All Black Everything: Greenlight's Black Bandit Series 13

Black cards, black cars, all black everything. You know the rest.

Count me as one of the many out there who don't like the all-black look. It's extremely tacky, and I don't understand why people choose to do their cars this way. Plus, I never liked black wheels to begin with, especially when someone spray paints their stock wheels black. Therefore, I'd say that I'm not a huge fan of the Black Bandit series. However, there are times when the casting trumps the colorway, times when you don't really like the color or decals, but you love the car itself. That's what this is right here. Black paint, black wheels, black interior, three super cool castings.

So here we have the Nissan GT-R, Chevy Monte Carlo, and Chevy Silverado (not pictured, because I found them on separate occasions). Three fairly new castings from Greenlight and three that I'm very eager to have in hand. All of them are my first examples of the castings, so I'm not exactly sure what to expect. Let's take a look...

I'll start with the GT-R. Call it ugly, but I love the R35. You might be able to guess that from my avatar photo. It's the one car that really transformed me from a car fan to a car freak. I'm very excited to have this GT-R, and I really never thought it would last long enough on the pegs for me to find it. Right place, right time.

This one is based off the 2015 model, which differs from the 2007 model with the front foglights, slightly more angular grille trim, and wheels. I thought there were supposed to be ducts on the sides of the rear bumper skirt, but I guess Greenlight omitted that detail. I have to say I prefer the design of the '07 over the '15, but I'm not complaining. Either way, this is a wonderfully detailed piece that any Skyline or JDM fan would love to have.

This model is my first 2015 GT-R and my first R35 of any year in true 1/64 scale. It's not the best one available (that distinction goes to any of the TLV's), but it fits the bill quite nicely. I do think that this one has some slight flaws that make it look less aggressive than a real GT-R, namely that the body should sit closer to the ground. Oh well. If you're looking for perfection, I'd recommend the TLV.

The Monte Carlo is sure to excite many gearheads out there. I believe this is the first and only time so far that Greenlight's Monte Carlo casting has been available at mass retail. The other, more stock-looking, version is a hobby exclusive, so you won't be finding that at Toys'R'Us, or Walmart, or Target. I expect this one to be the most popular of the entire series, so be sure to snatch one if you can!

I like the car, I like the casting, and I like that Greenlight decided to make this one. Come to think of it, the Monte Carlo hasn't exactly been well-represented in diecast. I know I have a Hot Wheels model lying around somewhere, but you really can't compare that one to this. Different price points, different levels of detail. This one's got it all. 

Greenlight quality is generally very inconsistent. Thankfully, I haven't had many issues with the models I've obtained recently. I don't know whether it's because they've stepped their game up or if it's just sheer luck. However, the grille on this one could be aligned better. Everything else is top-notch.

Lastly, the Chevy Silverado. Those of you who follow me on Instagram surely have seen me post this one a few times. Greenlight has really been hitting it out of the park lately with these modern trucks. First the Ram, then the F-150, and now the Silverado. I love collecting cars that you see on the roads everyday, and this is a prime example of that. This might be one of those models that doesn't look so bad decked out in all-black.

I happen to have all three of the aforementioned trucks (though from different series) and I'd rank this one in the middle. Not as great as the F-150 but better than the Ram. The one thing I don't like with this one are the fat tires. I get that these are trucks and are meant for heavy-duty use, but that's a little too much for me.

So, whether or not you're into this whole "all-black" trend, these are definitely models that deserve a good look or two. The three other models in this series, a VW Type 2, '63 Dodge D100, and '72 Chevy C-10 with Camper, are also worth considering. Heck, I might even go back and pick up the others. No losers in this batch!

Thanks for reading!