sfhess Posted April 9, 2014 Posted April 9, 2014 (edited) The original Countach prototype (LP500) was shown at the Geneva Auto show in 1971. Also note that Spark and Technomodel made higher-quality replicas of the Carabo in 1/43 scale. I have the Spark model at home. I saw the original at the L.A. Auto expo in 1969. Edited April 9, 2014 by sfhess
lordairgtar Posted April 12, 2014 Posted April 12, 2014 The difference between the EidaiGrip kit and the AirFix is that the EidaiGrip kit had an actual Mabuchi can motor and chrome, the AirFix has neither. The saving grace of the AirFix is the body is molded in white.
Pete J. Posted April 12, 2014 Posted April 12, 2014 The Bertone designs were most definitely unique. Some good and some not so much! This is probably the most "not so much" of the bunch. 5th gear did a show from Bertone last week and I had forgotten some of their better designs. The Lancia Stratos, Lamborghini Countach and Miura and the Alfa Giulia GTC just to name a few. They moved into a angular mode in the 60's and that is when the X-19, Gen 1 MR2 and this beast were designed. The Stratos and Countach were of the same linage but they worked. The X-19 and MR2 weren't offensive but this beast was just horrible. Full width of the spectrum. I suppose when you are doing cutting edge design work you will get both because they were working without bounds. At the time some would have called this leading the pack. Unfortunately it was a dead end street and that is easy to see with 20/20 hindsight. At the time it was not so easy to look forward. Of course we could use a little of that spirit, if not direct design in todays world of shapeless lumps. Heck, 90% of the cars you see on the streets today look like the evolution of a bar of very used soap! 1
lordairgtar Posted April 13, 2014 Posted April 13, 2014 Looks are subjective. I mean the truly ugly is ugly to everyone. I find the Rainbow intriguing, whereas I find the Countach to be squashed looking.
Skydime Posted April 17, 2014 Posted April 17, 2014 (edited) Wow, the molds for this kit really got around. Well, Casey, I can at least say this one is Italian red. On a serious note, this car is honestly butt-ugly in white. Other colors seem to make it a bit more appealling. Edited April 17, 2014 by Skydime
Pete J. Posted April 17, 2014 Posted April 17, 2014 I keep looking at this thing and I think I have come to the conclusion that it would not be all that difficult to make this car palatable. To me, the thing that stands out the most is that odd angle on the rear wheel arch. If you fix that, it is not so bad. Perhaps clean up the rear roofline and you might have a presentable car.
mnwildpunk Posted May 3, 2014 Posted May 3, 2014 No matter who kitted this model it is still as ugly as sin not even a pug ugly thisthing is fugly
Casey Posted February 1, 2015 Posted February 1, 2015 However after it's initial impact, the studio jazzed it up with blue. 1
Faust Posted January 17, 2019 Posted January 17, 2019 You know, in blue it's almost okay. The black/chrome wheels help a lot. The originals are so "cyber-future" it's sad and embarrassing! It's just that the front end, and the back end, are so at odds with each other. With that odd passenger cabin caught, literally and figuratively, in the middle, it makes for an awkward package. Still, as a future hover car, or maybe a weird post-apocalyptic thing it might have merit.
Jon Cole Posted January 23, 2019 Posted January 23, 2019 I'm thinking that by adding a pair of "flying buttress" sail panels from the rear roof pillar, down to the rear corner like most non spaceship exotics, would help. Would look more like a Ferrari, and less like a Fiat X19.
89AKurt Posted January 23, 2019 Posted January 23, 2019 This is funny, I had thought about getting one of these, glad to see the Airfix is the better kit. But I couldn't bring myself to get one. To show how old I am, remember seeing it in Road & Track, thought it was cool but odd. Same with the Maserati Boomerang.
OneTrickPony Posted January 25, 2019 Posted January 25, 2019 (edited) Reminds me a bit of the Fiat X19, also designed by Bertone. Edited January 25, 2019 by OneTrickPony
Daddyfink Posted January 25, 2019 Posted January 25, 2019 (edited) So, this is where the MPC release originated from... Ikko Kits, Japan Edited January 25, 2019 by Daddyfink
Snake45 Posted January 26, 2019 Posted January 26, 2019 On 1/25/2019 at 5:01 PM, Daddyfink said: So, this is where the MPC release originated from... Ikko Kits, Japan Ikko Kits? Ick-O Kits? "It's like RAY-EE-AIN...on your wedding day..."
64Comet404 Posted January 27, 2019 Posted January 27, 2019 2 hours ago, Snake45 said: Ikko Kits? Ick-O Kits? "It's like RAY-EE-AIN...on your wedding day..." Isn't it ironic, don't you think... The blue version is almost acceptable, but it is still an unappealing car to my eyes. At least the Airfix kit looks like the prototype, unlike the MPC version (almost makes the ESCI/AMT Ferrari 250 SWB look like a reasonable copy of the real thing...)
Matt Bacon Posted February 17 Posted February 17 Holy thread resurrection, but reading a magazine this month, the Rainbow suddenly makes a lot more sense. It was never intended as a Ferrari -- that just happened to be some running gear that Bertone had knocking about (having done the 308 Dino before falling out with Ferrari when they went back to Pininfarina for designs). The Rainbow was designed by Gandini as a "big brother" to the FIAT X1/9 for the US market, which generally thought the X1/9 was too small and underpowered. FIAT got into financial trouble (so what's new?) and pulled the plug on a risky niche-market offering... to the extent that Bertone brought the X1/9 in house and continued building them for a few years. If you bear in mind that it's a one off concept car, and think that it might have led to a productionised FIAT X1/11, then it takes on a different aspect. It's just not a very nice Ferrari... best, M. 2
rattle can man Posted February 18 Posted February 18 As is, it doesn't work too well. As stated, some flying buttresses on the roof would help. So would new wheels, re-shaping the rear wheel arches, and concealing l the headlights in the grille instead of pop-ups.
OldNYJim Posted February 18 Posted February 18 I would KINDA like to build one of these; but making some tweaks to improve the looks. There’s a decent looking car buried in that mess…it’s just buried a little too deep right now 🤪
Pierre Rivard Posted February 18 Posted February 18 Amazing on how a set of lines can result in a pretty car (X/19) and placed a little differently ending up as the hard to look at Rainbow. So many beautiful cars never got kitted yet this atrocity was kitted twice. 2
TarheelRick Posted February 18 Posted February 18 Kind of reminds me of the Rivian (sp) Cybertruck. Wonder if Elon might own a copy of this thing?
89AKurt Posted February 18 Posted February 18 I see my two cents was dropped 6 years ago (I've been here THAT long? 😳). I have resisted getting that kit, even the SMP24 kit which made the Honda N360 Z that I got a few years ago, very high quality. I also got the Boomerang since this OT dropped down. I still think snaggletooth when seeing a Rainbow. 😏
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