REVIEW: Norev 1:18 Audi RS e-tron GT

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yellowcamaro
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REVIEW: Norev 1:18 Audi RS e-tron GT

Post by yellowcamaro » Sun Mar 06, 2022 11:26 am

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What is it?
This is Audi’s latest flagship. Not just EV flagship, but flagship, period. That’s how significant this car is to the brand. What the i8 was to BMW, the e-tron GT is to Audi, in more practical package. It may not be their first EV, but this is the first EV from Audi you’ll really want. And Norev is the first to shrink it to 1:18, finishing it in Daytona Grey, and dressing it in the top-of-the-line RS trim.

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Does it do justice to the real car?
In a word, yes. Norev lives up to expectations. But this is a slightly different kind of Norev, one that doesn’t open up anywhere. It’s a sealed model, not resin but diecast - which is great in my books. It’s not unnecessarily heavy, and can be handled more confidently. Liking it so far.

This is one car you’ll appreciate more in the metal. The wheels look controversial in photos but they actually work well with the overall design. Speaking of which, I think this is one of the best proportioned sedans / 4 door coupes in recent history. I’d put it on the same podium as the more traditional Aston Martin Rapide and 8 Series Gran Coupe. The Porsche Taycan isn’t quite my thing, but this one, built on the same bones, comes across as a bespoke Audi at first glance. Look hard enough at the swoopy C pillar, and you’ll see a resemblance to the 911, but other than that, this is pure Audi. The inverse front grill design is just genius.

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Whereas the Taycan looks more concept like, the Audi looks more familiar, but no less stunning. The EV architecture contributes to the low centre of gravity, and therefore the hunkered down look gives off a stance unmatched by any internal combustion powered sedan. And Norev has done a very good job replicating that stance here. It’s not perfect, mind you, but fantastic nevertheless. We get some attractive carbon fibre trim on the very glossy roof, wing mirrors, side sills, and front & rear fascias. Moving around to the rear, the carbon fibre lined diffuser is so dramatic it almost makes you forgive the lack of a set of quad exhausts in sight. Excellent job by Audi’s (and Norev’s) designers here.

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We can’t end this section without talking about the party piece - that rear light bar! Again, nicely done by Norev but one little complaint - I just wish the arrow pattern within the rear light lenses were more defined. I noticed a very similar issue with Norev’s W222 S Class as well.

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Does the interior call out to you?
Kind of. The e-tron GT has a very attractive dashboard not overrun by touchscreens, an obvious conscious effort by Audi to dial it back a little from what we’ve seen in the A8/ A7/ Q8 etc. Being the RS model, Norev’s decision to go with a sporty, all black interior is all good- but look closely and you’d be surprised to see some cost cutting going on. Material quality wise, this is not up to up the standards you’d find in Norev’s opening cars. The plastic mouldings are smooth and shiny, so thankfully the black colour just conceals the cheapness. On a better note, the dashboard is accurately represented.

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How does it drive?
Give it a push with your fingers, and it rolls forward very smoothly. And silently. Just like the real thing! And here’s another surprise - all 4 tyres on this model have working suspension.

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And the verdict is:
Despite the interior quality, I’m still liking this model. Something about it brings out the child in you. So yes, this is yet another solid effort from Norev. I wished they released it in more lively colours, because the grey might be too business-like for some - but still a very good match for this car’s body lines. Makes it look all the more realistic.

We are currently witnessing a paradigm shift in the automotive industry: the transformation of the automobile from analogue, fuel burning mechanical machines into A.I enabled, cloud connected, microchip powered electronic devices on wheels. I still remember the first generation Chevrolet Volt in 2010 that brought EVs to the mainstream. And it could connect to an app on your phone too, back then it was mind-bending. And then came the Tesla Model S, and that obviously made much bigger ripples and today, the old guards of the auto industry have entered the scene. And what an entrance this is. This is a landmark car, not just for Audi, but for me too - it’s my first 1:18 diecast EV!

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You might also like:
Norev also makes the e-tron GT in an olive green shade, but that’s quite an acquired taste. And GT Spirit has announced their take on the RS e-tron GT, with a mild tuner look- so yeah the e-tron is getting more love now. And if you’re on a tight budget, fret not: Para64 makes a fantastic e-tron GT in 1:64 scale, in 2 colours (and more to come) - retailing for something like 16 USD.

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Last edited by yellowcamaro on Mon Feb 05, 2024 11:57 pm, edited 9 times in total.

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[KRAFTIG]
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Re: REVIEW: Norev 1:18 Audi RS e-tron GT

Post by [KRAFTIG] » Mon Mar 07, 2022 12:04 am

Nice review sir! I bought the same model a while back. Not the most detailed, but as a true Audi fan a nice addition to my collection.

We okay to publish this review on the main website? TIA.

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Re: REVIEW: Norev 1:18 Audi RS e-tron GT

Post by yellowcamaro » Mon Mar 07, 2022 12:44 am

[KRAFTIG] wrote:
Mon Mar 07, 2022 12:04 am
Nice review sir! I bought the same model a while back. Not the most detailed, but as a true Audi fan a nice addition to my collection.

We okay to publish this review on the main website? TIA.
Thanks Kraftig! Yeah this grey being a dealer edition actually comes in a nice Audi Collection box as well :)

Sure, feel free to publish this. You may access the photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/20418991@ ... 0297137671

Take care.

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Re: REVIEW: Norev 1:18 Audi RS e-tron GT

Post by [KRAFTIG] » Mon Mar 07, 2022 2:43 am

Awesome, thanks

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Re: REVIEW: Norev 1:18 Audi RS e-tron GT

Post by stevenmweiner » Fri Mar 11, 2022 9:18 pm

I have the olive green version of this car. Kind of an unusual color, but the fact that the color is something a little different adds interest to my collection. I generally like the looks of the piece. :okay:

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Re: REVIEW: Norev 1:18 Audi RS e-tron GT

Post by yellowcamaro » Fri Mar 11, 2022 11:08 pm

stevenmweiner wrote:
Fri Mar 11, 2022 9:18 pm
I have the olive green version of this car. Kind of an unusual color, but the fact that the color is something a little different adds interest to my collection. I generally like the looks of the piece. :okay:
Oh really! I was seriously contemplating the olive green one because I quite liked the visual contrast it has over this grey, but in the end i backed out because I still wasn't sure how the colour would've looked in real life.

If it's not too much to ask, would you mind posting maybe just 1-2 photos of your car here - I'd love to see how it looks apart from all those press shots/ product photos on the internet. Thanks :) :)

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Re: REVIEW: Norev 1:18 Audi RS e-tron GT

Post by stevenmweiner » Sat Mar 12, 2022 4:25 pm

I'm not very computer-savvy and unfortunately don't know how to post photos! I would say that the photo you show here of the olive green model is pretty accurate. The olive green color has a metallic element to it, which in my opinion makes this color look even better. Hope this helps! :)

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Re: REVIEW: Norev 1:18 Audi RS e-tron GT

Post by stevenmweiner » Sat Mar 12, 2022 5:16 pm

I might add that the metallic element of the olive green paint on this model is very slight, so don't expect anything too glistening!

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Re: REVIEW: Norev 1:18 Audi RS e-tron GT

Post by yellowcamaro » Sun Mar 13, 2022 1:47 am

stevenmweiner wrote:
Sat Mar 12, 2022 4:25 pm
I'm not very computer-savvy and unfortunately don't know how to post photos! I would say that the photo you show here of the olive green model is pretty accurate. The olive green color has a metallic element to it, which in my opinion makes this color look even better. Hope this helps! :)
No worries, Steven! Thanks for the detailed description, I would suppose this colour looks best in good light, or daylight for that matter. Nothing beats daylight. Definitely a unique shade though, only the Bburago Lambo Sian comes to mind with a somewhat similar shade.
Just in case you're curious about the photo posting stuff: you need to upload your photos to a third party site such as Flickr, and then click the 'Share' arrow icon to bring up some options. There you'll see a 'BBCode' option with which you can just copy and paste the link here for each individual photo you wish to share.

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Re: REVIEW: Norev 1:18 Audi RS e-tron GT

Post by stevenmweiner » Sun Mar 13, 2022 10:52 pm

Thanks for the computer instructions re: posting pictures. I'm afraid I'm a dinosaur when it comes to hi-tech electronic things! :cry:

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