Revell 1/25 scale 2022 Corvette Stingray Z51 Coupe plastic model kit review

The Corvette, introduced in 1953, is one of the longest-running model names in Chevy’s lineup, second only to the Suburban. It is also probably one of the only cars where you can build almost every model year in kit form. Now in its eighth generation, the Corvette has broken away from the traditional front engine-rear drive layout to the long-anticipated mid-engine design.

The brand new Revell 1/25 scale 2022 Corvette Stingray Z51 Coupe features 144 parts molded in white with the option of building either right- or left-hand drive. The roof section is removable and the rear deck is hinged to reveal the full engine (at least what you can see). The decals supply white and black stripes, four different dash displays, and a few European and US-style license plates. (The decal sheet is apparently different in the Revell Germany boxing.) The full-color instruction booklet has 55 steps with good paint references along the way. I found it best to follow the instruction sequence closely to avoid difficulty.

The engine builds from 24 parts over the first 10 steps of assembly. The level of detail is great and the fit is good, although some parts lack positive location. For example, the exhaust headers have no locating pins to mount them to the heads, just very shallow indents. When installing the half-shafts, be sure the end with the longer mount stub goes into the transaxle or it will interfere with the wheel mount bushing. I mounted the completed engine in the chassis and proceeded to add the exhaust system. I found the headers didn’t quite mate to the heads but not enough to be noticeable when everything is buttoned up.

The first step in building the chassis is adding the tie-rod and brakes to the front spindles. It takes a healthy push to get the tie-rod snapped in, but this will be easier here than waiting until everything is assembled like I did. The brakes are one of the first things I would upgrade; the detail is pretty plain, but there are decals for the calipers to dress them up. The intake plenum and air-cleaner box are added next, along with the upper plenum. There are decal options for the upper plenum as well.

In addition to the left- and right-hand drive options, the interior has separate door panels with well-molded detail and decals for speaker grills and control panels. I chose a slightly subdued color scheme for mine using Tamiya German Grey lacquer (No. LP-27) for the base with highlights of Ammo Atom blue. Decals are provided for four different dash panel displays as well as the steering wheel and center console.

There are only very slight mold lines to clean up on the body before painting. I used Ammo Cobra RB Pearl Blue (No. A.MIG-0351). The fit of all the body panels is very good, and the black parts are all separate so the only masking required is around the engine bay and lower rear bumper. Crystal-clear glass parts finish the model, but you’ll need to paint the black borders on the windshield and rear window.

I spent somewhere between 30 to 40 hours building the Revell 1/25 scale 2022 Corvette Stingray Z51 Coupe plastic model kit. The minor problems I had were all self-inflicted and not the fault of the kit. The finished car scales out right on the money according to my references and it just looks right, too. If you’re a Corvette fan or just looking for an enjoyable build, check this one out!