Aisin-Gioro Puyi became Emperor of China at the age of two in 1908, was forced to abdicate in 1912, and then was established as the puppet Emperor of Manchuko by the Japanese in 1934. TSM’s beautifully made model of Puyi’s gold-trimmed limo is a bit confusing; it’s listed as a 1932 Cadillac “Tudor,” but obviously has four doors – and “8C” is not a Cadillac designation. It’s based on a car seen in a movie clip but current research indicates that Puyi’s car was really a custom-bodied 1933 Lincoln; aside from the shape of the third window and hood louvers there’s little resemblance to any Cadillac; the big gold Packard-style grille certainly was never seen on any. TSM’s 143-inch (scale) wheelbase is close to the ’33 KB, too. Leaving the academic problems aside, this is a really well-done model with hand-rubbed maroon paint, and every piece of trim is either plated or printed gold; the fine mesh grille is especially impressive. The five-seat interior has realistic tan plush upholstery with maroon pinstripes and separate gold handles, cranks, foot rail, and dash trim; that dash is a nicely done decal and both the shift and brake handles are there. Gorgeous gold-trimmed wheels are backed by big brake drums and there’s some nice relief chassis detail, too. It may not be a Cadillac, but it’s a beauty. – Wayne Moyer
1:43 | $69.99
