Kinsmart 2017 Ford GT and Mclaren P1
Kinsmart has not been perfect in the past, but most of the time they are pretty spot-on, and a look at their newest offerings you can see how much they have improved. The latest is a pair of mid-engine supercars that have style and their own way of making power that does not require more than eight cylinders to do so. The Mclaren P1 has been a favorite of mine since the Hot Wheels version came out last year, and this Kinsmart version continues the love, while the newest kid on the block (and the rage this year) is the 2017 Ford GT.
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Mclaren P1
Nothing will ever match the brilliance of the F1 of the 1990's, Mclaren's first road car. Since then the Mclaren brand has been trying to go after Ferrari with more road cars, though the MP4-12C lacked the style to go along with the performance. The P1 was the icon of the brand as almost all of the Mclaren models in the line share the styling elements of the limited-run P1 supercar. Kinsmart offers this one in silver, yellow, white, and especially the one to get the dark orange color. Sitting on blacked-out multi-spoke wheels it just looks good on this car. The front has the C-shaped headlights with LED eyebrows and detailed projector beams that swoop into the side scoops that point to the carbon fiber front bumper with detailed lower splitter and radiator grille inside (you have to look very close to see it). The hood has vents, while the sides have the detailed door scallops to feed the intercoolers and engine area (not the upper scoop that leaves a gap in the door) all done in carbon fiber (there's a ton of it between these two models). I added black to the exterior mirrors, but the doors leave a large, noticeable gap at the front of the doors.
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The roof has a carbon fiber intake scoop flanked by small roof windows, flowing to the rear engine cover that ends with silver intake flares and the Mclaren badge. The rear fenders beautifully kick up towards the rear-end with the thin trackbar taillight, mesh vent area with center exhaust in silver, and a lower diffuser with Mclaren plate, reverse lamp, and side reflector lenses that flow with the diffuser. All-in-all it's pure beauty, also gained by making the rear spoiler flush with the body. The base on these two shows the downside of Kinsmart as they attempt to put a front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout in the center (totally wrong for both of these cars), and while the P1 was acceptable the GT required a date with the dremel to erase the blemish.
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Unlike the GT the P1 has much less of an engine to show off the 3.8L twin-turbo DOHC V8 and electric motor with 727 hp. and 531 Ib-ft. of torque through a 7-speed automated manual transmission. The doors, like the GT, open upward at an angle, yet the P1 also carries the window frame which in turn makes for a roof hinge that is an eyesore to see. The interior shows off a simple layout with dual bucket seats, 3-spoke steering wheel ahead of digital gauges, and a center touch screen that floats from the dashboard; this is a driver's car so distractions are put to a minimal.
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2017 Ford GT
Ah, yes the car we've been waiting for, the new Ford GT. Introduced at last year's Detroit Auto Show as a surprise reveal and heading to Le Mans this June to battle with Ferrari and rekindle the 1, 2, 3 finish that Ford grabbed with the GT40 50 years ago. While the Hot Wheels version will eventually come out (as does a few other diecast versions) and fending off the plastic Revell kit Kinsmart makes an easy solution for those who want more detail, in diecast metal, without the larger size of a 1:18 scale model. Oh and the brownie points: offered in blue, silver, red, and white, with or without racing stripes!
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Unlike the 2005 Ford GT there's no confusing the original GT40 with this GT while at the same time preserving the heritage of the original GT40. The front has a large lower grille with carbon fiber outline, dual exit vents on the hood, and quad rectangular headlights on a front-end that seems to sit a bit high and lack the style like the rest of the car. The sides show off more carbon fiber on the lower door sills, thin exterior mirrors, and doors that flow toward the middle of the car; this is where the beauty starts where flying buttresses attach the roof to the external fenders with intercooler scoops and help carry the inner bend of the doors to the rear where it exits out without the need to adopt a large rear wing or a deployable one. Kinsmart did an excellent job with the execution of this part. The back end finishes off with an aircraft-style look that includes round taillight rings and dual exhaust that exit at the center. just below is the lower air diffuser with Ford Performance license plate and reverse lamp below. The wheels are 5-spoke blacked-out units based on the carbon fiber wheels on the Shelby GT350R Mustang, though they look a lot like the Kinsmart 2015 Mustang GT wheels.
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The gills at the sides of the rear window reveal a surprise: instead of a V8 this GT uses the 3.5L twin-turbo DOHC Ecoboost V6 motor. Whaaaat?!?! Sure that may not satisfy V8 traditionalists, but then again look at the advancements in motorsports today with electric motor assist for supercars like the P1 to the diesel hybrids of the winning Audi LMP's. Automakers are pushing the boundaries to test new technologies that would eventually make it to production vehicles and improve the use of vehicles around the world, and this Ecoboost motor is no surprise: This one will make 600 hp. (est) through a 7-speed dual clutch transmission, swooshes and all. Like the P1 the doors open upward at an angle and take the lower sills with them as well. The door openings on the GT are cleaner and open to a larger interior. The seats are thinly padded, but look great with the added details of silver to the seats, dashboard, pedals, and large paddle shifters behind the two-spoke steering wheel. Speaking of which I also added silver to the intake in the detailed engine compartment just behind to join the Ecoboost logo on the dry-sump oil tank. Like the P1 the dashboard is clean save for a center touch screen and a thin row of buttons between the seats, but the silver accents on the dashboard add contrast to the all-black interior. Even the dashboard goes into the door panels where the outside air vents reside.
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Both of these cars look good, have style, performance, and technology that will be admired by many for years to come.
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