Tarmac Works Brings The AMG Muscle With The SLS Black Series

I’ve never explored the world of Tarmac Works before, as most of their models are of cars that are outside my car tastes, but I love an AMG Mercedes.  As one of the rarified Black Series models, this SLS might just be the craziest car Mercedes has ever made, so I decided it was time to see what all the Tarmac Works hype is about. 

The packaging is nearly identical to a MiniGT, with a cardboard box containing a plastic blister perfectly sized to support the model.  The plastic blister fits so tightly that the box can be a bit hard to open without damaging it, but I prefer this box art to the more subdued graphics that MiniGT uses.  

With the SLS Black Series freed from its plastic prison, I’m immediately struck by the paint quality.  While not quite up to the standards of an LCD model, this metallic silver paint has lots of fine metal flake that does a great job of catching the light to show off the detail of this casting.  Like a MiniGT, the side mirrors are rubber, though I appreciate the silver printing on them.  

The front end detailing is on par with what I would expect at this price point (about $15 retail) with plastic headlight lenses and a nicely detailed Mercedes logo in the grille.  I would have liked to see a bit more texture and depth to the grille and air intakes, as they look a bit too plastic-y on this model. 

I love the side profile on the SLS, with that iconic long hood that gives this car one of the longest dash-to-axle ratios in the entire automotive industry.  I appreciate that the SLS’s absurd door handle position is detailed on this casting, though the vent behind the front wheels desperately needs more depth or texture to make it look less like it was just printed on (which it was).  

Luckily, a plethora of detailing on the back of the SLS helps make up for the cheaper feeling side profile.  The large rear wing looks appropriately imposing and it’s painted gloss black, rather than the cheaper looking matte black of the printed details.  Silver detailing on a car’s exhaust tips is always a favorite of mine, especially on a car with such an iconic exhaust tip shape, so I’m happy to see them on this model.  The SLS and AMG badges are also printed on the trunk, though they are a bit hard to pick out against the car’s silver paint. 

Unfortunately, this model’s weakest point is its wheels.  They feel extremely plastic-y and have a hollow sound when spun, with no tread on the tires to help them look more realistic.  To make matters worse, the rear axle doesn’t allow the wheels to fit properly inside the wheel arches, so one side always sticks out too far.  

Overall, this is a decent 1/64 model and I’m glad to have an SLS AMG finally represented in my collection.  However, this Tarmac Works model feels a tad underwhelming compared to some of the excellent models we’ve seen from MiniGT at a lower price, and it’s definitely nowhere close to the premium feel of a BBR or even an Inno64 for a few dollars more.  Competition is a good thing, though, and there’s never been a better time to be in the world of 1/64.