Provence Moulage 1/43 Audi R8 LMP

The Audi R8 is a Le Mans Prototype sports-prototype race car introduced in 2000 for sports car racing as a redevelopment of their Audi R8R (open top LMP) and Audi R8C (closed top LMGTP) used in 1999. In its class it is one of the most successful racing sports cars having won the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, and 2005, five of the six years it competed in total. Its streak of Le Mans victories between 2000 and 2005 was broken only in 2003 by the Bentley Speed 8.

The petrol-powered Audi R8 race car was in 2006 replaced by the new Audi R10 TDI Diesel; however, the need to further develop the R10 meant that the R8 saw action in a few races leading up to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This particular kit represents the car that won the 2001 race.

Much to the dismay of fans of accurate and easy to build 1/43 car kits, Provence Moulage has been out of business for a while, but their kits can still be found. I don't recall when I bought this one, but I've had it for quite a while. Over the years, I've amassed quite a few racing car kits in this scale and find them a nice change from my usual aviation builds.

This kit is quite typical of products from this company. The body is a single casting as is the floor pan which includes the interior. Basically the rest of the kit consists of ancillary bits. A photo etch fret is included in this one which makes up wheel inserts, rear wing supports, the pan extensions for the vents around the front wheels, a piece that helps make up the rear tunnel, and the chin spoiler. Other resin bits are the exhaust, mirrors, inserts for the wheels onto which the p.e. bits attach, the roll bar and the steering wheel as well as the wing.

A pair of metal axles will fit into the aluminum wheels. Rubber tires are also included. A somewhat large vacuform sheet is provided for the headlight covers. Apparently this vac set is also used on the R10. You get two sets of each cover design. Also included are the lights themselves. These are stick on that will go in the headlight wells once all is painted and before the clear bits are attached. The outline of the vac covers is somewhat faint so one will have to pay attention.

Instructions are a single sheet that is mostly full color painting guide. A small exploded view of what goes where is in the lower right corner of the sheet. Markings are nicely done and provide decals for one car. A nice touch is that many of the red bits are decals, though some items, such as the wing and roll over support will need to be painted. If these are similar to other decals I've used in these kits, they will be quite thin. One thing I did notice is that the yellow bits look to be off register, which kinda sucks as the German flag decals are rather prominent.

If you run across some of these kits at a reasonable price, then it would be worth your time to pick one up. They are really nicely done and you may find yourself hooked on them.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audi_R8_(LMP)

 July 2016

 Copyright ModelingMadness.com