Tamiya 1/24 scale Enzo Ferrari

Kit: No. 24260
Scale: 1/24
Manufacturer: Tamiya, distributed by Tamiya America, 2 Orion, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656-4200, 800-826-4922, www.tamiyausa.com
Price: $45
Comments: Injection-molded, 201 parts (14 metal transfers, 3 screws, 4 vinyl tires), decals
Pros: Excellent detail and fit
Cons: No seat harness

The newest Ferrari super car was designed to be as close to a street-legal Formula 1 car as possible. Debuting at the 2002 Paris Auto Show, it was dubbed "Enzo Ferrari" to celebrate what would have been the founder's 100th birthday. Its distinctive styling definitely has the "gotcha" factor.

The real beauty of the car, though, is under the skin. The V-12 engine is said to put out 600 horsepower and is mounted on a state-of-the-art carbon fiber chassis derived from F-1 experience.

Tamiya's Enzo kit is nearly as breathtaking as the real car. Even the black-box packaging is classy. The individually bagged sprues are molded in six colors and satin chrome. The instruction booklet comprises 16 pages with 33 assembly steps. They are easy to follow, and the painting guide appears accurate.

The model goes together like the real car, too, with all the subassemblies mounting to the main chassis. The chassis is a large and complex molding that is warp-free. That's good, because any twist here would cause problems later.

The engine is a fine miniature of the Enzo's six-liter powerplant. Each two-piece cam cover has a metal-transfer Ferrari logo. The exhaust headers are satin-plated, four-piece assemblies that look fragile but are strong when assembled.

Don't go overboard detailing the bottom of the engine as it will be hidden by the undertray when the model is finished. The somewhat simplified rear suspension follows the engine onto the subframe. The brakes are beautifully engraved, and you may want to drill the holes all the way through the discs. The decal sheet even includes Ferrari logos for the calipers. Be careful to get the rear suspension lined up correctly on the chassis, because a mistake here will haunt you later.

The front suspension builds just as well as the rear, and it has poseable steering that adds realism. The wheels are huge five-spokers that get wrapped with nice uni-directional vinyl tires.

The interior is well done, capturing the Spartan look of the real car, while still looking good. The seats have open holes for the shoulder harnesses, but no harnesses are included. The four-piece dashboard has decals for the instruments. The steering wheel also has a Ferrari logo for its center. The bottom of the interior platform serves as the mid-section of the cars' undertray.

Tamiya has molded the body in several pieces to let the modeler show off all of the chassis detail. The seven-piece nose is removable, the doors are hinged, and the engine cover can be removed. All of the edges of the panels are realistically thin and flash free.

I painted my model with Tamiya spray-can TS-8 Italian red right over the red plastic. But in hindsight, I recommend priming the body with Tamiya's white primer. Some thin spots in the body may reveal the black-painted inner surfaces.

Getting all of the previous assemblies square pays off when attaching the body panels, as they fit with close tolerances, and the model "looks" right. The headlights and taillights are well done; the taillights comprise red, yellow, and clear pieces.

All body logos are shiny metal transfers that look in scale when carefully applied. All mirror faces are also on the metal transfer sheet. Decals are supplied for the Ferrari emblems on the nose. Screen material is supplied for all of the car's intake ducting.

I spent 15 hours on my Enzo, an indication of its nearly trouble-free assembly. Still, Tamiya's Enzo is not for the beginner, but an experienced and patient modeler should have no trouble turning this kit into a stunning replica of Ferrari's latest super car.

- Mark Melchiori