Maisto Need For Speed Undercover - 1965 Pontiac GTO

This is a special collaboration merchandise products between Maisto and Electronic Arts, also known shortly as "EA", for the popular racing video games called "Need for Speed - Under Cover".

Maisto is a popular toy brand of the May Cheong Group (which also now produces the Bburago brand name). They manufactures die-cast models of automobiles, aircraft, and motorcycles. They also manufactures a number of Tonka products, under license from Hasbro.

Electronic Arts is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and is one of the largest video game publishers in the world.

"Need for Speed" (NFS) is a series of racing video games published by Electronic Arts EA and developed by several studios including Canadian-based company EA Black Box and British-based Criterion Games. It is the most successful racing video game series in the world, and one of the most successful video game franchises of all time. As of October 2009, over 100 million copies of games in the Need for Speed series have been sold. As at 2011, I think there already about 20 titles and spin off series emerged from the original "The Need for Speed" released in 1994.

The only game I ever played from the series is "Need for Speed II: Special Edition" way back in the late 90's using the old Windows 95 and Windows 98 PC @__@ At that time, I think the game is one of the most awesome racing games I've ever played.

Nonetheless, today we will focus on this merchandise item - "Need For Speed Undercover - 1965 Pontiac GTO" from Maisto.

Priced at SGD 10.00 this item is surely pricey especially if you compared them to the cheap (or supposedly to be standard and cheap) Hot Wheels cars.

SGD 10.00 (about USD 7.90 / 616 yen) is as high as I'm willing to pay go for a 1/64 scale die cast car models - unless of course if that particular model is special and rare. Higher than that, you can kiss my ass!!!

Talking about this price issue, it's annoying to see that some shop eventually increase the price of certain 1/64 die cast car models as they pleased. Some of the local shop in here, when it comes to those Hot Wheels cars featuring Japanese car brand like the Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Mitsubishi, Subaru or what ever, the price can be double if not triple than it supposed to be. Some reached to the range of SGD 16.00 (about 1,000 yen) >__<

Due to this factor, when it comes to Hot Wheels, we in Shewsbury Land rather skipped those Japanese cars and go for the American classic car instead though so far "Pontiac GTO The Judge" is the only American classic that we grabbed from Hot Wheels brand. These American classic car are gargantuan but surely cool and can be as bad ass as those asses suffering from diarrhea..... LOL

If I want Japanese cars, I can get them at decent price from CH-Toynation or HLJ especially if they happen to have "clearance sales" which happen a lot during this though economy period where the Japanese Yen are extremely expensive and the US Dollar are as fragile as chicken pie, why would I pay over expensive price for a supposed to be "standard priced" items? Ask that to yourself as well.

OK, let's get down to business now....


The packaging;








As you can see from the packaging, it says "collect the cars", "unlock the codes" and go "under cover" - apparently if you happen to buy this special merchandise, you will get a code in which you can use later when you play the "Need for Speed Undercover" video games on PS3, XBox 360 and PC.

It has to be noted that they also offered die cast car model at 1/24 scale priced at around SGD 37.00 (about USD 29.00 / 2,280 yen).


In this 1/64 scale case, you have to take this particular part from the packaging;






And behind it... you can see the code;






So if you happen to have "Need for Speed Undercover" games, why don't you take this code and try it if it's work;





I think you will get new car or new track or what ever... who knows... you need to try it... go ahead and do it... consider this as free gift from Shewsbury Land ^__^



OK, now let's see the car;













This car have a remarkable features for a 1/64 scale car, openable hood so that you can see the "engine" parts;







Wow... great "engine" LOL.... OK, actually it's nothing spectacular but at least it's a nice gimmick, I don't remember seeing this features from any Hot Wheels cars yet.... or did I missed it?






Lovely GTO logo there.... though unfortunately when we do our "customization project" later, that will be gone...





Nice wheels with rubber tires....






Again the soon will be disappear beautiful GTO logo on the side here;





And another one at the rear.....

Unlike those from Hot Wheels that use "rivets" which is almost impossible to open unless of coz if you happen to have the suitable drills. The Maisto premium 1/64 die cast cars on the other hand only use the standard screw coz Maisto knew that some of us would surely like to "re-customized" this car;

And with that, we can easily see the interior;






That chromy bar is kind of distracting, I prefer to removed them for good;






And this is much better;








This is surely a beautiful Pontiac GTO at 1/64 scale.... Pontiac GTO happen to be my favorite classic American car.

Overall, the price seems to justified the details and finishing though obviously as buyers, we always hope for a little bit less but I think the price of this item is quite reasonable. Maisto did a great job with the paint finishing and the interior detailing plus they also give us the options to "re-customized" this car again if we want to, which is why they just use those screws so that we can easily open up this car model. Don't just stuck at those Hot Wheels, Matchbox, Majorette and Siku, the Maisto certainly worth a look. Though the price can be a little bit high sometimes, but I think it's worth it.

We will do some sort of "Shewsbury Custom" on this car, come again tomorrow and check it out ^__^





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