In the world of miniature motorsport, when a model maker such as Tamiya comes knocking at your door, there is no higher accolade. Privileges such as this are reserved for the crème de la crème of race machinery. These iconic subjects often see out their hardfought competition life and are retired before they get the chance to be immortalised in plastic. A ‘flash in the pan’ lifespan is the nature of motorsport competition, and soon after, they seemingly fade into the history books for fans to look back on with fond memories. For many people, building a model of their favourite car is often as close as they could ever hope to get to the subject that comes to life on their workbench. By the time a model hits the shelves for punters, the real deal is enjoying its retirement, often hidden well away from public view. It was on a spring morning that a phone call to Nissan gave me an opportunity to change that. I remember hearing on the phone, “Wednesday morning will be
