Made By:
Chevron
Scale:
N/A
MSRP:
US$7.99
Overview: | |
---|---|
Packaging (Design): | 8/10 |
Packaging (Durability): | 9/10 |
Casting (Body): | 8/10 |
Casting (Interior): | 9/10 |
Casting (Chassis): | 8/10 |
Casting (Engine): | N/A |
Paint (Exterior): | 9/10 |
Paint (Interior): | N/A |
Paint (Trim/Graphics): | 9/10 |
Overall Panel Fit: | 10/10 |
Total Score: | 8.8/10 |
Background
Though Leo is branded as the "25th Edition" Chevron Car, that count only includes the regular numbered cars - both Davey Driver and the Icon Car came out earlier, and would have pushed him to #27 had they been included.
Packaging
Leo Limo's base is approximately 9" (229mm) x 4½" (115mm), with a textured street printed on the "road" and a silver edge. The Chevron logo/name and "Keep your Neighborhood Clean ♻" is printed on both ends, and his name and the Chevron Cars logo are on the front edge. The street surface is part of the image on the back panel, which has Leo parked in front of the theater presenting a "World Premiere" as we saw in the "Celebrities" commercial. "Safety tested and recommended for children age 3 and over" is printed in a window of a storefront near the right edge of the panel. A silver sticker with a purple and yellow ribbon declaring Leo the 25th car is affixed to the front of the plastic bubble. The back panel is even more directly tied to the commercial, with Leo talking to the white limo from the ad. The toy's features are listed on a sign being held by a dog between the cars and theater door. The bottom of the package has a photo of Frankie with callouts for his moving eyes, right side steering wheel, moonroof, two-tone paint, entertainment center, whitewall tires, and opening doors, plus the usual marketing paragraph: "Leo Limo goes a long way to show everyone a good time, so he always stocks his fridge with sodas and snacks and other good stuff. That way he's always ready to let the good times roll!" The customer feedback card, Owner's Manual, and order form are packed inside the blister.
Casting/Paint
Leo is a bit fancier than the usual Chevron car. Larger and swoopier, with the upper portion of his blue ABS body painted a darker metallic blue to give him an extra luxe look. The windshield, moonroof, and rear window are clear plastic, while the sideview mirrors are silver plastic with chrome foil inserts for glass. The grille, rear bumper, trunk latch, and taillight bezels are painted silver, a somewhat lighter shade than the mirrors. Red paint is used for the taillights themselves, flanking the usual "Techron" license plate. Black and white paint is used for Leo's mouth, and his eyes are brown with peach eyelids.
The interior is a grayish-brown with a black steering wheel on the right side of the dashboard. The front seat area is sufficiently detailed, with textured seats, seatbelts, gauge impressions on the dash and a center console. But the back really shines with the addition of a detailed entertainment are complete with a TV, minifridge, books, and a telephone. The chassis continues the trend we saw with Frankie, with extra suspension, exhaust, and engine details in addition to the usual name and series logo plate. The tires are black vinyl with hard plastic wheels forming the silver hubcaps and white sidewalls.
Features/Accessories
Leo has opening doors and moving eyes. The rear doors hinge from the back, and all four open easily and snap securely into place. The eyes are activated by pushing down on his front and rolling him forward to make his eyes move left and right.
Accuracy
Both here and in the commercial, Leo takes most of his styling cues from Rolls Royce/Bentley. But in the ad, many of the details were from the Silver Shadow/T-Series, most notably the peaked front fenders and more square trunk lid. Here, the design is much softer and rounder, closer to the earlier Silver Cloud/S-Series.
Overall
Chevron took some extra effort to make this silver edition car something unique, and for the most part they did great. The extra paint is clean and nicely applied, all four doors fit as good as any I've seen, and the car evokes classic European styling while staying true to the look of the Chevron Cars. Excellent work overall.
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