Exterior Features, Quality:
Alright, I'll say it up front: I don't really like Saturns. It's not that they're bad cars, as they're not, but I've always been uncomfortable with Saturn design. To put it lightly, the SC2's styling doesn't really work in its favor, in my opinion. The car did bring some interesting ideas to the econo-coupe mix, such as the "pickup-style" rear doors. And, the car itself strikes me as "weird", and it was, thus, a perfect candidate for my collection.
Now that I've explained myself, I can actually get to the model. Yes, this is an Autoart, but you'd never know it if you looked on the undercarriage, where it just says, "Gateway Global". Part of the Contemporary range, the SC2 represents a hypothetical step down in quality and features from typical AAs. However, I didn't find this "step down" to be so evident when I first took a look at this model. The paint is absolutely fantastic - really, this glossy and vibrant yellow is one of the best I've seen. Scale is, of course, perfect. The noticeable difference between this and other Autoarts is when you actually pick the model up: it's very light, and the use of plastic is a lot more prevalent here than in other Autoarts. Then again, that's entirely correct, as Saturns use a lot of plastic anyway.
The front lights are very detailed and look fantastic. Badging is done with stickers, but all of the stickers are accurately attached. Side turning indicators are replicated as separate pieces, and are very well done. Fog lights look realistic as well. The lower air intake is textured and perforated. The front, overall, looks very realistic - Autoart did a terrific job here. Tires are marked Firestone Firehawk GTA and have lots of info printed. The rims feature the strange four-spoke pattern, which is replicated quite well. Brake discs and calipers are present.
The rear taillight section is really nicely detailed, bringing out the unique shape of the rear lights nicely, while including a ton of detail. Rear fog lights are separate light pieces, which are really well done. The Saturn license plate is neatly applied and correctly scaled. My only gripe? The exhaust pipe, only seen on the undercarriage of the model, is not hollow, although Autoart did try to shade the interior to show a hollow effect. Still, not good enough. Otherwise, really well done.
24/25
Interior Features, Quality:
You'd figure that the vibrant theme of the exterior would be carried into the interior, but I was reminded about the SC2's econo-car status when I looked into the interior. Black covers all the surfaces, making for a pretty dour interior, but a surprising contrast to the yellow found outside. Even though the SC2 has a fairly spartan interior, Autoart didn't spare anything. The instrument panel is nicely detailed, with stickers for the main instruments, and a decent-looking center stack. While there isn't much detail here, it still ends up looking quite good. The floor features carpeting, which isn't as rich as in Kyosho models and later Autoarts, but still manages to convey the message. Seats are well shaped, but are not textured and do not feature soft plastics. The ceiling features some detail, although it's not much to brag about. However, the backlight is a sticker, which spoils the interior's appearance a bit.
23/25
Features:
The SC2 features an opening hood, and doors. The trunk, unfortunately, does not open, which is surprising for an Autoart model. The hood opens up to reveal the simple 1.9-liter inline-4 that is offered on the SC2. Autoart did an excellent job bringing out the subtle details in this engine, which ends up looking really good. Various parts are painted, as they should be, and the appearance is very sharp. The doors open on dogleg hinges, which work well, but ruin the realism of the model somewhat. The real story here is about the novel third door, which also opens, very much like its 1:1 counterpart. The inclusion of the opening third door is a neat and unique feature of this model, and one of my favorites. Still, the non-opening rear trunk is unforgivable.
22/25
Value:
Autoart Contemporary models offer Autoart detail at lower prices. How can one argue with that? Well, the only difference is that for these models, choice is limited. Still, for $40, you definitely get what you pay for. I would have to say that the SC2 is one of the best budget models I've sampled, and undoubtedly an awesome value. The real question here is the limited appeal of Saturn models: only those who like Saturns or those who like weird cars will get one. And that isn't too many people, especially the former category. However, the rest is missing out, as model subject notwithstanding, the SC2 is a superb value. Plus, no one else makes the SC2 in 1:18 scale, making the Autoart replica your only choice if you're interested in purchasing one. Other than Yellow, Black is offered. Autoart also lists Red and Silver as upcoming colors. The chance that this model will ever be rare is slim, but its limited appeal might work in its favor in the future.
24/25
Overall:
Like I said, I don't really like Saturns. But I do like this model. Not because it is a Saturn, but because it is unique, has great detail, and is an excellent value. In fact, the SC2 is better than quite a few Autoart models positioned at a higher detail level. It truly is an excellent model, even if you may not like the design or the engineering of the 1:1. However, the SC2 has its faults as well, like the non-opening trunk, unrealistic exhaust pipe, and hard plastic seats. Other than the trunk, the other shortcomings are more or less minor, and don't detract so much from the overall impression of the SC2. Some details, like the deliberate use of plastic to replicate the body, are pretty thoughtful. And, sometimes decisions are based on thought, and not on heart...which would explain why people buy Saturns anyway.
93/100
