Maisto 1:18 Porsche 911 Carrera S

[karansharma8783]

Here's some pics of one of my earliest diecast 1:18 models, the Porsche 911 Carrera S. This is a special edition Maisto, yet it's good and has a decent, good overall finish and appearance. It's a must have for any Porsche fan coz it's nicely priced at 1375.

Overall bodywork and proportions are really precise and good job done by Maisto in this area. I have seen the same model by Welly on the net and there's not much difference between this one and the Welly one in terms of the bodywork. However, the side indicator lights and other such minute details definitely require an over-haul. The Welly version has nicely detailed lights.

Paintwise, since this is a Special Edition Maisto, it has one of those flat paint finishes and not those metallic glistening paint finish like that found on the Murcielago LP640 or the SLR McLaren. But still the good thing is that the finish is even and since the colour is red, it does call out loud even when kept among the more better looking models.

Interiors are also pretty decent, dashboard has been modelled quite ok. Seats are pretty good too. Infact the interiors are much better than the Premier Edition SLR McLaren. The only thing that sucks here are the stupid Maisto style door hinges which creak when you snap them open or shut and don't quite fit in snugly into the bodywork at the first try when you close them.

Engine is not a sight to look at much. Just a bundled together lump of black plastic with some differences in colour here and there. Plus the engine space is so small that you can't anyway see much inside.

But one of the really attractive things about this model are the wheel rims and brake caliper detailing. Pretty good for a Maisto. The wheel rims actually have hexagonal rivets if you look closely. The wheels also have the Porsche insignia and the brake discs are perforated with the caliper in red colour. Definitely one of the unique points of the Porsche.

Overall rating - 7.5/10 - Go get it if you are a Porsche fan and don't have a single modern 911 in your stable. I came across this one in both red and black and chose the red one outright. 911 has to be red definitely.

[channabasanna]

@Karan,
The Car looks great in Red. Just looks Amazing....
This is awesome, and is in my wishlist to get one..............

[kvsk4]

Karan man, I loved the 3rd shot. Brilliant. And your words sound like an expert's review.

[channabasanna]

You are right KV, +1 more for the review.

[winstoncds]

Superb write up and pics Karan. You want me to go and get this model rightaway. I was hoping they make this in yellow too since Maisto has a nasty way of introducing more colors after you have just brought the first releases. None of them are to be seen here anymore. I think I will wait for the yellow or get a black cause I love my Porsches in these two colors.

[gtmaniac]

Nice one Karan! Unbelievably nice for a Maisto. Good stance.. correct wheel size. Little bit of touching up, and the car will be near perfect! I like the Porsche script at the rear glass.

Not really a Porsche fanatic, but I'm interested to get one too, to put it beside my GT3 RSR.

[MotoS]

Nice model and good photographs, good to see tyre markings but too shiny tyre spoil a bit, the engines of Porsche anyway don't have much to look at.
One design flaw is the turn indicator on the front bumper it extends to the wheel well which is not in this model. A photograph of the under-body is needed.

[Guggga]

@ Karan: Great pictures man
She is really beautiful and the stance looks perfect.

I saw a couple of Bburago Porches- 911 turbo and another one I cannot remember. The chrome on the wheels and the stance kills them.

Great find

[karansharma8783]

Thanks everyone for the review appreciation. I think all of you should get this rare Maisto as soon as you find it. I bought this one in around mid-2008 when I was working in Pune. There are quite many Maisto models that are not to be seen anymore nowadays but which were quite common back then. The Porsche, I guess is one of those, along with the Jag S-Type and the Merc SL Class convertible.

MotoS Wrote:Nice model and good photographs, good to see tyre markings but too shiny tyre spoil a bit, the engines of Porsche anyway don't have much to look at.
One design flaw is the turn indicator on the front bumper it extends to the wheel well which is not in this model. A photograph of the under-body is needed.

Saleel, I checked out pics of the actual Carrera S on the net. I think the indicator lights have been modelled quite accurately. They don't extend much to the wheel well in the real thing either. Do check out the pics of the 1:1 through google.

Guggga Wrote:@ Karan: Great pictures man
She is really beautiful and the stance looks perfect.

I saw a couple of Bburago Porches- 911 turbo and another one I cannot remember. The chrome on the wheels and the stance kills them.

Great find

Gaurav, after some really disappointing Burago acquisitions like the Dodge Viper, the Lambo Miura, I think I have pretty much washed my hands off Burago. Overall, I think Burago sucks. Only few of their models are really worth buying like the Porsche 356B, the Jag E-Type, the Fiat Abarth (new one) and the Reventon. And God only knows why they opt for chrome finishing on their wheel rims, those look truly pathetic.

[Guggga]

@ Karan: I know what you mean. Bburago is quite erratic with their build. I'd pin that down to old molds, maybe. But not all the Bbs are toy like or chrome heavy.

In the must have/ good build Bburago list, you might want to add these too:

1) Alfa Romeo 8C- it's flawless, the paint quality is brilliant. Its a 8
2) MB 300 SLR Sterling Moss MM- Brilliant paint/ detail/ wheels etc. Its a 8.5
3) MB 300 SL: Just the gaps on the gullwing doors are bad, the paint finish and everything else is brilliant. its a 7.
4) Alpine Renault 1600 Rally: Out of scale, loud chrome, but has amazing presence. Its a 7.5

Bburago Miura is pretty good too. Its just that the wheels spoil it. I remember seeing the Yellow one a couple of years back and more recently a few months back... that was quite an eye catcher.
The Viper's shape is caught rather well by Bburago. I wouldnt mind having one in my collection.

One thing that I appreciate about the good Bburago examples are the paint quality. Case in point is the Porche 365B. I never liked her. But then somehow I like yellow Porche's and KV bhai happened to have her on DMC. 2 emails later, I ordered her (alongwith the 300 SL and Abarth). Guess which is my fav among that lot? The yellow 356B. I remember spending the most time staring at her out of the box. The yellow paint was done so well, it kinda overshadowed the loud chrome at the back and the bumpers and the plasticky interiors. Its a rather eye catching car.

Similar is the case with the 300 SL. It looks beautiful in red and has one of the best front looking area. The logo/ lights/ indicators/ bumper/ bonnet are done so well! I'm sure that Minichamps makes a better 300 SL. But the Bburago has its own charm. Honestly, had it not been for the gaps on the roof cus of the gull wing doors, it'd been a 8.5.

So basically, there are good Bbs and bad bbs out there. You just gotta figure out the good ones and add them