Updated 1/43 Model Review: 1994 McLaren MP4/9 Peugeot

I bought a Heritage Racing McLaren MP4/9 this week and I was pleased when I received it that the car was of a better quality than I expected (I suppose I wasn't expecting much). Having assumed that it was one of the better Onyx cars of the time, I realised after looking at it in a bit more detail that this is infact a Minichamps car in an Onyx style box. I suppose that is why there is no serial number visible. And so I've snapped up a bargain, as the Minichamps version of this car usually fetches a bit more than I paid for this one. The only problem is that the car does not sit very tightly on the base and does move very easily.

So I've updated my original blog post about this car.
https://fongugp4.blogspot.com/2019/01/143-model-review-1994-mclaren-mp49_19.html

But I thought I would post a few more pictures of the car from a few more angles than usual.

You can really see how sleek and slender this car is with its minimal sidepods, angled like a dart perhaps a bit like the 1983 Brabham BT51.

The Onyx cars would usually have a single axle between the two front wheels, but Minichamps have found a way to do realistic suspension, with all elements attached to the main monocoque. The front wing includes the early season extensions that go behind the front wheel. These were banned mid-season as one of the measures to reduce speeds. Minichamps also use brown for their visors, where as Onyx tend to use a grey. Minichamps have also made the sidepod and airbox openings as actual holes in the car, whereas on Onyx cars of that time had stickers for the airbox.

You can see the front suspension more clearly in the overhead shot, and also the shape of the sidepods is nicely done. They have even modelled the small inlet just in front of the rear wing.

Minichamps also did some good bodylines, with the chassis having indents for the engine and suspension covers. There's also nice detail around the front of the cockpit, which is slightly more raised than the side of the driver's helmet.