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FORBES LIFE
Clark, one of the greatest Formula 1 drivers of all time, and was Once the design is set, it is meticulously scaled down to
an enthusiastic slot-car racer at age 15. “My passion for 1960s bring the details to life in miniature. Molds are created for the
Formula 1—and car design in general—was just waiting to individual parts, and metal, carbon fiber or rubber is used to
find an outlet,” he says. “We got the opportunity to make a first create each piece of the puzzle, while some are produced by
model under license [the Jordan 196], then got a deal with Wil- 3-D printers.
liams Formula 1 in 1996 and finally with Ferrari in 1998.” After the parts are cast, they are washed, cleaned and
In 2004, Amalgam split into two entities: Amalgam Mod- sanded. Then each set of parts goes through a fettling and fit-
elmakers and Amalgam Fine Model Cars; one team made ting process to ensure they go together perfectly. Afterward,
one-off architectural models and the other produced scores the models are primed, spray-painted and polished. Decals
of miniature cars. “I had ambitions to build a brand making and printed finishes are applied, then subassemblies such as
the best model cars in the world,” Copeman says. “That in- engines, wheel hubs and suspensions are built, followed by
volved a degree of risk taking and a mission not shared with final assembly. “About 90% of the skills we use are very tradi-
my partners.” The two companies remain deeply connect- tional,” Copeman says of the process, most of which is done
ed, though. “We operated out of the same building for sever- by hand and which he likens to fine watchmaking. “Ten per-
al years and are still good friends today,” he insists. But Cope- cent are modern.”
man has no financial interest in the original company. “We do Producing the design molds takes between 2,500 hours
share ownership of our original workshop,” he adds. (for, say, open-wheel racers) to 4,500 hours for complex
From 2006 to 2007, Ferra- classics, and it takes another
ri’s then-president, Luca Corde- 250 to 450 hours to make each
ro di Montezemolo, commissioned model. “For example,” Copeman
Amalgam to make miniatures of says, “The Ferrari LaFerrari takes
current and classic road-going Fer- about 3,500 hours to develop and
raris. “We started with the 250TR, another 350 to build.”
as opposed to the GTO,” says Cope- Amalgam’s elite clientele still
man. “A Scaglietti car.” It took some consists of Formula 1 teams, driv-
time, but Lamborghini, McLar- ers and managers, but it also in-
en and other automakers eventual- cludes famous collectors. Sylvester
ly wanted models of their vehicles Stallone bought a limited edition
as well. That’s when business real- 1:8-scale Ferrari F1 car from the
ly took off. early-2000s Michael Schumacher
Today the company, which era. Ralph Lauren commissioned
Copeman renamed Amalgam 17 models of cars from his collec-
Collection in 2016, has revenues tion while they were on display
around $10 million a year, build- at the Musée des Arts Décora-
ing more than 500 models a month tifs in Paris, including a Jaguar D-
that range in price from $685 to Type, like the model whose shark
upwards of $150,000, depending fin blazed a triumphant trail at
on size and the amount of detail. Le Mans in 1955, 1956 and 1957.
It employs more than 200 people Swiss watchmaker Richard Mille
Sandy Copeman in his Bristol, England, factory with 1:8
and has two manufacturing facili- models of a Porsche 917k, F1 race cars and other sports cars. commissioned several 1:5-scale
ties outside of Bristol, in Chang An, away from the office, he’s a motorcycle buff. models of cars from his collec-
China, and Pécs, Hungary. tion, which contains some of the
“We manage the design and tooling of the models in Bris- rarest and most significant vintage race cars, including Bruce
tol,” Copeman says, “but most of the models are fabricated in McLaren’s first Formula 1 car (the M2B from 1966) and the
China and Hungary. We are also increasingly making one- Ferrari 312B, which won the 1970 Italian Grand Prix and was
offs and doing special projects out of Bristol.” driven by Mario Andretti.
So how does a model go from concept to finished form? In Surprisingly, Copeman does not collect cars himself. For
the case of newer cars, the Amalgam team works from origi- him it’s all about the personal experience of riding or driv-
nal CAD drawings, obtained from the manufacturers, to pro- ing. “I have owned some lesser but interesting vehicles along
duce minutely accurate drawings of each car part. “[By using the way, such as a 1950s-era MG Magnette, and I’ve had some
the CAD data], all the parts fit together and connect together memorable drives, like the 160 mph race up the M1 motor-
in a good, solid, well-engineered fashion,” Copeman says. way in a Sunbeam Tiger against a Jaguar E-Type,” he says.
Designs for models of classic cars are formulated from “But I’ve owned many more motorcycles than cars.” His ev-
digital scans of the car and hand measurements. “We also eryday ride is a Mercedes CLS Shooting Brake: “It’s a fun LEVON BISS FOR FORBES
work from 600 to 800 photographs,” Copeman says. “We use drive if you want to push it a bit.” Besides, he can build any
them to make sure everything is dimensionally correct.” car he wants—just by dreaming small. F
68 | FORBES ASIA APRIL 2019
