This is one of those slot cars that made my list due to the paint scheme alone.  I don’t apologize for it. I admit my weakness for this famous scheme and luckily I am not the only one afflicted.

This is also one of those cars that has been released for quite awhile before I finally acquired it. I am sure this happens to many of you as well so you understand. I suppose that is because the car itself does not hold a great deal of appeal for me. I’m not an ardent fan of modern GT nor of modern McLaren.  It was all about the GULF.

There are several cars released in this GULF series and they come on an attractive base. It might mean little to you, but since my appeal is for scheme, I rather like it.  It is worth mentioning that this makes it stand out from the crowd on the local hobby store shelves. I noticed several would-be enthusiasts ask for this car and the Porsche based on this display alone while on a visit to my local.

The outside of the model captures the 1:1 well enough for me. Nothing is perfect but Scalextric did a fine job overall. Markings are crisp enough the overall shine is clean and even.

Looking underneath reveals the tried and true sidewinder configuration. With Scalextric now focusing on inline systems for future releases, this was another reason for choosing it. I suppose nothing more than having a car with this configuration to match up with my Audi R8 LMS.

Collector appeal is something else entirely. I do not claim to be a pure collector but I do enjoy collection certain schemes or models. The difference from a pure collector view is that I intend to race them. But there is no denying the GULF appeal in our hobby, nor Scalextric intentionally offering these models with the special display. Is that enough for you to own it?

Having lights is a good thing for me. Others may not care. For my home racing it adds the fun factor of night racing and thus adds to the value of the model. Only until you try to purchase and install lighting systems can you appreciate these already being present.

Paul Gage 20124LM is my aftermarket tire of choice.

Removing the body mount screws was easily done and reveals no surprises. Basic sidewinder with 11/36 gearing, standard stock Scalextric motor, and large bar magnet to keep it pinned for those that want it. The magnet is located all the way in the rear but you can move it forward to give it a lighter pinning action.

11/36 Gearing. Bar magnet located under rear axle. Optional pocket in front of motor.

No surprises also means a little attention might be in order. As usual, there is a fair amount of excess freeplay in the rear axle. Most racers will shim this to reduce it while others will simply run it as is. It functions out of the box so I cannot fault them for that. But it’s not a difficult task to create a system that is void of this excess. Perhaps the move to inline simplifies assembly for Scalextric? In any case you will want to tune this area if you plan any competitive action.

Shimming was required as the freeplay was in excess for my taste. SCC .020″ nylon shims were installed.

I notch the shims with a small side cutters to snap on without the need for wheel removal.

One issue I have had with several of the latest Scalextric models is the guide plate. Designed as a quick change system, it’s not the most reliable system. The issue is the guide plate is VERY loose and can pop out too easily. Often my models lose contact while racing and it can be very frustrating.

I will change it out as most other enthusiasts do, but the quick fix is to just adjust the straps as shown above.

Road Test & Summary

Veteran enthusiasts will simply conclude this is just another car in the “modern GT” class and therefore nothing ground-breaking. They would be correct but that might be a good thing for you and your racing. Either you or your club likely already have a series utilizing these models and having the sidewinder configuration might also be part of your existing rules. If so then models such as this should be on your radar.

-Harry

Feel free to contact me about this review or the hobby in general.

 

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