“Ain´t she sweet?” Clint Eastwood, playing recently widowed war veteran Walt Kowalski, raptly mumbles, sitting on his porch at sunset in Detroit, can of beer in hand, nodding admiration at his shiny 1972 Ford muscle car that he has just finished detailing and that he once helped manufacturing long before finally retiring as a Ford Motor Company assembly line worker. His character usually isn´t as openly affectionate towards anyone or anything else in his run-down, gang-ridden Motor City suburban neighbourhood, with him grumpily defying the decay of American Heritage, Culture and Values by taking care of his traditional house with its white-fenced and -pillared porch and the star-spangled banner, his vintage Ford and his well-tended garden. “Get off my lawn”, grumpy gramps growls through gritted teeth down the barrel of his old army rifle or defiantly mimics pistol shots at gangs threatening the suburban peace, just like the figurine of the movie character I got for this model. Even true affections are carefully veiled in Dirty Harry-style masculine racist slurs and insults. Although the car itself does not get as much screen time as one could hope for, it is essential enough to lend the whole movie its name: “Gran Torino”.

While this is not to become a movie review, the film is absolutely worth seeing. Which is basically why I got the model (and figurine), despite American Muscle taking a back seat in my collection. And quite frankly, if it had not been offered in the very specification in which it appears in the movie, I would not have bought it. So, beyond the movie souvenir aspect, is it a decent enough model?

Well, the paint on it is quite cool with its green sparkle, while the chrome parts´ lustre is a little cheap, particularly on the Gran Torino crests in the grille and the boot lid. The fading yellow stripe is a nice touch along the flanks, but the lights are far better on other budget brands. The wheels are branded, yet the rims are pretty crude. Of course, no one expects working steering or suspension, but these wheels on a metal bar axle give the model a toyish feel.

What is visible of the interior through the windows is no better and could use some DIY upgrading. Quite honestly, MCG´s Lincoln Continental Mk V does so much better here. Almost mercifully, the hood remains sealed like the rest of the car to save engine lovers from more disappointment.

IXO make a yellow and black version with a rear spoiler, too, but Walt wouldn´t approve. Asking the assembled friends and family to “excuse the language” the notary reads the conditions under which the 1972 Gran Torino is finally left to its proud new owner from Walt´s will: “[…] don´t paint some idiotic flames on it like some white-trash hillbilly and don´t put a big gay spoiler on the rear end […] it just looks like hell. If you can refrain from doing any of that, it´s yours.” That Clint Eastwood, having played Walt and directed the movie, bought the car after filming, speaks volumes. So, is it “Ain´t she sweet?” or “Get off my lawn!” as the final verdict for the model?  Well, if you are not a die-hard buy-American-collector or a huge fan of the movie, you´ll probably regret buying this. Why is it that movie cars in particular don´t get the same effort as other model cars? Well, to conclude with Walt´s frequent farewell line: “Take care now”!