Exterior Features, Quality:
What is, in my view, one of the sexiest designs on the planet, the CLK-DTM is Mercedes-Benz's latest foray into the realm of racing, specifically, DTM. Mercedes-Benz upgraded the standard and slightly boring-looking CLK into this aggressive and purposeful design, with a powerful V-8 engine and slick aerodynamics. This particular car is driven by Jean Alesi, a former F1 driver, and features a particularly cool livery. As this is one of Maisto's latest releases, I was expecting the same high quality I noticed on the Carrera GT and Morgan Aero 8 models. Read on and see if the CLK-DTM met the high standards prescribed by Maisto's recent models.
One thing is true, Maisto did a fantastic job on the livery. All of the graphics are tampoed, and look superb. The model exhibits none of the peeling that is prevalent on Minichamps or even other Maisto models, for example. The paint on my example is flawless, with perfect distribution and a deep, rich finish. Scale is spot on, and the complicated mold is very well done, something I was not expecting. At first, the model looked just like an update on the previous CLK-DTMs, but comparing it with photos of the 1:1, Maisto's replica is absolutely correct.
The front lights are shaped well and appear to have decent detail but they are attached with very noticeable mounting posts. The grille is textured and perforated and the huge and impressive Mercedes-Benz logo is replicated in chrome. The front license plate is covered by a Blaupunkt advertisement, but the sticker is accurately applied. The lower vent is not perforated, but still textured. However, it is really not well secured in its place, and can be pushed around pretty easily with the touch of a finger. The vents above the wheels are accurately modeled, and look good. The wheels themselves are pretty much standard fare for racing Mercedes-Benzes, and Maisto did a good job here. Tires are anonymous, which is strange, as most racing Maistos have marked tires. The neatest features about the exterior of the model are the brake discs and calipers, which are very detailed and look excellent.
The vents just ahead of the wheels are textured but not perforated. They still look quite good, and their quality is pretty much unnoticeable in the black paint scheme. The exhaust pipes are on the side of the car, and are, for some reason, incorrectly chromed. The rear wing is firmly attached and features a carbon fiber pattern that is found in other areas of the model as well. Rear lights, unlike the fronts, are nicely detailed and look great. The backlight, however, is painted on. Interestingly enough, Maisto actually replicated the four vents on the rear window realistically; this little touch makes the model appear more sophisticated, and I'm surprised that Maisto took the trouble.
20/25
Interior Features, Quality:
Although I understand that DTM car interiors are generally fairly spartan, Maisto could have done a better job picking out the details in this cockpit. The interior is covered in black, textured with carbon-fiber. The unique arrangement of the steering wheel and controls is nicely done, but I would wish for just a little more detail here. The roll cage is accurately reproduced. The seat is shaped realistically, but it is not textured and does not have a realistic feel to it. The various controls found on the right side of the interior are fairly well replicated, but again, more detail and definition would be nice. Overall, this is not a bad interior - it's accurate, for one - but it screams for more detail.
23/25
Features:
The CLK-DTM features an opening hood and doors. The rear section of the model does not open, which is definitely disappointing. Taking off the front part of the model reveals the engine, one of the best parts of this model, in my opinion. While it is covered up somewhat, there is a lot of definition and nice touches abound. There are some attempts at wiring, but mainly, it is pretty basic. Still, as engines go, Maisto did a fairly good job, especially with the limitations of modern-day racing engines. I particularly like the suspension details, which dominate this compartment, at least in terms of color. However, one big no-no that I was hoping I wouldn't find in this model was the bare metal on the edges of the underside of the hood. Like in many older Maistos, the black paint fades away to reveal just plain, bare metal. While this was not present on many recent Maisto releases, it is, for some reason, making its way back into the newest releases. Too bad. The doors open on very realistic hinges, and the doors also feature windows. Like I always say, this is a pretty nice touch, and it adds a bit of realism to the model.
20/25
Value:
Maistos are generally cheap, easy to find, and hardly rare. I've been surprised by some of the prices going on the 'net for older Maisto releases, but I still doubt that much of what they produce will rise in value. However, these are cheap budget models that offer more than a modicum of detail. Plus, Maisto reproduces some really neat models that no one else does, the CLK-DTM for example. This is a really unique (and beautiful) race car that was dying to be reproduced in 1:18 scale. And, although Maisto would not have been my first choice of modelmaker to produce the CLK-DTM, their value is almost unbeatable. Two other versions of the CLK-DTM are offered, the silver #1 driven by Schneider and the black #5 driven by Alzen.
22/25
Overall:
Although the CLK-DTM is a good model, I have a feeling that it could have been a lot better. Recent Maistos have really impressed me, but this, I feel, is a step backwards. It features a lot of the nasty stuff Maisto got rid of (like bare metal and mounting posts for lights), and little innovation. The CLK-DTM is a fantastic car, and the model itself is certainly not bad, but it does disappoint, compared to the other newer Maistos. That said, it's still worth buying, and the CLK-DTM is, in my opinion, certainly worthy of being represented in anyone's collection.
