The Viper. Has it redefined the American sports car? I think so. The 2nd generation of the amazing snake has already captured the minds and hearts of journalists and people of the world alike. With its motto of "500-500-500", relating to its horsepower figures, torque numbers and size situated around the number of 500, the Viper is simply the most extreme car real money can buy. No wonder everyone's trying to get a 1/18 as fast as possible.

In fact, I had no idea that Maisto was even producing a Viper until very recently. Discouraged by the poor attempts by Ertl and Mattel to reproduce this beauty, I put my faith into Maisto. What I got was a striking red roadster with massive chrome wheels and a killer stance. However, is it as good as it looks? Well, one thing's for sure, Maisto has stopped using stickers to represent lights. Maybe they do listen. The front lights are superbly detailed with transparent lenses and realistic pieces. Logos are decals. The fog lights look okay but have mounting posts, which is a bit disappointing. Some vents are actually perforated, some are not, but all are at least textured. Body gaps are decent but not exceptional.

Let's look a bit closer. Tires are not marked, but the wheels are outstanding: they're chromed and have meticulous details that really complete the look of the car. Brake discs are actually drilled (!) and brake calipers are superb. The side exhaust pipes (a design feature I really like) are not hollow although there is some nice shading to make that effect. The backlight is a separate light piece and looks awesome. The rear lights are quite well done from afar, but are not well attached and can get a bit flimsy when pushed, and mounting posts are clearly visible. The license plate is very nicely done, with accurate size and neat application. This is a heavy model and has the impression of being far more expensive than it actually is, but the review doesn't lie: there is room for progress here still.

20/25

Interior Features, Quality:

The Viper's interior was never the pinnacle of ergonomic and luxury design, but at least the new generation's interior is designed better and is more substantial. However, I wasn't expecting much detail but I was really proven wrong. The dash is nothing short of amazing, especially in this price range, with clearly visible markings, accurately placed controls and sharp graphics. Maisto did a terrific, terrific job here. The chrome gear shift lever is a very nice touch and brightens up this drab interior. Seats feel realistic and are very nicely shaped, more like a real car's then a model's. Seatbelts are included although buckles are molded into the belt. Floor mats are present and they're soft, but still no carpet. Still, progress has been made here. Door detail is excellent and the steering wheel feels realistic and padded. Good job, indeed.

24/25

Features:

The Viper features opening hood, doors and trunk. Open up the hood to find an engine that is very nicely detailed, with markings, superb textures and easily identifiable features. Perhaps one of Maisto's best attempts, one that definitely sets the standard in this price range. However, here's where we run into some problems. I really hoped that Maisto finally started painting every part of its model but the paint gremlins are back and they're causing trouble as there is bare metal exposed around the edges of the inner part of the hood piece. These are quite minor but they do catch your attention. Doors are open wide but the hinges are the familiar doglegs, another no-no that I thought Maisto left behind. Trunk is not carpeted but now has a bit more detail than usual, which is fine, but the trunk piece also has exposed bare metal. Uh-oh. I hope this doesn't come back. Maisto was having a good streak.

21/25

Value:

Ah, so much choice. So many Viper SRT-10 models on the market, by Mattel, Ertl, Autoart, and now this. You might as well skip the Mattel and Ertl as they weren't based on the production version of the car anyway, and their detail pretty much stinks in comparison to the far better Maisto and Autoart models. I would think that Autoart's is the best as there is little variation between Autoart models and they have always been a few levels above Maisto's releases, although Maisto is getting better. However, you do have two good choices, depending on the money you want to spend. This Maisto is an excellent value, make no mistake about it. The only other color is silver although black is also slated for release. These models will most likely never be rare but they're cheap and very nicely detailed. The Viper displays extremely well, even among the more expensive offerings, and is a very good buy.

23/25

Overall:

Maisto models have gotten better. A lot better. However, several things in this model puzzled me, namely the bare metal around the edges of the hood and trunk, and the dogleg hinges; both of these features were not seen in Maisto releases of the previous year and a half, but have made their way back into this one. Even considering those problems, this is still a very good model, with superb paint, an excellent interior, very good engine detail and no use of stickers for lights. Keep in mind that this is a Special Edition Maisto model, and is in the cheaper range, and its excellent availability and low price make it a terrific value. Definitely recommended, even though it's not the best Maisto piece I've seen to date.