1:24 Elgrand E50 '99

Nissan Elgrand E50 1999, 1:24 scale, Aoshima

An injection-molded plastic kit in 1:24 scale from the Japanese maker Aoshima. The subject is the first-generation Nissan Elgrand with the factory code E50 as it was in 1999. The name gives only the type designation, but the vehicle is a Nissan.

The real subject

The Elgrand E50 was built from the second half of the 1990s as a large luxury minivan for the Japanese market. Compared with ordinary family vans it had a longitudinally mounted engine at the front and driven rear wheels, and a version with all-wheel drive was available as well. It offered a roomy interior with several rows of seats and generous equipment, thanks to which it became a popular vehicle for long journeys as well as a basis for the dress-up modifications of the Japanese van scene.

Building and painting tips

With a vehicle as glazed as this it pays to reverse the usual procedure and start with the interior. A van is visible inside from every side, so finish the floor, the seats and the door trim and set them apart in shade before you close the body up. The seats look better if you add drybrushing along the edges or a light dark wash into the stitching over the base color. The glazing of minivans is fitted from the inside, so try the order of the steps dry to keep a finished window from getting in the way of seating the interior. Use glue for glazing on the windows, because cyanoacrylate and liquid cement for plastic would fog the clear parts.

Who the model is for

• Fans of Japanese minivans and the van scene
• Modelers who enjoy a well-worked interior
• Collectors of Japanese production cars of the 1990s in 1:24 scale
• Builders with basic experience of car models

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.