Meet the latest addition to my Scirocco collection!
It’s a 1970s Mk1 in 1:43 scale made by Auto Pilen in Spain in a rather fetching pink finish with ‘Rallye’ stripes and numbers. The rally version was also available in metallic green with stickers instead of the transfers on this one.
To get the most value out of the casting they also offered it in civilian spec green, as well as the somewhat unlikely black and white Policia, red Bomberos (fire service) and white Cruz Roja (red cross) liveries, though what use a little 2 door coupe would have been to any of those services I don’t know!
It’s a very good model of VW’s popular Giugiaro designed coupe with excellent proportions and a good level of detail and as usual with Auto Pilen cars it’s very well made and finished. You may have noticed that it looks a lot like the Spanish Dinky model and that’s because it is as Pilen made them for Dinky and sold them under both brands.
Another interesting point (to me anyway!) is that this model has the square headlights which only came with the smaller engine sizes which were not sold in the UK or USA where the Scirocco was only offered in higher spec trim levels with bigger engines and four round headlights.
As you can see the Perspex case is missing and the plastic stand has a bite out of it but the car itself is in pretty good shape for its age and has cleaned up very well.
Incidentally I bought it from the well-known auction website, and it was correctly listed and described and is a rare model, yet I was the only bidder – is it just that no one searches for the less well-known makers or did the colour put the bidders off?
What do you think about Bazza’s latest purchase? Leave a reply in the box at the bottom of the page and tell us what you think, or better still , tell us about your latest buy – leave your comments in the box below!
