The latest car to receive the hyper-realistic 1/8-scale model kit treatment is the Subaru 22B STi. The kit, made by Hachette, consists of 120 weekly deliveries that each contain a few parts. When all is said and done it will have taken almost two years to complete, but there won’t be another 22B kit like it.
If you aren’t familiar with Japan’s subscription model kits, here is a primer on how they work. The Subaru will be mailed to you in bits over a period of 120 weeks and at the end of that time the built model will measure 54.5 cm (21.5 inches) long. The pieces for each week will also come with a pamphlet about the Subaru Impreza, its racing history, and the 22B’s mechanics and performance. Eventually they’ll form a comprehensive book about the car.
The total cost of all 120 installments is ¥241,179 ($1,505 USD), but that’s only if you get the regular subscription. That includes all the pieces to build the 1/8-scale car, the book, a parts box, keychain, 22B badge, and a completed 1/24-scale model of the Impreza WRC car that won the 1997 Rallye Monte Carlo (the same car that almost had charcoal gray wheels).
However, if you get the premium subscription, which costs and additional ¥58,500 ($365 USD) for a grand total of ¥299,679 ($1870 USD), you’ll also get an acrylic display stand for the model. The base contains a built-in speaker that replicates the sound of the 22B. And in case you were wondering, all these prices include domestic shipping within Japan.
To create the model, Hachette 3D-scanned a real 22B owned by Subaru. Even the detailed parts that comprise the 22B’s specially tuned EJ22 boxer engine were rendered via this process.
As with previous 1/8-scale Hachette models, it has a full array of working lights. The headlights can be switched between high and low beams, the front and rear turn signals can flash in sync accompanied by a relay click, and signals from both sides can flash in unison as hazard lights.
The instrument panel also illuminates when the headlights are turned on. The map light and dome light can also be turned on and off. Taillights, brake lights, and reverse lights can also be illuminated in accordance to their function on a real car. These functions are all controlled via a remote.
As on the real car, the angle of the rear wing’s upper flap can be adjusted. The side mirrors fold in, and there’s a working fuel door as well.
On the inside, the glove box and other storage compartments on the dashboard can open and close. The windows can raise and lower via a dial hidden beneath the door. The STi-branded bucket seats tilt and slide.
Even the underside of the car is highly detailed, with suspension pieces, exhaust, differential, and driveshaft meticulously reproduced. The factory Nardi steering wheel with cherry red STi logo is linked with the gold BBS front wheels and turn together.
It’s the ultimate model kit for Subaru fans, but it’s not the first. Hachette has previously given two other historic Subarus this treatment, a 1958 Subaru 360 and a Fuji Rabbit scooter. For a broader collection of 1/8-scale Japanese icons, Hachette has also made a Toyota Celica Liftback, Toyota 2000GT, Nissan Skyline GT-R, and Seibu Keisatsu DR30 Skyline, while competitors DeAgostini has made a Toyota AE86 and Honda MP4/4, and rival Eaglemoss has made S30 Fairlady Z and R35 GT-R.
Images: Hachette
