There is an ongoing debate about sealed versus full-opening models.  And if you have been around this hobby for a period of time, you can relate to this discussion.  But sometimes the niche piece is admittedly welcomed in whatever you can get your hands on, and one of the recent releases from GT Spirit with their version of Nissan R390 in street trim gets the job done.

If you’re familiar with LeMans 24hrs race, a manufacturer is required to provide a road-worthy product to quality, hence the Nissan R390 as shown here.  The Nissan R390 GT1 was its big brother and officially raced in GT1 Class.  The Nissan R390 is considered the fastest and most expensive endeavour by Nissan, so a replica in 1:18 scale would be a welcomed addition.  No?

So how does this model shape up from GT Spirit?  First, the best angle to appreciate the lines of the Nissan R390 is from above, it is gorgeous.  And this speaks volumes from one who thinks Japanese design leans to the more conservative side or boring if I need to be blunt.  The paint is electric in person and the results are quite good for the mid-range brand.

What GT Spirit does well here is execute the front, rear and upper opening with perforated metal as opposed to solid plastic.  This elevates the look and feel.  If one delivers only static examples in scale this is a must (yes, TopSpeed this means you too!).  This detail extends to the upper front cooling vents and the rear upper fin-like intakes too. The interior detail is very good, slightly better than the average GT Spirt release in my opinion.  On the flip side, GT Spirit won’t capture many accolades for the motor effort here, though R390 is once again more promising, it still lacks high-end resin motor definition one can usually associate with BBR or MR.

The Nissan R390 “Street Version” is a welcomed addition to my collection.  I believe it’s the first-ever 1:18 scale too.  Yes, AUTOart did capture their version of the R390 GT1 in “presentation” form but the street/race are indeed different.  Well done GT Spirit for leading and expanding the base of the niche segment, keep it going.  This one comes recommended.  Enjoy the pics!