HO Scale Diecast Mini from Model Power

POOLSIDE RAILS

Where Paper Crafting and Model Railroading Collide

HO Scale Diecast Mini from Model Power

HO Scale Vehicles

Photo: William P Turner

Just a nudge over an inch and a half in length, this mini Mini is well worth your attention, from the amber rear window to the wrong flag on the roof.

Here in Southern California Minis are as common as orange trees. They are absolutely everywhere. And we get all of the various permutations of available paint schemes, from flags to stripes to Red Bull cans. If it’s on a Mini, chances are you’ll see it in Southern California.

The usual flag one sees on top of a Mini is the British Union Jack. We were quite surprised, when our sample Mini arrived, to find the American Stars and Stripes blowing across the top of our tiny car.

Model Power’s Mini, their Item Number 19133, is officially called “Mini Cooper Blue PMS 3025C W/White Roof & American Flag.” Although it’s a long title for such a tiny car, it does anchor down the car’s identity pretty well.

Our Mini Cooper came in Model Power’s signature green striped cardboard box encasing the clear plastic display container that held the car. The car came nicely mounted on the black plastic base of the container with the characteristic mounting horn underneath. Although this mounting method, which utilizes a metal latch device that extends through the car’s chassis, does a great job of securing the car in the container, it results in a large, black rectangular receptacle for the latch on the bottom of the car. This receptacle can’t be seen in any view except eye-level and below, but is quite evident when the car is viewed from the side or either end.

That, however, constitutes the end of our complaints about this beautiful diecast model car. Ours came in a metal-flake silvery blue color that looks surprisingly scale. The American flag on the roof is exquisitely printed.

The black window surrounds that normally give miniature vehicle designers so much trouble are excellently portrayed on Model Power’s Mini. On the prototype the A, B, and C pillars are black, which gives the model designer the freedom find a balance between scale and visual accuracy with the surrounds. These look quite realistic.

That balance between scale and visual accuracy may have tipped just slightly the wrong way on the rear window. The defroster lines, barely visible on the real car, are quite evident on Model Power’s Mini, giving the car the appearance of having louvers on the back window. It’s hard to tell whether Model Power was actually trying to portray louvers or defroster lines, so we’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and go with louvers.

Like the prototype, built by BMW AG, Model Power’s Mini Cooper is a jewel. With a MSRP of $5.49 it’s not a cheap set of wheels, but it will look great on any modern era model railroad layout, diorama, or car collection.

You can learn more about Model Power’s line of diecast HO scale model cars by visiting the Poolside Rails Resources Page or by visiting Model Power’s site.