REVIEW: AUTOart Koenigsegg One:1 - Part II • DiecastSociety.com

REVIEW: AUTOart Koenigsegg One:1 – Part II

“So what would it take to get this model from great to excellent? First, more attention to carbon fibre work outside and inside (interior, storage, and motor) and more attention to the interior on the whole – as mentioned we found the previous CCX (slightly) and Agera (more so) more refined.  Personally, based on the price tag we believe it should have leaned more towards the excellent side.  At $349CND this replica is not cheap and pushing nearly $400 with applicable taxes here in Canada.  I hope AUTOart revisits these misses and suggestions in their next production run, it won’t take much to improve on an already great base.”

We usually don’t do follow-up reviews.  In this case, we decided to update fans who are considering the next colour from AUTOart, the 1:18 Koenigsegg One:1 – Moon Grey and Carbon Black with Orange accents exterior.  The forewords above are comments from our last review of the initial release of the Koenigsegg One:1 in White.  Click the REVIEW link above to read in full.  If you already read the complete review in full you know, in general, we gave it good marks overall.  There were some recommendations though on our part.  We pondered the idea if AUTOart would improve on our list of misses, so we got our hands on a sample.

The biggest upset or challenge was getting the doors to close properly and provide some decent shutlines and panel gaps with our previous example (White).  We’re happy to report that the Moon Grey is much more intent to live up to spec.  Opening and closing the doors are done without effort.  And getting them to stay in place where one would approve of the shutlines is definitely easier to achieve.

How did they accomplish the possible?  Seems AUTOart beefed on the magnets embedded within the carbon fibre tub within the back section of the door housing (see above photo).  The update works extremely well, so well in fact that the door is literally whisked away from your hand while moving it into the closed position.  Problem solved!  This definitely an oversight from the White release. We don’t understand why these measures weren’t implemented earlier.  Only AUTOart can answer that.

As for interior refinement, the model remains the same.  We see no difference between the two.  Exterior wise the carbon fibre work is the same as the initial release – we commented on the lack of sheen and depth.  Though we will say the reflective properties of the Moon Grey paint do aid in reflecting light towards the carbon fibre elements.  The enhanced ligthing effect does show better.

Some will ask which of the two colours do we like better.  Seeing both now, we’ll give the edge to the Moon Grey.  Though Matt Blue is in the works as a future release, this may change our opinion soon enough.

AUTOart should be the leader.  Not one to fall behind. Based on history and number of years at the forefront of dieacast scale modelling and today with their diecast metal/composite line they should have the impossible all figured out.  To some, this isn’t the case.  And to others the diecast/composite mix just doesn’t add up.  We don’t have an issue with either platform, but we do have an issue with 90% effort.  Enjoy the pics!

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21 Responses to "REVIEW: AUTOart Koenigsegg One:1 – Part II"

  1. Scott says:

    Hi,I personally have stopped collecting diecast models,the value just is not there anymore,I once said at least the model got made ,if not good,but even average models are asking big money now.
    I personally think diecast collecting is having a slow painful death.

    • George K says:

      I have also decided to end my participation in this hobby. I have all the models I’ve wanted, in fact, too many. But the point is that the hobby is just not getting bettet, and the best days are past. This happened seemingly (to me) overnight, with the tidal-wave like rush to bail out of diecast and adopt resin. Personally, I won’t put this level of money into a resin model. So many are merely toys, and racing cars are now covered in decals, which can never surpass tampo-printing.
      It’s a shame to see it happen, but it was inevitable given the costs in labor and material.

      • Karsten says:

        As a seasoned fellow-collector myself, I completely see what you mean. Many new models leave me stone-cold. I agree that with labor-costs rising and Chinese factories emancipating from their western “masters”, a certain increase in cost is inevitable. To be honest, I would not want to build my collection on exploitation and slave labour and hope that I haven´t involuntarily already done so. What gives me hope, though, are those models by Almost Real: excellent diecast quality at justifiable prices. It is their example that may turn things around for the hobby´s future.

  2. Atalante says:

    Well I just received my One:1 in Moon grey and I’m far less enthusiatic as you are about the said improvements, if anything at all was done. Either you got a perfect sample this time or I received a borderline one but magnets are not doing their job of positioning the door as you pointed out. Shutlines are not good on one side and requires a lot of tweeking on doors and rear hood section to just look OK. The model has complicated opening features and in my opinion the combination of engineering, material and execution are just failing to provide a flawless package. What’s definetely not helping is the ABS plastic material in this case clearly lacks rigidity to perfectly fit in place like diecast metal parts would. Not a bad model overall but at this level of execution and high price point Autoart will start to lose more and more customers like me. Wake up now Autoart or spiral down in decline…

    • Stephane Demers says:

      Then you should write your opinion to them, lime I did, because if no one write to them, they will never know….

      • Atalante says:

        Already did and I am not the only one. Sadly they are not very receptive.

        • Vitaliy D says:

          I bet their response to this is this one:

          “Dear Mr. Atlante,
          Thank you for your advice.
          Regards,
          AA”

          That’s why some time ago I proposed another version to them:

          “Dear customer! Your e-mail and opinion is very important for us – that is why we completely ignore it.”

          • Karsten says:

            Hahaha,I know this sort of response, different manufacturer, but same kind of response. That´s why this discussion here is much more powerful, because it will influence customers to decide with their wallets. I mean, we all look for advice through honest reviews and comments by fellow collectors to make an informed buying decision. That is what makes a difference to manufacturers. As long as customers buy, why change …?

  3. Karsten says:

    I agree with Atalante. A manufacturer can´t make any major changes on a model in the midst of a production run other than marginal bits like the magnets. It´s the same model, just a different colour. Their next chance to make the necessary changes is on models in their early development stages, not on something already in or near mass production. New (or old and proven) techniques are required,tooling needs too be changed. But I agree that if they don´t wake up soon, the will be unable to stop the downward spiral. If I were AUTOart, I would not try to compete with Almost Real before the necessary changes were made. In other words, I would cancel projects like the Mercedes AMG GTR as I don´t see how it will be able to compete with Almost Real in price and quality. We´ve seen it with the Mercedes S class. If it´s not too late, I would postpone the release of top models like the Chiron, the Centenario and the Ford GT to make every last effort to make it a success.

    • Stephane Demers says:

      Yes they did major change in production, just last year for the P1. They stopped production as they was a color problem, then correct the problem, changed the UPC and resend all the cars. It took many month…

  4. Mike says:

    I agree, when you take a step back and just think about it, it is absolutely insane that average quality fully open models cost $300… Really??? I think what has gotten me de-railed is going and looking at all my older autoarts, especially like the Huayra and what they used to be. Real model cars are just no longer an option. Just mediocre high price tag fully opens and/or sealed resin for completely insane prices.

    The One:1 is a good model, I have awaited it for well over a year, but I wouldnt rate it any higher than a solid B. But these days, I sure will appreciate a model that has more than just opening doors. :/

    • Karsten says:

      Precisely, that´s what haunts me too. To know what top quality AA were once capable of, once having been lonely at the top, and how that has deteriorated over the past 4 years while manufacturers like BBR and Almost Real prove that the same quality as the Huayra or the Zonda R both of which I´d see as AA´s pinnacle are still attainable at justifiable prices.

  5. Stephane Demers says:

    Something that is still a mustery to me is MR. They make closed resin cars at $600 a pop and they have flaws (decals problems mostly, sometime unglued parts/windows etc). Can’t get what’s their problem and how they can continue to sell models so bad and so highly priced…

  6. Aaron says:

    This whole resin/sealed diecast BS is simply getting out of hand. Especially models with no rolling wheels?! Totally scared me away from buying certain models. BOO!

  7. Gabriel Abadi says:

    I’m going to take mine apart once it arrives and put some Carbon Fiber decals on it (wheels, engine, interior, splitter, under the front bonnet, everything that needs it) to make it look legit and more detailed. Carbon Fiber textured plastic gives it a really cheap look.

  8. Vitaliy D says:

    Having the AA Koenigsegg One:1 in this colour, I’d like to share my impressions from this scale model.

    The model displays well. This is true. The body lines, the painting (including the “carbon” painting), the visible perforated grills from metal – they all are good.

    What is not good, however, is:
    – undisguised naked plastic of the front spoilers, the back wing and the wheels;
    – the front grill (above the front spoiler) is a blind plastic imitation instead of perforated metallic grill;
    – the gaps between the doors and the body are too big;
    – the gaps between the side parts of the engine cover and the body are too big;
    – the gaps between the front lid and the body are too obvious;
    – the engine cover lacks 2 or even 4 perforated metal grills – instead, blind plastic imitations are used, and I can’t agree it’s a cost-saving feature when we are talking about a model with a cost of about 300 euros – I think these 2 or 4 grills would add less than 10 euros to the price, which is just a bit comparing to the whole price;
    – the engine lacks details and is assymmetric that does not correspond to the real car’s engine; the visible engine fan is plastic and inaccurate, moreover, it should not be visible;
    – the suspension is just a static imitation without working springs;
    – the interior looks like obvious plastic and feels like obvious plastic; the side parts of the driver’s console (near the doors) are divided by big ugly gap; the steering wheel lacks buttons; the pedals look like they were taken from a model by Maisto.

    But, overall, if I abstract from all these plastic throughout details, from its fragile exterior parts made from plastic with screws screwed directly into it (OMG, does not feel safe at all!), the model does look good and neat.

    But does it worth 300 euro? Obviously not, taking into account all its shortcomings.

    My first and last composite model, guys. It’s a visible reminder to me that by itself will disperse any strange wish of buying any other composite model if I ever wish to do such strange thing.

  9. Amir says:

    Diecast society would you please answer me that why fronti art and autoart model are too difrence for example the full carbon one the exhust colr the seat belts and the dashbord color are diffrence and as i have seen some videos from the real car the calipers was black!!! Would you pleas answer me🤦‍♂️

    • DS Team says:

      No answer for you. Differences among brands might be to how the 1:1 sample for scanning at R&D was spec’ed at the time.

      • Amir says:

        When there is only 7 of the with seven diffrent color why this should be happen? You mean that koinigsseg have changed the car color combination and autoart and frontiart made them diffrent in diffrent tim?

        • DS Team says:

          Sorry, not sure what you are stating.

          We can say brands take liberties with final designs. If you are challenging that the actual model is authentic to the 1:1 and these are concrete themes as confirmed by Koenigsegg then take up with either brand. We cannot confirm either way.

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