We tested the Audi Q7 by WIKING (art.no. 133 02 30)
Maybe you are having a lazy day in your palace in Dubai while visiting our website.
Or have you just returned from a 4x4 ride in the hot desert of Arizona? Perhaps you have
paid one of your patients a domiciliary visit in snow-covered St. Moritz instead...
Well, in all these cases you might be the proud owner of an Audi Q7.
While, due to financial reasons or just on rational grounds, the target group of
the real vehicle is rather small, famous German model car manufacturer Wiking
offer their customers a space and money saving alternative in 1/87 scale. Still
in its see-through box, the model car already reveals its realistic proportions
and a lot of attention to detail.
Removing all the protective packaging takes a little while, but that will just
increase your anticipation. And once the model Audi is standing in front of you,
a minute of silent admiration is almost guaranteed. The Berlin-based model car
makers have obviously successfully managed to transfer the beamy proportions of the real
car into the small scale.
First of all, we notice with content that the model car hasn’t suffered any damages and is
obviously assembled properly. Well, the mirror on the passenger side looks a bit bent (see
our front view photo; at least it can be easily straightened by a very careful hand).
Truly positive: all the mirrors - inside and outside the car - have got silver faces.
If only the interior mirror wouldn’t have such a weird shape! The light colour makes
its funny appearance even more noticeable...
Talking of the light colour: Yes, we
have always been big fans of fawn leather interiors,
and it really matches the green metallic colour of the car - but Audi’s large
batch production offering dashboards in such a bright leather tone (which would
produce dangerous reflexions on the windscreen) is definitely in the realms of
modelling fancy.
Striking the eye in a positive way is the generous application of the shiny
colour silver. Apart from the above mentioned mirror faces, the model car
furthermore shows off with chrome trims surrounding the side windows and the grille
as well as silver roof rails, brand and type logos and, last not least, some
parts of the lights.
Nevertheless, detail fanatics might criticise that, while the tail gate of the Q7
comes with the famous “quattro” badge, the manufacturer must have
forgotten this essential emblem on the massive grille. In this day and age it shouldn’t have been too
big a challenge for Wiking to apply and print the chrome logo a few millimetres beside
the Audi rings. But apart from that, the expert’s eye won’t miss a single detail of the real car.
Of course, if you want, you can put a tiny little bit of silver paint on the black tailpipes and/or the midget reversing lights yourself. The level of detail of the model’s interior meets current production standards - it even comes with sun visors. And if you really think there should be some armrests or door pockets, too, you will have to make those items yourself...
We like the black weather strips surrounding the windows, and the black front and rear wipers
are just some more details that haven’t been neglected. Wiking have successfully left the past century
behind them and don’t have to hide behind their competitors in this respect.
Length, width and height of the model car are absolutely true to scale, so you better make sure
that your miniature garage is big enough to fit this automotive whopper.
Typical Audi-style lights make it easy to recognise the model as a Q7, but due
to their design and depending on the body colour they don’t appear as bright as
in reality - a more convincing solution may have been too
expensive for a model car.
You do find details like fog lamps or reversing lights,
but, as mentioned above, you might want to enhance them with some paint and a
fine brush.
Finally, we are having a closer look at the wheels. The 20 inch alloy rims have
the correct size and shape - you can even detect the tiny Audi rings on the wheel
centre caps! Only the tyre flanks are a bit too high, so maybe you shouldn’t place
your Q7 beside one of those pimped Golf GTIs...
Wiking have proven their excellent model manufacturing skills yet another time.
We paid EUR 11.50 for the Audi Q7 at a high street model railway shop. Taking the
superb quality into consideration, this can almost be called a bargain price for
a very good and realistic looking model car.
| synopsis* | |
|---|---|
| Packaging (50) | 33 |
| Protection of the vehicle (25) | 20 |
| Unpacking the vehicle (10) | 5 |
| Information content (15) | 8 |
| Visual overall impression (350) | 321 |
| 'First impression' (50) | 45 |
| Proportions / recognisability of the real vehicle (50) | 48 |
| Closeness to scale, subjective impression (40) | 38 |
| Condition / intactness of the model (30) | 28 |
| Fitting accuracy / flawless assembly (30) | 27 |
| 'Look-and-feel' / subjective impression of the model quality (40) | 37 |
| Wealth of detail / attention to detail (30) | 27 |
| Fineness of detail (30) | 28 |
| Lights (20) | 17 |
| Wheels and tyres (20) | 18 |
| Harmony of colours (10) | 8 |
| Vehicle body (200) | 189 |
| Closeness to scale (40) | 38 |
| Wealth of detail / attention to detail (40) | 38 |
| Fineness of detail (30) | 27 |
| Colour quality of the plastic, if applicable: paintwork quality (35) | 35 |
| Quality of prints, colour and chrome applications (35) | 34 |
| Interior and exterior mirrors (20) | 17 |
| Lights (150) | 137 |
| Completeness / presence of all lights (50) | 48 |
| Attention to detail (50) | 44 |
| Closeness to reality in terms of colour (50) | 45 |
| Interior / Dashboard / Seats (100) | 77 |
| Wealth of detail / attention to detail (40) | 30 |
| Fineness of detail (40) | 30 |
| Steering wheel / handle bars (20) | 17 |
| Wheels (150) | 143 |
| Closeness to scale (50) | 47 |
| Wealth of detail / attention to detail (40) | 38 |
| Fineness of detail (40) | 39 |
| Colour quality of the rims (20) | 19 |
 |
900 (max. 1000) |
*Find out more about the test criteria for model vehicles
here.
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