Police cars are cool, for the most part. Fast police cars are even cooler, just ask the Dubai Police. Fast cars seized off criminals and then pressed into police service as specialised transport for blood and organ transplants? Well that’s sub-zero. And that’s precisely what the Portuguese Guarda Nacional Republicana have done. And Era Car have replicated it wonderfully in diecast.
The GT-R (and a Mercedes CLS) came into the possession of the Guarda Nacional earlier this year after being seized in relation to criminal activity. In a post on Facebook, the GNR outlined the pressing need for high speed organ transport:
“In the last 10 years, the GNR has already carried out 2,836 transports of organs, involving around 5,700 soldiers and covering more than half a million kilometres.
The quality and safety of organ transplantation depends on the the time required for its transport. Thus it is up to the GNR, and in respect of safety conditions, to reach its destination in the shortest time possible, thus contributing to the saving of yet another life”
And what better tool for the job than a Nissan GT-R, a car that can cope with the rigour of real world road conditions and day to day driving as well as delivering supercar crushing performance in a heartbeat. The example used by the GNR looks to be a GT-R produced after the 2011 model year facelift, meaning the 3.8-litre VR38DETT V6 produces 544bhp and a hefty 451lb ft of torque. This gives the GT-R the ability to hit 62mph in three seconds flat and rocket on to a top speed of 196mph. Perfectly adequate for a vehicle with such a pressing task.
Picture via Guarda Nacional Republicana on Facebook 
Picture via Carbuzz
The GNR GT-R modeled by Era Car is one of my favourite models of 2021 by far. I love that they have gone out of the way to cover such a unique car with an awesome back story. The GNR livery draped over the GT-R lines looks brilliant, and the casting is crammed with detail. The decals are sharp though there is a tiny tiny bit of ghosting here and there (and the model would have been perfect with a set of license plates!) it doesn’t detract at all from just how cool this thing is.
The doors open to the detailed interior and the bonnet lifts to reveal the VR38DETT nestled beneath. There’s also a really neat addition of a scale GNR officer in the box that can slot in to sit behind the wheel. Very cool, and a unique offering among 1/64 brands.
This particular GT-R is actually a little bit special as it’s a chase example, showing off Era Car’s rather unique way of making chase pieces. There’s no special paintwork, no raw castings, no white tyres. What there is is a small silver rubber duck adorned with blue stars that sits in the box. It won’t do it for all collectors, especially those used to Hot Wheels Super Treasure Hunts and chases from Auto World and Greenlight, but the randomness of it brings a smile to my face, and also fits in with the other vehicles in the Era Car range that come with scale animals: police dog vans, Chinese New Year specials etc. A really unique touch from the brand that sets it aside from it’s competitors.
This had impressed me so much that it’s made my 2021 honours list, so stay tuned to Lamley to see what else made the cut and also look out for the top 10 lists of my fellow contributors.
Instagram: @alex_the_hoarder
Facebook: facebook.com/alexthehoarder
(The Era Car website had no stock available of the GNR GT-R at the time of writing so check the Ebay listings)