Revell 1/25 Chevy SSR Kit First Look

By Stephen Sutton

First Look

The new Chevrolet SSR is a pleasing blend of two different automotive areas with its high-tech retractable metal roof and front-end styling that exhibits more than a passing nod to the fat fendered pickups of the early '50s. Its appeal is both nostalgic and cutting edge all at once and it's sure to turn heads as it zips down the highways amongst the multitudes of more common looking vehicles. In other works - it rocks!

SSR stands for Super Sport Roadster and its based on the compact SUV chassis, the similarity with SUVs stops there. Under the hood you'll find an All-Aluminum 5.3 liter V8 engine matched to a four-speed automatic, providing an exhaust note that'll put a smile on your face. Developing 300 horsepower, the Generation III motor propels the SSR to 60 mph in just seven seconds. Huge wheels and tires-19" in the front, 20" in back-fill the wheel wells and add to the aggressive look.

The first impression of this kit was the box art, with the box top showing a real Chevy SSR with the top down, are there photos of the built kit on the box? Yes, four very clear photos show the kit, and right away I noticed the kit includes the hardtop that can be removed and the pickup bed tonneau cover.

On opening the box, I was very impressed with the overall excellent packaging of the kit parts, everything was wrapped up, even the separate clear, chrome, white parts trees. No parts where found detached from the sprues. The kit includes over 100 pieces molded in white, black, silver, light gray, clear and transparent red with chrome plated parts, black vinyl tires and grill screen. All parts a crisp and highly detailed with no flash found on the parts.

A highly detailed Chevy V-8 Vortec 5300 is included with an optional hardtop and liftoff tonneau cover, and soft mesh material for the front inside grill, a template is provided in the instructions for trimming the mesh. A highly detailed interior and undercarriage is well represented in the kit.

The instructions are well illustrated with color call-outs throughout and the decals are includes for the engine compartment, instrument panel gages and the option of custom pin striping or the bold racing strips.

I would highly recommend this kit for beginner to intermediate kit builders, have all the different color plastic would make this kit a beginning for transitioning from snap kits to glue kit with very little paint required. This is the best packaging I've seen from Revell in recent years and it will be a nice addition to my retro hotrod kits.