1:18 2010 AUTOart Shelby Mustang GT500 Review

The 1:18 2010 AUTOart Shelby Mustang GT500 is finally out on the market. After a long wait the model has started to arrive at various stores and already is gathering lots of attention.

Thus let’s check out the diecast model and see if it’s worth the $140 price tag which is basically typical for AUTOart models these days.

First a couple of words for the real car. It starts it’s life as a normal Ford Mustang GT but then the folks over at Shelby get a crack at it and turn it into a Shelby Mustang GT500.

They change a few things… well quite a lot actually and the results are a true blooded American Muscle car.

The car keeps its 5.4-liter engine but gets an upgrade in the power department to 540 hp and 690 Nm of torque.

And now let’s check out the actual model. The pictures are provided by mdiecast.com.

As usual we start with the exterior. The shape and size of the model is quite accurate which is business as usual for AUTOart. The paint is well applied and the panel gaps are also good.

At first look the model is stunning. The front is especially amazing with accurate headlights, huge grilles which are metal and a superb Shelby Cobra logo on the right.

The engine bay is also quite decent. There is a full engine block with lots of details, a visible air filter and various other correctly colored and labeled items.

A look at the side of the 1:18 2010 AUTOart Shelby Mustang GT500 reveals the stunning shape of the model and a slight issue which is the ride height. It seems that the model sits a bit too high on its wheels but then again the real car also is not very low to the ground either. The wheels though are very good and the rims are worth your special attention.

The back of the model is the next stop in our journey around the model. It looks very good and is shaped and modeled accurately. The big Shelby logo and photo-etched Shelby letters on the trunk are a great touch. The trunk is also carpeted.

As an issue we should point out the taillights which seem a bit too plasticy and glossy. When you look at the model from another angle the taillights look better and are textured but from a distance they do look a bit unrealistic.

Next up – the interior. As usual for AUTOart models the interior is very good and impressive. The big dashboard is well modeled, the buttons are with the correct symbols, the steering wheel is two-tone and with buttons on it.

The seats are also two-tone and are well modeled. They copy the option of extending the stripes on the exterior of the car to the interior which Shelby and Ford offered for the potential new customers. Of course the floor is carpeted as is the area behind the seats. The door panels are nicely detailed with all of the nooks and crannies present.

Last, but definitely not least is the underside of the model. AUTOart have added everything visible from the underside of the real car. You can see quite a few parts of the suspension and steering, the complete exhaust system, the gearbox and even the fuel tanks.

Overall the 1:18 AUTOart 2010 Shelby Mustang GT500 is a great model. It has great attention to detail, it is quality made, featuring a lot of details everywhere. The ride height and the too glossy taillights are the only bigger issues which are balanced out by a great underside, wheels and interior. Given that the actual car was limited to a 2000 unit production run getting the model is your best bet of owning this American Muscle.