Albeit discreetly, the Datsun marked the rally scene from the 70s to the early 80s, during the Group 4 regulations. Launched in 1969, the 240Z had an interesting 2.4-litre 6-cylinder engine producing 150hp . To promote its product, Datsun prepared a sporting program in rallies, obtaining decent results, such as the victory at the Safari and a third place at the 1972 Monte Carlo.
In the history of static modeling, Spark has truly revolutionized the market. The brand was created by Hugues Ripert, whose father André had been one of the main contenders of the artisanal modeling scene in the 70s and 80s. After working for Vitesse, Quartzo and Ixo, Ripert jr did not choose the diecast technique but opted for resin, with production in China but development and conception strictly in the European tradition. In practice the idea was to offer special models built in small series (what were later called "resincast"). The first Sparks were released in 2000, with a quality-price ratio unapproachable for most industrial and artisanal producers. Today Spark continues to churn out dozens of new products a year, having also expanded its production to other scales, such as 1:18 but also 1:64. There are numerous numbered and limited series for the various national distributors and for private customers such as teams, sponsors, drivers and so on.