Company history
Close to Milan and Lake Como, the small town of Gerenzano has hosted for almost 35 years the MR Collection Models factory. This region in the North West of Lombardy is well-known for industry, craft and commerce. Infusing the tradition of Italian handcraft and artistic history, as well as modern technology, we employ about 20 workers to produce hand built model cars in 1:43, 1:18 and 1:8 scales. The company was founded in 1988 and since then, our products have been appreciated by collectors worldwide. From China, Japan to Europe, the Americas and the Middle East, we have represented the Italian passion for cars and touched the hearts of many car enthusiasts throughout the world.
MR Collection Models is proud to work closely with the Centro Stile of the most prestigious car manufacturers, such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Bentley, Pagani and for the last 15 years we are honored to create the official models that are gifted during the most important World Premieres. These models are unveiled together with the real cars and are reserved to an exclusive audience of VIP customers and journalists. This is only possible thank to the trust of the big brands, who share with us the mathematics of the new models, making sure that the replicas by MR Collection Models are presented at the same time of the real cars and are always the first to enter the market: a simultaneity appreciated by collectors.
Another important part of our businnes, of which we are as well very proud, is the creation of models specifically dedicated to customer of the world’s most prestigious brands. The owners receive precise replicas of their new cars, regardless of the scale, fully customized and exactly identical to the orginal one. We have been working on Ferrari’s Contact Plan for 12 years, with customized 1:43 models, and on Lamborghini’s Contact Program for 7 years, in this case with 1:18 models. Furthermore, we recently introduced a bigger scale – the 1:8 – and for more than three years we have been crafting customized models of this size for Bugatti, Bentely and Pagani customers, and soon Lamborghini too.
Atelier & Tailor made
Moreover, for over seven years MR Collection Models is offering to its most demanding customers the unique opportunity to customize their models in 1:43 and 1:18 scale directly online, on the exclusive configurator system atelier-mrcollection.com. This service is identical to those used for real cars, that no one else in the world can offer, which places MR Collection Models at a higher level when it comes to satisfy its collectors needs.
The great quality of our models makes them desired all over the world. They are masterpieces of our customers’ collections and are proudly displayed in iconic places, such as all Ferrari Stores and the Boutique in the headquarter of Lamborghini. Our models are also showcased on the Bugatti Wall in Molsheim, in the Pagani Museum and in the most important motor shows in the world.
Never the less, we hold official licenses for Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Pagani, Bentley, Alfa Romeo, Audi, Volkswagen and Porsche. Last but not least, we would like to remember the important collaboration we have had with Mattel in creating the Hot Wheels Elite line, reserved for an audience of adult collectors. We also developed and put on the market the Lamborghini Countach LP400 and the Ferrari FXX Evo, that were the first “fully open” die-cast 1:43 models in the history.
We are passionate about our work and enjoy our collectors’ affection. We will continue to work hard on making our brands the best in the world. Our aim is to offer to our customers products of exquisite details and highest quality.
The Story Of Our Models
One of the most important aspects of our work involves being entrusted with a car manufacturer’s ultimate secrets & the design of their pre-released cars. To launch models with the new cars at a car show or special events, we must obtain precise details of new model car at least six months before it is announced. We must keep the secrets of our production for the manufacturers.
MR Collection’s production process may not seem complicated at first glance, but in order to produce life-like precise and realistic scale models, a model maker must have three essential skills.
First, the model maker must have a mathematical approach. The “mathematics” part of model making involves using the three dimensional CAD file reality of an automobile to scale down to its miniature format using computer design tools. From the miniature image, a set of production moulds are made. This is the same process as a real car design process.
Second, the model maker must have an extremely sharp eye for detail. The quantitative scaled down version of all the parts in proportion would make the models look clumsy and fail to convey the eye catching curves and lines of the real car. So, we must use our esthetic sense to adjust the proportion to make the model catching the spirit of the real car.
Third, with years of experience and accumulated knowledge, a model maker can use paint to bring alive a real car in the small scale stage. This takes a thousand ingenious technical tricks and artful dodges of a skilled hand. For this reason, the company spares no effort. We bring in specialists from near and far to paint in clinically sterile and absolutely dust-free rooms. Only a few true artists have the mastery qualifies for the paint job of MR Collection models. Our principal painter is the most sought after restorer of historic vehicles. He travels from Tessin in Switzerland every day to our factory to wield the spray gun and give MR Collection models their unrivalled paint finish of 5 paint coats.
With these three important skills, we can begin the making of the prototype.Using the prototype we produce the silicon moulds useful for the resin car bodies.Many of our car models have over 100 pieces involved : such as photo-etching, decals and white metal parts.Our car windows are also made with special attention. Produced in very fine acetate of 0.1 mm thickness, it gives an incomparable realistic effect . Attached with different kind of glue that are absolutely transparent leaves no traces of anything that does not belong.
MR Collection has become a cult name among model car fans: its customers snap up each of our new miniature car with the fervor of the work from one of the great court jewelers in history.
Our president realized that we have becoming part of a promising market for the future world wide automobile fans. Qualifying himself as a “self-made man”, he has opened additional production plants in addition to our factory in Northern Italy. He was the first Italian businessman to serve the Asian markets and with a subsidiary company in China some years ago.
MR Collection holds official licenses and cooperate directly with the most prestigious automotive companies: Ferrari, Lamborghini, Alfa Romeo, Audi, Volkswagen, Bentley, Bugatti and Porsche.
As you can see, we love our work and we are proud to have our products in many corners of the world. We will continue to bring exciting and interesting projects as the automobiles we portray.
Factory Tour
Entering the MR Collection Models factory is a unique experience. After passing through the reception of the large building just off the A9 motorway, we pass the elegant office of Egidio Reali, where many original drawings created for the Lombard entrepreneur by some of the greatest designers – both in Italy and further afield – are proudly displayed, reflecting the respect and friendship that the company has developed with these influential figures over the years.
The large central hall, perfectly lit and always kept impeccably neat, is the heart of the company: it is here that every detail of the models is checked, first by the staff and then by Egidio Reali himself, who puts his signature on each one as a guarantee of quality.
Around this space, the process of creating MR Collection Models and Looksmart Models takes place. It starts with the production department, where the various manufacturing stages are planned out according to the requested timeframe, coordinating all of the company’s resources. In the design department, meanwhile, a team of engineers creates new models in 3D using CAD, starting with the original mathematical provided by the automotive companies. This just goes to show the relationship of trust that MR Group has built up with its customers over the years. The drawings, however, are only the start of a complex process, based on decades of experience. It goes from printing resins and metal components in house, in order to produce prototypes, to meticulous finishing by hand in the prototype department, and ends with stove enamelling. Hundreds of models are shipped all over the world every week thanks to the efficient work of our sales department and warehouse.
Thanks to the specially created photo set, all the models are photographed and published on the websites of MR Collection Models and Looksmart Models, where customers can find an up-to-date calendar showing upcoming releases, the complete catalogue of all the models ever produced by us, and the latest news on Egidio Reali’s numerous trips around the world to major presentations, sporting events sponsored by MR Group and prestigious competitions.
The room that collectors from all around the world want to visit, however, is on the first floor. This is where we find the company museum, with all the models created throughout the history of the MR Group, perfectly arranged in elegant display cases. 1:12, 1:18, 1:43, and now 1:8 as well. The collection is topped off by special editions reserved for the most demanding customers or the most exclusive events. The meeting room, furnished tastefully with design elements and full of car memorabilia, such as the armchairs made from original Ferrari seats, is a fitting end to a unique journey taking models from their birthplace in our Gerenzano factory to the collections of the most demanding and sophisticated collectors in the world.
You can now take this journey virtually thanks to the video tour available on YouTube, which has opened the doors of MR Collection Models factory to the tens of thousands of fans who have viewed it to date.