Funny, I don't think the recent photos look CG at all.The strange thing is how CG that looks. Fantastic design, incredible execution.
I made the same observation as Venardhi a year ago. I think the trigger is REL's work looks mathematically perfect. His finished surfaces are smooth and his details line up so well that the effect is similar to work done in an environment where such precision comes easily: CG modelling.
REL's a skilled craftsman who pays meticulous attention to perfecting his details. He's the deg3D or Vektor of real-world model building.