Introduction

MiniArt is spreading their net far and wide and turning their attention to models that have not as a rule attracted them previously. One of these new lines as I see it is this release of a Mercedes 170V Cabrio Saloon but advertised as a German Car 170V Cabrio Saloon in 1/35th scale. So let’s crack open the box and take a look at what is offered inside.

Review

This offering from MiniArt arrives in the usual packaging of a cardboard tray with a separate card lid; the artwork on the lid represents a Mercedes 170V Cabrio Saloon in a street. Inside there is an instruction booklet and a single plastic bag containing all of the plastic for the model plus the clear sprue and decals in a bag of their own and packed along with the other parts, a nice touch is that the body , a nice touch is that the body for this model is protected inside a separate card box adding that nice touch of extra protection. In this example no obvious damage has been caused to any elements of the model; while no damage has been done to the model from what I can see it does leave small and fragile parts exposed to be knocked loose or damaged. There is a sheet of photo etch included with this release and that is protected by a card envelope in the packaging.

Included with this offering from MiniArt is a very nicely tackled engine and gearbox. One of my concerns when I saw an engine was included was that a large amount of microscopic photo etched parts would be used during construction, well good news MiniArt has not gone overboard with the photo etch here and instead moulded the parts while still providing a great look to the area. With that said there are still some very small elements that need to be added.

The chassis of the vehicle is tubular in construction and has been provided as a single structure for the most part. There are some very small details that need to be added and that includes photo etched elements, but at least we are provided with a sturdy structure to work from in this respect. Something that I was particularly pleased to see is an element for the super detailers amongst us; MiniArt has provided plans for the bending of brake lines from wire that you source yourself. The combination of leaf springs at the front and coiled spring suspension at the rear has been very nicely tackled with the springs being moulded compressible if not on the model itself. My pet hate is present in that the front wheels cannot be assembled or shown turned.

The floor of the vehicle has been well tackled with good detail on both faces. In order to avoid ejector pin marks on the part there are a number of long pins that will need to be removed on the underside of the moulding. The chassis attached to the floor via some small areas and so take care with this aspect of the model as there are no substantial mating areas. The firewall has been well tackled and provides details such as the fuel tank and in car tools.

The cabin of the vehicle has seats that show no wear and tear. The dash board has clear glazing for the dials with instrument details moulded as part of the dash board, due to the depth of these elements I would have liked to see some decals provided as I feel it will be next to impossible to cleanly paint these details. I was very pleased to see interior details such as a rear view mirror.

The body of the vehicle is an especially fine moulding that is really a skeleton which allows the modeller to decide how they want the vehicle displayed. The roof of this offering being a soft top is provided with the option of showing it open or closed. The doors are all separate with door cards added during assembly and this has hidden some substantial ejector pin marks. The hood/bonnet of the vehicle is supplied very finely moulded and allows for the hood/bonnet to be shown open or closed. There are some very fine photo etched elements covering the locking elements of the hood/bonnet and these could prove problematic for those who are not fully comfortable with using photo etch. The front grill has been well tackled with a photo etched grill being provided and also a nice Mercedes Benz badge for the top.

The tyres of the model have been tackled via the slice methodology and so provided cleanup is well done this will provide excellent tyre tread detail. The Mercedes Benz badge is also clearly replicated on the wheel hubs.

MiniArt has provided two figures with this release in the form of a very petite female and a male. The clothing provided would cover from the 1930’s through to the 1960’s. I was pleased to see a female figure with a female face and not provided with excessive attributes. These two figures are a nice inclusion by MiniArt. There is a fair amount of flash on the male figure that will need to be cleaned up and can be seen on the photographs. Also provided is an assortment of travel accessories that add another nice touch. Amongst the assorted luggage is a travel trunk with draws in it and which is a great piece for ageing a piece. MiniArt has provided 6 finishing options for vehicles used around the war years and that includes one in military use.

Conclusion

This offering from MiniArt is a lovely car model in 1/35th scale that provides a lot of options for the modeller. I do wish MiniArt had provided a way for showing the front wheels turned, but that is something I want rather than what the model needs to supply. I will say that this is not a model for the modeller without some skills under their belts as it does have some very fine parts that will test the eyes and the steadiness of the hands. The result though could easily be a stunning model either as a standalone build or as part of something bigger.