Tuesday September 14, 2004

New Auto Art
Murcielago Concept Car

It has been awhile since we have heard from Auto Art, but this new release is just the start of what we will be seeing soon. Not everyone in our hobby needs to race "real" race cars to have fun and Auto Art has given us several alternatives to choose from. This latest Murcielago certainly falls into this category and I thought some of you would want a closer look.

Exotic Supercars like this are exactly what some enthusiasts are wanting in our hobby. The overall fit and finish of this effort is very well done by Auto Art and capture the look of this concept car nicely in our scale.

Although there isn't much detail due to the model and livery chosen, that doesn't mean it lacks quality. A very durable and dirt-free clear coat seals the paint on this model very well and helps prevent it from a "toy-like" appearance.

The lack of a driver has raised a few questions from enthusiasts before and I admit I would like to see one included. However, once I began driving it around our layout it began to be less important. Models like this are a good diversion from the normal racing we do here, and sometimes shutting off the lights (this model is lighted front and back) and cruising around is just what I needed. When I do drive it like this, it is of course less an issue that the driver is missing...I would not be able to see one if there was.

The lighting system on this model is done very well on the front but there is some "bleed" through at the rear of the model. It almost looks as if the engine is glowing red as it speeds around the corners. You could go inside the model and paint the underbody black to help minimize this effect, so if it bothers you feel free to give it a try.

The wheels on this model are what I liked the most. The style and design look fantastic and the added brake rotor detail makes them even better. The tires are still the standard compound we have seen in prior releases, but for what this model is, it doesn't concern me. Sanding them down really helps in smoothing out the operation of the car. If you want to go silicone tires on this model, the Fly Classic tires will fit, but you will want to choose the Road Hugger brand (RH#3003) or any similar tire than can be sanded down. The taller profile on these tires just barley rub the body, but a good sanding will have them clear it easily and quickly.

Underneath we see that 4 screws mount the body to the chassis and also that something is "missing". Previous models have included a polarity switch but Auto Art has chosen to stop offering this feature with this model. This may or may not mean anything for your racing but I thought it odd that they would stop offering them.

Inside the model though I found one new change that I really liked. The wiring for the lighting system now includes a quick disconnect feature. I really like this as it makes disassembly much easier and commend Auto Art for including it.

The rest of the running gear of the model is similar to the first release with the 4WD system. 10 tooth pinions driving 28 tooth crown gears and gear mesh was decently smooth. As always, I highly suggest gluing all these bushings in place to prevent them from popping loose during operation.

Performance of this model is better than you might think for a 4WD model. We posted lap times with averages in the 4.2 second range with a box stock model and dropped to 4.0 using silicones in the rear. These times make it almost a dead match for the first release and this is where these models come through for us. Having models closely matched in performance means a great deal if you have several racers wanting to get started.

In the end this model performs well right out of the box and should please most fans of this series. Sometimes adding a class of models like this to your collection end up being a little more fun than you originally thought, and such has been the case here with ours. Adding at least a pair of them to your collection should bring the same results for you.

- 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 model.