NINCO 1 Plus Mercedes SLS GT3 - Home Racing World & Slot Car Garage

01/06/2012

1/32nd Scale NINCO1 "PLUS" Mercedes SLS GT3 "PostBrief" #55050

Our first review of the year is a nice surprise. Another new style of models from NINCO has arrived here at HRW claiming to be a new player for the competitive club tracks. It is the first in the series of the NINCO 1 PLUS range and it is time to see just exactly what NINCO is bringing to the track.

When the model arrived I was surprised to see it in the standard NINCO 1 case. I say this as the average person walking into a hobby shop and seeing this car would not know it is an all new series. This might seem trivial but if you paid for this slot car in hopes of having another model to race against the current NINCO 1 models, you are in for a surprise and likely it won't be a good one. I think NINCO could at least adorn the front of the case with a label saying "New Motor!" or something along these lines that would alert the unsuspecting buyer these are different from prior releases in the same case.

Online dealers who read this might want to indicate this as well.

Moving on to the model itself, we see a very attractive car. Modern GT is very popular of course and this Mercedes has a huge following. In our slot car world it must have the same appeal as several other brands are making the same car, although different liveries.

The paint work here is very well done with very crisp and opaque marking. I did notice there were some faded areas where there is clear coat. I say this as it appears the model is void of any clear coat. It could be they used a dull finish sealer to make the car look more prototypical in this silver color, but it looks like there are other areas that have a clear sealer on them. Plus the decals still have a gloss to them on the top. It still looks good, but I must mention these things.

The body appears to be very close in scale. Nothing is perfect of course, but prototype photos reveal NINCO is very close with this effort.

Racing trim versions I looked at had side exhaust appearing right behind the front wheels. Other street adorned cars were void of it. I have also seen photos of cars in different paint not having side exhaust, but almost all versions have side exhaust. Nit picking is not something I like to do, but many enthusiasts are in this hobby for the scale detail so I must mention it.

The side mirror are very flexible and should stand up to some heavy crashes. The wing on the other hand likely will not. No fault of NINCO really as this huge wing looks just like the prototype aside from the intricate tube frame. NINCO announced a spare body will be available, but I think this wing should also be in that line up. This car is supposed to see some very hard racing, so I think the wing will be the first part most of the racers will be needing.

The "tinted" glass tells you there is NO interior here like the models before it. This will either bother you or it will not. Looking at some of the "high end" slot cars I see without them, it appears this is not an issue for some. Of course, you make the call as always.

NINCO is making a lightweight interior for it you can buy separately. So for those that have rules about such things, there is an easy fix.

Wheels and tires are standard NINCO equipment. Tires for prior NINCO1 models will fit on this car.

Turning the model over we see the big difference between this model and other NINCO 1 models. There is a bright red anglewinder pod system outfitted with the NC-9 "Sparker" motor. The only magnet is located in the mid-chassis.

Box Stock Track Testing
Models are tested straight from the case to the track.
PLASTIC TRACK TEST
Temporary Setup - Design/Track Brand Changes Frequently

The first few laps indicated the gears needed some breaking in or adjustment. NINCO gearing is usually loud, but this model had more than I expected. I also noticed the car had a hop to it, which appeared to be up front.

Inspecting the front tires I noticed a slight bulge. Peeling the tire off revealed some excess flash molding that was causing our problem. I removed both tires and ran the car again. Now the model was much smoother.

This is a good thing really. Most any model needs some wheel and tire work. A little flash molding is common and very easy to fix. Bad real wheels or axles are not. Our model seemed to have very round and true parts in the drive-train area so I am very optimistic.

Acceleration and braking are very good on this model and most should be pleased with the overall speed and handling. The tires needed sanding to true them up, but every slot car usually does. If you are running on NINCO track, the abrasive surface will take care of that pretty fast. On smoother surfaces you will need to give them a little attention.

I like the light magnet action of this car. I do not race with magnets all the time, but when I do I like them to have a mild effect. In other words, a car that will sort of "telegraph" to you by sliding out too far instead of a break away effect heavier magnet cars have.

This does mean the car will not be very competitive out of the box against other brands. So if you are looking for high speed, heavy magnet action this car is likely not for you. However, if you enjoy more of a challenge or don't mind doing some tuning in the magnet department, this could a very nice choice for your collection.

Under The Hood

Only 2 screws hold the body and place and were easily removed. Inside we have a closer look at this new system showing our Sparker motor in the anglewinder configuration. It has standard gearing with a 12 tooth pinion turning the 32 tooth spur gear.

You can now see the magnet placement and a very clean chassis. The car is still hard wired which I prefer and uses the quick disconnect system at the motor.

Up front we appear to have a standard NINCO guide that is spring loaded. It is not really a self-centering system although with the wires and spring combined, it normally comes back a pretty straight position.

With all of this, the pod itself seems to be the star of this show. This is the same PRO RACE pod as before with a 3 point mounting method that will allow you to back the screws out a little to create some float.

It also allows a variety of different motors. Some require adaptors such as in this case with the Sparker motor. There is a little flexing of the motor under power using just these, but you can see the holes for a mounting screw. This will be used on longer can motors such as The Speeder.

I will keep the original motor in here as I have no reason to change it. It would not be boxstock compatible with my other NINCO 1 range even with a motor swap and I do not compete in any form of racing where a change will be needed. However, I could leave it in place to race along side the Lotus, or change to the Speeder so it will fit into the SPORT line of models I have collected.

You can use screws with motor like the Speeder.

ROUTED WOOD TRACK TEST
Permanent Track
MidMo International Speedway
4 x 16 - 3 Lane MDF Routed Wood Road Course - Flat Latex Surface
Copper Tape Conductivity - Aftermarket Power @ 12 Volts PARMA 25 OHM Control

Before we test this model I want to address a few quick items.

First I want to clean up the flash molding on the wheels. No sense in just sanding the tires when we have this being the underlying cause.

You can do this by hand just using an Exacto knife , Emory board or sand paper. For the rear you can use sanding methods we have shown in the past. Of course those of you with a tire machine will do it your own way.

Once the wheels and tires were sanded it was testing time.

I have to say I am very pleased. Although we still have a fair amount of gear noise, The model ran MUCH smoother. The stock NINCO tires are not the best performers on my track surface, but that is easily changed. You will of course choose your own brand/blend of tire for your track. Tires made for prior NINCO 1 models will fit these wheels.

This is a very responsive model and it handles very well. Having a pod system certainly allows for more advanced tuning, and backing off the screws did help it in the corners. My smaller layout doesn't really allow you to take advantage of it to it's fullest, but it is noticeable.

Since this is a new series of models it will take another release soon behind it to start creating out of the box running mates. Hopefully we shall see them soon and that NINCO stays with the same motor to keep the series compatible.

I really like this car, in fact more than I thought I would. When the next one is released I can see it joining the fleet soon. One of the reasons I like this car is the price. Something I do NOT say about NINCO often. Even though NINCO models are still at the high range of our hobby, this model is reasonable. MSRP was $54.98 but I am seeing it listed on several sites for under $50.00. In fact, this car is oddly priced the same as the actual standard NINCO1 models. This is very strange as a new model and new series usually means a higher price tag. Not so here.

I am also thinking that more advanced racers will not mind the few dollars more given this pod system. I have been wrong before, but for those racing on larger club tracks, the advantages of a pod system are very clear.

This model should interest the advanced tuner in you and also would easily fit in on simple home layouts. With a price that is at least within reason these days, I think NINCO may be onto something here. If you like modern GT cars you might want to keep this effort from NINCO in mind.

- Harry

As always feel free to contact me about this article or just the hobby in general at harry@homeracingworld.com.

Better yet, drop into our Message Forum and share your thoughts with other enthusiasts!

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