For under the Christmas tree: Mini Cooper Sport Martini Evocation (1:18)

The month of December of the year 2024 is in full swing, and that means that Christmas is fast approaching. Many people will accompany Christmas with their own thoughts, others will celebrate it with a dinner. And still others will be happy with a present under the Christmas tree. And in that context, we would like to delight you with an idea for under the tree. We will describe a few beautiful scale models in the coming weeks. The first is a model by Solido: the Mini Cooper Sport Martini Evocation in the scale 1:18.

From the moment the first Mini (the Austin Mini Seven) left the gates of the Longbridge factory in April 1959, many toy and miniature manufacturers have ventured into one or more models of the small British icon. The Mini is still popular today. And we ourselves experienced some time ago how wonderful it is to propel a Mini along the country roads. Do you remember the Authi Mini 1275 GT, which we extensively portrayed? Right. That was a car that remained pleasantly stuck in the world of reportage memories. But that's another story.

Moreover, the car in service dated from 1972, and that was long before the classic Mini was on its last legs. In 1998, the Mini was already a real fashion item, equipped with the 1.3 MPI engine and available in various versions. And Solido built a very nice example of a late classic Mini Cooper in the scale 1:18: the Sport Martini Evocation.

The model has not been available for very long, but is recognizable in every way as Martini object. The familiar colours and decals that adorned many a competition car are also applied to the Solido model. The proportions of the Mini are good, and that goes far: even the dimensions of the windscreen wipers are very true to life in relation to the rest of the model.

Of course, the specific (and widened) rims find their way under the 18 times smaller bodywork. The proportions of the model are good. And nice details such as the lighting section for the grille, the black wheel arch extensions, the frames, the decals and other small things ensure that this model looks surprisingly lifelike. The dimensions of the glass sections also contribute to this, as do the bodywork technical details. The gutters and edges on the outside could have been applied a bit more refined, but all in all the total impression of the exterior of this model is excellent. The decals used (striping, stickers, fonts) definitely contribute to this experience. And beautiful: the way in which the Martini stripe continues to the top of the rear window. These are small details that make a scale model what it is.

The two doors (one left, one right) can be opened and closed. When open, you can see that Solido has put a lot of work into the interior. The furniture simply looks good, the upholstery, including details, has been well imitated. The small headrests also come into their own very well. The wood veneer on the dashboard has not been forgotten, and also note the period-correct steering wheel, which is so wonderfully slanted, a la Mini. The white background of the {clockwork} within the instrumentation has also been neatly adopted.

In short: praise for a scale model that is not offered for the main price by current standards, although we expect a growth spurt via the online channels and the physical trade channels. The Mini enthusiast (and of course every enthusiast of classic scale models) would do well to get this model in the house, and put it under the tree. To surprise themselves, or someone else with it. For ten or six euros you make someone else, or yourself very happy with this beautiful Mini version in scale format.