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Stock #28745 |
CB's Die Cast Review: February 12, 2001 |
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2001 First Editions™ #8
The second of the First Editions
"tuners" to appear is the Ms-T Suzuka. This customized low-riding Japanese import
has interesting features, and the most fun to be had with this model is to figure out how it is
assembled.
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The die-cast body is painted a metallic apple green, similar to the limited edition Classic Caddy
from the initial Treasure Hunt series in 1995. While this is the only major metal component,
it is a significant one, giving the car adequate weight. It also features more intricate detail
than normal, with two freestanding spoilers located between the front headlights and on the rear deck.
The chassis consists of black plastic, and "wraps" around parts of the lower sides. The interior
appears to be dark gray plastic and contains two seats, a detailed dash and console, and a rear-mounted
engine. The twin valve covers feature embossed 20th-Century Hot Wheels logos, and actually are
part of the metal body and are green in color. The flush glass component, formed from smoke-tinted
plastic, has a large windshield and rear window, allowing more of the interior to be visible.
Silver, yellow and black markings (which include the new version of the logo) are tamped on the hood
and sides. The chassis clip in the back that doubles as a license plate mount also features an
embossed 20th-Century Hot Wheels logo. The car rides on the new-style five-spoke thin-tire wheels
and currently is manufactured in Malaysia.
One of the first thoughts that popped into my head when I saw this car in person was how big the casting
is. It is also long, low and wide. I like the fact that the decision was made to have the
interior dark gray instead of black, so the features could be seen through the tinted glass -- although,
I would have preferred the white interior and clear glass of the prototype on the poster.
Also appealing are the two freestanding spoilers. The casting separation lines are very clean,
and there is no sacrifice of detail around these two areas. The grill area looks much better in
black, unlike the gray version on Super Tuned. Since the car rides EXTREMELY close to the
ground, the Ms-T will hug the curves while in motion. While it may set Hot Wheels land
speed records, I don't see how it can come close to navigating a loop or other intricate stunt without
scraping bottom. Other than that, Ms-T Suzuka looks pretty neat. In spite of all
the plastic, it actually feels as if it has some weight. And someday, I would love to take one
apart to see how the interior fits around the valve covers. But for now, I'm content just to look
at it.
