My first entrant for LaLD Running of the Bulls is a model I have yet to feature here, and embodies the quality one expects from the brand. This is Tomica 50-1, the Countach LP500S. This casting entered the range in April 1978, and is definitely of the period:
I don’t have a ton of Lamborghini models in my collection - Lesney didn’t make any during the Regular Wheels era that I collect, and Tomica only had a handful during the time of my interest. I do have a Bburago Diablo I bought when I was a teen, but I wanted to keep this small scale. This Tomica casting contains ample fine line casting detail, and proportion appears to be accurate - not an easy feat, as the low wedge shape can’t be easy to model in small scale. There’s no snappy door action (would have been cool), but there is crisp glazing and springy suspension we all enjoy, along with a detailed interior. Scale is claimed to be 1:61, likely accurate. The black and gold striped paint scheme with the gold button wheels looks just right for the era, this is a car one would expect to see in “Cannonball Run”. From all angles, there’s no mistaking this for anything else:
Front and rear have similar detail, with the accurate looking bull on the front being a nice touch, and the spoiler seems to be handled well:
One may be wondering what opens on this casting, that would be the engine cover:
As one expects, there’s a detailed engine where it should be:
The base is plastic, which allows for ample identifying and technical detail:
This is definitely one I am happy to have in my collection. Tomica had a few Countach castings (also F12-3, F37-1), this one is quite common, which translates to affordability. No box on this one, which isn’t surprising as this casting was sold as a Pocket Cars too. The paint scheme suits the car, and it is a quality casting. Eventually, I’d like to have some other variants and casting numbers, but they can be pricey, and I have to pick my battles. Hard to go wrong with this one:
A couple 1:1s from lambocars.com, one showing that this paint scheme was a thing:
