Maisto 1:18 Lamborghini Murcielago LP640

[karansharma8783]

Finally I bought this awe-inspiring model from Maisto. I used to come across this orange beauty in many malls and used to leave it always primarily because I already have a Murcielago in 1:24 in green and also because I wanted the LP640 in standard Lambo yellow colour, but Maisto's LP640 is only available in orange here.

This is another of those amazingly well-done and beautiful models from Maisto. The LP640 falls in the league of other well-done Maistos like the SLR McLaren, the Porsche 911, the Jaguar S-Type and the Merc SL class convertible.

Bodywork - Maisto have got the beautiful proportions and body stance bang on. I think they could stand up to Autoart's Murc quite confidently. Absolutely no complains with the overall effect. The rear huge exhaust tip (signature of the LP640) is very well done. The big meshes in the front and rear fascias are also neatly done and fitted in the bodywork precisely. I particularly like the huge fin-like side air intake slots just behind the doors which were not there in the original version of the Murc.

Paintwork - Very well done even paint finish with fine grains visible all throughout which gives the car an attractive metallic sheen. This was one of the main reasons why I chose the Murc over the Burago Reventon. No dount the Reventon is a stunner but the Murc simply outdid it in terms of its glow and shine.

Interiors - Not bad considering it's a Maisto, they are definitely better than those of the SLR McLaren and the Audi R8. The seats are not that plasticky and have movable seat-backs. Steering wheel is also decently modelled. Dials are standard Maisto stickers. One strange thing I found was the lack of a gear stick. This is because the LP640 has sequential automatic transmission.

Wheels - Definitely one of the selling points of this model. The rims have been done very well indeed with perforated brake discs (the Porsche 911 Carrera from Maisto also has these) and slightly smaller brake calipers. You can also see that the rear rims are much more deeply bent inwards towards the center of the wheel than in the front wheels. Indeed good effort by Maisto.

Headlamps - I am mentioning these here separately because they are indeed worth speaking about. Probably one of the best modelled headlamps from Maisto I have seen till now. They have been modelled quite accurately without any manufacturing glitches and the overall appearance is quite neat and precise.

There are of course some minor flaws in the overall model. The body panel gaps are quite noticeable in some areas, especially in the front boot area and the rear engine cover. Also, the doors are not that tight and there is a little horizontal movement when the doors are closed down. However, they open up quite neatly and stay in position. Another thing is the badly done side indicator lights on the bodywork, which have been merely painted onto the bodywork. Also, the side strip on the door thresholds are stickers with 'Murcielago' printed on them.

Overall rating - 8/10. Have to give this one 8 even though I gave the Welly Diablo 7.5. It's one of those better Maisto models which you absolutely have to buy even though you are not a Lamborghini fan. I think you probably would when you get to see the model in the flesh. I had been delaying buying this model for so long. Glad that I finally bought it.

[vaas2000]

Neat one there again, But what's with the pics? they appear a bit blurred. This one and gallardo started it all for me too. Haven't seen my lp640 upclose since many months! poor thing is caged in the box and been lying there till i saw your thread, your points about the car's various aspects made me take a second look at my caged lambo!

Do try to get few more pics in outdoors as you usually do, so we can get a good view of this beauty.

[karansharma8783]

Vaas, I do intend do take outdoor pics once I go back home during the new year's term break. I am in a hostel right now. Also don't have my cam here with me, so always take pics here with my friend's cellphone, that's why they are a bit blurred same as in the case of the Welly Diablo.

Edit : There's still another model which I bought almost 3 months back here from Indore itself and which I haven't posted till now. It's the 1:18 assembly kit from Burago of the '57 Merc 300SL Touring. Have yet to stick on the white circular stickers onto the wheels, that's what's been holding me on all these days!!

[vaas2000]

karansharma8783 Wrote:Vaas, I do intend do take outdoor pics once I go back home during the new year's term break. I am in a hostel right now. Also don't have my cam here with me, so always take pics here with my friend's cellphone, that's why they are a bit blurred same as in the case of the Welly Diablo.

Edit : There's still another model which I bought almost 3 months back here from Indore itself and which I haven't posted till now. It's the 1:18 assembly kit from Burago of the '57 Merc 300SL Touring. Have yet to stick on the white circular stickers onto the wheels, that's what's been holding me on all these days!!

So stupid of me, i forgot that now you are staying at a different place for studies. Will look out for solid outdoor pics of this amazing car.

Whoa man, the 300 sl touring burago kit! this is one series that's playing hard to get for me, it must be fun to put together this beauty for sure!

Do let me know your experience with these 1:18 kits, am yet to start with two of my kits which got from landmark few months back during their sale. I opened the boxes and saw so many goddamn parts! Was scared that i will loose these small parts if i don't finish the assembling at one go! Sadly, haven't found enough time to spare to sit and finish these at go. 1:12 maisto bike kits are a breeze compared to these 1:18 kits, there are just too many small parts in these kits man!
Got a diablo and Jaguar EType coupe waiting to be assembled.

[karansharma8783]

If you really want the 300SL kit, you could order it from http://www.toyworld.in. I think they have it in stock. Personally, assembling a 1:18 kit was okish for me, I mean, it wasn't that great a fun. It might be due to imperfect instruction manual from Burago or just the mere fact that the wait to see the car fully finished really kills you (since I don't think it's really possible to finish it at one go). One really major problem I faced with this assembly kit is there's no big display box like the regular models in which you could keep it after it's assembled to protect it from dust. Transporting it also would be a problem and that's why it's still in my hostel room and not back at my home.

[winstoncds]

Karan, I agree with you about the manual. I have put together many Bburagos including this 300SL and it has been frustrating. I had to return the vintage Alfa Romeo kit many years ago because it came with 2 rear chassis components and the front one was AWOL. I recently found another kit of the same car and was fortunate enough to have all pieces in it. I also got a Gate Peugeot 406 Coupe from Modelart which had two rear bumpers and the front one was missing. They replaced the kit for me with a new one with all current parts. So if you guys are keen to assemble the cars, remember that things can go wrong with them. With the guess-where-this-part-will-go kind Bburago manual, it gets quite frustrating if you cannot figure out where somethings will go. Also the snap fit nature of the parts makes it difficult to remove the parts if you have fitted it wrongly.
One advantage of kits is that you can do some modifications or put more detail into the models. I put some carpetting and did some engine work to put some more life into the 300SL which is already very good by budget model standards.

[winstoncds]

Looking at this cars, I am kind of convinced I need the LP too but in my favorite color for the Murcielago, black. I have the normal metallic black car and this too would make it look like mean company.

[karansharma8783]

The LP just looks superb in black with yellow brake calipers visible noticeably behind the wheel rims. One of them starred in "The Dark Knight". Unfortunately, Hollywood movie makers have a kind of fetish for destroying supercars in their movies.

[alanjg]

Here is my Murcielago.
Atlast bought DSC 12.1 MP SONY T90

[alanjg]

some more...