SERIOUSLY IMPRESSIVE PLAYTHINGS

The Little Car Company has carved out a niche for itself at the top of the scale-replica game

The Little Car Company, established in 2019, has seen substantial growth since its inception. The company has collaborated with three of the most reputable car manufacturers - Bugatti, Ferrari and Aston Martin - to produce over 200 scale electric cars of exceptional quality. Each model is meticulously hand-crafted at the company’s Bicester Heritage headquarters, utilizing approximately 95% British-sourced components.

The brand has a diverse clientele spanning more than 50 countries, with the majority of its cars being shipped internationally. The company’s current manufacturing facility, measuring 10,000 square feet, currently allows for a weekly output of up to five cars. However, with the recent addition of an adjacent 10,000 square feet manufacturing facility, the output is expected to triple.

The increased production will be driven by the company’s fourth model, the Tamiya Wild One MAX and a fifth model that has yet to be disclosed. The three models currently in production are the Bugatti Baby II, Ferrari Testa Rossa J and the Aston Martin DB5 Junior.

The Little Car Company and Bugatti collaborated to create the Baby II, in commemoration of Bugatti’s 110th anniversary, and as a modern interpretation of Ettore Bugatti’s Bugatti Baby, which was originally gifted to his youngest son Roland. It is a 75% scale, fully electric recreation of the renowned Bugatti Type 35. This new iteration was developed using a comprehensive 3D scan of an original 1924 French Grand Prix car.

The Baby II, adorned with a solid silver Bugatti Macaron, is a limited-edition release, with only 500 units being produced. Additionally, a special Carbon Edition of the Baby II has been created exclusively for W16 Mistral owners. This edition is tailored to each customer’s specifications, and is designed to complement the exterior and interior styling of the W16 Mistral.

The Ferrari Testa Rossa J is a highly accurate reproduction of the iconic Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, a model that holds a significant place in the history of both Ferrari and motor racing. Developed and constructed using original drawings from the Ferrari Classiche archives, this tribute model is limited to only 299 cars.

In keeping with Ferrari’s tradition, the Testa Rossa J offers a wide range of customization options, exclusively designed by the Centro Stile. The Centro Stile team has conducted an extensive search of the Ferrari Classiche archives to identify some of the most iconic racing liveries that have been applied to the Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa over time.

They have evaluated all possible body and interior colour combinations, providing customers with a vast array of interior and exterior personalization options while remaining true to the Ferrari style, including historic liveries discovered by the Ferrari Classiche team.

More than half a century after its initial launch, the iconic Aston Martin DB5 was reimagined in 2020, as a 66% scale replica of the original. It boasts a rear-wheel-drive, fully electric powertrain as well as multiple driving modes. In keeping with the exclusivity of the original, only 1,059 of these models will be produced and offered in three limited-edition variants - the DB5 Junior, the DB5 Vantage Junior and the DB5 Junior No Time To Die Edition.

Each of the DB5 Junior vehicles produced features classic Aston Martin badges, Silver Birch paintwork, Smiths instruments, and individually numbered chassis plates. The DB5 Junior comes with swappable lithium-ion battery packs and regenerative braking.

Other features include a full leather interior in a range of colours, a mahogany and aluminium steering wheel, bonnet and boot that open. It has four-wheel disc brakes, a hydraulic handbrake, as well as double wishbone suspension at the front, with the roll centre and camber gain matching the original geometry. The rear live axle is also in line with the original, with authentic upper and lower trailing-arm suspension and panhard rod.

The Little Car Company’s upcoming model, The Wild One MAX will bring to life a legend from the RC world. It will be a rear-wheel drive, off-road electric buggy that is an upscaled version o the RC toy that can be driven. As with the previous models, it appears The Little Car Company has another collectable classic on its hands.