1/43 Model Review: 1990 World Champion Ayrton Senna (McLaren MP4/5B Honda)

Background

The 1989 MP4/5 was updated for the 1990 season, but Prost left McLaren for Ferrari. McLaren had the qualifying pace, but on full tanks the Ferrari was superior. Senna took 6 wins, and the team took the Constructors' Championship.

Senna went to the Japanese Grand Prix with the advantage over Prost. Senna qualified on pole, but despite his protests, started on the wrong side of the grid. Prost took full advantage by leading into the first corner, but Senna, unwilling to give up the corner, drove into Prost and took both of them into the gravel trap and into retirement. Senna took his second Drivers' World Championship.

This would be Gordon Murray's final F1 designed car, after a successful career with Brabham and McLaren.

Minichamps

Minichamps 540904327

Once again, this early Minichamps model was created for the original Senna Collection. The shape is pretty basic, but reasonable enough.
Score: 6/10

Minichamps 540904327

The new Senna Collection features the same diecast car, but with several updates including its decals, driver figure and helmet and rear wing. This is a much better model overall, but I would still like a proper update from Minichamps on this car.
Score: 7/10

Ixo

F1BRACOL012

Ixo have created a nice car which was initially released in Brazil with a nice driver figure. It's comparable to the Minichamps cars, better than the original, not quite as good as the updated version.
Score: 6/10

RBA

RBA released a number of budget models that featured various world champions. This is their MP4/5B, which shares the same chassis as the Ixo car, but the wings and suspension are much less detailed.
Score: 5/10

Onyx

Onyx 077

Another budget version of this car is by Onyx who have created a reasonable enough toy car, however it's the least accurate of them all. They had generic wheels and tyres, a single axle with very generic suspension, there are no little appendages like mirrors. 

Score: 4/10

Tameo

Tameo TMK117

This Tameo kit features the car from the USA Grand Prix. Though there are lovely details on the car, it doesn't quite have the finesse finish as the car below...

Score: 9/10

Makeup Eidolon

FE020A

FE019A

This kit comes from a brand I'm not aware of and it comes in either USA configuration (top picture) or Japanese GP (lower picture). These models are exquisite, though you do have to mortgage your house to pay for them. Some of the details, particularly on the US version, are so small and fine that I wouldn't even want to breathe on it lest it get damaged.
Score: 10/10