1/43 Model Review: 1988 World Champion Ayrton Senna (McLaren MP4/4 Honda)

Background

This is the first McLaren designed by Gordon Murray, who had been designing championship wining Brabhams in the early to mid 80s. Though there are traits of the Brabhams evident in the design of the MP4/4, there is still some debate as to whether Murray was the pioneer of this successful chassis, with some in the team saying it was a natural development from their 87 car.

The team also hired highly rated Ayrton Senna, who helped secure the team the excellent Honda engines. The Honda engines were in a league of their own. So with the potent combination of a great chassis, a top class engine, and two of the best drivers to grace F1, it is unsurprising that the pair of Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost won all but one Grand Prix that year.

Senna and Prost developed, the now, legendary rivalry, and the title only went to Ayrton Senna at the last race in Suzuka. At that race, Senna bogged down at the start and dropped down the field. But a spirited fight-back saw him regain 2nd place, which perhaps wasn't too unpredictable, but the incredible thing was that Senna caught and passed Prost, who was driving the same car, to take victory and his first World Championship - remarkable!

Minichamps

Minichamps 540884312

This is the original release of the model as part of the original Ayrton Senna Collection and is Edition No.1. This model also features in the double World Champion set along with the 1989 World Champion, Prost's MP4/5, which is part of the McLaren Collection. It's quite an early Minichamps model, with the original driver figure and basic helmet shape. The diecast car was good for its time when models were much more affordable.

Score: 6/10

Minichamps 540884392

A later additional to the original Senna Collection is number 24 based on the Japanese GP version of Senna's McLaren MP4/4. This model receives a new driver figure, new improved decals and does not have the sidepod cooling chimney. This is a nice update to the original model, and this model, as far as I am aware, features in other collectible boxes...

Minichamps 436880012

Here is the car in the World Champions Collection, which traditionally features the car in the final race spec, which was the Japanese GP.

Minichamps 403884312

I personally opted for the Suzuka Legend model.
There may be more versions, but these are the ones I am aware of.
Score: 7/10

Minichamps 540884312

The car was re-released in the latest Senna collection. I may be wrong, but I don't see any discernable difference of this car from the previous batch of cars.

Minichamps 543884392

The car was re-released again, this time in a large box edition, which is also from the Japanese GP, though this time, Senna has both fists raised. The car comes with decals for tobacco sponsorship which is a nice touch.
Score: 7/10

I completely understand that this is one of the iconic and legendary cars in Formula 1, a fascinating era of the sport. I get why they keep on bringing out more versions, but as a collector, there isn't too much point collecting the same car in a different box over and over again, especially when they are all from the Japanese GP. It devalues the other versions, not just in terms of resale value, but in terms of how special it makes the models feel to the collector. If they remade it in resin, or put more detail into the cockpit and diffuser area, then that would be great, but I don't need another overpriced remake of the same car.

Formula 1 Car Collection / IXO

I managed to get a copy of the Formula 1 Car Collection edition with tobacco decals applied, though the aerials fell off my version. A Brazilian edition exists that comes with a nice driver figure which you can see below. This is a fairly good model from IXO, owing to the relatively simplistic shapes from the 80s, and is comparable to Minichamps original attempt at the car.

Score: 6/10

Onyx

Back in the day, there was the Onyx version of the car and it's not really fair to compare this model to modern day equivalents. These were cheap and cheerful recreations, not necessarily there for accuracy, but good enough to get the essence of the shape and the colour scheme.
Score: 4/10

True Scale Models

TrueScale Models TSM134323

The TSM car is a very nicely done car indeed, but it is a costly model. This model excels in its details, though there aren't many areas where the detail is needed, but the cockpit and diffuser area (as mentioned earlier) are nicely recreated in this model.
Score: 9/10

Tameo

Tameo TMB005

Tameo, like TSM, have produced another beauty. I think I slightly prefer Tameo's offering to TSM's, but the reality is that I'd be very pleased with either.
Score: 10/10

Make-Up Eidolon

FE013A

This is a later addition, the Make-Up Eidolon models are just brilliant, it's hard to see how you could get any better than the models they produce. They are rare and super expensive, but they are some of the best F1 models around.

Score: 10/10

I've covered a fair few models of this iconic car, these are the ones that I'm aware of, thought I wouldn't be surprised if there are more.