Tamiya 1/24 scale Porsche Carrera GT

Kit: No. 24275
Scale: 1/24
Manufacturer: Tamiya, available from Tamiya America, 800-826-4922, www.tamiyausa.com
Price: $45
Comments: Injection molded, 152 parts (4 rubber, 4 photoetched metal) self-adhesive masks, decals
Pros: Excellent fit, cleverly engineered parts make painting easier
Cons: Molded indentations mar appearance of windshield

It must be a daunting task for a manufacturer like Tamiya to make each new kit better than the last. Tamiya's outstanding Enzo Ferrari is being followed up by another exotic supercar, Porsche's Carrera GT. This latest effort helps redefine the state of the art for car models.

All of the parts are flawlessly made; only a few mold lines are present on the body, which is silver-gray plastic.

The GT's body captures the lines of the full-size car quite well when compared to photos in Road & Track. The deeply sculpted sections of the doors are molded separately but attach perfectly, as does the separate engine cover. The full-size GT has large curved ventilation screens over the engine on the rear deck. Tamiya has engineered a clever way to simulate them in scale. The model's curved screens have a clear plastic backing that's topped with a screen-pattern decal. The finished combi- nation is quite convincing.

The roll-bar/headrest assembly needed a little finessing during assembly, but a couple of small clamps did the trick. The rear spoiler can be built in the raised or lowered position. The headlights are very well done, and the taillights have chrome bezels and red-tinted lenses. Best of all, all the lights and lenses snap into place, eliminating the chance of a glue-smearing incident. The windshield snaps in, too, but the pins along the top leave impossible-to- fill rectangular indentations along the windshield edge. I painted my car with Tamiya's Gun Metal (TS-38) spray paint, then applied the self-adhesive transfers when it was dry.

The interior is the star of this kit. Tamiya has molded it to make painting as easy as possible. The GT's door panels are three colors. Tamiya has molded the panels separately, so you can paint them individually and assemble them afterward. The eight-piece dashboard works the same way. Decals are provided for the instrument gauges.

The chassis is based on the large, warpfree floorpan. The suspension is simple, but most of it is hidden on the finished model. The brake calipers are separate from the rotors, again making painting much easier.

The engine looks good, but most of it is hidden. What you can see is well done, especially the Porsche lettering on the air intake.

I spent about 25 hours on my GT. It was easier to build than the Enzo, but just as well done. I would recommend this kit to modelers of moderate experience. It will challenge you, but it will not beat you.

- Mark Melchiori