Hello, today I received the sets of 4D models (cars and bikes), as an early Christmas gift!
Let's see and find out what practical jokes the Chinese have had in store for us this time...
As for the bikes, let me just say that my son is having a blast this Christmas! Way too big and they don’t look much like the original motorcycles as far I can tell (but I’m not an expert)…
The cars are more interesting stuff: just as with the first set, the models all appear to be (close to) 1:87 but I haven’t measured them yet, and once again the printing on the models is not always nicely done, not accurately aligned, and in some cases just wrong (Porsche Boxster is printed with Carrera S), so far nothing new here.
What is new, is that 4D has seemed to reduce the tooling budget even further than before, because all of the 12 models are fitted with the same type of small rims/wheels, the star-shaped design of which could make sense on a Porsche or a Ferrari but not with any of the other models (not even considering the fact that all of these cars need a different wheel-SIZE as well (compare for instance a VW Beetle with a Hummer!). Besides that, the left and right sides of the cars are way to flat this time, there is virtually no detailing present here, almost no curves, no air-intakes, etc., just a flat piece of plastic and some parts just won’t fit at all (check the Bugatti doors on the picture!). Last, 4D has apparently decided that most cars can do with a gray paint, and a few with red and that’s about how far the color-variation goes this time. I received 2 sets of cars and it was the same for both sets. I’m guessing that 4D was in a bit of a hurry to make the new models (in time for Christmas perhaps?) and they just didn’t take enough time to do a better job. All in all, you have to applaud 4D for some of their prototype choices, but it's clear that these models need (more than) just a little TLC to make them acceptable for the collector.
Here’s a list of all the models, with the name and number they’re sold under, followed by the actual prototype they represent and the colors I received them in:
01. Audi R8 = Audi R8 ..?.. (gray)
02. Aston Martin Virage = Aston Martin Vantage ..?.. (gray)
03. BMW X6 = BMW X6 M '09 (gray)
04. Mercedes SLS 63 AMG = Mercedes SLS AMG ’09 (gray)
05. Bugatti Veyron = Bugatti Veyron Super Sport ’10 (gray)
06. Ferrari 458 = Ferrari 458 Italia ’09 (gray)
07. Hummer H3T = Hummer H3T ’04 (gray)
08. Volkswagen New Beetle = Volkswagen New Beetle ’98 (gray)
09. Audi Q7 = Audi Q7 ’05 (red)
10. Nissan GT-R = Nissan GT-R ’07 (red)
11. Lamborghini = Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 ’08 (red)
12. Porsche Carrera = Porsche Boxster S ’04 (gray)
there is something strange with the Audi R8 model: it has distintinctive features of the 2010 GT version (front and rear end treatment), but some other features just don't match: it has the GT3 race car type bootlid in the front and the double endpipes of the V8 version instead of single big round endpipes and it misses the GT spoiler, so 4D created a (non-existent) mixture of different R8 models. It could perhaps be a nice start to create a tuned version, using Herpa R8 parts?
As with the R8, the Aston Martin Vantage is a mixture of types: it most closely resembles the 2009 GT4 model, but it has the GT2 racing car type front bootlid.
Now the BMW X6 is actually a pleasant surprise, because 4D chose to model the sporty M-version, which is clearly distinguishable from the more standard (Herpa) X6 versions by different front and rear end treatments.
X6 M
X6 M with new (Herpa) rims
Veyron Super Sport with new (Herpa) rims
Veyron Super Sport with new (Herpa) rims
Veyron Super Sport
458 Italia with new (Herpa) rims
GT-R with new (Herpa) rims
H3T with new (Welly) rims