But the Ferrari 308 - glossily red, impossibly sleek and exotic, complete with pop-up headlamps and V8 soundtrack - was Selleck's real co-star, Magnum's trusty steed as the private investigator solved all manner of improbable mysteries.

If, like me, you've all but given up on the dream of putting a real Ferrari - never mind a Magnum-spec 308 - on your driveway, there's some good news from Playmobil.

It has added a wonderful model of Magnum's Ferrari 308 GTS Quattrovalvole ('Quattrovalvole' is simply Italian for 'four valve', but doesn't it instantly sound better than in English?) to its line-up.

The toy comes with not only a Thomas Magnum figure - complete with moustache and hairy chest peeping out from his Hawaiian shirt - but also his crew - TC, Rick, Higgins and, of course, the parrot.

Playmobil toys are highly, well, playable and mobile, and the £70 Magnum model has a removable roof, an opening engine cover and even pop-up headlamps.

It's worth noting that the first life-size Ferrari 308s had their bodywork made from fibreglass, so a plastic toy is perhaps a fitting homage (though the GTS version that Magnum drove always had steel bodywork).