaries blog. Our next edition is scheduled to be published on Friday 7th February - we look forward to seeing you all back here then.

The Corgi Team