RICH BRO TOYS - THE AMALGAM COLLECTION X GUMBALL 3000 COLAB IS AUTOMOTIVE YOUTUBER CATNIP.
Scale models aren’t toys - at least, not the ones that come from Amalgam. They’re the kind of things that sit in glass cases under spotlighting, next to fine art and rare watches, silently reminding you that real obsession never comes cheap. For decades, scale models have given car fans a way to “own” unobtainium - whether it’s the Ferrari F40, a Le Mans prototype, or a one-off hypercar that trades hands at auctions for millions. They’re aspirational objects, markers of passion and, for some, motivation to hustle until the real deal is parked in the garage. The roots of model cars stretch back to the 1920s and 1930s, when craftsmen hand-carved them from wood or metal. Post-war Germany and Japan saw a boom in tinplate toys, and soon die-cast names like Dinky Toys, Corgi, and Matchbox dominated kids’ shelves. The ’60s made plastic models popular, and the ’70s lit the fuse with Hot Wheels. By the ’90s, detail-heavy brands like Tamiya, Minichamps, and Autoart brought a new level of realism to the game. But above them all, one company has stood as the Rolls-Royce of miniature motoring - Amalgam Collection. Their work isn’t just collectable, it’s museum-grade art. Prices back this up - two of their models can set you back as much as a tidy little apartment in Jo’burg.
Now, Amalgam has gone full rockstar, announcing an official partnership with none other than the Gumball 3000 – the legendary 3,000-mile road rally where supercars, celebrities, and outrageousness collide in a blur of noise, fuel, and flashing lights. Founded in 1999 by British entrepreneur and designer Maximillion Cooper, the Gumball 3000 wasn’t your average car event. Inspired by the 1976 cult movie The Gumball Rally, Cooper envisioned a “car culture meets pop culture” extravaganza: 3,000 miles across countries, fuelled by supercars, celebrities, parties, and a lifestyle that mashed together fashion, music, art, and automotive excess.
Over the years, the Gumball has attracted names like David Hasselhoff, Lewis Hamilton, Deadmau5, Snoop Dogg, Tony Hawk, and even royalty. The rally has zigzagged across continents - from London to St. Petersburg, from Miami to Ibiza, from Dublin to Bucharest - always combining eye-searing cars, high-octane nightlife, and a global media circus. The grid is usually worth more than some national economies, with Bugattis, Paganis, Lamborghinis, and bespoke one-offs rumbling down city boulevards to cheering crowds. And now, that spectacle is being captured in miniature form. For 2025, Amalgam will travel with the rally, from Istanbul to Ibiza, offering Gumballers the chance to immortalise their car as a 1:8 or 1:18 scale masterpiece. What makes this collaboration next-level is the ability to choose between two finishes:
Pristine pre-rally form: a flawless replica in exact livery detail.
Post-rally “patina”: a weathered piece of art, dirt and wear included, capturing every scratch and scar earned over 3,000 miles of madness.
Each Amalgam model demands staggering levels of craftsmanship. Around 4,000 hours go into development, with CAD data, scans, and photography feeding a process that involves working hand-in-glove with manufacturers to ensure every millimetre is accurate. These aren’t just models; they’re scaled-down soul captures of the real thing. Maximillion Cooper is thrilled: “Having Amalgam replicate the Gumball cars adds enormous prestige to each vehicle, and the detail of each model is insane.” Sandy Copeman, Amalgam’s founder, adds: “We’ve seen collectors view cars as art investments, and our models have followed suit. Capturing a rally car’s journey, complete with patina, locks in a moment of automotive history – not just the machine, but its story.”
Gumball 3000 has always been about more than cars - it’s about making noise, turning heads, and living without a speed limiter. Amalgam’s new collection bottles that energy into something you can keep on your desk or display case forever. It’s a fusion of car culture, art, and rebellion, and for the wealthy Gumballer who already owns the world’s rarest machinery, it’s the ultimate flex. Amalgam just took scale models from “collectable” to “cultural currency.”
Take a look at the YouTube video from the start of the latest epic Gumball 3000 road trip through Europe, kicking off in Bucharest. so many bros, so many YouTubers, so many supercars with issues - but loads of cool fun: 100,000+ Gumball Fans In Bucharest! | Gumball Unfiltered RALLY SPECIAL: Day 1 | Gumball 3000
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