Made By:
Mondo Motors
Scale:
1/24
MSRP:
$9.99
Overview: | |
---|---|
Packaging (Design): | 7/10 |
Packaging (Durability): | 7/10 |
Casting (Body): | 7/10 |
Casting (Interior): | 8/10 |
Casting (Chassis): | 8/10 |
Casting (Engine): | 7/10 |
Paint (Exterior): | 8/10 |
Paint (Interior): | 9/10 |
Paint (Trim/Graphics): | 9/10 |
Overall Panel Fit: | 10/10 |
Total Score: | 8.0/10 |
Packaging
The car is packaged in a red window box, with a single clear panel that takes up most of the front and top panels. The Mondo Motors logo is in the top left corner of the top panel, and "Special Collection" is in the top right corner. These are repeated on the front of the box, which also has "Metal Die-Cast," the scale, the age restriction, and "Italian Design." this same information (minus the "Die Cast" line) is also on both end flaps. The back panel has two versions of the Mondo logo, "Special Collection," "Italian Design," the scale, and addresses for Mondo in Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, the UK, and the US. The model is held to a gray cardboard tray with two screws, and plastic bands hold the doors and hood closed. The make and model of the vehicle are printed on a clear sticker applied to the back wall of the tray.
Casting/Paint
Generally very good work, save for some unfortunate parting lines running longitudinally along all four fenders and a small blob on the leading edge of the hood. Other than these, the body sports a very clean casting with no flash and generally good panel fit. Especially nice are the tiny "Jaguar" and "XKR" on the rear fascia - unlike most diecast vehicle trim, these are actually raised and are very well done. There does seem to be a problem with the hood bulge, as the right edge of it doesn't quite line up correctly with the bulge on the nose. The headlights, windows, and taillights are cast in clear plastic (the lower halves of the taillights are painted red), the grille is chrome with black bumperettes, and the cowl is part of the top of the engine bay, allowing for separate wipers. Fit and finish on all of these are excellent, and the casting is good other than a small piece of flash on the left headlight. The headlight pins look worse in photos then they do in person, though I still wish more companies would switch to a pinless mounting system. On a car like the Jaguar, these marks really interrupt the flow of the front of the car. The marker lights, driving lights, window trim, and rear fascia trim are all painted very well. The Jaguar logo on the nose is a printed element, and the mirror inserts and license plate are stickers. The engine is a simple two-piece construction that captures the general look of the supercharged Jaguar engine. The interior is solid if not exceptional, but has some nice features that other diecast companies miss, such as proper seat backs. The dash face and part of the steering wheel rim are painted brown, while the gauges, the rest of the steering wheel, and part of the center console are black. The chassis is a step beyond what's usually seen at this price range, with separate suspension components creating a nice level of detail..
Features/Accessories
The hood and doors open, the front wheels steer.
Accuracy
Very nice work overall. The unique XKR details are captured well, and the overall contours of the Jaguar look very accurate. The ride height seems a bit high, though: a 1-2" drop would correct the stance to that of its full-sized counterpart. Scale is a perfect 1/24.
Overall
The XKR coupe does not get nearly enough attention in scale, fortunately Mondo (and the manufacturer of this particular model, MotorMax) was able to provide collectors with a replica that is as solid as this. It's not 100% perfect, but the little touches like the raised trim lettering and separate suspension components really show that some extra effort was put into producing a decent replica. Definitely recommended.
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