Model: Maisto Ramp Truck / 1993 Ford SVT Cobra
Line: Maisto Design Elite Transport Series, 2019/2020 release
Buy the Maisto Ramp Truck / 1993 Ford SVT Cobra on eBay
Why it’s in my collection: Maisto is one of those brands that I feel doesn’t get the attention it deserves. While I am guilty of using them as a back-up choice whenever the Hot Wheels or Matchboxes are running low, I have quickly come to appreciate them more and more. I recently came across this awesome transport set and thought it would make an excellent Lamley Daily.
The two vehicle set comes with a great looking vintage ramp truck and a wild-looking 1993 Mustang Cobra. I found mine at a local Wal-Mart store for right around $10, which I thought was a great price.
The ramp truck is one of the coolest non-licensed vehicles I’ve seen in some time. It has a great vintage look to it and the big semi truck steel wheels wrapped in rubber tires are perfect. Seriously – the wheels and tires on this truck look more realistic than most of the stuff the bigger brands are putting out. I really think the Maisto team pulled off a huge win with this truck…and that gumball on top is SWEET. The one downside is that the only metal part of the truck is the cab, so the chassis, ramp, and wedge are all plastic, giving the truck a little bit of a “toy” feel. I did a “weigh-in” with it in the unboxing video below, and it is a bit of a feather-weight. The chassis on both the truck and Mustang are screw bases, so they would be easy to customize, which I know a lot of collectors will love.
The Mustang isn’t shabby either. The pro-street Fox body has a nice set of Centerline-style drag wheels on it, wrapped in rubber tires. The car has a load of race car tampos on it, including licensed brands like Eibach and Firestone, and the giant blower motor protruding from the hood is big enough to make even Dominic Toretto jealous.
The Mustang fits perfectly on the ramp truck and looks great getting hauled to the track. If you’re a fan of Hot Wheels and M2 Transporters, then I would definitely recommend checking out the Maisto selection the next time you’re out hunting 🏁
Unboxing and review video:
Maisto (and May Cheong’s other label, Bburago) doesn’t get much respect in the small-format space largely because 1:6x seems like an afterthought to them. Fresh Metal, the cheapest line that matches HW and MBX, feels decidedly cheap, with spotty quality spread across a limited lineup of licensed cars. The Maisto Design (where that set belongs) is miles better, but still spotty even with more “headline” cars.
That said, that transporter set is hands-down one of their best products. It oozes personality, as if there’s a real person who actually owns and runs that entire thing. It’s such a difference-maker compared to the others — and I say they’re all very good.
Definitely agree with you there – when Wal-Mart carried Maisto/Bburago singles I bought quite a few of them as they were super cheap and they had decent castings too. The Transporter set really impressed me for the price. The wheels/tires on them are excellent!