- Amalgam unveils 1:8 scale McLaren W1 replica model.
- Bespoke Tailor Made version costs nearly $28,000.
- A real W1 hypercar will set you back over $2 million.
If you missed out on a McLaren W1 because your spare $2 million was tied up in something trivial like a lottery jackpot you hadn’t won, here’s some good news. You can now buy one for a mere 20 grand. Well, sort of. It sure looks like a W1 but it’s the size of a 1980s boombox and can’t move under its own power.
Yes, the artisans at Amalgam have just unveiled a 1:8 scale W1, and as usual it’s less model car and more automotive sculpture. And it’s definitely not a toy. Developed over 3,000 hours using McLaren’s original CAD data, paint codes and material specs, this thing is almost as incredible as the real thing.
Related: Amalgam’s 1:8 Scale McLaren Senna Costs As Much As A New Toyota Corolla
Each model measures more than 570 mm (22 inches) in length and takes over 300 hours of hand assembly by a team in Bristol. That’s longer than some full size McLarens last before ending up as Instagram crash video fodder. The doors scissor open, the rear wing operates via remote control, and the interior mirrors the real car’s in painstaking detail.
Off-the-peg, or Tailor Made
There are two ways to flex, micro-McLaren-style. The launch specification comes finished in Papaya Spark, the same color used when the W1 debuted in October 2024. That version is limited to 199 pieces and costs $19,995 (£14,995 / €17,995). If that feels too mainstream, the Tailor Made commission replicates your exact build using factory sheets supplied by McLaren and starts at $27,995 (£20,995 / €25,195).
Yes, that’s the price of a very decent used hot hatch for something you can’t legally drive. But compared with the real McLaren W1, which is limited to 399 sold-out examples and priced in the millions, it probably doesn’t seem so bad to folk who also own the real thing. Perspective is everything.
Amalgam says these models are increasingly viewed as part of a car’s provenance. Collectors treat them like physical build records, right up there with original documentation and luggage sets. In some cases, the models themselves become alternative investments. That’s right, your coffee table ornament might even appreciate.
