Maisto's 1/64 line has been a surprising hit among collectors ever since they've rebranded themselves as "Maisto Design" and distributed their product to select Target stores in the U.S. From what I've seen both on social media and in person, the models have been generally well received and stock is consistently low. Although Maisto has been doing these "1/64" cars (scaled very liberally) for years, they've been hard to acquire anywhere besides on the internet. As a result, the brand has remained very low-key and often dismissed by collectors.
Just recently, Targets have received new batches of cars, this time with a more diverse selection that includes exotics, sure to excite many including myself. The other day, I spotted a Porsche 911 GT2 in cop car guise, a couple of Lamborghini's, and these two beauties out of Maranello. And you know I can't leave a Ferrari behind.
We as collectors have been Ferrari-starved for too long. Being the only diecast company with official Ferrari licensing, can Maisto do them right?
So what we have here are a LaFerrari and a 599 GTO. Again, these are nowhere close to 1/64 scale; they're significantly larger than comparable castings from Hot Wheels. To many, that's an instant turn-off. I wanted to give them a second chance, if for no other reason besides the fact that they are Ferrari's.
At a price point of $4, the detail is there and certainly does not disappoint. Wherever there should be tampo treatment, there is tampo treatment. The castings are well-proportioned and crisp. Other than scale, the one that bothers me are the wheels. The wheel designs are true to their real forms, but the axles are not wide enough. This means the wheels are not flush with the fenders and the models look less "sporty" than they should be (for the record, I pulled them out as far as I could for these photos). These are supercars!
The LaFerrari is clearly not Maisto's strongest effort. The ride height is totally wrong and it has a growth on its chin. OK, it's actually a place for the front screw, but there has to be a better way to get the job done.
Either way, I'm sold, and I hope Maisto puts its exclusive licensing to good use. One can never have enough Ferrari's.
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