Big-time lux: 1:32 scale GMC Savana conversion van and Rolls Royce Drophead Coupe

Now for the final review of the China-made 1:32 scale models these are the two biggest and most luxurious models of the group and send luxury in two different directions.

Rolls Royce Drophead Coupe

Rolls Royce is the highest you can get for luxury with premium materials, hand-made, and smooth luxury and power no one else can rival, and while it was common to see Rolls Royce diecast models in the past it is a different story today as Rolls only allows high-end replica’s to be made from a select few diecast manufacturers that are out of reach for most of us. Apparently this is one of the few exception as I decided to look into the new Rolls Royce with a unique model: the drophead coupe convertible. The drophead coupe debut in 2007 based on the same platform shared with the Phantom sedan and sharing the boxy styling that reflects past Rolls Royce models and BMW hardware and software underneath the plush car. The unique touches of the drophead coupe is the rearward-opening front doors, the round headlights that look like foglights up front, umbrella holders in the doors, stainless steel hood option, and a tonneau cover made from real wood (and must be treated as if it was on the deck of a ship!). Out of all of the colors it made sense to select the black and silver to properly highlight the stainless steel hood design and the wood design of the tonneau cover. The front has detailed headlights with LED brow strips just above, chrome waterfall grille, and the flying goddess hood ornament that retracts into the grille on the real vehicle (here the ornament and mirrors are rubber to prevent either from breaking off, yet somehow my passenger-side exterior mirror got enough force to break off). The sides show off the long profile with chrome door handle trim and chrome 6-spoke wheels though they lack any detailed brake rotors and the support spokes can be visible behind the correct 6-spoke outer pattern. The rear has small taillights with chrome trim, chrome license plate handle, and dual exhaust tips, while the hood opens to show off the V-12 motor with chrome intake runners and air filter housings behind the intake runners, though too much chrome is visible so I had to add some black details to tone down on the chrome. On the bright side this is the first 1:32 scale model with a fully detailed base that shows the suspension and dual exhaust system, the latter hovering just above the speaker at the rear. After you marvel the rearward-opening front doors the interior embraces luxury with a light tan front and rear seats, the latter with a rather high lower cushion to hide the pullback motor, chrome around the tonneau cover, and nice wood and silver trim touches that I added myself. The black dashboard has a clean and simple layout just like the real car with 3-spoke banjo steering wheel and a few visible control knobs. The trunk is a disappointment as the space is limited and the trunk does not open wide enough or close smoothly. Despite a few flaws this is one nicely done Rolls Royce that shows off the cool features of a modern-day Rolls Royce.

Specifications:

Engine: 6.0L DOHC V-12 650 hp. Est.
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
0-60 mph: 4.5 sec. est.
Real vehicle price: $533,000

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

GMC Savana conversion van

Probably the biggest vehicle in the 1:32 scale review is this GMC Savana conversion van. Conversion vans start off with a basic passenger van from an automaker, in this case a GMC Savana van, and then sent to an aftermarket conversion company where they add more flair into these vans that include ground effects, a raised roof, special alloy wheels, and inside more luxury with leather seats, improved sound system, rear TV, track lighting, and rear seats that can turn into a comfy bed. This is just some of the features that can be built into a conversion van. This big red beast looks sharp in metallic red with side graphics, ground effects, and a raised roof with aero design. The front has the GMC look with large headlights and lower signal lights, a black grille with GMC letters, and a lower bumper with foglights and Chinese letters for the front plate area. The sides show off the long girth of this model with running boards, C-pillar vertical light streaks, and sporty multi-spoke deep dish wheel design, while the rear has high-mounted taillights, GMC and Savana badging, and a lower bumper with reverse lamps and hidden dual exhaust tips. Paint job tends to be spotty in areas for this metallic red paint, the roof is plastic, and the base shows the basic details for this ladder type frame with dual exhaust. The hood opens up to show the most of the 6.0L V8 that hides under the dashboard and produces 350 est. horsepower to the rear wheels by a six-speed automatic transmission. The interior is the real best part of this casting as this is where the luxury features should exist. Up front is a typical Savana dashboard with 4-spoke steering wheel and detailed controls, but the seats are upgraded and there is a center console with four cupholders. At the rear is an interesting twist: instead of a mattress bed there are two bench seats mounted to sides and join to a clear table in the center for a conference room setup with gray accents and a light bar in the center of the roof that illuminates the conference area when the lights are turned on. A very cool and distinctive van done in a style other diecast manufacturers have yet to do and it turned out very nice for such a large van.

Specifications: