Mercedes Benz Sprinter Escort Van
Presented here is the 1:50th scale Mercedes Sprinter Escort van from Conrad, finished in the company livery of Schmallenbach, part of the Bigmove group. The sprinter is a versatile van and Conrad have done a great job of capturing the aesthetics and functionality well, with opening rear and side doors, roof mounted signboard, a replicated cab interior and a steering front axle.
The front grill sports the familiar Mercedes logo with semi-transparent lenses for the main driving lights. Upper vents have been added to the front bonnet and the contoured front bumper houses an area for a numberplate which is unfortunately missing. The rear doors open a full 180 degrees which demonstrates some good engineering of the hinges.
The sliding side door is a nice addition on the model and works very accurately, using the small raised section on the underside of the chassis to extend and slide the door as required. The interior panels are plastic and integrate well with the metal structure, giving a very convincing appearance. Self-fit rear view mirrors need fitting to the cab frame with black printing used to simulate the window seals for added realism.
The casting of the side body panels has accurately captured the detailing with ridges visible on the roof panel. The corner mounted brake lights have red tinted plastic lenses which fit snugly and the contoured rear bumper is at the same height as the inner floor which integrates nicely.
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The surround of the sign board is finished in a white and red chevron pattern with the sign sliding into the holder from above. Three signs are supplied with the model, two of which are typically seen throughout Europe while the warning triangle is recognised globally. Each of the signs has an intricate printed surface looking like many bulbs and they all fit into the holder at the same time. Four amber beacons are also fitted and a plastic safety board is also located behind the van which clips neatly onto the door hinges.
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The roof mounted sign board is a nice addition on the model and raises up into position when required. The sliding frame is stiff, allowing it to stay in position when raised. |
This version of the model is finished in the Schmallenbach company colours with crisp and accurate printing around the van with the Bigmove logos prominent on the side panels. The front axle is adjustable with a reasonable degree of movement, while the rubber tyres have an authentic moulded road tread pattern with plastic wheel hubs finishing off another interesting release from Conrad. The van is pictured below alongside the other Schmallenbach models which Conrad have produced.
