[KeU]

Finally, I am spoilt for choice of adding a Zonda road car into my collection between the releases from Almost Real and LCD.
And the Zonda F was my natural selection after watching Richard Hammond present it in Top Gear so many years ago. Not to forget the drag race with a Veyron when James May reviewed the F Roadster.
So how was Almost Real's attempt?
Pretty darn good I would say. There are several areas where they tried harder (and succeeded) compared to AutoArt. But there are some QC issues on mine that I will cover later.
I did have mine shipped direct from China which was much cheaper for me.
It ended up costing me $286 shipped.
Do take that in mind as I am probably more lenient compared to if I bought it closer to the $400 mark.

Some close up shots.
AR's attempt for details are evident here.
The engine bay details are good, especially the color treated exhaust.
Can't forget the geometrically correct and working suspension arms, those are a joy to look at.
Thankfully, every opening has a mesh and not solid textured plastic.
And of course, the now obligated luggage and storage for Pagani models.

Good serial number for my copy too.

My model has its share of QC issues.
The Modena Design photoetched part is misaligned and a huge smear of adhesive all the way into the wheelwell.

And a couple of spots of paint issues.

2 other things to note, Almost Real uses some kind of faux leather material for the tiedowns.
I commend their attempt to be as close as reality as possible.
However, those straps feel really fragile.
Perhaps, using rubber straps are more durable. Similar to how AutoArt did them on the Huayra.
Secondly, even though the Zonda seems like it features more metal parts than a typical AutoArt model, the whole rear wing is made of plastic. It might be to make it less susceptible to snapping, but even the side mirror stalks are metal. Having a metal wing sure do feel better than cheap bendy plastic.
Other than that, I am very happy with this Zonda.
I have no idea how long I have waited to have a high end model in my collection instead of having to settle for the Motormax version.
I have high hopes of what Almost Real puts out next.
And with the great feedback I am seeing with LCD models, this is a good time for Zonda fans.

 

[stevenmweiner]

That's a beautiful piece. Nice photos, and a good review! 👌

 

[KeU]

Some additional photos with other cars.

Going back to the AutoArt and Almost Real comparison, it is interesting to see how different their CF wrap is.
AutoArt has crisper edges and definition while Almost Real is more accurate to scale (Still too large) and deeper gloss.

Group shots of the 3 startups / restart from the late 90s and early 2000s.
Great to see all of them endured and are big players now.

 

[SHSlim]

You got a good price for that, I paid $258 (without shipping) so similar to you. I can't see any glue or paint issues on mine but i'll have another look to be sure. Having bought 2 of them I decided they don't really fit into my collection so i'll probably end up putting them on EBay at some point, although I agree with you, it's a lovely model.

 

[MSZ]

Mine was $262 shipped. Thankfully it came without any issues.

 

[RSQuattro]

Mine was $262 shipped. Thankfully it came without any issues.

Where this model was avaliable for this price? Was it from Ebay?

 

[Madej]

Zonda is extra, I very like it. It is expensive, but i can forget the price and enjoy model.
Congratulation. I hope that AR release Jaguar XJ220 in the future

 

[MSZ]

Where this model was avaliable for this price? Was it from Ebay?

Singles day (Nov 11th) @ Aliexpress

Make sure to mark that day on your calendar because things are cheap on that day across all Chinese platforms.

 

[RSQuattro]

Singles day (Nov 11th) @ Aliexpress

Make sure to mark that day on your calendar because things are cheap on that day across all Chinese platforms.

Thanks man!

 

[spikyone]

Good review, thanks for sharing! For your comment on the rear wing material, the only way to make the wing from metal would be to form thinner pieces of metal to the right shapes and that would be a fairly expensive process - complex and time consuming. It's not possible to get that type of long and thin shape from die casting, you'd have to do costly machining to after casting.

On almost every model with a wing, they are made from plastic because creating that type of shape with an injection moulding is simple and cost effective.

 

[KeU]

Good review, thanks for sharing! For your comment on the rear wing material, the only way to make the wing from metal would be to form thinner pieces of metal to the right shapes and that would be a fairly expensive process - complex and time consuming. It's not possible to get that type of long and thin shape from die casting, you'd have to do costly machining to after casting.
On almost every model with a wing, they are made from plastic because creating that type of shape with an injection moulding is simple and cost effective.

Good to know.
It makes sense.
Even compared to the side mirrors, those are easier to diecast compared to the slimmer and longer wing.

 

[spikyone]

Good to know.
It makes sense.
Even compared to the side mirrors, those are easier to diecast compared to the slimmer and longer wing.

Yes, they'd be a bit fiddly to cast and many manufacturers use plastic for mirrors too, but definitely more achievable. The mirrors will probably have a bigger radius on all the features and a thicker cross section.