AUTOart Lamborghini Diablo GTR

Yeah yeah... Still couldn't leave it standing there on a shelf... stuffed between other diecast boxes... So now I've added it to my own collection!
As I've seen that nobody did a review of it yet, I'll break the ice and do one. Without my own pics unfortunately, haven't got time for it yet .

Looking around in big diecast shop in Aachen, Germany, I found 2 boxes displayed from the side (so no sight on diecast ) with big Lambo logos on it. I was expecting AUTOart Diablo GTR and found Diablo GTR. A Hot Wheels version was standing beside it, and I used it for comparison.
My first inpression on both AUTOart was: WOW
Of course I knew about the big air intake flaw, but my sudden love for it took that criticism away and I took the black one, because that one looks so :x EVIL!!!
When I opened the box @ home I was only more impressed. What a car!

Ok, no more drooling now, back to business. :2gun:

Lamborghini Diablo GTR

Exterior

Looking at the exterior, the first impression is that it's very impressive. There's not as much plastic as the AUTOart Murciélago, or at least not feeling like cheap breakable plastic. The car has a nice solid weight on it, not as heavy as an Exoto C9 or a Paul's Model Art BMW M3 GTR (by far the heaviest in my collection) or AUTOart Jaguar XJ13, but it weighs much more than the Murci and the Viper GTS/R (very plasticky too).
The paintwork is stunning. Nice even black without any flaws (just one very small one, but barely noticable). The metallic part in the black is very fine. If you look at it from a small distance, it doesn't look like the blackest black there is, but a very nice and evil black metallic.
There are no thin painted places on the car, everything has the same color where it belongs that way.
About the details on the exterior I can be very short: amazing. Everything's there, from towing hook to a small black "thing" on the left before the windshield, the tampos with the "lightning" thing and the big red E in a white circle - no decals. Behind the air intakes behind the doors there are well readable "Diablo GTR" prints. Even the plug on the rear grille is there. All the lights are there and awesome. Even the round little lights beside the front air intakes are crafted separately.
There are perforated mesh grilles all over the car, with the exeption of the roof air intake and the central rear grille. On that last one, photo-etched name tags are applied ("Lamborghini" and "GTR").
The fuel caps are also very neatly crafted.
Wheels and brakes are standard AutoArt stuff, which means simply the best.
Turning indicators in front of the front wheels are painted on, but that's no problem for me.
Undercarriage is nicely detailed, not very impressing as usual (this is after all a race car). Rear suspension and engine are crafted very well.
Exhaust feels like metal, is hollow and chromed. Excellent piece of work.
Carbon fibre parts look like decals (don't know for sure, looks like front spoiler is printed carbon fibre color)
Pffff, that was the first part.
Oyeah, almost forgot :knutkck: :
My only complaint are the wrong side air intakes, but the other details make this complaint just melt away!

Interior

When the doors - who open very far but fall back unfortunately (feel fairly solid, though they slightly wobble in their highest position) are opened (kinda hard, you have to use some violence, but with nice small buttons), an amazing interior is unleashed. Most jump in the eye the flocked seat, steering wheel AND dashboard. Dashboard and seats even in two tone :jk: ! Inner side of the doors is partly flocked too.
The single seat has a black five-point racing harness in rubber, with buckles, but they are not chromed or not even painted in any way (that means just black). I painted them in aluminum colour.
The pedals are nice in silver with black stripes (i think to replicate perforating). Beside the driver seat is an empty place with black box and fire extinguisher.
Centre console is detailed with carbon fibre decals, accurate and detailed gear shifter, and switches with painting on it and -unreadable coz too small to read (or one needs eagle's eyes)- explanation by them.
Dashboard is one of the most beautiful I've ever seen in any car. Like I've said flocked in two-tone. Instruments are accurate and with actual plastic glass replication before them! The fitting of the instruments is caught in carbon fibre.
In the doors (with -not working- sliding windows) are in front the "airconditioning" tubes coming out op the opening in the mirrors.
No rearview mirror in interior, as I think accurate. Roof is painted black, and a nice roll cage is applied.
Over to

Features

I can be short about this, but I probably won't ;-)
Opening doors, trunk and engine cover.
The interior I already spoke of. In front compartment there is a carpeted ( :? -Race car! : ) space with radiator and some big black box (probably has to do something with cooling etc).
Engine is great, completely wired and plumbed.
OK, that WAS short, but there really isn't much to speak of, everything is there and stunningly detailed.

Conclusion

Well, what can I say? Only thing I can say is GET THIS CAR!!! GET IT RIGHT AWAY!!!
This black version looks SOOOOOOO :x EVIL!!! Especially with all those wings and air intakes! EVERYTHING IS THERE on this model. Unfortunately the side intakes are there, but in wrong direction, but that really is my only complaint.
For some hobbyist and/or customiser (Allan? :mrgreen: ) this could be easily combinated with the Hot Wheels intakes (Yes, the Hot Wheels intakes are removable together with the complete underside of the side (if you know what I mean)) They are exchangable, is what I want to say.

I'm happy I didn't buy the Hot Wheels and followed my eyes and not my mind for buying this one. I might have ended up with the wrong one !

But, I repeat, GET THIS AUTOart GTR!!! in my opinion it's worth every single penny from the 69,95 Euros I paid for it.
Here's a pic taken fom http://www.replicas.co.kr
Great site :sm:
http://www.replicas.co.kr/product/product....2)&color=BLACK#
Click on it for detail pics :angel: :angel: :angel:

AUTOart Diecast Model Numbers 74522 (Black), 74523 (Orange), 74521 (Yellow)