Never forget that here at Road & Track, when it all shakes out—after all the racetrack hours and far-flung press drives—we're mostly just a bunch of desk jockeys. In turn, that means plenty of real estate on our desks (and mantles, and shelves, and toolboxes) devoted to nicknacks of the car nerd variety. Especially scale models.
Whether it's a Tamiya, Hot Wheels, or Amalgam, there's not a single car model we'd turn away; all are suitable distractions from writing. But when was the last time you saw a novel approach to scale model making?
Here's one.
We wrote about Andrew Ritter's project, Ritter Goods, a few years back. In July 2020, Ritter's cheery, cheeky Instagram tributes felt something like an antidote to trying times, a distillation of automotive joy dolled out when we needed it most. Ritter's magic never left, even as the world stabilized.
Since then, Ritter Goods has spread its wings, snowballing from a project for personal amusement to here: an official partnership with RUF that has produced the first in a line of miniatures for Ritter Goods.
This 1:43 scale model hews that same fine line between realism and fantasy, just like Ritter's digital renders. Exacting proportion is less important than personality here, but all the right details are accounted for.
The model's speedometer is pegged at the Yellowbird's record-setting top speed. There are bucket seats, a roll cage, and a detailed interior. The model's headlight housings are clear, harboring detailed lenses. Then there's all those little Yellowbird Easter eggs: the RUF wheel, the Naca ducts, the Cup side mirror attached to the driver's side. Even this mini Yellowbird's undercarriage is accounted for with care.
Obviously, the shared history between RUF and Road & Track makes this doubly special. We coined the name "Yellowbird" at that infamous high-speed shootout so many years ago, the one that put RUF and its creations on the map for many American enthusiasts. So, of course, this model is a must-buy for me, a visual reminder that history is rarely made from our desks, but that it's good to keep a sliver of nostalgia there anyways.
You can buy the model here, on the Ritter Goods site, for $125 plus shipping. It comes displayed in a clear acrylic display case, perched on a stand, and adorned with a Ritter Goods metal plaque.
The only member of staff to flip a grain truck on its roof, Kyle Kinard is R&T's senior editor and resident malcontent. He lives near Seattle and enjoys the rain. His column, Kinardi Line, runs when it runs.
