Exterior Features, Quality:
To me, one of the cutest cars in production, and from an engineering point of view, one of the cleverest, featuring a retractable steel roof that can transform the 206CC from a breezy cabrio into a speedy coupe. Not only that, the 206CC is practical, frugal, and fun to drive. No wonder this is one of the most successful models in Peugeot's lineup.
The model itself is pretty interesting also. Gate did marvelous work on the exterior paint, capturing the perfect degree of metallic crystals in the bright blue bodywork. It's a radiant color, making sure that the 206CC model gets noticed from anywhere in the room. The scale is right on as well: as the car itself is compact, the model is small too, being completely dwarfed by the SUVs in my collection, yet fitting right in with the Mini Cooper and other cars of that type. Panel gaps are very tight.
This model features some of the best headlights I've ever seen in this price range, with really realistic lenses, which are firmly applied, and authentic-looking lights. It truly is a commendable job. The front grille features a chromed Peugeot icon, which looks very good, even though it is a bit sloppy. Fog lights are very nicely done as well, with no sign of attachment stubs. The cooling vent is perforated, which is a surprising find for the price, but a great find, nonetheless. The two tiny cooling vents just ahead of the windshield are textured but not perforated; this is a design feature I really find interesting, and it looks great on the 206CC.
Tires are anonymous, unfortunately, and wheels aren't all that detailed. They have a Peugeot icon in the center, but they're not much to look at. A very simple-looking brake disc can be found behind each wheel but brake calipers are nowhere to be found. Exterior turning indicators are just stickers; I understand the need for cost-cutting, but this is one area I'd like Gate to address, as Maisto has started doing. The blotches of plastic strewn all around the sides of the model are well replicated, thanks to the tight shutlines. There is an antenna on the top of the 206CC's windshield that really sticks up and is quite prone to bending, but its shape is very realistic and it has more detail than I would have expected to find.
The taillights are also well done, with very realistic detailing. It really is a joy to find such good details in a model such as this. However, the backlight is just a sticker. The rear badge is a sticker also, which is a shame, but it is well applied. The single reverse light, situated below the plastic bumper is a separate light piece, and even though I think that it's a bit too dark, it is still better than a sticker. The chromed exhaust pipe is not hollow, which is a shame.
21/25
Interior Features, Quality:
The interior of the 206CC is a pretty dour affair with black, black, and black covering the whole area. Luckily, Gate infused this space with some decent detail and it actually turned out to be not that bad. For example, the dash has great detail, with separate molding for the controls and dials; the steering wheel is superb, with perfect padding and a Peugeot logo in the center. The floor is not carpeted nor textured, which is disappointing, but typical at the price point. Seats are not soft but use good quality soft-feel plastic, and are nicely detailed. The gearshifter has a chrome head, which is actually accurate. Rear seat space is laughable, but Gate does model the rear seats as well as the fronts. The upper part of the windshield surround is detailed though not textured. Still, this is a nice thing to find on a budget model. Overall, very well done!
24/25
Features
The 206CC features an opening hood, doors, trunk, and operational roof. The roof is the greatest feature of the model, but we'll get to it a bit later. First, the engine compartment: the hood doesn't stay up, which is a problem. No hood strut or support is provided, so this must either be an isolated issue with my model or a production-wide mistake. Either way, it's not good. The engine is pretty disappointing too, with little detail, but molded-in parts and little color or clarity. Lastly, much of the underside of the hood is not painted, and left bare metal. This was a problem with old Maistos and is not so much anymore - I sincerely hope this doesn't become a major issue with Gate. Doors open on dogleg hinges, which make for a big opening but unrealistic look. Also, parts of the door surround area aren't painted, just like the hood. There is the same problem with the trunk also - and, the trunk area is neither carpeted nor textured. However, there is at least one nice thing to be found here and that is the operational roof, which can be raised by lifting the trunk rearward and dragging the roof out so that it can be latched into the windshield surround. This is a nifty feature, but I wish Gate concentrated their efforts into where it counts, ie. the paint problems and design problems.
19/25
Value:
Actually, pretty good value. This is a budget model and should be treated as such, because it really can't compete with the premium models like Shanghai VW or Minichamps. Still, for the price, it's quite good. Gate is mass produced, but not really mass distributed; although this model will never be very rare, its uniqueness may warrant a higher price in the years to come, if all goes well in the diecast industry and the U.S. economy. However, Gate is not the only modelmaker to produce the 206CC in 1/18 with Welly making the 206CC at this very same pricepoint also. However, I would suspect that the Gate model is better, just from experience with the modelmaker. Autoart has announced the 206CC as a future release, perhaps signifying a higher detail version of this 206CC. As for now, the Gate is the best bet; other colors are silver, green and black.
22/25
Overall:
The 206CC is truly a good model but its faults are many though most are minor. Poor paint on the undersides of the hood and trunk, as well as around the footwells mar an otherwise beautiful little model. Other shortcomings are more minor but must be addressed as well if Gate wants to catch up to modelmakers like UT and the Beanstalk Group, who are ahead of the group in terms of detail and realism. Nevertheless, this is still a very fine model, and definitely a keeper. The nifty roof, superb exterior paint, nicely detailed interior and excellent front and rear lights make it a must-get for fans of the genre.
