Corgi Jensen Interceptor and Tomica 1982 Mitsubishi Starion

Here are two coupe models that are not as well-known as others and even in diecast form are even more harder-to-find, the wild Jensen Interceptor and the sleek Mitsubishi Starion.

Corgi Jensen Interceptor

Jensen is a British auto manufacturer that was responsible for the earlier Interceptors that had nifty fiberglass bodies, yet very awkward styling.  By 1966 they were looking for something more unique and exciting while returning to pure steel body panels and thus created the new Jensen Interceptor.  Up front is a sleek grand touring coupe profile of the decade, but at the back is a rather unusual hatchback hump roofline that extends well into the rear valence panel; in fact, the large C-pillar hovers over the rear wheels.  The interior has seating for four with a dashboard layout that would look right at home in a Ferrari with 3-spoke steering wheel and gauges that spawn across the dashboard, while the rear hatch opens to a rather large cargo area.  The engine is a 383 CIV V8 from Chrysler that produced 335 horsepower through a four-speed manual or a Torqueflite automatic transmission.  This much power in this car made for one insane grand tourer and its fame was recently revived thanks to a spot in the sixth “Fast and Furious” film.

While many still wait for the Jensen that Letty used in the film, the best one you can find is this Corgi version and it is not easy to find thanks to all the hype.  The maroon color looks nice on this car, though the yellow interior is another story, and while Corgi likes to black-out the 5-spoke wheels I opted to show them off with a touch of silver for a classier look to the car.  The front has a hood that slopes down to the center grille with quad headlights and lower bumper that are part of the metal base, the sides show off the front fender vents, the large C-pillar, and unusual heft of the roof after the rear wheels.  The rear has horizontal tri-taillights that merge with the license plate area that is also the rear base support tab, while the metal base is smooth and while the car does not have a working suspension the Jensen handles pretty well despite the added rear heft.  The doors open to an interior with seating for four, detailed ribbed pattern across the front seats, center console with shifter, and a decent dashboard layout with 3-spoke steering wheel.  It’s a very charming casting and shows the lines of the Jensen Interceptor perfectly well for this scale range.

Tomica 1982 Mitsubishi Starion

On the other side is this sports coupe from Japan that like the Jensen Interceptor went form a boring four-seat coupe in the 1970’s to a stylish and futuristic coupe of the 1980’s, the Starion.  The front-engine, rear-drive coupe battled with the Nissan ZX, Mazda RX7, and Toyota Supra with wedgy stying that featured many creases, scoops, hidden headlights, and wrap-around rear window common with all three cars in the 1980’s.  Models include the narrow-body non-turbo models and the wide-body turbo models with the first use of fuel injection in a turbocharged vehicle at the time.  The car was also sold at Chrysler dealers as the Conquest for a few years, while the interior has a luzurious approach with supportive front seats, digital gauges and controls in the center, and even a soothing door chime.  The engine is a 2.6L DOHC turbocharged I-4 that produced 197 horsepower through a five-speed automatic transmission.  Changing times meant the Starion gave way to two separate coupes at Mitsubishi in the 1990’s: the Eclipse and 3000GT (GTO).

This Tomica casting is the earlier narrow body version with two-tone silver and maroon layout, yet the wide racing tires give it that widebody model look to it.  The front has a wedge-like front-end with hidden headlights, center grille strip, and body-colored bumper with integrated signal and foglights.  The hood has a central hood scoop with side extract vents, while the sides have a nice and clean profile that with the rear hatch is reminiscent of the RX7 at the time.  The rear has a clear taillight bar with tri-taillights and a decklid rear spoiler lip, while the base shows off the engine, transmission, drivetrain, exhaust, and suspension layouts in a comprehensive design and also offers a working suspension that really makes this car move around turns in a smooth fashion.  The doors open to an interior with seating for four, supportive front bucket seats, shifter on console, and the usual detailed steering wheel with no dashboard.  While I would love to see a widebody Starion in diecast someday, this Tomica version will do just fine for the time being.