We weren’t initially aware that the first production samples of the much-anticipated Aston Martin V8 Vantage by Stirling Scale had been released—until a casual sidebar text conversation with friends brought it to our attention.
This metal-bodied model with opening parts (except the rear boot) is certainly a niche piece and a bold move for any brand, especially one making its market debut. That said, the initial impressions are a mixed bag. While the early photos suggest a decent effort overall, those hoping it might rival or surpass the revered AUTOart version may be left wanting.
The front fascia on the Stirling Scale model appears slightly off, and the overall lines don’t quite capture the original’s precision. In a direct comparison, AUTOart’s rendition still holds the edge in terms of accuracy and detail fidelity.
At this stage, it’s unclear whether any revisions can be made to the final production piece. But it’s important to remember: this is Stirling Scale’s very first model, and for a debut, it shows promise. There’s a solid foundation here, and with time, experience, and community feedback, there’s no doubt the brand can refine and improve.
Every brand has to start somewhere, and Stirling Scale is off to a respectable one.
Product# SC001 – SC003
I hope they’ll fix some of the remaining issues before launch but if they’re showing painted samples I fear it’s too late. It’s a shame they didn’t go for fully opening too; Norev are doing it for a lower price and getting the shape more accurate.
Well, well, well, I remember all the hopes and the long wish lists of cars they invited us to draft. Just glad I own the AA, so I can pass on this with a peaceful mind. If they find this hard to make as an all-open model, an XJ220 surpassing Maisto seems beyond their competence without a steep learning curve.
And that’s what we and a few friends were connecting on. IF you want some to move away from the AUTOart release, it truly needs to be a level above. Especially for what we would consider a niche car with a smaller audience.
Yes, that XJ220 was one of my first thoughts too. Collectors would buy a decent one in huge numbers. It needs to be done right though, and whilst it looks like Stirling have fixed some of the more notable issues with earlier prototypes of this Vantage there are still some very obvious issues. I’m keeping my expectations fairly low.
Not impressed… unfortunately this is just another poorly rendered model.
Can you add a little feedback on the bad and good?
How can you not see how different the gaps are on the driver’s door?! And this is the presentation of the company’s first product! I wonder how much they will ask for such a model?
Oulala, that’s really not very good. Unless they’re in the lower price bracket, like Solido…
The front bumper is a caricature, the interior, with its ugly decals imitating wood, is really sketchy, the overall line lacks finesse and the rims look like toys.
The gap between the body and the rear doors is gigantic.
Bof bof. It all depends on the price, but we already know it’s not going to be high quality.
As mentioned above, those (myself included) who expect a good Jaguar XJ220 will have to wait, I’m afraid. It’s probably not Stirling who will complete our expectations.
About £180 in the UK, so 3x the price of a Solido. And to be blunt, Solido’s models look more accurate.
I sometimes wonder how some of you guys manage to actually buy and enjoy any model… Or maybe you’re just here to vent? Aa has similar wheels and same ‘ugly decals imitating wood’, the bumper looks similar too. And if you expect this much engine detail for Solido price you’re obviously just criticizing for the sake of it…
It’s the nature of the beast. People tend to comment more negatively. Is this driven by passion for the car or something else? For example, look at the latest feature posts, review, and photo gallery entries. No comments or few comments are provided. We know the website is generating traffic. What we found over the years… People love to jump on the bandwagon of negativity, or many cannot be bothered to comment at all. C’est la vie
Where exactly does the Aa hold the edge except for the panel gaps and opening trunk? The engine bay looks to be more detailed here, the interior, wheels, overall details pretty similar. It is a mixed bag, but I’d say mainly because… it’s so similar to the Aa inculding the wrong front end on it. It’s maybe a tad better but mostly the same. I’m not sure what it is that makes it so hard to render a V8 Vantage in scale but if yet another model maker takes a shot at it and ends up with the same thing… either someone decided to cut some corners (scanning the Aa?) or maybe we’re nitpicking and the car should actually look like this in scale? Still, I love the looks of the V8 Vantage as much as the next guys and what I see in these pics just doesn’t cut it for me.