Since I absolutely adore the Alfa Romeo C42 Formula 1 car livery, Solido’s 1:18 scale model car was a no-brainer for me. Even though Alfa Romeo is not a top winning team in Formula 1 at the moment, their attractive colour combination is a winner for me. This particular example is the Valtteri Bottas car, who joined Alfa Romeo after his five-year stint with Mercedes racing alongside Lewis Hamilton. Taking on a new challenge and the potential of the 2022 Alfa Romeo C42, he finished in a very good fifth place at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. This is the car featured here – a 1:18th scale Solido 2022 Alfa Romeo C42 driven by Valtteri Bottas (reference number S1810201).
This model marks another 1:18th scale Formula 1 expansion for the budget brand Solido. It is packaged in the usual longer Solido “Competition” labelled box which is in line with all their other F1 models packaged so far. This model comes with mirrors and a rear wing attached to the main body shell and no extra assembly is required when unboxing. Solido usually includes a clear protective moulded plastic underneath the car to keep the model from potentially sliding, but this one came without it – not sure if it was missed or not but it is definitely not present in my example. The model is however secured with the usual four screws to keep it in place.
Construction of this Alfa Romeo is a combination of die-cast metal and plastic parts – I think this combination works well. It gives a model some weight with the use of die-cast and keeps all plastic wings and front nose light to give a more realistic lightweight feel. Overall, the model looks and feels complete. Solido’s paint application is respectable all around – I feel it is on par if not ever so slightly better than their McLaren which I reviewed earlier.
Sponsor decals are applied well for a model in this price category. They are mostly smooth with only slight imperfections seen in a couple few places with up close inspection. I am happy to report the front wing has the correct number of connecting pieces in place, however, they could be a little thinner for better accuracy. On the flip side, it could make them too brittle which might increase the chances of breaking during transport. Personally, this does not bother me on a model that is a fraction of the price compared to some very expensive resin counterparts. The side air vents located behind the mirrors do not have any cut-out openings – it would have been nice to have them cut out, but I understand this would drive the price of the model in an upward direction. Overall looking at the front you get the sense of reasonable quality.
From the side, the accuracy of the model is again reasonable with a couple of things I would like to point out. The “Orlen” sponsor script on the sides of the body and front wing, should be placed a little more towards the back of the decal made wider – they are both slightly off in placement and size. Again, this is nothing major, but I thought I would mention it. The overall look of this attractive colour scheme is enough to be enticed.
Moving onto wheels and tires – this model comes marked with white Pirelli P Zero tires, which means it is wearing hard compound rubber. The tires do turn in both directions and the rims look accurate.
Looking inside, I like the inclusion of the driver. Valtteri’s helmet is decorated, and the steering wheel has some splash of colour too. This is a nice touch and an improvement over the McLaren model I reviewed earlier. We now need Solido to continue this trend moving forward.
At the back, the rear wing with Alfa Romeo script and Italian flag colours integration looks right in place. The rear light is present as is the exhaust which has depth – pretty standard for a budget model.
To sum things up, l think this Alfa Romeo Formula 1 model is even better than the McLaren Formula 1 car released earlier this year. Solido is definitely improving in the right places, which should in return attract new F1 enthusiasts. This model represents a solid effort at the pinnacle of motorsport and should be a welcomed addition for budget-conscious collectors worldwide.
Thanks Luk. The Alfa livery looks great, it is one of my favs across all the teams… The model does have its limitations compared to its higher-priced counterparts, but for an entry-level budget-friendly brand it surely shines!
It’s definitely more desirable than any resin BS. I’m ONLY interested in DIECAST. Too bad that Solido isn’t about to do Aston Martin. That would be sweet if they did
It can best be compared with the Bburago SF-23. When you do that, you notice how good the Solido is – or how toy-simplified and overpriced the Bburago. Thanks for the many meaningful photos!