Highs: I've read reviews calling this "the finest diecast ever built", and a "diecast of the year" candidate. I wouldn't quite go that far, but it's easy to see why many collectors get excited about the Kyosho Z8. It's heavy and well-built. The shutlines are extremely tight, so tight that you'll need to use something very thin (I use a business card) to get the hood and trunk open. The hood and trunk also have good opening-resistance, so turning the car upside down won't get them open for you! The seats are made from a firm rubber, rather than plastic, and have good feel to them. Wheels and tires look good, and there's almost no wheel wobble....plus they roll very smoothly, with good resistance. BMW logos on both front and rear, as well as quarter-panels, are real 3D emblems and almost have a real enamel look to them.

Lows: The carpet in both the trunk and interior looks more orange than red, and doesn't match the color scheme of the car as well as it could. The detail level of the switchgear on the center console is good, but not great (if you want to see great console detail, look at a UT BMW Z3 M Roadster). On my particular model, the passenger door is a little loose when open, with a little too much vertical wobble.

Summary: This really is a great model, with excellent build quality and tight shutlines, beautiful paint, sweet wheels, and nice engine detail. I'm not sure if Kyosho overloaded the market, or if too few people enjoy the subject matter, but the prices on these cars has plummeted from original retail levels. Many online retailers are now selling them for $30-35, which is a screaming bargain if you like to collect high-quality diecasts. I've never handled the Autoart Z8, so I can't draw a comparison between the 2, but if you want the Z8 in your collection you can't go wrong with the Kyosho.