Having fallen in love with the now-defunct HPI diecast brand, I have been slowly acquiring more of their 1:43 models to the fleet. With the more desirable castings being scarce and steep in prices, especially with the resin ones, the uptake has been gradual. After that long of a dry spell, I thought an R33 Skyline GTR would make things right.
While the R32 GTR is made in diecast metal, this silver middle child is produced in resin. As a newbie to this material, I was surprised by how light it weighed given the depth of detail on it; something this detailed should not be this light! The total lack of paint blister also made me very happy, and I am confident that I will see myself getting more resin models in the future. (Another one is already on the way. lol)
Despite being the predecessor to Ignition Models, HPI models are relatively more obscure in the collector circle. But their accuracy and details are something to marvel, certainly on a higher tier than the 1:43 AUTOart models I own. Despite being out of the scale model business for almost a decade, HPI models are still available on the market; and they are more affordable than their successor.
Justice is done by HPI on this R33 GTR, with the subtle curves sculpted on its body, it is easy to make it too bloaty in miniature scale. I was very pleased by that after looking at the stills taken from every angle. Even without opening doors, a glance tells me that the interior is treated with the same respect as the exterior. Good on you, HPI.
Thanks for looking!