Pioneer slot cars has been a hot topic among many enthusiasts in our hobby and for good reasons. First, we have yet another new company joining our hobby which is always good news. Second are the models they have chosen to begin with. Our debut offering is the iconic 1968 Mustang GT 390 that Steve McQueen drove in the movie BULLITT. One of the most popular car movies ever made and to many has the greatest car chase scene ever filmed.

Click Here To Watch The Chase!

Now I have to be honest and admit that this particular model did not have me that excited. Although I think this car is very cool, street models do not appeal to me as much as dedicated race liveries. Still, many of you out there really enjoy them and I must admit that at least this hot rod has a great history to it. And this might be why this slot car will really appeal to the pure collectors in our hobby along with others that simply want to have fun.

Our sample arrived safe and sound and my first impressions are favorable. First is the box art. It is very well done and should please most who care about such things. The sleeve is a little tight and mine had a small tear on the top left corner. For me this is no issue. I will simply tape it and move on. Looking underneath there is some interesting information about the model: "This slot car is ready for simple conversion to digital function with the Scalextric EasyFit Digital Plug". Well, this is interesting and should be a hint that this model is not just here to be a shelf queen.

Even more is found under the base. There is a VDC (Vehicle Data Card) that has all sorts of cool facts about the car and the movie. Nice touch. Not that it matters that much to some, but I like seeing information like this. What really surprised me was the spare parts. There is just not a pair of braids here like we see from other companies. We have the braid and spare guide PLUS 4 spare tires, rear bumper, wipers and finally the outside mirror. This should answer the question if they intended this model to be raced. Most of you in our hobby will appreciate having these spares, I know I do.

Ok enough about the box and the spares, let us get to the car! You will need a cross tip screwdriver to remove the model from the base and then we can get a closer look. As usual I will let the photos try and do most of the talking. Did they do a good enough job? I certainly think so. The Highland green seems a perfect match to the prototype or at least it does for my eyes.

Overall body shape is accurate enough for me and should please most fans of this pony car. A nice clear coat seals the paint and appears even throughout the body with no signs of dirt or fading.

It is the interior here that really caught my eye. The figure of Steve McQueen is done well enough right down to the jacket and shirt he wore in the chase scene. I also like the hand molded to the gear shifter and dashboard detail.

The wheels and tires are next and many enthusiasts have already commented on how much they like them. They appear very accurate although the wheel seems a little small in diameter. This may just be my perspective. In any case they look great with the brake rotor detail and the pattern is as close as you could ask for. They also seem very round and true and the tire compound is a medium to soft so we should have decent grip in stock form.

As this is an all new model we are doing this review a little differently, so let us take a closer look at the rest of this model before testing. There are 6 screws that mount the body to the chassis. 2 of these screws in the center go into the interior. They are counter-sink screws so do not mix them up with the others.

Inside we finally see our chassis. First is the all new TYPHOON motor. What is interesting is it is rated at 18,000 RPM @ 12 Volts. Usually other companies have ratings based on the voltage their track system comes with. I like seeing this motor rated at the proper voltage. It has cooling holes across it and makes it a very recognizable motor can. It has a 12 tooth pinion that turns the 36 tooth spur gear.

There is a similarity between this chassis and those found under some of the Scalextric models. However, it is not identical. We do have our bar magnet that has an optional middle position mount. Then we have the Scalextric Digital Plug for easy conversion.

Up front we see the guide and at first it appears very odd. The guide shaft is VERY long and extends far above the chassis. The reason for this is how you change the braids. You must pull straight down on the guide and you will releases it to the down position. Then you pull out the braid and replace it.

It is not that easy to pull it down and Pioneer is aware of it. They are changing it to a version 2 that will be easier to pull down. I like hearing this as it shows they are paying close attention to what they need to address.

The solid axle up front is held in place with 2 nylon bushings. On my sample there is a little free-play allowing the axle to float slightly inside the bushing, in other words the bushing has slightly larger inside diameter than it needs. This is most likely to account for some uneven track surfaces. They amount is not a lot, and see no reason to try and eliminate it.

So there we have it. And all new chassis and motor. Let's see what this thing can do shall we?

Box Stock Track Testing
MidMo International Speedway
4 x 16 - 3 Lane MDF Routed Wood - Flat Latex Surface
Copper Tape Conductivity - Aftermarket Power @ 12 Volts PARMA 25 OHM Control

This model needs break-in and some basic maintenance as most ready to run models do, but it did very well in our box stock test. There is a slight noise from the gears but that is expected from almost any model. What I liked was the grip these tires provided on our non-magnet track. Plus it did not hop around that much and the car just felt well balanced. I enjoyed driving this model as the motor was mild enough for my smaller track, yet has decent braking and plenty of punch from the corners.

We averaged a 4.7 second lap time which for a box stock model with no tuning is very acceptable. You could make some adjustments and perform some standard tuning here and there to get it even better, but I will leave the model alone. I see no need in trying to shave a few tenths off here and there on a model such as this. It is a cool street machine that will not see much track time here until the Charger that is planned arrives. And honestly, even then we will most likely leave them in stock form.

So where can you get one? These models are available by ordering direct from www.inaslot.com. There is a link on the Pioneer Main Page to order. I have been told that a USA distribution system is in the works, so we should see this brand grow larger when it is available from our local hobby dealers.

My final thoughts? I think this is a great rookie effort by the folks at Pioneer. Nothing is perfect in our hobby, but I think they did a great job. There other companies in our hobby who have been around for years and still cannot design a decent chassis or use the right gears. It appears Pioneer has actually listened to enthusiasts and from the feedback I have seen from other racers it is also evident they care about customer service. I hope the very best for this company. They seem to be intent on making nice quality slot cars and have plans to make very interesting choices. I look forward to trying more in the future.

- 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 Pioneer For Providing Us With This Sample!

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