REVIEW: Almost Real RUF SCR • DiecastSociety.com

REVIEW: Almost Real RUF SCR

It’s not every day that you hear news from Almost Real. When you do though, you almost always hope it’s not another G Wagon. So waking up to the announcement of the RUF SCR being officially released was nothing but surprising. Considering their track record and that the finished sample was shown less than a year ago, no one expected it this soon! Seeing the model for the first time in pictures, I instantly fell in love with it and wanted it really bad!

There are three colours on offer: Irish Green, Chalk Grey, and Mexico Blue. Out of these, Irish Green seems to be the most popular and is also the one I picked. Having spent some time with the model since receiving it, here are my thoughts about it.

The packaging is similar to what the brand has offered in the past, however, the box sleeve is silver instead of the usual black. Inside, the model comes secured in a styrofoam shell. Also included in the box are a certificate of authenticity and a door-opening tool.

Out of the box, the model feels quite light in hand, despite the fact that it’s diecast. At first glance, some of us may mistake the SCR for the humble Porsche 964. The design embodies the spirit of the classic 911 but with an aura of modernity. The visual differences between the two may seem subtle, but it is when you look closely that you start to notice the dissimilarities.

Irish Green works wonderfully on this model, as it suits the retro-modern theme of the real car extremely well. The paint application is consistent and not so thick that it conceals the creases and outlines. Almost Real has done a great job reproducing the shape of the car as well as the stance. For a diecast model, the shut lines are pretty good. So good, in fact, that I had a tough time getting the doors open with the opening tool provided in the box. 

In the front, you will notice right away that the headlamps are quite modern-looking, and housed within the assembly are circular daytime running lights. These follow the profile of the headlamps and resemble ring lights, something the selfie-obsessed generation would approve of. They are a huge departure from the outdated fluted lenses found on the classic 911 and sets the SCR apart. Almost Real did an excellent job emulating the headlights by capturing most of the details found on the real car, down to the tiny RUF logos. 

On the topic of tiny logos, you will need a magnifying glass to appreciate the effort put into little details that are hidden away like easter eggs. The same, however, cannot be said about the RUF emblem on the hood. It’s just printed on and not a photo-etched part. Such a pity, especially since it is the only prominent badge you will find on the body of the entire car. 

Moving down from the hood, you will notice the front bumper is a separate piece. It houses the turn signals and three cavernous vents, none of which are fake. The one in the middle is covered by a perforated grille, while the ones on the sides are open.

The windshield comes with a tinted strip on top. As for the wipers, they are plastic and the details are satisfactory.

 

Looking at the side, another feature to distinguish the SCR from the 964 is the rims. They are beautifully replicated five-spoke center lock wheels, finished in silver, and unmistakably from the present time. The wheels on the model rotate and are steerable. A huge miss here, however, is the omission of valve stems and tire branding. Behind the rims, you will see the finely detailed yellow calipers with RUF logos imprinted on them. Just the perfect colour to go with the green exterior.

Continuing along the side to the greenhouse of the SCR, the shape of the rearview mirror housing has been captured accurately. In the back, the way the rear quarter glass curves inwards to allow for air vents to be integrated inconspicuously is quite spectacular. Below, the door handles sit flush with the body and are another giveaway feature unique to the RUF.

As you move further along the side, you can’t help but be mesmerized by the curvaceous wide hips that not even Kim Kardashian can match. They offer the SCR a very planted stance.

Looking at the back of the car, it is full of character and visual drama! The huge duct tail spoiler, sitting atop the boot lid, occupies almost the entire surface area. The spoiler is also vented and provides cooling to the 4.0-litre, flat-six engine hidden underneath. The rear window has a defogger pattern printed on it, giving it a realistic look.

The shape of the LED tail lights of the SCR are quite similar to the old Porsche, except for the light bar in the middle which is a lot slimmer and looks more like an afterthought in comparison. Almost Real has done very well mimicking them. Now, if you bring out the magnifying glass I mentioned earlier, you will spot a bunch of Easter eggs! There are little RUF logos nested within the tail light housing on either end, and some more of them are embossed on the exhaust tips. Great attention to detail!

Another standout feature of the SCR is the slotted cooling vents in the bumper. There are more vents here than the entire air distribution system of your house!

Upon lifting the boot lid, you will be greeted by a massive carbon fibre airbox that sits on top of the engine. In reality, this engine is liquid-cooled, but it’s designed to look like it’s air-cooled.

What is worth mentioning is the effort that has gone into the decal work here. Although the carbon kevlar appears a bit yellowish, the use of different finishes and scales of carbon fibre helps enhance the overall appearance. The hinge work supporting the boot lid is well executed too and the underside of the lid is also clad in carbon decals.

Composed of various decorated pieces, plastic cables, and hoses, as well as OEM labels, the detail of the engine bay is above average for a model at this price point. If you dive deep, you’ll even spot the modern pushrod suspension neatly integrated inside. Photos certainly do not do justice to it, as not all of the details can be seen in pictures.

If you’re looking for storage, there is space available under the bonnet, in the front.  Here you will also find access to some of the fluid reservoirs. There is not much else to see apart from the hinges (which look great) and tons of plasticky-textured carbon. Quite unexciting, to be honest, so much that I almost forgot to talk about it. As for the underside, not much to talk about either, as it’s as barren as the Sahara desert!

On to the interior shall we? Much like the outside, the SCR’s interior follows the same retro-modern theme inspired by the old 911. The cabin is beautifully appointed and extremely classy. The appeal of a green exterior combined together with a caramel leather interior is a combination unlike anything else. 

The plaid fabric replicated on the center cushions and door cards, although not the correct scale, adds more character to an already stunning interior. The floor mats look fantastic and the entire tub, including the floor and transmission tunnel, are finished in carbon fibre decals. You will even find carbon decals on the back of the seats. There is no cost-cutting with the seat belts either: they are made from fabric and come with photo-etched buckles, as expected of a high-end model. The gear stick looks a bit toyish, but apart from that, Almost Real has done a decent job with the rest of the interior bits. The steering wheel, gauge cluster, pedals, handbrake, switches, and knobs are all decorated well for a model of this price point. The overall presentation is excellent. 

 To conclude, the Almost Real RUF SCR is a fantastic offering from the brand, especially in this spec. The model gets a big thumbs up from me as it checks all the right boxes. They retail for anywhere between $230 and $250 US here in North America. If you can find one for that price, I would highly recommend it to anyone with an appetite for classic sports cars and supercars. 

PS – The Almost Real camp has been hard at work lately and models have been coming at us like a hurricane. If they can continue on this path and deliver models as good as this, they will surely be one of the top players in this hobby.

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14 Responses to "REVIEW: Almost Real RUF SCR"

  1. DS Team says:

    Thank you sir for another stellar review! There is much good here… Possibly, Almost Real took some liberties on the CF on the motor. The tan looks great next to the green exterior.

  2. Vitaliy D says:

    Yes! Pretty good model, isn’t it?
    And you very nicely captured the air intake behind the side window on the photo!
    And indeed, this model has very accurate shut lines and feels unexpectedly light as for a diecast model.
    The only improvement I might wish in this model is to make the back springs in the engine compartment to actually work when the back wheels are amortizing. (These back springs in the engine compartment are static in the model. The model’s back wheels are amortized by means of another springs located near the wheels).

  3. Scenic's View says:

    The pleasure is all mine! They probably did. Comparing it to pictures of the real car, I noticed the air box has a black plastic like finish. Not sure if RUF customers have the option to spec the part in carbon fibre or Almost Real got the detail wrong. Either way, I don’t mind it as it looks pretty neat.

    PS – I’d like to give credit to my wife for assisting me with the photos.

  4. WS says:

    What a nice review!

    I have this model as well and I can say the photos do it justice. My copy has no QA/QC issues that I am aware of and am quite happy with my green.

    Knowing, seeing and having this diecast makes me feel quite optimistic for this hobby.

    Bravo!

    • Scenic's View says:

      Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed the review and pictures. I haven’t noticed any QC issues with this model either. Pretty good effort by Almost Real!

  5. InTheFastLane says:

    Thank you Scenic for a great review and pictures. Definitely a great model from Almost Real.

  6. Wes says:

    Got this one in blue and love it. It’s just a nice basic diecast like old AA Millenium.

    • DS Team says:

      That’s a good thing!

    • Atalante says:

      I see what you mean by comparing to old AA Millenium. But I think there is quite a bit more work and refinement involved in this one. The interior is molded in large parts, not separate parts. So in the case of the green version each individual vent, knob, lever… is painted by hand in a different color and parts really stand out. Also the carbon decals in the engine compartment is something a bit more refined than your typical basic AA Millenium.

      • Wes says:

        yeah it’s kinda like a modern Millenium. Definitely a mixed bag. The gear lever kinda sucks but the pedals are well detaled. The brakes look good but the tires are are generic. The carbon is nice in the engine bay (although the kevlar decal is way too bright and arguably out of scale and just not well executed) but the frunk is carbon texture. Overall I still really like it but I am looking forward to taking it apart and adding detail to it.

    • Scenic's View says:

      Nice! I was tempted to get the blue one as well but with so many great models coming this year I decided not to.

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