1/18 288 GTO - Looksmart vs BBR

When both Looksmart and BBR announced their 1/18 scale version of the 288 GTO at almost the same time, the choice for me wasn't too hard. There was a substantial price difference yet in the pictures that were released the Looksmart version looked better to me. Especially the stance of the car and how the wheels filled their wells. The Looksmart 288 also had the red inserts for the seats, which I personally prefer.

So I went ahead and ordered the Looksmart. It is a nice model on its own and a massive improvement over the Bburago/Hotwheels 288, so I was quite happy.

There were two details nagging me though. First the front fenders seem to taper a little too much from the wheels wells towards the front bumper, making it look a little too pointy. Second the wind screen and roof look a bit too squared off, which is best noticable from a head on view. When I received the Looksmart GTO Evoluzione and put both models side by side in my display cabinet, that squarish look was even more obvious. So somehow Looksmart got it wrong with the regular 288 and right with the Evoluzione. Strange...

This prompted me to reconsider the BBR 288. Last weekend I had a chance to have a good look at a sample and was impressed by the shapes and how the wheels fit inside the wells. The first pictures when it was released clearly didn't do the model any justice.

So now I have both models and decided to do a comparisson which might be useful to future buyers.

The first thing you will notice is how much lighter the Looksmart is. That doesn't bother me at all personally, but I know that some collectors value weight and the BBR has got it.

So the overall shapes on the BBR are much better than the Looksmart. It's very noticable when you see them side by side. On its own the Looksmart isn't too bad and still a nice model, but compared to the BBR it looks a little flatter and lowered.

The paint on both models is nice, but the hue of the red on the Looksmart is slightly dull.

The wheels are quite comparable in finish. The shape of the five spoke design is slightly better on the BBR and the tires are a little more detailed than the Looksmart, but both lack any script or markings on them. The outer rim on the Looksmart is shinier (too shiny?) and lacks the valve stem. The BBR does have valve stems.

The glass on both models is fine and comparable in quality. The logos on the Looksmart are decals whereas on the BBR they are P/E or molded peices.

Most exterior details like latches, lights etc are all there on both models, but the BBR is slightly better detailed in general. For example all the louvers are open. On the Looksmart only the engine lid has open louvers, but it does show a little better engine detail than the BBR.
Also the rear lights seem better finished on the Looksmart to me. The BBR has better exhaust and transmission detail so the overall rear view on the BBR is better.

The outside mirrors on the Looksmart are made from a softer material and as you may notice in some of the pictures, they can bend (I suspect one of our cats did this when I found him on the table where the models were!). The mirrors on the BBR are much sturdier.

I paid 225 euro for the Looksmart and 295 for the BBR which came with a display case. The price difference is not as obvious when comparing the quality of both models even though the BBR has an edge when it comes to the details.
For me the price difference is acceptable because the overall shapes are better on the BBR. If Looksmart had done a better job on that part, I would have never considered the BBR.

Picture guide: every first picture of one angle is the BBR, the second the Looksmart.
When both models are in the picture, the one on the left is the BBR
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Yes, to be fair to Looksmart I noticed the bent mirror too late into the photoshoot. The mirror is of a softer material which I was able to carefully bend back into the normal position. Yep, should have locked the cats out of the room!

 

I've looked at this and compared it with other pictures on the internet. It seems that on my sample the white reverse light inserts are missing, although there is a hint of white. That would be a QC issue. The fit and finish though of the tail lights is better than on the BBR.

Again, on its own the Looksmart isn't bad but in comparison with the BBR it falls short. For those who don't want to pony up the extra money for the BBR it's a fine alternative. Wether it's worth the money on its own is a personal choice. At least it's much much better than the Bburago or Hotwheels versions.