Wednesday March 03, 2004
New Artin Finally Appears
Soon after the New York Toy Fair we began to get a glimpse of
what our manufactures are bringing new to us this coming year, with some more
anticipated than others. Artin was on hand showing some of the new models they
would be releasing and although they are not at the level of detail we have
become accustomed to in 1/32nd scale, they are still important
additions to our hobby.
3 of these new models are the Saleen, Lola and Lamborghini. Scale enthusiasts are certainly not going to give Artin any awards for accuracy but one needs to remember that Artin isn’t trying to win one either. As with their track system, these models do deliver more than meets the eye and I was more than pleased with these efforts after testing than I thought I would be.
So how could someone who appreciates fine scale detail even bother with them? In my opinion these models have a place in your collection if to accomplish nothing else but protecting your investments. I have heard for years that Artin models are “toy-like” and “good for kids”. Well that’s perfect then isn’t it? I would certainly rather hand that newcomer one of these models to experience the hobby before I let them try my latest high dollar Fly Lola or GT-40.
The most interesting thing about these models is not only the value they represent but also that the performance of them is better than I imagined. My first tests of all three models revealed a very quiet and smooth running slot car that was very easy to control. The motor and magnet Artin equips its models with are both very mild in comparison to others on the market and because of this they seem to be a perfect match for the newcomer or young children just starting out.
I say this because with a slot car that has a very strong magnet, it might stay on the track easier at higher speeds but once it is pushed beyond its limits there is usually very little time to correct yourself and avoid a crash. I have found from many younger enthusiasts that these milder cars allow them a larger window of correction and it helps to teach them how to drive a little easier.
Some changes are seen in these models compared to prior releases such as higher quality decals and wide, softer compound tires. These tires provided excellent grip after only light sanding and they might find their way into the hands of scratch builders as well. Also Artin has included a polarity switch to allow you to run the cars the other way and of course they are all lighted.
And speaking of scratch building, here is another area where these cars should find homes. Priced in the $20.00 range, they make excellent candidates for numerous scratch building projects. For years modelers have used these inexpensive models for this very purpose providing a good chassis to build that special slot car you might be missing or repainting the bodies to match a prototype.
In the end I am happy that Artin has decided to bring us more in 1/32nd scale. Value seems to define the Artin system with not only excellent track systems, but decent running models that serve many purposes. If you have newcomers or young racers visiting your layout frequently or that latest slot car project needs completing you might want to give these models a closer look.
- Harry
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!
Thanks go to Slot Car World for providing us with this Artin preview!
