The die-cast car is a time-proven staple among toys. Its simplicity is what allows it to be so cheap, and thus an accessible entry point for so many budding young enthusiasts. And the tech to make more intricate and accurate miniature replicas is getting better all the time. But in all my years of collecting little cars, I don’t think I’ve ever seen something as cool as what Tomy is doing with the latest addition to its Tomica Limited Vintage Neo line of 1/64 scale models. It comes with interchangeable parts, so you can pop bumpers and wings on and off like you’re playing Need for Speed: Underground.
The Limited Vintage series represents Tomica’s highest quality die-casts, and the Neo range focuses on more recent enthusiast classics, from the 1980s through to the early aughts. (Yeah—that’s vintage now. I don’t like to think about it either.) This die-cast R34 Nissan Skyline 25GT Turbo coupe is special, though, because it comes with optional exterior parts: two front bumpers, two rear bumpers, and two trunk lids with different spoilers attached.
I believe one set represents the 25GT’s stock panels, while the others are optional OEM parts that Nissan or NISMO offered at one time or another. (Skyline aficionados, please correct me in the comments if I have the wrong impression.) These pieces are made of ABS plastic rather than metal like everything else, but Tomica models are historically pretty robust for how detailed they are, so I have confidence that they will be strong enough to survive being changed out.
The 25GT comes in classic Bayside Blue or Sonic Silver. I dropped a link to this in The Drive Slack earlier today and remarked that this was the first relatively authentic scale model I could remember with interchangeable exterior parts, but then my friend Andrew Collins schooled me by bringing up X-Concepts’ Modifiers series from the early days of Fast & Furious, and some of those definitely let you add body kits. Others had alternate racing seats, tinted windows, wheels, and, believe it or not, suspension. I have the vaguest memories of getting one of these as a kid, but I hadn’t thought about them in ages.
Hopefully, this Skyline isn’t a one-off, and Tomy applies this concept to other Japanese performance mainstays from the period. Some models offer lots of potential; I recall a range of Mugen parts for cars like the Integra Type-R, S2000, and NSX, and I know Toyota Racing Development did the same on models like the Celica, MR-S, and Altezza. It’s a great idea, and I’m glad at least one die-cast maker isn’t resting on its laurels, and has chosen to bring back a really cool idea.
