WORDS & PICTURES: NATHAN CHADWICK
The Little Car Company has announced a raft of livery options for its Bugatti Baby II, inspired by CMC Models’ Type 35 diecast 1:18-scale versions.
Built in partnership with Bugatti, The Little Car Company’s Baby II is a 75 per cent scale tribute to the 1926 Type 35. As part of the partnership with CMC Models, TLCC is now offering a CMC Models-built 1:18-scale model in a matching livery to that of the larger version.
Each of the CMC Models cars is made from 930 parts, and finished in colours representative of the Nations Cup. In period, the International Motorsport Commission chose national colours for the teams so that spectators could tell each of the racing machines apart. Pictured below is TLCC’s take on CMC Models’ Monaco version.
The Baby II references the Baby I, which Ettore Bugatti built for his son in 1926. Limited to 500 examples, it has been developed using a 3D scan of an original 1924 French Grand Prix car. The all-electric power ranges from 4kW to 10KW, with several driving modes that can be configured by concerned parents (or spouses). The top speed ranges from 45km/h to 68km/h, although the maximum in the US and Canada is restricted to 30km/h. Other liveries include those of the US, Germany, France, The Netherlands and Belgium.
The US livery is available for immediate order, but the Monaco version is not yet on offer.
Meanwhile, the CMC Models version is also fantastically detailed – the metal crank handle even rotates, and the beautifully rendered dashboard has a metallic finish. Real leather is used for the seats and bonnet straps, too, and the colours and number are hand-painted at CMC’s headquarters in Fellbach, near Stuttgart, Germany.
“The Bugatti Baby II is a car steeped in history and racing pedigree, and for those lucky enough to own one, receiving an exquisitely crafted scaled CMC model simply adds to the prestige of ownership,” says Ben Hedley, CEO of The Little Car Company. “By partnering with CMC Models, we have been able to share our passion for building exciting, scaled cars with a provenance to match its beauty and driving experience.
“CMC Models embodies the attention to detail that we pride ourselves on, and through the values that we both reflect, we are able to offer owners of a Bugatti Baby II a fascinating hand-crafted model of their new purchase. Wherever it holds pride of place, be that your mantlepiece or desk, a glance at your CMC model will serve as an invitation to get behind the wheel of your complementing Bugatti Baby II once again.”
Our road test found that while the fit and finish of the CMC Models version is excellent, we’d love a go in a Little Car Company Baby II as well. Preferably in Monaco, rather than chilly Britain…
For more details on the Little Car Company, head here. For more on CMC Models, head here.
