Home - Site Map - Lamborghini - Porsche - Street - Motorsport - Contact - Links 


You know that feeling, you come by a nicely detailed car for a superb price, and even though it is wayyy out of your themes, you can't just not look at it and admire it for a couple of minutes, thinking and searching for an excuse to buy it. Well, that happened to me last summer, at the end of summer to be exact. I met a collector who has had some financial hardship was selling a number of AA millenium models for basically half their price. I couldn't not notice the elegance and class this model has. After searching an 'excuse' to get it, I finally said.... this would look great on my desk next to my silver pens!

This model is made by Autoart in 1:18 scale as part of their top line and boy it is a nice car. The elegance of the subject attracts you solely, but the articulated details and fine reproduction just makes you drool and look at it for time and time again. The models stands out very nicely and you can instantly see that the dimensions are spot on... but are they? After measuring it time and time again, width is perfect, however, it seems that the model should be around 1cm longer. Anyway, nothing that grave in my eyes. The paintjob is very smooth, homogenous and thick, very nicely done. The chrome is also very good, just perfect.
 
The front of the model is beautifully reproduced with those large and realistic headlights. The plastic lense itself is a beauty, it is craftly reproduced in a net like design. If one looks closely, one can see that the headlight detail (behind the plastic lense) is spot on aswell. The indicator is very large as it should be and is supported by three large studs, but then again, it should be that way! The front grill is perforated and very neatly chromed and detailed. At the grill's centre, there is the Jaguar emblem in gold and wonderfully reproduced by AutoArt. Underneath the grill, their is a black opening that was probably introduced the airflow. At the very top of the bonnet, AA has reproduced vents that help the engine cool down, and guess what? AA's model has 14 littles fins as the REAL CAR!! WOW!
 
At the backend, the car is very simple and aerodynamic. It has the large brakelights in red plastic lence and two hollow exhausts. On the right hand side (looking from the back) the E-type has the small aerial as the real one, unluckily it doesn't move up and down, would have been a nice touch, but probably, I am getting a bit spoiled while reviewing this car. On the other side, the model has the cover hiding the filler cap, and again, I think that this little insignificant part could have been done a bit better. Its spot on, of course, it has even the small opening left for the driver's finger to slip in and open, but one can see that the part is indeed sealed, it would have been great to see that the cover and rest of the bodywork are indeed separate parts, but then again, as my previous comment, I am being spoiled here! On the rear luggage compartment, AA has craftfully reproduced in photoetched pieced the "Jaguar E-Type V12" in the same and exact way as the real thing.

The model has full opening parts, being, the front engine cover, two doors, and rear luggage compartment. All parts have a really close and tight fit.

The front part opens suicide style forwards showing an nicely detailed engine. The parts are individualised and are NOT coloured in that cheap chrome. There are a number of wires and different tubes connecting various components together. A finely detailed engine I must say! The rear part is a bit disappointing, it is carpeted and neat as the real thing, but differently from the front mechanism, AA used two very large dog leg type hinges which do not really look that real.
 
The doors open very smoothly and are not loose. The hinges are very delicate mechanism which are completely hidden and are very elegant. The interior itself is very nice, AA has very well replicated the seat and door interior. They look like leather. Also, the seatbelts are masterfully replicated in drapery with the small and detailed buckle attached to it. The steering wheel is very nice and realistic, and if you look closely, you can see the Jaguar emblem replicated in black at the centre of it. The dashboard is very detailed aswell, it is in black and so it hides some details, but the central console is full of buttons and the gauges (decal) are readible.
 
The wheel is very nice and nicely replicated. At the centre of each rim, there is a small detail showing the Jaguar emblem and E-Type written on it. Some need their spectacles to see this. The rim style hides the brake and caliper detail, but still, AA has reproduced it. After looking at the whole brake/caliper detail, I cannot really judge it, as the detail is hidden behind the rim, but, I can say that the brake disk indeed rotates with the wheel while the caliper is static.

The undercarriage is again nicely done, the 'bronze' like colour on the exhaust system is a charm. Most of the other parts are moulded into the undercarriage and colour detailed which does it job very nicely. Also, one can see fine details in the axle and brake/suspension area. The rest of the undercarriage is black and unfortunetaly it does have a lot of holes used for screws.

In conclusion... wow! I mean, it is really a nice model from AutoArt. It is really great value for money, one of the best AA's out there for sure. It is also availible in red, but I feel that silver suits it better, tastes anyway. In the end, it is a highly reccomended piece to any diecast collection, look at my collection, I collect racing cars, but still, this is a highly admired piece.