Bringing back the old is nothing new from any manufacturer. Recycling a past effort and placing it into production years later allows some that missed the initial release another chance at a possible holy grail. And one at a reasonable price too. This next model from Kyosho fits that bill, we have the 1:18 scale, diecast metal, Nissan Fairlady Z (S30) 1970. Within the next while the retail market will expose three colours; Red Metallic is the colour we feature here. Two additional colours will include Metallic Blue and White Pearl – we’ll provide a later update via Photo Gallery that will highlight the remaining two.
The history of Nissan/Dastun (export) is rich, the character, the soul of Japanese car culture cannot be better defined as what we have here. No matter what side of the pond you experience this Fairlady or 240 it surely inspires…
Out of the box it does look and feel like a Kyosho replica of the part. The weight is definitely present due to the lean on diecast metal with plastic parts construction. And to be honest the refinement we find here is inferior to the recently reviewed Kyosho Lexus LX570 release.
The Red Metallic exterior paint is decent throughout. For the most part the thickness and consistency are true. Where we find an issue is a varying colour based on a specific part, this is most evident on the front hood. The exterior chrome absolutely requirements some praise, it is up to speed.
It’s funny how the smallest things usually have the greatest impact, here the front emblem attached on the hood is uber cool. This is also mirrored on the rear upper side panels on the car.
The front grille is fully perorated and executed in metal. Only fitting. Headlights are decent in detail, and we also appreciate the side marker lights. The otter frame with chrome is truly reminiscent of a past era.
Access to the motor is available. The simple dog-leg hinge engineering does show its age but does effectively get the job done. The motor detail is exceptional in our eyes. Not sure it truly historically accurate but it definitely provides a host of goodies. Note the under auxiliary light on the upper right side and appliable badge work. Truly awesome!
Taillights in the rear are strikingly effective and once again reminiscent of the period. Lower bumpers covered in chrome also feature the thin rubber upper bumper stop material.
Access to the rear storage is permitted, again simple hinges do the leg work. We find the hatch on our example does not provide a nice tight seal. Also, on a quality control note, the Pearl White example was missing the lower metal venting on the exterior side of the hatch. Inside the rear section is fully carpeted. Nice attention to detail with strapping on the base and the quilted pattern material found on the wheel well/shock housing.
Small rim and lots of rubber define the wheels on the Fairlady Z. Good marks to the overall package. Braking apparatus is visible behind the multi-spoke design and tires also feature lettering around the perimeter. Well done!
The Interior (right-hand drive) is nearly all-Black with a few wooden gems thrown into the mix, these include the steering wheel and shifter know. Full carpeting is present here and well as the same quilted pattern we saw used on the rear. Overall dash, centre console, door cards are seats are extremely effective.
It is a treat to see some pass successes come back to life from Kyosho. The Nissan Fairlady Z (S30) 1970 is a great example of what is old can be new again. Is the model perfect, no, but it does provide many good features that we believe still resonate well with fans. As specified earlier there will be three colours to choose from. If you ask what colour we like best, Metallic Red wins. Blue is great for hiding shortcoming with panels gaps, White is definitely the opposite. We can’t help but wonder, will we ever see some of the golden era Ferraris be resurrected by Kyosho, we definitely hope so. Enjoy the pics!
Do you have any idea when can we have them in Europe? Any information about this? I have one in blue in preorder.
What do you think about tight seal in general? In many photos don’t look very adjusted. It worries to me this point.
Thanks for the review. It seems amazing.
Hi, the model is out now, came out this month. Possibly later in Europe. The shutlines aren’t as refined as the Lexus LX570 but it still looks great overall. Go with a dark colour to lessen the impact.
https://dc.kyosho.com/ja/banner/fairlady-series.html/
Thanks for the answer. I have preordered one in blue metallic. I also like red but think thay blue disguisses better the shutlines.
I love this page. Regards from Spain.
It definitely does. We’ll post pictures of Blue and White soon!
I own a 2005 350z being the 5th generation I appreciate my relatives 1976 was cool Engineering before its time… 😎