The latest issue from the Corgi Model Club is another Monte Carlo Rally model, this time the 323 Citröen DS19, except that for some quite unfathomable reason, it has to be called a DS19, not a Citröen DS19. Just what does this weird French company, or, rather, the weird French directors of this weird French company, think they're going to achieve by this nonsense? It's a model of a Citröen, for Heaven's sake. It was when it was issued by Corgi in 1965 and this is a model of that model so it can hardly be anything else. You would have thought that the company would have been proud to be associated with one of the most iconic designs in all motoring history. Oh well, never mind. Let's move on and look at the model.
As we now expect, this is a superb copy of the original casting, absolutely right in all dimensions and as near an exact colour match as anyone could ask for.
This was one of the last uses of the Citröen casting which they'd first used way back in 1957 for the 210 model. In 1960 it gets an interior and suspension as 210S and then this version in 1965. Castings with holes for the jewels remained after 1965 and were painted red and the holes filled with mazak to resemble fog-lamps for the final appearance sometime in 1965 or 1966. I suppose it did re-appear, heavily modified, as the Race Manager's car in the Tour de France 510 issue and, even further modified, as Dougal and Magic Roundabout friends' car. Not a happy end, really, and this Monte Carlo edition is the one we love to remember.
Once again, I have to criticise the choice of 'jewels' by the Club, this time for the fog lamps. They are not good enough and look more like plastic than glass. I regularly buy replacement jewels for models and they're really inexpensive. I am sure that a bulk purchase of 30 or 40 thousand would not cost more than a few hundred pounds, a drop in the ocean of the budget, surely? This has let down a number of models so far and I do hope they do something about this in future.
That is, though, all that I can find fault with. The model is a super-looking car and will no doubt be welcomed by many collectors who don't have this - or who need one with an aerial! I can see this being included in Monte Carlo Gift Sets too in due course as no-one will see the base when it's on display and the box will be a reproduction of the Gift Set 38 box and tray so no reference to being made in China there.
Indeed, one does have to wonder how long it will be before we see the Rover and Mini-Cooper appear and a reproduction of the whole set, box, tray and all? With original sets selling for £1500 or more (that's about £1200 for the box and tray, by the way!) then there is a certain market for a good number of sales which I am sure would be profitable.
The model comes with two pieces of white foam and some thin foam cloth in the box, with the familiar certificate (which does, interestingly, refer to Citröen!) The box itself is the usual close match and the font styles appear better than in earlier models.
