Is The Porsche 918 Spyder From PosterCars Worth Adding Another Brand To My Collection?

I’ve seen some pictures online of models from the new(ish) brand PosterCars, but I never committed to actually buying one to check out in person.  I certainly wasn’t looking to add yet another brand to my rapidly expanding premium collection, and buying from a new brand is always a bit of a risk – you don’t know how good their quality control will be, and good luck getting any meaningful support if something is wrong.  Then, I came across a big new display for PosterCars in a local hobby shop that was selling models for a mere $7.  That’s less than the new price for a Hot Wheels premium model for substantially more detail, so I had to take a closer look. 

What better place to start then with the one truly unique model that PosterCars makes?  At least so far, PosterCars has been releasing models as part of their “Hypercar League Collection”, which means the cars they’re modeling are cool and desirable (one could even say poster-worthy), but it also means that most of these cars have already been replicated by one of the established premium 1/64 brands.  Except the Porsche 918 Spyder.  For whatever reason, the 918 seems to have escaped the attention of brands like MiniGT and Tarmac Works, which makes it the perfect opportunity for a less established brand like PosterCars. 

Right out of the gate, PosterCars is punching above its weight class.  It comes in an acrylic case for easy display, which you normally only see from higher priced brands like Inno64 and LCD.  The packaging is admittedly a little plain, but still more interesting than the plain white boxes that LCD model uses, and I like the inclusion of the release number (17) as part of the backdrop.  As long as they stay consistent with that design over time, it should make for very satisfying displays for those that collect the whole line. 

While PosterCars doesn’t include the metal placard on the base that you often see on premium models, I’m happy with the printed detailing, especially since they also include the name of the paint color! 

I went for the Guards Red 918 Spyder, though it’s also available in Sapphire Blue Metallic.  The paint finish is decent but not amazing, with some noticeable orange peel and a few spots where the texture of the underlying casting is visible through the paint.  Then again, this isn’t a $25 LCD Model, this is a model that costs less than a Hot Wheels premium, so I think the paint quality is more than acceptable for the price.  

Value for money is the theme of this model.  The detailing is the best I’ve seen for its price point, and I’m incredibly impressed.  Compared to a similarly-priced Hot Wheels, this model has side mirrors, custom wheels, plastic light lenses, and even some interior detailing! 

The first detail that caught my attention on this model was the acid green brake calipers peeking out from behind the wheels.  I was genuinely surprised to see brakes on a model at this price point, as that’s usually the kind of detailing you only get from models costing $25 or more!  These aren’t the low-rent kind of brakes that spin as the wheel spins, they’re fixed so the brake caliper always stays in the correct place.  The wheels look great too, and it’s nice to see that PosterCars took the time to model each car’s specific wheel, rather than using a generic design like Hot Wheels does.  The wheels roll too, though not as smoothly as a MiniGT.  

There’s plenty of additional detailing on the side too, including an e-hybrid badge and corner marker light on the fender, side mirrors, and a gas/charging cap. 

I’m thrilled to see Porsche’s distinctive quad-LED lights replicated in this 918 Spyder’s clear headlight lenses!  That level of detailing makes the clear lenses feel like a substantial upgrade from printed detailing, and that’s more than you often get from the headlights on MiniGTs.  

Detailing at the rear is even more impressive, with plastic lenses for the brake lights and black plastic inserts for the rear grilles.  Given the complicated geometry of the rear bumper, I’m impressed with both the paint coverage underneath the spoiler and the alignment of the Porsche and 918 Spyder badges.  Let’s be honest, though…if you’re looking at the back of a 918 Spyder, your attention is drawn to that engine cover. 

Luckily, PosterCars has done an exemplary job here as well.  The mix of honeycomb and smooth black plastic textures is perfectly executed, and I love to see the silver detailing on the exhaust tips.  PosterCars also deserves some extra credit for including the rear window, rather than just making it a painted piece of the mold like the Matchbox version of the 918 Spyder. 

Peeking through the windows on this model, I was surprised to see a little bit of printed detailing in the interior!  Granted, it’s only a little bit of detailing, but even that small amount is crazy to see on such an affordable model. 

Which brings us back to the value for money theme of this model.  I simply can’t believe the level of detailing this model gives you at such an affordable price.  I plan to add this 918 Spyder to my MiniGT display, and I doubt anyone will ever be able to tell that it costs half as much as the rest of the models in the display.  While it lacks the robustness and toy-like wonder of a Hot Wheels premium, I think this new line of PosterCars represents a potential disruptive threat to Hot Wheels, especially if the company is ever able to get widespread distribution at stores like Target and Walmart.  I can’t wait to see what the future holds for this brand, and I hope they’re able to expand the line to include other underrepresented cars – perhaps a GMA T.50 or an Aston Martin One-77?