Revell Subaru Impreza WRX (diecast body) First Impressions

[Jay!]

I picked this up today at HobbyTown USA...



They had the RSX, too... But at this price?!?

Is this the MSRP?!?

Anyway, dump out the parts:


Line them up nice:


Look! An EJ20 in plastic!! Woo-hoo!! AWESOME!!


The body shell is decent. It's the '04+ style, so it's a direct comparison to Fujimi's GD Imprezas...


Lights actually look pretty good for a diecast. Paint is marginal at best. Anyone in here would want to strip and repaint.

Two wheel sets. The lower set looks like the optional BBS they sell for the WRX, but the other set looks like Legacy wheels maybe? Chrome is too bright, so they'll need to be stripped anyway. Looks like the same skinny-no-name tires as the ITR and Civic kits, too...


As you saw it's "Super Street" branded, and likewise with the decal sheet:

But the SWRT-esque decals might look halfway respectable on a tuner version.

This is the Regular USDM WRX, but it's obvious they're planning to make some STi verions, too. Exhibit A: The missing yet embossed ST'i badge on the trunk lid. Also, in forethought... the front bumper is a separate part; the side skirts are separate parts; the wing and scoop are separate parts, and have extra space in the blister packaging, enough for their STi counterpart parts to fit.

Other random thoughts:

*The motor/tranny consists of 19 parts.

*One thing I HATE about this kit so far: the wipers are pre-attached, but they uber-delicate and they flop around and they're just trying to break off and get lost...

*These new BBS [style] wheels are significantly different from the ITR ones. ITR = parallel tuning forks; WRX = angled slightly inward, and flatter centercap. Howwever, it's hard to tell in the chrome, but the spokes are either really flash-y or just plain too fat.

*Revell has included virtually no directions for detail painting the motor or interior. Keep your reference pics handy.

*Interesting options: Rear seat OR partial roll cage? Center arm rest OR fire extinguisher?

*They went out of their way engineer a way to poke a red-clear plastic part through the package shelf to be the 3rd brake light... when both the WRX and STi have the light in the wing assembly

*The gauge faces are tampo-printed on to that part (bottom-left of 4th pic). Might look great behind a thin piece of clear plastic? Might be misaligned, and what can you do about it?


All-in-all, nice work Revell!! How about a plastic body?!

Any questions?

[RallyRaider]

I was getting all excited until I saw the scale was 1:25th.
Great photo review BTW Jay, just I shame it's not a wee bit larger.

[Jay!]

LOL, yeah, well it's never that easy is it?

[blubaja]

Hey!!!!

Ok, I'll take 10 please. Now!!!! lol....OMG!! You made my night. Thank you soo much man. I'll be on teh lookout for sure.

Frank X.

[Jay!]

For the wheel whores:




Looks to me like the 6th and 7th wheels seen here:
http://www.subaruwrxparts.com/gc8-wheels.html

[freakray]

That second wheel looks like it's the other option wheel on the WRX, it's a forged 5-spoke wheel.

Looking at your photos, it looks pretty toy-like, along the same lines as the Maisto 'self assembly' diecasts I buy my brother.

[flyonthewall]

Originally Posted by jay@af

EJ20 in plastic!! Woo-hoo!!

Indeedy

[atlas000]

Looks pretty good (if not a bit pricey!) Can you show us pics when you're done?

[Jay!]

Originally Posted by freakray

That second wheel looks like it's the other option wheel on the WRX, it's a forged 5-spoke wheel.

It always looks like a Legacy-ish wheel to me. Doesn't really matter, since until the '05 STi wheels, they were all interchangable. I bet Revell just flipped through a Subaru parts catalog.

Originally Posted by freakray

Looking at your photos, it looks pretty toy-like, along the same lines as the Maisto 'self assembly' diecasts I buy my brother.

Really? The one Maisto WRX I've ever found has an iffy engine-plate one-piece part and super chunky hood and door hinges.

This is just like the Revell EG Civic and Eclipse. A full detail model kit, with a prepainted metal body. The body, and pre-attached parts are easily plastic-kit-quality, only betrayed by the obnoxious melt-on connectors. In both those cases, Revell then released the exact same kit with a plastic body. Here's hoping for the same thing...

Originally Posted by atlas000

Looks pretty good (if not a bit pricey!)

Yeah. What's the MSRP supposed to be? Anyone?

Originally Posted by atlas000

Can you show us pics when you're done?

Done? What's "done?"

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

Originally Posted by jay@af

It always looks like a Legacy-ish wheel to me. Doesn't really matter, since until the '05 STi wheels, they were all interchangable. I bet Revell just flipped through a Subaru parts catalog. Really? The one Maisto WRX I've ever found has an iffy engine-plate one-piece part and super chunky hood and door hinges.

This is just like the Revell EG Civic and Eclipse. A full detail model kit, with a prepainted metal body. The body, and pre-attached parts are easily plastic-kit-quality, only betrayed by the obnoxious melt-on connectors. In both those cases, Revell then released the exact same kit with a plastic body. Here's hoping for the same thing...Yeah. What's the MSRP supposed to be? Anyone? Done? What's "done?"

If someone can't tell the difference between a Maisto and this kit, then they really shouldn't be building models .

I think retail is $21.00; I know where to get 'em for $13.90 online (Model Roundup), and a friend did manage to sneak one out of Hobby Lobby at their sale last week for $9.50 + tax.

My biggest beefs are the lack of emblem decals for us repainters, and the ridiculous 1/25 scale attitude at Revell. The guts will do just fine in the AMT Brat...

[675datsun]

[quote=jay@af]

Look! An EJ20 in plastic!! Woo-hoo!! AWESOME!!
QUOTE]

It's always welcome to find an engine that isn't available from our plastic model kits!
Now only if someone would please make a respectable, multi-piece Nissan SR20 in1/24 scale...

[atlas000]

I guess I meant pricey for a 1/25 diecast (R-M lists it at $20.95), x-mint versions excluded, but HobbyTown (nearly) always price their kits at full retail. We had one start up and go out of business after just a year of competing with a LHS just down the block. They couldn't keep up with sales in the RC dept.

[Chuck Kourouklis]

Hey, man, I'd rather have plastic just like most o' y'all, and I'd agree that Revell should strongly consider 1:24 for their contemporary releases. If the problem involves Revell's domestic heritage with 1:25, then for Pete's sake, reactivate the Monogram brand! But these kits clearly ain't aimed at the crusty old-fart scale bigots who immediately crap all over anything other than their precious 50-year-old standard scale (but rather, at us younger queefs who whine about anything other than 1:24 - ).

But read this and weep: Revell's WRX is the ONLY KIT that offers you a contemporary Subie turbo boxer engine, and not a half-bad one at that. And though I'm partial to the bugeyed Imprezas myself, I applaud Revell for doing a properly updated version.

The RSX ain't half-bad, neither. It's ALSO the only one with an engine.

Far as the Sube goes, the only observation I'd add to the impressive review Jay gave us is that my passenger-side headlight lens is kinda cockeyed. Looks like I'll have to detach the front fascia and tweak the band connecting the two lenses in order to fix it.

Otherwise, eat it and smile, people. It's crisp, it's detailed, IT AIN'T NO DAMN MAISTO KIT, and for those of you who want a sharper body, odds are better than even you'll eventually see it in plastic.