Chevy's new hybrid wonderbuggy, the Volt, has been hyped relentlessly
for a couple of years now. Mostly electric, with a gas engine only to
power the electric motor, it promises to be a revolution of sorts. And
only now are they starting to trickle onto dealer lots.
The toymaker Maisto one-ups Chevy with its Volt: Theirs uses no electricity at
all. No gas or electric motor. No, this one is powered entirely by the
push of your hand, an act that requires precious few calories. Granted,
you can't fit anything in it (even with the lack of interior, hidden by
blacked-out window glass), but still. Headlamp, grille and golden bowtie
badges are included, and the VOLT license plate is a sticker, and
therefore removable if you choose. Our maroon example didn't have
painted-in taillamps, alas, though the silver VOLT lettering on the
extended black tail glass was clear enough.
The maroon paint is a skosh on the thick side, threatening to obscure
some of the car's finer details (like door lines), but is cleanly
applied. The wheels, though…Not pretty. Luckily, nicer rolling stock is
only a drill and a donor car away.
Best news of all: We paid about 88 cents (plus tax) for it at Wal-Mart.
For this, we can forgive it its lack of interior or its ugly wheels…
But both is stretching it. Still, it's a Volt that will use even less
energy than the real thing.
A couple of new Maisto castings have been dribbling out in multipacks
aswell, like a new-generation Dodge Ram 4×4 pickup and a Porsche
Cayman, among others; we'll be pleased when we see the second-generation
Scion xB on U.S. shores also.
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