1/43 Model Review: 1996 Ligier JS43 Mugen-Honda

Background

The 1996 Ligier was an evolution of the previous car, the JS41 which bore a remarkable resemblance to the Championship winning Benetton B195, thanks to the shared ownership of Tom Walkinshaw (TWR). However, Guy Ligier and Tom Walkinshaw parted company, with Walkinshaw taking his funds to Footwork Arrows, Ligier would soon be bought out by Alain Prost.

So 1996 was the last season for the French Ligier team, and the Monaco Grand Prix would provide it's final win, and Olivier Panis' only win in F1. Panis qualified 14th, but a good strategy on a drying track meant he would benefit from the retirements of Hill and Alesi to earn the win. Although only 4 cars finished the race, and 7 cars classified, it shouldn't undermine what an impressive victory it was on a track where it is impossible to overtake.

Pedro Diniz, one of the better pay driver stories from the 90s, brought his links with Parmalat up the grid to the Ligier team for 1996, having spent two difficult seasons at the tail end of the grid with Forti. He didn't fair too badly, but is perhaps best remembered for a fiery retirement from the Argentine Grand Prix when his engine combusted spectacularly.

Minichamps

Minichamps 430960009

Minichamps 430960010

I don't usually collect both drivers of each car, but Diniz's car was, out of all the standard cars from 1996, perhaps the most valuable. It featured a yellow head-rest compared to Panis' blue. The front end of the car still bore much resemblance to the Benetton, but as you get towards the rear suspension, you see they have taken the concepts of the B195 a bit further, but I'll go into this more when I talk about my GP4 model. Another nice car from Minichamps here.
Score: 7/10

Minichamps 430960099

Minichamps also did a special Monaco GP version, with Panis carrying around the French tricolore flag. The version I had also had converted tobacco sponsors. I miss the way Minichamps used to make their flags out of a cloth like material, the ones with the modern day are a bit too plastic looking, though they do stay in place better. This was one of the first models I had in a Minichamps tall box to accommodate the flag. It's a shame they didn't update the barge board from the early season model. The logo on the side of the nose is also not there at the Monaco GP.
Score: 7/10

BBR

BBR Met63

The BBR kit comes from the season opening Australian Grand Prix, which ran the Power Horse sponsor on the engine cover, before following Tom Walkinshaw to Footwork/Arrows. The rolloever bar doesn't quite look right to me,

Score: 8/10

Tameo

Tameo TMK218

So far, I've rated the Tameo models from 1996 very highly, and this is another quality model from Tameo, this one from the Monaco GP. It comes with wet tyres, as it rained for the first half of the Grand Prix, drying out towards the end when slick tyres were used.
Score: 10/10

Formula 1 Car Collection/Ixo

The magazine, Formula 1 Car Collection have recently done an issue featuring the Monaco GP winning car. The car looks very plain without the tobacco sponsorship. The car is nicely made and is just fine for a budget model.
Score: 7/10

To read more reviews from the 1996 season, click here: https://fongugp4.blogspot.com/p/1996-model-review.html