Honda Celebrates 60 Years Since First F1 Win With An Exclusive Scale Model originally appeared on Autoblog.
Honda is a key player in F1, but it had to earn its place.
The pinnacle of motorsport, Formula One, may be dominated these days by big-money and sponsor-laden teams like McLaren, Red Bull, Mercedes, and Ferrari, but a key name that is often left out of these conversations is the Japanese automotive giant Honda.
The Power of Dreams brand is known for producing best-selling passenger cars and crossover SUVs for individuals and families of all sizes. Still, the same company that brought you the CR-V, Civic, and Accord is also one of the most notable engine suppliers in the sport, powering some of the most legendary cars to hit the grid, including those driven by Ayrton Senna, Nelson Piquet, Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell, and Max Verstappen.
The first Honda F1 victory was 60 years ago
However, 60 years ago, Formula 1 was a different sport. There were no sponsors, TV deals, Drive to Survive, elaborate liveries, or many safety features behind the wheel. Still, Honda found its footing as a factory team, achieving some success in its second year of competition.
In 1965, Honda was still more well-known as a motorcycle company; however, its car, the Honda RA272, proved to be a statement piece on the grid. The 272 proved to be a marvel of engineering, powered by a 1.5-liter V12 developed by motorcycle engineers well before Honda sold a single car. Still, it managed to pump out 230 horsepower — the most powerful on the grid at the time — with a screaming redline of 12,000 rpm.
During the 1965 Mexican Grand Prix on October 24, 1965, American driver Richie Ginther led the grid to victory, pushing the Honda to win in the season's last race. This marked the first time a Japanese car, engine, and team won in the sport and set the course that would cement its reputation in the grid and paddock in the decades to come, both through its own team efforts and as an engine supplier to teams like Lotus, Williams, McLaren, and Red Bull.
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You can buy a piece of Honda's F1 history
To celebrate the 60th anniversary of this notable win, Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) is teaming up with the ultra-high-end die-cast scale model specialists at Amalgam Collection to create a limited series of RA272 scale models available for purchase.
If you think this is some run-of-the-mill die-cast that you can buy on your way out of CVS or at the toy section at Target, you'd be wrong. Amalgam Collection has a 40-year history of making some of the most detailed (and expensive) replications of iconic cars. According to HRC, the Amalgam team travelled to the Honda Collection Hall in Motegi, Japan, to see and get accurate digital scans.
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Combined with hundreds of period photographs from the 1965 season, the data Amalgam gathered was used to make molds that capture every corner and crevice of the racer's bodywork. The 1:8 scale version alone comprises over 1,600 parts, including precision CNC-machined metal pieces, resin castings, and photo-etched details. Real automotive paints and historically correct colors are used to finish each piece. All in all, Amalgam took more than 4,500 hours to develop the model and another 450 hours to build each one.
“This RA272 model is more than a tribute—it’s an invitation to own a piece of our motorsport history,” HRC President Koji Watanabe said in a statement. “Racing is deeply embedded in Honda’s DNA, and this model is a reminder of where our success began.”
Final Thoughts
Eager collectors will have a choice between two sizes, though they will be very exclusive and cost a pretty penny. Amalgam is offering just 30 examples of the larger 1:8 scale models for $28,995 and 300 units of the smaller 1:18 scale models for $1,735.
Both versions come with a certificate of authenticity, a commemorative booklet signed by Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) President Koji Watanabe, and a bespoke display case, which would make a nice addition to your coffee table, cabinet, or wherever you choose to display it.
The first chance to snag one will be during Monterey Car Week at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, and the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion on August 15-16, before online sales open.
Honda Celebrates 60 Years Since First F1 Win With An Exclusive Scale Model first appeared on Autoblog on Aug 8, 2025
This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Aug 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
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