Do we still do these things around here? Answer- we do now!

A couple of weeks ago, Model Citizen Diecast had a pretty decent sale that I had to take advantage of. I have always been smitten by first gen RX-7s (spoiler alert- my dad has owned 3, including a USDM version very close to this one, and I’ve owned one), so I had to pounce on this thing when I saw the price. So here goes nothing!


Higher quality diecast has been a focus of mine for some years now. I will still pick up basic Hot Wheels and Matchbox just because they are readily available and occasionally decent, but I enjoy higher quality pieces much more. I have many premium 1/64 and 1/43 models and even a handful of expensive 1/24s, but this actually my first 1/18 that is any nicer than a Maisto. Hopefully that doesn’t skew my perspective for this review!


Design and Accuracy- 9/10

Very high marks here. My dad had his SA before I was born, but I have been around the two FBs he’s owned and of course had my own and can say with some certainty that not much is missed. Honestly, I only knocked it down to a 9 because I know nothing about the JDM version and not quite so much about the different aspects of the SA from the FB. But everything on this car that is similar between the two is spot on!


Fit and Finish- 9/10

There are some very minor imperfections around the edges that probably won’t even show up in these photos. Otherwise, perfect. The rear hatch feels a little flimsy, but they feel flimsy on the 1:1s too so no points taken off for that! And check out those struts!



Features- 8/10

All of the panels that you would expect to open open. The headlights pop up. The base is reasonably detailed. The motor has all the plumbing. The interior is complete. Carpet in the back with a cargo strap! There are even brake discs and calipers behind those wheels that you can’t even really see. While some of this is expected for the scale, points are earned for the pop-up headlights and carpet. But the score suffers for missing one thing often found on lower-end 1/18s: suspension. Not a huge deal for me personally, but not something that I should ignore either.



Value- 8/10

At $80, I don’t feel like I stole it but I feel far from ripped off. There is definitely more die-cast goodness here than you get in your $20-30 Maisto, enough to justify the price. 80 is also the low end of what they go for on eBay. If you collect this scale and like RX-7s, this is a solid buy at that price!



Rarity- 3/10

In the age of the Internet, very few things are truly rare or hard to come by anymore. This thing is no exception. There are plenty available on eBay this very moment and many more at various online dealers I’m sure. As with anything AutoArt though, good luck finding it at retail. So it gets a couple of points for that.


Total- 37/50

Another excellent lump of zinc, paint, and plastic brought down by a low rarity score. Take the rarity score out and you get a solid 34/40. It’s also worth noting that a 37 ties it for the second highest score I’ve ever given a car (out of 5 reviews). That might be easier to keep track of soon ;)


This is a great piece and I’m stoked to own it. Hopefully there will be more high-end large scale pieces in my future!