Sunday September 21, 2003

  A Whole New Sport!

The Scalextric Sport F-1

The Scalextric Sport cars are finally here! After months of talk about this new and improved line, the rubber finally meets the road with first versions, featuring the Williams BMW and McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 cars. Were they worth the wait?  I sure think so, and anyone who demands high quality in his or her scale model cars will too.

These cars are simply excellent models. From the packaging to the performance, these cars set new standards in what the slot car enthusiast will expect from every new slot car they buy. They arrived in very attractive display boxes, with a brief summary of the individual car’s 2001 season on the inside of the lid. Inside you will find the standard 2 extra guides with braid familiar with Scalextric cars, plus a little surprise.

An extra disc magnet is included with these models. I found this to be a nice new addition; it gives the individual racer an option of adding more magnetic down-force on demand without having to order them later. This option, along with others, clearly tell you that these cars were made for the slot car racer, not to be displayed, but to be driven. The magnet included is not a very strong one, nevertheless, does its job at planting the front end of the car down a bit more firmly.

 Adding this magnet is very simple. A small instruction sheet that the magnet come sealed in, tells you exactly how. A magnet bracket pocket is simply popped off the underside of the car, and you snap the disc magnet in place.  That’s it. Not to hard is it? Don’t worry, if you find you don’t like the car with this magnet installed, it is just as easy to remove it.  

However, what will grab you first is the appearance and finish of these road rockets. These cars are just beautiful. The paint and Tampo markings on both of these models were as close to perfect that you could ask for. I looked as hard as I could to see if I could find any runs, dull spots, or smudged graphics, but none to be found on these models. They are very striking, almost making you feel guilty about actually running them. You will be sorry if you don’t.

Going “under the hood” is where the first hints of a great slot car can be found. Disassembly is a breeze with the car having 4 screws that secure the rear half of the body, and one under the magnet pocket for the front. Once the rear is removed, this exposes the heart and soul of the Sport line. An inline drive system is employed here; the motor itself is a very nice fit, even adorning special “Sport” markings on the sides, but it is the standard Scalextric power plant. Not that it is underpowered by any means. A powerful bar magnet is used as well and provides more than enough down-force for this car. If you like your car a little more challenging, you can move it to the forward position located right behind the driver.

The wheels and tires on this model were round and true. This alone aids so much in a smoother more competitive car. The front axle is solid with no steering feature as seen on other models. Personally, I feel this is the way to go. These steering features add nothing to the car but aesthetic appeal; as far as I have seen and tested, plus the delicate nature of this system does not lend itself to repeated “mishaps” that tend to happen from time to time. These cars are, as stated earlier, built to race.

 Moreover, racing is what they will do and do quite well. Touting new precision, individually machined axles, and bushings, the business end of this car comes through in a big way. This is just the kind of detail that the dedicated model car racer will appreciate. There is virtually no side-to-side slop in this system, with a snug, solid feel to the entire driveline. The extra care in creating this comes evident when you pull the trigger.

Out of the box, these cars were very smooth and FAST. The strong bar magnet of course helps this, but this car does not “feel” heavily stuck down as some other cars I have. You still need to employ some driving skill here and once you start, you will notice that these cars are very quiet, a trait I feel is a good indication that the drive train, wheels, motor, and chassis are all of high quality. They easily cruised to 5.1, 5.2, and 5.0 seconds according to the DS system on my 59-½ foot Carrera track using Parma 60 ohm controllers. Driving them is a pleasure, as excellent power is delivered through the straights. Smooth, yet firm braking gets you in and out of the corners just like their 1:1 counterparts. The ribbed tires delivered excellent grip, and even on Carrera track, I don’t see a mandatory need for silicone tires. Smooth, responsive, quiet, and competitive simply sums up the track test.

In closing, I must say that I was impressed with these models. Other cars out there cost more, yet don’t deliver near the satisfaction and quality that this car does. This enthusiast believes Scalextric has matched FLY Car Model on detail for quite some time, and exceeds them easily in the quality and performance department. This sets Scalextric ahead of the pack in the 1/32^nd scale model car market in my opinion. From the Cadillac, Opel, and new 2001 NASCAR'S, to this new line of Sport cars, Scalextric is giving us the high quality, dependable, and fun slot cars we deserve for our hobby dollars. Even if you are no fan of this series, I am willing to bet you are a fan of good craftsmanship.

 You won’t be sorry adding a pair of these to your current line up. High in detail, quality, and performance makes for a good investment, not only in the cars you buy, but the fun they provide.

 And fun is what this hobby is all about.

 - Harry Wise

As always feel free to contact me about this article or just the hobby in general at harry@homeracingworld.com, or better yet drop into our Message Forum and share your thoughts with other enthusiasts!

Check out the Scalextric-USA website for all the latest information regarding these models and the rest of the Scalextric line.