Background:

The Toyota Altezza / Lexus IS200 is a car I'd long wanted to own but since I don't cycle through cars on an annual basis, never did - I had other cars instead. I'll have to settle for a 1/24 version instead, what a pity the only one available is from Fujimi's "it'll do" era of kit output. I found a real-life metallic red one online so was inspired by that in my colour choice - something I was uncertain with after the paint went on the car body but fully happy with again once the build was nearing completion.

Kit review:

Pros:

The exterior is a good shape, it captures the proportions of the Toyota Altezza nicely. It's also moulded well with little cleanup required and decent panel lines. At least 75% of the kit fits together very well. The door mirrors have solid glueing points, as do the seats. The satin chrome parts are a good finish. Window masks are supplied.

Cons:

Despite having a good finish, the satin chrome part's moulding looks scruffy. The chassis is very very basic and lacks a lot of detail. The wheels and tyres supplied with the kit are too small. The glass is too thick and not shiny enough - even with polishing. The interior is fairly basic and the dashboard moulding is a bit rough. The steering wheel is too thin. The front bumper needs a lot of effort to stay in place because it only has tiny glueable points, and the rear bumper needs reinforcement also. The front headlights have only a vague fit to the body/bumper so need a pile of PVA glue to hold them in place. Both mesh-areas on the front bumper are moulded-in. The brakes and hubs are a bit flimsy and fiddly. Curbside - no engine.

Verdict:

It's far from a good kit, and yet as is often possible with the Fujimi "it'll do" line, a good looking result is possible with effort. Providing you don't look too hard inside and don't look underneath at all. Not for beginners.

Build notes:

Built over the course of about 4 weeks in July 2023. I've changed the kit wheels to Fujimi's 18" OZ Racing SuperTurismo, removed the solid mesh from the front grille and lower air intake, added some detailing behind the upper mesh and used my own custom-printed number plates (matching the year of build, 2023). I've also added a black front lip and side skirts. The silver OZ Racing decals on the sides are 3rd party also. The colour is Tamiya Pure Metallic Red over Tamiya Metallic Red over Tamiya Bright red, over pink primer. I had a load of spare red to use up.

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