PRE-ORDER FROM YOUR LOCAL BIANTE DEALER OR ADVANCE ORDER ONLINE AT WWW.BIANTE.COM.AU
Biante Newsletter - Issue 43 - NOV/DEC 2012
FAN-TASTIC *1:18 Scale Prototype Model Shown
INTRODUCING THE AUTOART 1:18 SCALE RED BULL X2010
Biante Model Cars are very pleased to be able to present to you one of the latest 1:18 scale models that is soon to be produced by Autoart. It is a model that is an extremely interesting concept and is sure to impress racing and concept car collectors alike. It is the Red Bull X2010 Prototype bearing the name of two time Formula 1 World Champion, Sebastian Vettel. In a world where modern professional racing is restricted by regulations, the Red Bull X2010 Prototype is a machine born from a fantastic “what if” dream of Gran Turismo: “What would the fastest racing car on Earth, free of any and all regulations, look like?” And the only way to experience it is in Gran Turismo 5. Initially the Red Bull X2010 Prototype was a single-seater canopied prototype wing car with covered front wheels. Powered by a 1500ps direct-injection V6 Twin Turbo, on paper the performance would have been spectacular, producing a top speed of 400km/h (248.6mp/h) and a maximum lateral acceleration of 6G. But once Red Bull Racing was brought on board to be a partner, the Red Bull X2010 Prototype really took off. Adrian Newey, master aerodynamic engineer and Red Bull Racing’s Chief Technical Officer, suggested “Fan Car” technology, a long-held dream of his, be added to the design of the Red Bull X2010 Prototype. A “fan car” is a vehicle having a fan mechanism which forces the air out from underneath the car to reduce air pressure under the car’s floor. The resulting suction draws the car to the ground surface and creates a massive amount of downforce. And because it can create downforce regardless of the vehicle’s current speed, it dramatically raises its cornering speed capability even in low speed corners. Fan cars are not new to the automotive world, and the technology has already been tested and proven. The Chaparral 2J fan car entered, first appearing in the 1970 Can-Nam series, was so fast that it was banned after just 1 season. Even in the F1, where tremendous speed is the name of the game, the BT46B fan car that was entered in 1978 by Brabham went on to dominate the race with extreme speed, only to be banned after its debut race. Thanks to the insight of Mr. Newey, the Red Bull X2010 Prototype design was transformed. A large fan was added to the rear end of the body to implement
the Fan Car technology. Plus, Newey provided additional input into the design of the front and rear wings and rear diffuser, dramatically refining the vehicle’s aerodynamics. As a result, the virtual Red Bull X2010 Prototype was able to achieve an astonishing level of performance. Its new top speed was 450km/h (279.6mp/h), with a maximum lateral acceleration reaching up to 8.75G, pushing the vehicle to the very limits of what a normal human body can withstand. As a comparison, this is more G-force than a fighter pilot feels during full afterburner, and more than astronauts experience during a shuttle lift-off. The driver who performed the shakedown test of the virtual machine inside Gran Turismo 5 was the world famous Sebastian Vettel. In his very first run on a virtual recreation of the Suzuka Circuit, he beat the record time for the course by over 20 seconds. And in the test drive on the Nurburgring GP Course, he marked a record time of 1 minute 4 seconds, drawing out the incredible potential of the Red Bull X2010 Prototype. The dream of creating the fastest racing car ever has been realised thanks to the collaboration between Polyphony Digital and Red Bull Racing. Autoart has long been partnering with Polyphony in creating die cast model cars one can find in the Grand Turismo video games. Once again, the Red Bull X2010 is made into a 1:18 scale die cast model. The aerodynamic body shape is accurately replicated to the finest detail with the computer data provided exclusively by Polyphony. Autoart is turning a 2-dimensional virtual reality image into a 3-dimensional tangible object that will be a fine collectors piece for Gran Turismo, Red Bull Racing and concept car collectors alike. Biante are pleased to offer the opportunity to order the 1:18 Scale Red Bull X2010 Prototype produced by Autoart. This model is sure to be in high demand, so please place your orders as soon as possible to avoid any disappointment.
ORDERING INFORMATION: Product Code: A18108 Model: 1:18 Scale Red Bull X2010 - Driver: Sebastian Vettel Pricing: RRP: $217.50 including GST
Biante News:
THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN 2012 Well we have already managed to navigate our way to that time of year again. I can’t believe that Christmas is a little over a month away. That being the case, we have also ticked over our first 12 months as the rejuvenated Biante. We are still a long way from where we would like to be, but we would like to thank not only our retailers and dealers, but also our loyal collector base. Without all of you, we wouldn’t have made it though the last 12 months, so thank you again. We would also like to welcome back our collectors who have rejoined the collector market in the last 12 months, everyone’s support over the last year has been quite overwhelming and it’s great to see a few old faces back collecting with renewed confidence and passion for Biante Model Cars. December is going to be quite a busy month for Biante as we are moving from our current office and warehouse to new a premises south of Perth. As you can imagine, this is going to be quite a large move. We are trying to make the move completely over the Christmas break, so as to minimise the effect on deliveries. As such, the last deliveries for our Retailers will leave Perth on Friday the 14th of December. This will also be our last day of deliveries for our website sales. Our Office will then be closed from Friday the 14th of December through to Monday the 7th of January 2013 to allow for us to complete the move and ensure our systems are back up and running ready for the new year ahead. We will obviously advise our retailers of our new contact details once we have those in hand, of course the one thing that won’t change is our email address, so we can always be contacted via email. We have a few great new announcements to round out the remainder of this year which you can see on the left with more detailed information about these models throughout this newsletter and are available to order now. We are also particularly excited to be able to present the opportunity to place your orders for the 1:18 Red Bull X2010 by Autoart that we have featured on the cover. 2013 is looking very exciting. Not only will we have a fresh location to work from, but we have some really great projects on the horizon, not least of which being the VN Commodore, news of which features below. So on that note, from all the staff at Biante, have a great Christmas and a happy and safe New Year. William Hall, General Manager Biante Model Cars
PROJECT VN UPDATE Earlier this month, the research team headed to China to get an update on the VN Project and it’s starting to come together. From the original hand sample, 3D scans have now been taken. Those scans are then entered into a CAD program to start the individual part development. The first image to the left shows the main body shell. The second image shows the main body, doors, bonnet and boot, with the addition of some of the glass house parts, wing mirrors and headlight assemblies. You can also see mounting points for not only the front bumper and side skirts, but also on the rear three quarter panels, the holes where the distinctive VN Group A rear wing mounts to the body. Back in Perth, we now study these 3D models of each part to ensure they are what we require, before the parts are then loaded into a CNC machine to start the actual mould or tooling process. We are hoping to have the first samples to show you early in the new year, which will then be followed by official order forms which will be sent to Biante dealers for the first two models that we will be delivering off this tooling.
New Announcements: 1:43 Scale Holden EH Reserve Collection ENSURE YOU DON’T MISS OUT BY PLACING YOUR ORDERS AT YOUR LOCAL BIANTE DEALER
Biante Reserve Collection
1:43 SCALE HOLDEN EH SPECIAL RANGE Produced from 1963 to 1965, the EH is still regarded as one of Holden’s greatest achievements. Going head to head with the recently released Ford Falcon, the EH needed to be something special to captivate the market, and given that it is still the fastest selling Australian car ever, Holden must have got the mix just right.
With a substantial facelift over the previous EJ Holden, the EH featured a heavily revised roofline which completely changed the EH’s looks. Under the bonnet the then new “Red” motor provided a stronger, smoother and more powerful engine, producing around 100 horsepower. With a top speed of just over 130 kph, the EH wasn’t the fastest Holden produced, however it was raced in the ‘60s with varying degrees of success. To this day it is still arguably the most loved Holden model and is regularly seen in the hands of all generations from teenage P platers through to retirees on their Sunday drive. A beautiful car when viewed from any angle, it’s not hard to see why this is the case. Similarly to the Sedan, the EH Wagon was released in 1963 during a time when the mantle of top selling Australian Wagon was starting to heat up, with both Ford and Holden being joined by Chrysler. Holden’s answer to this increased competition was the EH. Sporting the same striking lines as its Sedan brother, the EH Wagon instantly turned heads. Under the bonnet the then new “Red” motor provided a stronger, smoother and more powerful engine, producing around 100 horsepower. With a top speed of just over 130 kph, the EH wasn’t the fastest Holden produced, however the sedan was raced in the ‘60s with varying degrees of success. Inside, the EH Wagon was a fairly basic car. Two bench seats front and back seated six passengers in relative comfort with the rear seat folding down to allow for increased cargo capacity. Other than that however, a cigarette lighter was its only other real standard internal accessory, but with a retail price of £1336 for the 179 Automatic, the EH wagon was competitively priced. We’re pleased to be able to offer the opportuinty to place your orders for these two great 1:43 Scale opening parts models which form part of the 1:43 Scale Biante Reserve Collection. The EH Special Sedan in Fowlers Ivory over Gundagai Grey and the EH Special Wagon in Fowlers Ivory over Winton Red are two fine replications of this classic Australian model. Both models are available in our 1:43 Scale clear acrylic display cases with credit card style certificate.
ORDERING INFORMATION: Product Code: B43402G - Model: 1:43 Scale Holden EH Special Sedan Fowlers Ivory over Gundagai Grey - Pricing: RRP: $69.00 including GST Product Code: B43402H - Model: 1:43 Scale Holden EH Special Wagon Fowlers Ivory over Winton Red - Pricing: RRP: $69.00 including GST
New Announcement: 1:18 Holden HK Monaro
ORDERING INFORMATION: Product Code: A86862 Model: 1:18 Scale Holden HK Monaro GTS327 - 2nd Place, 1968 Hardie-Ferodo 500 Drivers: Palmer/West - Pricing: RRP: $195.00 including GST
NOW AVAILABLE TO ORDER FROM YOUR LOCAL BIANTE DEALER
ENSURE YOU DON’T MISS OUT BY PLACING YOUR ORDER AT YOUR LOCAL BIANTE DEALER
1968 BATHURST 2ND PLACE *1:18 Scale Prototype Model Shown
Having seen Ford collect victory at Bathurst in 1967 with the first victory by a V8-powered car in the Hardie-Ferodo 500 at Mount Panorama, Holden just knew it had to get in on the act 12 months later and go head-to-head with its rival. The result was the HK Monaro GTS 327, a sexy two-door coupe that featured the 327-cubic inch Chevrolet V8 engine and American four-speed transmission given that Holden was still developing its own local V8 power plant that would come on line some years later. But General Motors worldwide policy was that the company did not go motor racing and, thus a covert operation had to be employed to get the Monaro program onto the grid.
David McKay (the inaugural Australian Touring Car Champion in a Jaguar in 1960) and his Scuderia Veloce organisation in Sydney convinced Holden to finance and back what was labeled as the ‘Holden Dealer Racing Team’ for the 1968 Bathurst classic. This was one year before the iconic Holden Dealer Team proper with Harry Firth was formed, but gave HDRT a total of three cars for the 500-mile, 130-lap race. McKay paired up New Zealand open wheeler star Jim Palmer with rising young racer Phil West in one car, expat Aussie touring car ace Brian ‘Yogi’ Muir with former race winner George Reynolds and a young Bill Brown with Aussie F1 driver Paul Hawkins. Palmer and West were given driving duties in the #24D entry, qualifying sixth on the grid. Their 3m00.5s lap time was just under four seconds off the pole mark of eventual race winner Bruce McPhee, but given the 3-2-3 grid configuration it still put them on the inside of the third row. On race day, other Falcon and Monaro teams decided to race hard at the front, whereas Palmer and West’s Holden Dealer Racing Team had placed a major emphasis on brake pad changes as they were worried about the braking ability of the big V8.
By lap 80 of the 130-lap distance, Palmer and West were sitting in a solid sixth place with problems to affect many of the cars in front in the second half of the race. The other HDRT Monaro of Muir/Reynolds suffered from brake problems and lost nine minutes while the Falcon of Barry Seton and Fred Gibson holed a piston. That opened the door for Palmer and West to work their way up to finish third outright on the road, 3m03s behind the winners McPhee and Barry Mulholland but on the lead lap. The Palmer/West also set a faster lap time in the race – 2m59s – than the team had qualified at! But their result improved post-race too, when the privateer Monaro entry of Des West and Ron Marks was excluded from second place for oversized valves, elevating Palmer and West into the runner-up position. While Harry Firth’s HDT outfit received most of the plaudits for being the ‘factory’ team in the 1960s and 1970s for Holden, there’s no doubt that the HDRT assault on the 1968 race should certainly be counted, and celebrated, as part of the General’s rich history at Australia’s Great Race. Biante are pleased to present the opportunity to place your orders for the 1:18 Scale Holden HK Monaro GTS327 driven by Jim Palmer & Phil West to claim 2nd place in the 1968 Hardie-Ferodo 500. This is another important piece of the history of the great race, so please place your orders to avoid any disappointment.
Coming Soon From Biante 1:18 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1
1:18 Ford XA Falcon Custom LIMITED EDITION OF
1:18 HSV VX GTS Sedan
1:18 Volvo 850 Sedan
1:18 Holden HQ Monaro GTS350 Coupe LIMITED EDITION OF
1:18 Ford EB Falcon LIMITED EDITION OF
2052
1996 Australian Super Touring Championship - Driver: Peter Brock PART OF THE BIANTE PETER BROCK COLLECTION Product Code: A89694 - RRP: $195.00 including GST (ALLOCATION EXHAUSTED)
1:18 Holden Monaro CV8-R
1:18 Ford EB Falcon LIMITED EDITION OF
1300
1993 Australian Touring Car Championship - Driver: Dick Johnson PART OF THE BIANTE DICK JOHNSON COLLECTION Product Code: BNM0001 - RRP: $195.00 including GST (ALLOCATION EXHAUSTED)
1:18 Holden LH Torana SLR/5000 LIMITED EDITION OF
690
Allan Moffat Racing 1996 AMP Bathurst 1000 Drivers: Douglas/Niedzwiedz PART OF THE BIANTE ALLAN MOFFAT COLLECTION Product Code: BNG0001 - RRP: $195.00 including GST
HSV Racing Green Product Code: A73309 - RRP: $195.00 including GST
LIMITED EDITION OF
1380
Sable With Lone O’Ranger Stripes (1973) Product Code: A73387 - RRP: $195.00 including GST (ALLOCATION EXHAUSTED)
600
1116
Hardie Ferodo 1000 (1973) Drivers: Johnson/Forbes PART OF THE BIANTE DICK JOHNSON COLLECTION Product Code: A87361 - RRP: $195.00 including GST (ALLOCATION EXHAUSTED)
Candy Blue Street Machine Product Code: A72740 - RRP: $195.00 including GST
LIMITED EDITION OF
LIMITED EDITION OF
1540
LIMITED EDITION OF
1008
Turbine Grey (2003) Product Code: A73353 - RRP: $195.00 including GST
1800
1974 ATCC Winner - Driver: Peter Brock PART OF THE BIANTE PETER BROCK COLLECTION Product Code: A87460 - RRP: $195.00 including GST
Stay Connected With Biante Model Cars LIKE US ON FACEBOOK FOR DAILY UPDATES, NEWS, PICTURES, MODEL FEATURES & ANNOUNCEMENTS WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/BIANTEMODELCARS
CHECK OUT VIDEO CONTENT FROM BIANTE INCLUDING PRODUCT VIDEOS HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/BIANTEMODELCARS
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER TO BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION ABOUT BIANTE MODEL CARS WWW.TWITTER.COM/BIANTEMODELCARS
VISIT US ONLINE FOR MORE INFO, JOIN THE COLLECTORS CLUB & TO FIND YOUR LOCAL BIANTE DEALER WWW.BIANTE.COM.AU
For More Information Contact: Biante Model Cars: PO BOX 185 BELMONT WA 6984 Phone: 08 9479 5130 / Fax: 08 9479 5165 / Email: info@biante.com.au / Web: www.biante.com.au