New Maisto Corvette Stingray easy on the eyes, good value
My first hands-on, up-close-and-personal experience with a Corvette came in the early 1960s at a local Chevy dealer’s lot. My uncle had a white Corvair and I’m pretty sure my dad was jealous, so we were walking the lot, window shopping.
There sat a white and red Vette, all busted up, its nose caved in with shards of fiberglass jutting from the fenders. I was still oohing and aahing though. I’d seen Vettes in magazines, but not up close. Dad said they weren’t safe because of their fiberglass bodies. I didn’t care, they made our old green ’55 Chevy look like a dinosaur.
No doubt some kids today are thinking the same thing when they see the 2014 Corvette Stingray, and aren’t we glad THAT name is back.
Maisto comes to market quickly with many diecast models, and now beats even Chevrolet to stores with its 1:18 scale C7 version of the Corvette. Maisto’s model came out mid-summer, while the real production C7s didn’t start rolling off the assembly line in Bowling Green, Ky., until late summer. Pre-pros, of course, were out earlier!
This Night Race Blue Stingray is another fine example of an attractive model for value-minded collectors who prefer 1:18 scale because of its visual impact, and its moving parts. Mainly the hood, rear deck and doors all open on this, and most Maisto models in this scale.
First, the C7 looks great on the shelf, especially in this dark metallic blue paint job. Proportions look accurate and the headlights and rear light bar look realistic. There also are black plastic air vents and screening on the hood, rear quarter panels and sides, and for the main grille. The mirrors on the doors have reflective surfaces and there is black window trim and wipers.
I like a couple of the model’s finer touches too, such as red and orange reflectors in front of and behind the wheel wells, the Corvette twin flag logo on the hood and the Stingray logo on the quarter panels, just in front of the doors. In back the Vette also features four chrome center-mounted exhausts. Under the hood is a modestly detailed engine, exactly what you’d expect in this price range, but it features Corvette emblazoned on the headers. Plus the big disc brakes behind the 5-spoke wheels feature red calipers with “Corvette” printed on them!
The Maisto model’s tan interior looks good for display purposes with a detailed dash and gauges. But up close those seats look like the plastic that they are. Again, for the price (less than $40) this makes a fine shelf display. There’s also silver on the dash buttons and knobs and the gauges look appropriate.
Face it, a lot of us Boomers like Corvettes and the C7 is the hottest new car to hit the streets in a couple years. Collectors will want to have their own version, and at this price point, a lot of folks can afford a new Stingray! –
Vital Stats
Product: 2014 Chevrolet Stingray
Maker: Maisto
Scale: 1:18
Stock No.: 31182
MSRP: None set, but generally sells between $29.99 and $39.99
Photos: Courtesy of Model Retailer Magazine
Savage On Wheels 
Leave a comment