Hornby Mitsubishi Lancer WRC 2002

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Hornby's newfound ability to produce excellent slot cars has now got an added feature, releasing them before the opposition do. With announced releases of the Mitsubishi Lancer WRC 2002 from Hornby, SCX, and newcomers Auto-Art, you'd have put money on Hornby missing the boat & being last one out; well wrong they're first. Have they rushed it & made a botched job then? Again No unlike the horrendous Toyota Corolla of a couple of years ago the Lancer is a great looking slot car.

Produced in this years colour from the Monte Carlo rally there is a choice of #7 Delacour/Grataloup car, or #8 McRea/Senior car. The two cars don't just have different numbers, and drivers names though, as with the real cars, the #7 has oz type multi-spoke wheels, while the #9 has five spoke Enkei type. Both are also available as standard type, or as Sport limited editions, with the up-rated sidewinder motor, additional circular magnet behind the guide blade, precision ground metal bearings, and presentation box. The chassis is similar to that used on Hornby's earlier Subaru WRC2001 car, with a common wheelbase of 78.43mm, and 55.20mm front & rear track. The only significant change was the omission of the third rectangular magnet position in favour of the front circular magnet point for the sport version, this may be altered on the 2002 Subaru when it follows later this year.

The coachwork is glorious Mitsubishi red, with Ralliart side flashes, white sills, spoilers, and logos. The wheels have both Ralliart & Enkei logos printed on them, with silver discs showing between the spokes, and Michelin logos on they tyre sidewalls. The ventilator strip is visible in both rear door windows, a roof vent, metal foil grille & intakes, wrap around front headlight units with working led lights, and an exquisite little front grille badge, just like the real car. The full interior has a roll cage, spare wheel & tyre, driver & co-driver complete with pace notes on his clipboard. One curiosity is no rear lights, but a couple of 50p bulbs & a spot of solder will cure this if you want them.

This car then is another example of just how good Hornby's cars have become, sadly since they moved production out of the U.K., and over to the far-east. (Darn those inscrutable oriental devils how do they do it?) In fact these cars really are coming up to the standards set by Fly, the only negative being that whereas Fly stick to the actual engine & transmission layout of the real cars, Hornby use the sidewinder to allow more interior detail, really this aught to be a 4WD machine but maybe you can't have everything. Great looking then but so is the real one, but 2002 has been a disaster in terms of performance for Mitsubishi, is this model the same once it takes to the track? Thankfully no, the Hornby version is another smooth handling beauty. The sport version I brought from Pendle Slot Racing is extremely rapid, with testing times at Wolverhampton on a par with the slot-it, and cartrix powered monsters which up until now have ruled the roost in the magnetised classes. Without the magnet the car is a bit too light, and even the addition of lead ballast did not bring it up to a par with the Ninco rally cars, which are the class leaders in the non-magnet class.

Overall this is a great looking addition to the Hornby range, good enough in magnetised form, but lacking a bit for the non-magnet, or copper tape tracks, but it really does get top marks for accuracy, presentation, and value for money.