Monday, September 19, 2016

Here We Go Again: AUTOart's 1/18 Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34) Nismo Z-Tune


"Another one?" you ask.

Yes, Yes it is. But it's a little different this time. 

I've got the thirty-three. Three of them, in fact. I've got three of the thirty-fives as well. Time to fill in the gap. Finally, I've got the thirty-four, perhaps the holiest of holy grails to Skyline fanboys and fangirls across the world. Introducing the Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34) Nismo Z-Tune, by AUTOart, in eighteeth scale.


What you are about to see is not AUTOart's best work. Flaws are aplenty. Quality issues are aplenty. But through it all, what you will see is one magnificent model, in perhaps one of the best colors ever for the R34: Millennium Jade.

Bayside Blue comes to mind when you think about the most iconic colors in all of automobile history. Yes it's great, and I would love to add one to the collection at some point, but I'd like to contend that this is even better, and green is my least favorite of the color palette. I can't think of another car to don this shade of green and look this good doing so. It's like an olive green, but lighter and much shinier. Very metallic. Under the light, it has hues of yellow and gold to it. The color alone is what sold the model for me; never mind the fact that this is the limited-release colorway for this particular AUTOart model. 


Speaking of limited releases, this is one of 2000 units produced by AUTOart. More specifically, it's number 400 out of 2000, and you get a little certificate to show off to your friends as well, if that's your kind of thing. The general release colorways include silver, black, and (you guessed it) Bayside Blue. Can't go wrong with any of those choices, but if you can find it, get this one.


I'm sure this was a highly anticipated release when it came out, and I have to say that AUTOart missed the boat a little on this model. They usually have the whole "stance" thing figured out on all their cars, one of the few companies to consistently do so. So I'm not sure what's up with the lifted ride height up in the back. I'm not sure who signed off on this model but it seems like a pretty obvious inaccuracy to spot. Then we come to the quality issues that AUTOart has received plenty of heat for. The rear badges on my example are crooked. The paint on the bumpers doesn't perfectly match that of the rest of the body. The steering is creakier than an old set of stairs. Just a little warning for prospective collectors. I did my research and knew of these issues beforehand. I got it anyways.

Because, my god, this is one hell of a beast. 





















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