It was a big surprise for me to find accidentally a 1:18 scale model of the almost unknown concept Lotec Sirius. I’m sure that the manufacturer name,Maxicar, remains unknown for many collectors,too. And this just because they've made only this model and nothing more. And the Lotec Sirius isn’t a popular model. Being a supercar enthusiasts I did everything to have this model in my collection. And after a while I had this opportunity. The package looks premium, being composed by a polystyrene box and a second card box with the model’s photos and name printed on. But, the good impressions stop here. Even if you’re seeing the model for the first time, few seconds are long enough to realize that this one is very poor made. To have an idea about its quality I will tell you that is under the usual quality level of the low-cost models. The body isn’t finished at all, seems to have the mould in your hands, not the finished product. The paint is metallic, thin, I can say even well applied, but is something missing here. Has a strange look, isn’t consistent and looks applied in hurry. No perforated meshes or other fine details are present. The front lights are good enough, but the rear ones are fixed with huge visible stubs. One for each taillight was not enough, so they used two. Is to be appreciate the chrome on the final exhaust pipes. They used a lot of metal for this model and the result is quite heavy. The few plastic parts like the spoiler or the lateral air vents are unfinished, bad painted and looks horrible. Is easy to see from the photos the huge shut lines everywhere.
The rims are well replicated but are excessively chromed and attached with a visible screw. Totally fail! A hard and glossy plastic was used for making the tires, giving them a toy look.
The doors are opening and reveal a very poor interior. Here, the plastic looks cheap, the details are missing, excepting the sticker to replicate the indicators and a red switch. The blue paint on the seats is too shinny and bad applied and the decals on the door entry are replicating everything, only the carbon fiber not. Some toy cars are high class in comparison with what I can see here.
Both huge lids are opening on oversized hinges and the underneath aspect is deplorable. Metallic residues can be seen everywhere, they had not even the intention to finish them, before attaching to the model. The engine has some separate painted parts, few moulded details, but if you are to compare it with the real thing, you’ll realize how many things could be done here by an profesional manufacturer. Some frame pipes are covered in the same bling-bling chrome and again, the stickers trying to replicate the real carbon fiber are deplorable. The lids are not moving only up and down, but in the lateral sides, too.
I will stop here with the description, because nothing good can be found. The model- generously called- is very, very cheap and poor made. Is looking more like a toy. Reading this article and from the photos beyond it, for sure you’ll decide alone if is a model to buy or not.
All Copyrights rest with the author. No reproduction without permission. Copyright © Play Cars- Auto models biography 2013
All Copyrights rest with the author. No reproduction without permission. Copyright © Play Cars- Auto models biography 2013