[RSQuattro]

One of my most antecipated purschases of the year, this was a model i spent a long time looking for one brand new. It joins the Ferrari big scale family with full access in my collection. I hope someday someone decides to make a Porsche 918 Spyder and a Ferrari LaFerrari with 360 access.

Well to the model... this is an oldie from Tamiya semi assembled series, but looks incredibly nice by today's standard. It's one of the best looking scale model cars i've ever seen.
The paint job is amazing and the color is really special, closer to the Liquid Metal Silver from the 918 Spyder than a regular silver. There is this carbon pattern everwhere. The interior looks like leather and there some metal pieces that look like the 1:1 car. Wheels, rotors and pads look spot on, branded and all.
Engine detail is very clean like the real car, but very well done. The "frunk", from the pics i've seen, looked very plasticly, but it's not. The material used tries to emulate leather, so nice. The inside door panels are a work of art. As are the headlights. But as no model is perfect, far from it, this one has his weak points:

• The rear end coud be lower.
• The rear clamshell fitment is not good on both sides.
• The doors are inexplicable flimsy. The worst of all Tamiya assembled models, diecast or not.
• Overall the model is not as sturdy as the Enzo or the GTO from Tamiya. This was disapointing, but not a deal breaker.

In the end i just loved this model, it's everything a collector would wish from this hobby.

 

[MerkurKing16]

Beautiful, glad you took it out of the box!

 

[RSQuattro]

This has just arrived. Just loved to bits.

 

[RSQuattro]

Another 1/12 and another Mercedes to keep my big scale family growing. The SLS from Premium Classixxs. More humble than the spectacular 300 SL, but still an interesting purchase. To me, the point of this one is that has(or had at the time of it's release) a low price for a 1/12 scale with full 360º access. Because it's not the most detailed nor the most refined model out there. But when you consider that is priced the same as a 1/18 from Autoart or Kyosho, it's an exceptional proposition and great value. In terms of detail and execution i would put it below a Millenium Series Autoart but above the average Kyosho 1/18.
The exterior is spot on, crispy lines, correct proportions and tight shutlines. Some vents are lacking real mesh grills, the wipers could be better, but apart from that, the exterior is really great. The wheels and tires are a stand out. The interior is honest, very well made and the materials used on the seats are great, looks like soft leather, impressive. The engine bay is ok, not Millenium levels of details, but better than many AMG 6.2 block representations seen out there. One curious observation about this specific colour, it that it looks like a common mettalic blue in the pics, but in person is kind of "greenish" blue. I would call it a very special colour.
Well in the end , for the sheer presence and size, and the amount details present, this model is a very nice addition to my collection, and more important, it shows that manufactures used to provide more for much less money in a not so distant past. Well done Premium Classixxs.

 

[RSQuattro]

I am little late with my updates, the next one is from the 1/12 family, the AA Bugatti Chiron. Blue with beige interior. Less agressive than other colours combos, but the contrast makes up for it.
The model itself it's the usual composite Autoart business, the exterior is almost faultless, perfect shape, beautiful paiting.Details made in matt chrome look great. Mesh grills all around.
The interior is very nice, all plastic but nice leather representation. The gauges are a let down since they are just a printed sticker.
Engine details are fine at best. It looks good from above, but lack the depth of AA of old.
In this day and age of crazy prices, this model represents a nice value for the money. In the shelf, it's stunning, on a closer look, it's just good, not great.

 

[RSQuattro]

 

[RSQuattro]

Next one is from the good old days of Autoart. The Jaguar XJ13. What an amazing little thing. Don't have too much to add on this one, as it's very well known by the members here.
On a more personal note, it amazes me how some old models like this shows how much effort they used to put into their offers. And for a very fair price(at the time

 

[simondc07]

Some great 1/12 additions - especially love the red Gullwing MB, but as a 1/18 collector the Jaguar resonates strongest with me. This is Autoart at it's greatest - great casting, subject type, detail and durability (no where near as fragile as some of their most recent releases. I have owned one of these Jaguars for over 15 years and got lucky at the time. However I had an opportunity to add a second at a bargain basement price. Felt really guilty at the time with the asking price and informed the then seller to charge more or keep it long term. This is one diecast that will certainly appreciate in the future - it is that good!

 

[RSQuattro]

Some great 1/12 additions - especially love the red Gullwing MB, but as a 1/18 collector the Jaguar resonates strongest with me. This is Autoart at it's greatest - great casting, subject type, detail and durability (no where near as fragile as some of their most recent releases. I have owned one of these Jaguars for over 15 years and got lucky at the time. However I had an opportunity to add a second at a bargain basement price. Felt really guilty at the time with the asking price and informed the then seller to charge more or keep it long term. This is one diecast that will certainly appreciate in the future - it is that good!

Thanks for the comment, and nice gesture mate! I wish more people be like you!

 

[RSQuattro]

The first of my Ferrari 1/12 family, those are the models i hold most dearly. I will start with the model i consider the least succesfull reproduction. It's the first Ferrari Tamiya released and the second 1/12 assembled model they made. The quality is there, but details are poorer and execution is not up to the next models they released. Exterior is fine, almost great, but the rear mesh grill is a big misstep, looks like a Maisto. Apart from that, the lines are crisp, the paiting is very good and overall shape is correct.
The interior and engine details are much better, just not amazing. But there are carbon fiber decals in several parts, no moulded carbon to be seen, nice effort in a such old model.
The seats looks amazing, with cloth details on the shoulder area like the real thing. The dash is all covered in alcatara replication material, and the shift knob in carbon decal. Nice.
In the end this model is not as good as it should be given the importance of the real car, but it's the best open, full access F50 there is, excluding of course the 1:8 Amalgam replica.
To me, well, it was a must have. Love it, despite all it's flaws. Just like a real Ferrari.

 

[RSQuattro]

I am finally taking some time to show my second Ferrari in 1/12 scale. Another semi-assembled model from Tamiya, the Enzo is in another league compared to the F50 in terms of details and execution. To me this is one of those all time great models. It does have it's shortcomings of course, but considering the original car and the product ofered by Tamiya, this model has a special place among the best i've seen. At least, among the best of my collection.
The exterior is bombastic, the car is low, the lines are faultless, the paiting is near perfect, the wheels and tires are spot on. The doors mechanism is great. They open very smoothly and realistic.
The model is full of details everywhere, including parts that won't be seen after the car is fully assembled. Engine details are amazing, very complete. Everything is there, carbon decals, cables, stickers, functional suspension, fuel cap, eletronic control for the dampers. Wow.
One aspect that could be better is the exhaust system, it's too chrome and shiny.
The interior looks very good, very detailed and well made. The steering wheel should be better represented though, with nicer decals of the buttons and the colour is too grey. The steering wheel of the F50 is black, it looks more realistic than the "greyish" steering of the Enzo. Other point of observation is the lack of carbon decal here and there.
So as you can see, to me, this model has not too many faults, it looks amazing, has a ton of details, the package is very special. And it's the Enzo! I could not have asked for much more.

 

[RSQuattro]

I love to celebrate some "underdog" models that turns out to be truly great. Some i consider being on this category are the TSM Porsche 935 and 936/77, the LCD Mclaren 600LT, the Premium Classixxs Mercedes SLS and now this Jargermesiter Schuco Porsche 934. Those models are not from the top brands like Autoart, CMC or Exoto, and nevetheless they are models that have sensational details, upscale packaging(certificate, gloves, branded cleaning cloth, nice outer box, so on), and mainly, are priced very agressively.
In the case of this Schuco 934, the price is shockingly low, given how awesome the model is. I know people mentioned this Schuco is an old Exoto mold(as other models i cited above), but who is complaing? The execution is Schuco's. And price's too.
The only let down of this model is the poor interior, too plasticity, no alcantara reproduction to be seen as the Exoto version had. But other than that, the details are on par or even better than the Exoto, as we can verify on the pics. I don't know how this one was not on my radar before.

Get one before they are gone.

 

[RSQuattro]

The model is the usual old AA Milenium business. Great quality and lovely details.
I saw somewhere that this model was priced at more or less us$ 60 at the time of its release. What a great value.
There is this natural "flow" about this old AA offers, everything seems so right. The exterior lines, the chrome details, the wheels. In the interior there is no shiny plastic, the dash detail is, again, so natural, so well made and realistic. This is not the matter of "diecast vs composite" argument so present nowadays, it's the attention to detail that is absent in the new models and that make those old models so desirable.
Lovely, just lovely.

 

[RSQuattro]

More or less one year ago i was about to purchase the AA Huayra BC, after i could not find their Signature regular Huayra. I was a bit reluctant, since i thought the Signature version was a bit better even if the BC looked hotter. Then i saw a video of this future release from LCD and i was sold. I gave up on the AA and waited this to come out. Well it took longer than i woud've like it, but it's finally here. And orange was the colour i was strucked on. Flashy, vulgar, exagerated. Exactly what i wanted for this model, so i passed on the default silver and the almost "common" red. The Mclaren 600 LT from LCD was one of my biggest surprises on this hobby and it's one of my favorite models of modern sports cars. So i had high expectations from this newer offer. I can say i just plain love it. In person the orange is stunning. The exterior has so many flourishes and add ons that is a real pleasure to stare to the model. Carbon side slips, small badges everywhere, red accents on the mirrors, on the spoilers, on the rear diffuser. Together with the glossy carbon everywhere, there is so much to see. The wheels and tires are maybe the best i've seen on a 1/18 scale. If not the best, pretty close. The acantara replication LCD makes in the 600 LT and now here it's lovely.
Two downsides comes from the interior, and to be honest, unexcusable. First the cabin tub that supposed to be carbon decal but its molded plastic(shocking) and the middle of the seats that are glossy and shiny.. But it's not enough to compromise such a brilliant model, and it undercuts the Autoart version in terms of price, and in my opinion, is on another level. To me it's on par with the Almost Real Zond F, it's better in some areas and worst in others.
Another strike from LCD.

 

[RSQuattro]

Two random pics with my latest purchase, the 1962 Corvette. What a beauty.

 

[YTNYC]

A curiously diverse collection, reminds me of my own years ago prior downsize. Even share some of the same models (XJ13, AA Alfa33, BBR 375 though my is #4 from LeMans). Just curious as to what is your interest in collecting? You got sports cars, street cars, race cars, oldies, newer, etc. Like a fine salad... my own interest is simple - car design- a lifelong passion and I almost went to study it but ended switching to architecture. What's yours? How come you've got a model of drivel undistinguished Murcielago as well as "noble" 375plus? The AA model of Nissan's siluette series is great as a model but again- as a car, it is, well, a curio at best that was raced only domestically in Japan, and is not nearly as important, or as distinguished, or as innovative, as say Jaguar XJ13 the model of which- also by AA, is less detailed, but still superior because of its better "stance", it's far more complex and technically challenging shape, and, frankly, the car itself. Anyways, an interesting collection though I do not really see the "why". Cheers!

 

[RSQuattro]

A curiously diverse collection, reminds me of my own years ago prior downsize. Even share some of the same models (XJ13, AA Alfa33, BBR 375 though my is #4 from LeMans). Just curious as to what is your interest in collecting? You got sports cars, street cars, race cars, oldies, newer, etc. Like a fine salad... my own interest is simple - car design- a lifelong passion and I almost went to study it but ended switching to architecture. What's yours? How come you've got a model of drivel undistinguished Murcielago as well as "noble" 375plus? The AA model of Nissan's siluette series is great as a model but again- as a car, it is, well, a curio at best that was raced only domestically in Japan, and is not nearly as important, or as distinguished, or as innovative, as say Jaguar XJ13 the model of which- also by AA, is less detailed, but still superior because of its better "stance", it's far more complex and technically challenging shape, and, frankly, the car itself. Anyways, an interesting collection though I do not really see the "why". Cheers!

First thanks for comenting in my thread, i really apreciate it. Well, the points you raised are very interesting. Curiously i went for the oposite direction from you, first i wanted to study architecture but i ended graduating in industrial design. I think you got precisely my goal with my collection, i just love car design, and because of this, there is simply too much to apreciate. Of course Ferraris in general set the standard for "historical importance", so part of my collection is focused, or was focused on the italian brand. But what i am atracted the most when i choose a model is the level of detail considering the price, and when i say level, it's not just the amount, but if the model presents itself in a interesting way. It's like a combination of how a model looks in miniature. One example that comes to mind is the AA Porsche 993. The real car is ok, nothing out of this world, but the model was so deliciously made, the shape is so correct, the details so natural, the colour combo(Blue with cream interior) so handsome that even to this day i just love to stare at this model. And its just a simple AA Porsche 993. Not a Pagani, nor is a Exoto.
Sure, there are many real cars that stir my heart the most, like Alfas, Mclaren F1, Ferrari F40 and so on. One curious thing about this hobby is more or less mentioned in your comment, is that sometimes some lesser real cars make really great scale model. Hence the Nissan Silluette, or the Mclaren Senna, which i don't like in 1/1, but the model looks amazing.

 

[RSQuattro]

Autoart Corvette 1962 in full detail now. Gorgeous. Autoart at it's best.

 

[RSQuattro]

New add, ST Well Audi RS6.

 

[RSQuattro]

This is so fresh and great.