The Elise appears to be a great success in the US, and luckily, riding on it's coattails, there are plenty of die-cast Elise models for the collector! This month we will focus on the 1:18 scale die-cast Elise, both in S1 and S2 form.
Chrono (or Sunstar) continues to release the Elise in various guises, and in the larger 1:18 format. A few years ago, they released the original Elise (S1) in an open top version. The die-cast came in Norfolk Yellow, Azure Blue, and Black, and can still he readily found via the internet ... aka ebay!
The good news is that Sunstar now has continued it's release of the S1 Elise in a closed top version, along with a few other commemorative versions. These die-casts are very heavy, and the detail is more than adequate for the price. The new closed top Elise comes in Silver (#1030). Azure Blue (#1031). and Ruby Red (#1032).
Sunstar has also released these S 1 variants: Type 49 - red and white with gold stripe (#1037). a 50th Anniversary Model - dark green with gold accents (#1035), and a Type 79 - black with gold accents (#1036).
Finally, to wrap things up, Welly has also jumped in the Lotus bandwagon with their die-cast version of the new Elise. Welly has certainly made a name for themselves in the past few years, by releasing quite a varied collection of die-casts, from muscle cars to the Lamborghini Diablo SV, and this new Elise marks the first time that they have delved into Lotus territory... let's hope it is not the last! Welly die-casts are well put together for the price, and include a nice display stand as well. While not as detailed as the Jadi die-cast, and also don't include the targa top. they are still a
great value, and worth adding to your collection!
Next month we will continue with the Elise S2 die-casts by a newcomer to the market. Jadi, as you can see, plenty to keep you broke for the Holidays! Happy Hunting!!
