This one is an oldie but a goodie from Maisto, originally released in 1999 the Mercedes-Benz Vision SLR Concept car was first introduced to the public in 1999 at the Detroit Auto Show. The big ass 5.5-litre V8 engine, featuring a compressor and water inter-cooling means the eight-cylinder achieves a peak performance of 410 kW/557 hp and delivers maximum torque of 720 Newton meters at 4000 rpm. This engine turns the Gran Turismo into a powerful performer: it accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in only 4.2 seconds and from zero to 200 km/h in 11.3 seconds. The top speed is noted as 320 km/h.

The model itself is quite respectable for Maisto. Yes, I know definitely not Kyosho or AUTOart calibre but my passion for concept cars out weights the cons, especially when there is no comparable in 1:18 scale available today. I’m not going BS anyone, the model does resonate more of plastic than metal but overall it’s not all that bad, trust me. The paint is decent, with no defects. The interior is nicely appointed, some bits seem to be out of scale and the plastic feel is definitely present. My favourite element on the model is most definitely the wheels. The miss here is the lack of brake calipers otherwise well-executed by Maisto. I’m giving this model one thumb up. Enjoy the pics!