Last year Hachette released an ultra-detailed model of the DR30 Nissan Skyline from Seibu Keisatsu, Japan’s most popular 80s cop show. Now they’ve followed up with the only logical move, a 1/8 scale model of the show’s Super Z, based on an S130 Nissan Fairlady 280Z. Like the car used on screen, it features some not-so-factory bits like gull-wing doors, tear gas guns on the hood, and a control panel-filled cabin. Oh, it’ll measure almost two feet long, take two years to complete, and cost you over $1,600.
We’ve written about Japan’s subscription model kits several times, but if you’re not familiar here is a primer. In essence, you get a few parts in the mail each week, enough to build one component of the car. After 100 weeks you’ll have all the bits and finally be able to complete your 55cm-long version of the Super Z.
As you may have guessed, Seibu Keisatsu was sponsored by Nissan, hence the heavy product placement. The show was known for its mad car chases and thrilling action scenes, imprinting Nissan cars on a generation of gearheads. When the show debuted in 1979 the main character, Sgt. Daimon, drove a modified C210 Nissan Skyline turbo. But during the show’s run the C210 ended production and Nissan wanted to promote the next-gen DR30. Producers gave the good guys three of them, the aforementioned Machine RS-1 (and 2 and 3) and replaced Daimon’s Skyline with a Z.
Interstingly, the gold-over-black paint scheme was never offered in Japan, but someone at Nissan’s design department must have really dug the Black Gold colors. In addition to the doors and guns, you may have noticed five “exhaust” pipes at the rear of the Z. Called “skunks”. Four were actually smoke screens and only one was the true exhaust. And yes, the Super Z was an automatic; perhaps it was deemed more technologically sophisticated at the time, or maybe it was just easier to operate all the gizmos when you don’t have to worry about shifting.
Even if you ignore the show-specific accoutrements, this is the most detailed S130 model ever produced. The highly detailed L28 inline-six engine is pure beauty. Aside from the extra computers in the cockpit, the interior is spot-on as well. The doors, hood, and trunk all open and close.
The model is wired up with electricity as well. The headlights, taillights, fog lights, even interior lights, including those of each gauge on the instrument cluster, all illuminate. The turn signals blink in unison with the indicators on the dashboard, and dome light flashes as well.
There have been plenty of other large-scale subscription model kits. The Hakosuka Nissan Skyline, Toyota AE86 and Celica Liftback, McLaren-Honda MP4/4, Subaru 360, not one but two Toyota 2000GTs, and more, have all been immortalized in this format. It’s fun to see some TV fantasy cars in the mix, especially since unlike all the other cars on this list, there’s no way you’d actually be able to own the real thing.
Now to get some Pym Particles to drive it!
1/8 scale is cool… just super expensive!