215S - Ford Thunderbird Open Sports

Although briefly delayed as a result of tooling problems, Corgi 436 hit the shops in April 1963. It was the first of several Citroën estate cars produced by Corgi in the 60s, the Safari name – which is what Citroën called it in the UK – seemingly inspiring the model’s theme and livery!

With a two-piece opening tail-gate and fold-down rear seat (operated via a thumb wheel on the baseplate), Corgi also added two figures in the car – presumably influenced by the popular early- 60s ‘On Safari’ BBC documentary series featuring Belgian wildlife photographers Armand and Michaela Denis.

The African theme was further enhanced by a ‘Wildlife Preservation’ logo on the bonnet and a set of luggage on the roof-rack. On original examples, Corgi aficionados have long noted the colour variations that exist for both the luggage and the interior – which greatly adds to its collectability.

Size: Length: 104mm Width: 40mm Height: 28mm

Scale: 1:46