SCX Subaru

Submitted by Rob Skupski

Sean has kindly given me a Brand new SCX Subaru Impreza from our Scalextric sister company SCX. Before the car arrived I had only seen it in the 2000-2001 catalogue. It looked pretty disappointing when I flicked to the right page my first thought’s were that “That doesn’t look right!” In fact I am proven wrong. Although the front looked like it was the new car from the back of the front wings the car seemed to be a copy of the old one with the coupe approach where the new WRC has 4 doors and the rear lights also looked like they came out the Subaru spare parts bin in the SCX factory. In fact this was false I was very much surprised at this mind you SCX have never been the best company to show prototypes like they will finally look. Now too see what the members at my local club have to say, “The reaction of most of the members at Wrexham SCC were gobsmacked at how well the car looked and some even asked if it was a Ninco renown at the club for the Golf and Cordoba. They were very surprised to see it was a SCX Impreza! ”. After this Spanish inquisition most of the members liked the new Impreza from SCX.

The 1:1 scale car has done well in it’s first year in rally competition lying in 3rd place behind The Works Focus’(driven by McRae) and a Mitsubishi Evo 6/7 (driven by Makinen). Richard burns has driven the car very well and has showed no signs of weakness although at the end of the season he will move onto Peugeot. Although The number 2 driver has just had a large crash in Corsica, hitting a grass bank and flipping the car a whole 360 degrees and smashing it to pieces the Subaru team now lie 3^rd in the manufacturers championship points. The new Impreza was eagerly awaited by many people including Wrexham Scc. Both the scale car and the real car the first time I saw the new Impreza I thought UGH! But it has grown on me and now I actually quite like it! Impreza’s have always been known as a class leading car proven by many rally drivers including joint rally championship holder Colin McRae. Will the scale version live up to this quote? Or will it be sluggish like past SCX rally cars?

The appearance-

The wheels don’t look as realistic as I would like and neither were there disc rotors behind the wheels this is where the Scalextric Impreza is better in detail, it includes disc rotors on many of it’s new cars and fitting the scalextric wheels to the SCX Impreza might be a good Idea when they become spares not only for the reason they are better looking also they are probably rounder! The wheels on my model were considerably out of round and poor quality, they also had a poor painted face as the most inner of the hub was white. The body is a good fit which is pleasing, it is the usual snappy fit but what doesn’t look too pleasing is the way the chassis has to be bent into the body at the front?! I like the overall look of the car but I find the wheels are a let down. There aren’t many blemishes and misses by the tampo machine, it isn’t very noticeable where it missed but some of the yellow on the near side rear wing isn’t there, the tampo on the bonnet fades to the bottom (rally identification board),the large Subaru logo on the boot lid seems a bit too big and the small scratch on the rear door and pillar (my fault I crashed it into the barrier which scratched it. I will excuse the rubbing mark on the rear off side bumper as it has rubbed on the card inside the box I have assessed this problem and the car moves around a lot in the actual box while in transport.  In fact Scx haven’t let us down on this lovely looking model just a few new wheels and they would be even better! (those wheels still haven’t got any better in my opinion!).

Just recently there has been a flurry of new cars from SCX and Scalextric. Both of these companies have put some more effort into being the top brand on the market. As scalextric have recently moved to China they are back and better with excellent looking cars almost up to Fly standards, can the same be said for SCX? This test will answer this question and also, “Does it go like the Focus/Corolla/Cordoba/Lancer?” Scalextric look like they have done well with recent releases from the Northstar, 911 GT3 and the Astra. SCX have also had their fair share of cars including the new TT-R, Mini, Northstar and Xsara. Both SCX and Scalextric have released the new Subaru Impreza. The cars have two totally different motor set-ups Scalextric with a Sidewinder and SCX with an inline 4WD. This report is on the SCX Subaru Impreza, is it better than Scalextric or still lacking in that little bit of extra straight line speed from the 4wd motor?

I have bought a few SCX cars before and presumed it would handle the same as the Cordoba and Focus, I also own a Ibiza but it isn’t really comparable! I intend in this test to compare the new Impreza against my own personal Focus. I hurriedly packed my bags on Monday night a few days after I received the car and headed off to Wrexham Scc. I managed to find my Focus and the new Impreza I put the impreza on the track and after a moaning period about the track (usual excuse of the track was cold and had shrunk I knew this was the case!) I got the computer running and ran around the track to my controller just in time to start. The times were as so:

May I just add that the Focus is well run in and the motor has just been reconditioned so it runs better than it did a few weeks ago, also both cars wee standard for the test. The wheels were also out of round on the Impreza and I may replace them and it will probably bring the times nearer to the Focus. The motor was the usual RX-81 which was fitted to all the previous SCX rally cars with 4wd, it has always been sluggish down the straight’s and the power through the corners wasn’t the best, the motor isn’t underpowered though, it was ready to go when the throttle was hammered which is good. I must give credit to SCX for their excellent and lasting Pinions and Crown Gears, I always have trouble with Ninco’s it must be my finger is a bit heavy on the throttle.

Summary:

Driveability-The car perform to my surprise it is a fast car that could be left alone without tampering with. It is excellent through the corners on my home track there are no real straights on it so I cannot say how good it will be on a straight on a home track! At the club the car was quick and not far off standard scalex car which is fantastic!

Power delivery-The delivery of power was through the clubs standard 25 ohm Parma economy controls, I was surprised at the power it wasn’t the usual whur of RX-81 motor. This wasn’t what I was expecting. I almost knew what kind of a drive I was in for. No way was this what I was expecting! The car accelerated well apart from off the start hill, out of the corners was brilliant.

Fun Factor-Great fun on the track the magnet fitted to the car is plenty powerful even when it is right up inside the body! I also think some of those magnet holders will be on my shopping list soon as they go right up inside the body and are very easy to assemble.

Raceability-The speed of the motor will regulate the races you compete. Crash and burn would be a great opportunity for it to show it’s potential but if it’s not crash and burn you will be left behind by Super magneted Scalextric Subaru’s, Escorts, Megan’s and Ninco Golf’s. If you keep it constant you could make some ground on the faster cars who come off as the cornering abilities are limited. Also you have the added advantage if the guide straightening up on it’s own so it’s a doddle to put it back on tack again!

Overall opinion-It is a drivers car and it isn’t a chore to drive it either, the motor is a bit of a downer as it is to all SCX rally cars it could be a race winner it could be a failure it’s in your hands to win it.

"The Subaru was an entirly different car when I added the weight ballast this week. I zipped down the straights and drove it into the corners, great I thought! Until I came off that was, i lost a place and ended second, not bad keeping ahead of a scalextric Impreza all the way around! I managed only a 3rd last week with the occational off going to a corner and hammering it out of the corners. Over all huge improvement over the previous cars and so I would have to say it is well worth the money, it's spot on."

Thanks to Sean at www.pendleslotracing.com for supplying the car.

Rob Skupski.

Wrexham Scc (www.slotcars.gq.nu)

Rob, thanks for the review. Since you wrote about the Subaru. Richard Burns has steered the Subaru team to the World Rally Championship. Congatulations to Richard Burns and the Subaru team and to SCX & SCALEXTRIC for two superb models. Sean