Monday, July 21, 2014

#438 MAJORETTE – BMW TURBO (Nr. 217) (1976, 1979 and 1983)



This is one of my favorite Majorette models. I got the white one as a present when I was a little child (maybe 5) and I still keep it. Those gull-wing doors are very appealing.

 
 

I will show the four versions that I currently own. There are a few more different colours, and dozens of versions if we consider the colour of the windshields, the stickers/decoration variations…

The first version of this car appears in the 1976 catalogue for the first time, with reference number 217. It is a red version with black doors. It would remain until the 1978 catalogue.



 

That year it was replaced by the “Liege-Sofia-Liege” version in metallic grey. It appeared in the catalogues from 1979 until 1981.





The next catalogue (1982) shows a new red version (similar to the first one) only with a rally race number sticker on it. I have seen a white version with this same sticker, I am not sure if the catalogue was wrong, or if there were several colours for this rally version.

The last vintage version is a white car with blue doors that appeared in the 1983 catalogue only. It has a decoration with blue and red stripes and the words BMW Turbo.




 

After that, the model was re-issued in the late 1980s (without stickers or decals, but tampographies) and sold again. Some models were available with the Sprinter. Then it was forgotten again for several years, and in the 1990s (I cannot give an exact date, haven’t found any reference in modern catalogues), the model was re-released with a new reference number 258A and several new colours. Some people think this is a “Globe Toys” model (Majorette second brand for the German market) but it is not. It was made in Thailand.





 


UPDATE (NOV/2019): I found another model from the recent years with a very peculiar decoration:






FACTS AND FIGURES:
  • Name: BMW TURBO (Nr. 217)
  • Scale: 1:60
  • Year: 1976, 1979 and 1983
  • Company: Majorette (France)
  • Size: approx. 3’’ or 7 cm

8 comments:

  1. Hello and thanks for your website !

    I have got the same car as yours, but it is green, with black doors. It is #217. Do you know when this model have been on the market ?

    Thanks in advance

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi!
      Well, it is difficult to say because in the catalogues there's only one picture for each model. In the mid to late 80s there were several versions, including the one you mention, a blue one with some tampographies on the bonnet, a dark red one and the rarest one in light green (or at least the one that seems to be the rarest one).
      Thanks for the comment!

      Delete
  2. The yellow one looks cheap made, in the past they used to make these cars with high quality and vive importance to the details, the one made now adays its very crap.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, I am not very familiar with current Majorette models, but this yellow BMW Turbo is actually quite nice. I think the data above is correct, and the model is from the late 90s.

      Thanks for the comment!

      Delete
  3. Bonsoir j'ai une majorette BMW turbo années 1983 neuve dans ça boite
    As t'elle un argus merci pour votre réponse

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bonsoir, je crois j'ai aussi und BMW Turbo (Version Liege-Sofia-Liege?) en boîte, mais je n'ai pas eu encore du temp pour publiquer les Fotos. Merci pour votre commentaire!

      Delete
  4. Thanks for the info. Found the yellow one here in Mexico , will look nice next to my other old ones

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Excellent, great model. Thanks for the comment!

      Delete