The Cadillac Seville appeared in 1976 as a response to European luxury imports. GM marketing began to move away from the principle of "bigger is better". The Seville was the smallest Cadillac in the lineup (almost 70 cm shorter than the DeVille, and half a ton lighter), and the most expensive after the Fleetwood 75 (more than $12,000).
In 18th scale, the Cadillac model lineup for 1976 is represented quite fully, perhaps like no other year - there are a Coupe Deville and Fleetwood Brougham by Stamp Models, Eldorado coupe and convertible by BoS (and closed convertibles with a removable top from MCG are being prepared for release).
And now Cult Scale Models (a brand from a Dutch company - the former owners of Neo, and now Matrix) is releasing Sevilles of the same year in three colors. Naturally, I could not pass by.
The model arrived in a transparent box typical for Cult Scale with green film windows and a black plastic frame inside. The latter turned out to be very strong and rigid. After 10 minutes I still couldn’t separate it from the plastic base, so I had to unscrew the model from the base. The model was also tied to the base with plastic tapes, so everything arrived intact.
My main complaint about the model is that the paint layer under the clear coat looks uneven. The clear coat is thick, the unevenness is filled with it. This is especially noticeable on the hood and trunk.
The photoetched grille looks too flat. There is a slight 3D effect, but it lacks depth.
The headlights are maybe too simple, but passable. The parking/signal lights are white, I would have preferred amber.
The rear lights look good, there is depth, but the photoetched badge is positioned closer to the edge, and should be strictly in the center.
The mirrors have the Cadillac script, which is nice, but they are too rough, have uneven chrome, scratches. The Stamp mirrors look so much better. Of course, you have to heave very good eyesight to see it on the model with the naked eye.
On the positive side, I'd like to note the quality of the photoetched scripts - very fine detail, glued neatly.
The model corresponds to the scale, 28.5 cm from bumper to bumper measured with a ruler. The original is 5180 mm, which corresponds to 28.7 mm in 1/18.
Overall, the model is worth the money, but something is wrong with the paintwork (of course, it could be my copy). I'll check the other two colors when I get them.
"The mirrors have the Cadillac script, which is nice, but they are too rough, have uneven chrome, scratches. The Stamp mirrors look so much better."
- Funny you mention your mirrors - I noticed how "crude" they looked compared to Stamp's. Furthermore, excess glue splatters indicate sloppy assembly, but "most egregious," however, is that Cult affixed that tiny Cadillac logo (which should be engraved ) on the WRONG side of the mirror. That's simply poor research/engineering on behalf of Cult. 😫 😫
- You also noted how well represented 1976 Cadillacs are in 1/18. One of the reasons for this could be that many traditionalists view '76 as the LAST year for REAL Cadillacs. That is, never again, would Cadillac's car line-up be so large - thee quintessential Cadillac legacy. Other say Cadillac's LAST Fleetwoods (the D-bodies of 1993 - '96 ) represent the LAST true Cadillacs. For many years, only sealed 1/18 resins of these were available, but when fully-functioning diecasts became available (miraculously ) I jumped in. 😀 😉
- Your Seville replica is a very NICE model. Initially, Cadillac MNGT wanted this smaller offering to be an entry level vehicle, but quickly flipped their approach when marketing said you can charge more, and you'll get it. I'm glad to see these 1970's Sevilles finally receiving the recognition they deserve. 😎 😎
