A JDM Legend

Next Dealer Edition Diecast Review: Honda NSX Type R!

In my previous entry, I've dealt with a dealer edition model, which was a Minichamps Porsche Cayenne GTS.

Now, let's tackle with another one of its type, but from a different brand. Say hello to the Ebbro 1:43 scale Honda NSX Type R.

It is a dealer edition model, packaged in a Honda box, and even the brand isn't etched under the chassis, but a quick trip to Google will tell you that it's made by Ebbro.

So why did I get an NSX Type R? Simple. It's one of my favorite JDMs. Only one of the two, to be specific. The other is a Mazda RX-7.

The Honda NSX. Honda's slap to Ferrari's face on how to make a fast, but also RELIABLE sports car: One that would start even in cold, and won't leak nor fail. In fact, the NA series NSX is still one among the most reliable used sports cars on sale... with a hefty price, of course.

And here's the epic part: Ayrton Senna helped developed the NSX! His inputs were very valuable in its development period.

Even though a stock NSX was already bonkers enough, Honda thought that they can't sit on their laurels. They decided to release a more hardcore version - the Type R.

The Type R is like a "GT3 RS" version of the NSX. It's lightened and improved overall, though it still had the same horsepower as a regular NSX (because Gentleman's Agreement). Look up on YouTube on how the NSX-R performed in Best Motoring races. You'll be surprised.

And the fact that it's playable in racing games such as Gran Turismo, we mere mortals can enjoy its performance even if it's only virtual. 

The model I'm reviewing is the NA2 version of the Type R. I am in love with its shape (even though some may contest the fixed headlights) hence leading it to be my favorite JDM of all time.

Ebbro makes incredible models. From JDM classics to Super GT machines, you could say your JDM fantasies will come true if you buy from that brand. Though they're no means cheap, especially this model which I bought for a rather huge sum.

Of course it has flaws. Aside from its price, the model may have questionable paint quality (most likely due to age) but so far it's negligible and as long as you care for it, it shouldn't be that of a problem.

The ride height may be accurate, but the wheels struggle to roll (mainly because it isn't a toy) to the point that fears of one tire being popped off may be aggravated.


Moving on to the positives, the proportions are accurate. It's undeniably NSX. It doesn't look like a child's toy car of some sort. The side mirrors are durable, rarely likely to detach. The headlight and tailight covers are nicely fit as well, never prone to crack.

I would never get tired looking at this future JDM classic, even though it's only a scale model.

It's money well-spent. And will definitely be a keeper.

UP NEXT: A new addition to my favorite Kyoshos...

More Maximum Tune Videos!

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Another Dealer Edition Item

MINICHAMPS 1:43 Porsche Cayenne GTS:

Here's another diecast car model that I got from a Porsche showroom. Isn't it awkward that you enter in a showroom, and these salesmen assume you'll buy a real car then you ended buying a miniature one? Well, for me I felt that at first when I did that for the first time when I was in HK... around 8 years ago when I scored a Panamera 4S in 1:43 scale.

But then that awkwardness easily shook off when I keep doing it. Besides, dealer edition items are easier to find, because showrooms sell them anyway. If it means more money for them, then why not sell those?

I scored a multitude of these Porsche dealer models ever since, and the latest one is...

...an SUV. The Cayenne GTS. So why did I end up with this one?

Originally, I set my sights on a USB Porsche 918 Spyder Martini. It looks nice, but when I bought it it turned out to be a 1:72 scale model and not a 1:64, so I went back to the showroom to exchange the item for 1:43, even if I had to pay some extra because it's obviously more expensive.

Sadly, the showroom only had three 1:43 models in stock - 718 Boxster S, 911 Turbo Cabriolet, and this Cayenne GTS. Both the Boxster and 911 may look gorgeous, but I don't collect much on convertibles since it turned out their windshields are separate pieces from their molds and wobble easily. I don't like a diecast car that breaks. So off I chose the Cayenne instead.

I didn't regret the choice, not by one bit. As expected from Minichamps, the paint quality is superb, no doubt about it. But the side mirrors need extra care as they might fall off.

However, that is the only issue I can see so far. The wheels roll smoothly and the ride height is accurate. And the GTS' bodykit is the icing on the cake. It looks better than the Turbo, and is more photogenic of the two. Hehe. I can re-shoot this Cayenne at any time.

There you have it. It's worth the trip to the dealer. You can inquire from them which models they have in stock. If you want a model, but not available, you can place a deposit and pay the rest once the item arrives approximately one month.

Or better yet, if you have the cash, you go to the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart, Germany and you'll find lots of Dealer Edition models. (Because that's where they came from, obviously).

UP NEXT: A JDM Holy Grail... 

TARMAC WORKS 1:64 SCALE AUDI R8 LMS

TARMAC WORKS 1:64 SCALE AUDI R8 LMS

Have you heard of Tarmac? Hmmmm... not much, really. They are an up and coming brand based in Hong Kong, and they have arrived in the market with some cool castings last year such as the Spoon Civic EG6. A lot more of them will be coming soon, including the new Honda Civic Type R.

But Tarmac isn't just focusing on Hondas. They have the license to replicate Audi cars like this:

It's the R8 LMS. And it isn't just a regular series production model. It's actually limited to around 200 pcs. I acquired this from DaBoxtoys in HK. I gotta say, getting the plain body version was the best decision ever...

This is where the negatives start. Tarmac models have BAD liveries. What I mean bad is not the design, but how they were made. They look rough around the edges and can easily peel off. Just the other day, I saw the 1:43 scale model of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI T.M.E. It's a great looking casting, but I saw the signature livery ready to be peeled off. Unless Tarmac does something about it, it's a deal-breaker. They are still far away from the likes of Kyosho in terms of quality control. So far that's the only issue I saw, and since the brand is relatively new, I'll give them a chance to redeem themselves.

Let's now move on to the positives. The proportions of the car are accurate. The detailing is something to be praised as well. The wheels roll smoothly (though why would you?) The spoilers, and side mirrors are firmly installed, so there's little chance of them breaking off. 

Overall, I like the casting. It looks amazing, and I'm glad that they plan to release more racing cars in the future. Hopefully they fix the liveries. They still have a long way to go, and that's understandable given that they have recently entered the diecast car wars.

UP NEXT: An SUV that thinks it's a sports car.

PART 3 OF MY NEED FOR SPEED GAMEPLAY!

Something happened, you know... about the copyright bla bla...

I even have to take down my live stream video earlier because of some copyright issues. In order to prevent it, I decided, that from this video onwards, I will take out the music by switching them off in the game. Once again, I apologize for that.

And the next part will have my voice commentary back.

Thank you for understanding and I hope you enjoy this video.

NEED FOR SPEED WALKTHROUGHS:

I have bought NFS last year, but I have restarted the Story Mode. However, the game put a little twist on how you can restart it. Watch these videos:

ARE YOU A FAN OF THE WANGAN MIDNIGHT MAXIMUM TUNE SERIES?

If so, then here's one of my videos:

If you want more, then check out this playlist:

WANGAN MIDNIGHT MAXIMUM TUNE PLAYLIST

Wangan Midnight Maximum Tune is an arcade game based on the Wangan Midnight manga. It's basically a high speed race in Japan's Shutokou Expressway in Tokyo. There is traffic to contend with during each race.

And players can choose their favorite car and tune them as the progress through the Story Mode. Then they can store their car's data through the Namco Banapassport Card, and they can store as much cars as they want, not just one like in previous titles. They can even engage in Versus battles, up until four players can compete.

There's online capability too. Players can compete with another player's "Ghost".

Ghost? It's no means the typical penetrable ghost car you see in time trials. It's an entirely different term for this game. It's a recorded run of a player's car on the course, and all you have to do is simply beat it. But the said ghost opponent is tangible and you are free to bump or block it. Beating a "Ghost" in the Ghost Battle mode gives you rewards for Dress Up visual customization, In the latest title, there's now an in-game currency in which you can purchase the Dress Up parts you have unlocked. There so many possibilities when it comes to customization!

Overall, it's a fun game. Currently, only North America, Asia, and Australia regions have this game. If you are from EU, then send a love letter to Namco Bandai.

Thanks for reading!

Time To Revive This

It's been a long time, eh? Yeah, I've been through a lot lately, I know...

I'm not going through what happened why I stopped for a long time, but I will revive this blog for the purpose of showing my diecast collection, YouTube videos, and possibly even my racing story.


So first off, here's my YouTube channel. If you're feeling blue and want to take out your stress, then that channel is for you. I have posted gaming videos for your viewing pleasure.

AND IF YOU ARE INTO CARS: THEN THAT'S MUCH BETTER! That's because majority of my videos are racing gameplays! But I'll try my hand on fighting games. Variety is the spice of life, indeed.

Now, I shall be back to reviewing my diecast cars. I have so much bought during that long gap. So many to choose from...

I shall start off with this:

The 1:43 scale model of the Audi R8 V10 Plus from Herpa.

Maybe you're thinking - HERPA? Isn't that known for making airplane models. Well, that's true. But they also make diecasts too, and of great quality too!

I like the R8, particularly the first generation one with the V8. This particular model is the second generation Plus model. That means it has a 610 PS 5.2 liter V10 shared from the Lamborghini Huracan cousin. It should dash from 0-100 km/h in 2.6 seconds, and will go on until 330 km/h.

The R8's futuristic styling will always turn heads. It's a far cry from the plain looking but high tech saloons Audi makes. Maybe Audi knows that they are to be taken seriously...

On to the model, first impressions are that it can rival a Minichamps model of the same scale.

The paint quality? Wonderful. The metalflake paint job is seamless, and it's even on par with an AUTOart!

Normally, I don't buy other variants of a model, but I made an exception this time. The first one was actually that Suzuka Grey colored one on the left, and that blue was the second.

Time for the downsides.

It may look gorgeous and seems to be flawless, don't think of that. While it is indeed on par with the models from the household names like AUTOart, Minichamps, and EBBRO, it isn't perfect either. Some parts can be fragile, and even the wheels can take off. I even have to glue back the white one's left headlight because it fell off. But it was done in precision that even you won't notice.

But that's only the issue I've found so far. I only have three Herpa models to date. The third one is a Porsche, which I'll review also later on.

WHERE CAN I BUY ONE?

If you may ask where to get one, it's very simple. It can be acquired via an Audi showroom, just contact your local dealer if they have one in their lifestyle section. You can ever order one from them if you want, just make a deposit and wait for a month or two for it to arrive.

NEXT REVIEW:

Do you know that I have a smaller version of that car? 1:64 scale to be exact, and it's a race car! Stay tuned.