Make no mistake, the '53 Eldo was one BIG car! Measuring nearly nineteen feet long and a full seven feet wide (which makes that highway lane seem like a driveway), there was a ton of room, even in the back seat. And heavy? This behemoth weighed in at well over two tons (4800 pounds). You had to feel like a king cruising down the road in one, top down, surrounded by all that bulk, leather and chrome.

This limited edition comes in gleaming red. Though it's a reissue of an older image, it's yet another example of the reason we collect die cast models. The overall look of this hefty image is quite appealing, the red exterior offset by a rich, black interior with "carpeting." The dash is done in white, with a fair amount of detail in spite of the decal-style gauges. There's also a two-tone, black and white steering wheel, accented by a chrome horn ring. Speaking of chrome, the fore and aft bumpers with their "Dagmar" guards look as massive as on the 1:1 car and are beautifully rendered in 1:24 scale. Under the hood the engine (in Cadillac blue) bristles with accessories (but lacks wiries). Under the gracefully rounded trunk lid you'll find a covered spare tire and a jack, along with the numbered LE plate. The overall visual effect of this image is quite sharp-a nice overall package.

I find the LE Eldorado in red comes off with a bit more elegance when compared to the original in white. Put on the removable top-up top and this beauty still looks sharp as a tack. Count on the after-market value going up rapidly in the future. The issue price is $135. (11/10/2000)

-Tom Pine