ManicSlots

NEWS: Flyslot Madom Lotus 78

2011-11-05T18:58:00.002-07:00

Lotus 78 Aurora F1 1979 'Madom'

Flyslot have just released the 1978 Madom Lotus 78 raced in the Aurora F1 Series in 1979, driven by E De Villota. As you would expect from Fly, detail levels look great although the yellow paint does not photograph that well. In some of the photos the paint finish of the 78 reminds me of the old C134 Scalextric Renault RS-01 F1. Hopefully Fly have fixed the front-end steering problems the first Lotus 78 release had.

You can see more photos at Flyslot on Facebook Here

NEWS: Ninco E-Type

2011-11-04T01:58:00.000-07:00

Ninco's Master Stroke
The Jaguar E-Type

One of the greatest automotive icons of all time is the Jaguar E-Type. 70,000 E-Types were produced between 1961 and 1975. If you've ever seen a fully restored E-Type in the flesh or had the privilege of driving one you'll know this is a car is something special.

In December this year Ninco plans to release the first of many stunning 1/32 Jaguar E-Types, the Production version of the car. Get in line now, the line is going to be long...

Head over to the Ninco Website Here for more information.

NEWS: Scaleauto SLS AMG

2011-10-29T17:32:00.000-07:00

SLS AMG GT3 OMG!

Scaleauto have just fired a warning shot across the bow of the slot car world's heavy weights and it's a warning they will need to heed. Scaleauto have released some 1/32 scale slot cars in the past but they haven't really been aiming at the mass slot car market, until now!

The Scaleauto Mercedes SLS AMG is here and it looks absolutely awesome! Carrera has already released the SLS AMG but Carrera's offering is aimed more at the hobby slotter, not the hardcore racer! The first Scaleauto release will be the 2010 Presentation car which models the SLS AMG GT3 that was releases by Mercedes Benz in Mexico to honour the success of the SL badge during the 1950's 3100km Carrera Panamerica races across Mexico.

The 1:1 Mercedes Benz SLS AMG GT3 was designed in accordance with FIA GT3 specifications as a racing sports car for customers competing in both sprints and endurance races. Detail levels of the Scaleauto model look great and accurately reflect the 1:1 car beautifully. I've never been a huge fan of white liveries but we all know that they make for fantastically highly visible slot cars.

The chassis design looks impressive and being a Scaleauto we can expect that this slot will perform as well as the real thing on the track.

You can read and see more on the 1:1 SLS AMG GT3 over at Car Advice Website Here

NEWS: Racer Ferrari 312P

2011-06-17T17:36:00.000-07:00

RCR G5 - 312P Aerodynamic Test Monza 1969

Racer Slot Cars have sent through some beautiful photos of the soon (mid July) to be released RCR G5 312P Aerodynamic Test as driven at Monza in 1969. The 312P Aerodynamic Test will be limited to only 203 editions so if you want one then be quick. Racer states that the number 2 on sides is voluntarily scratched to reproduce the car as it was during such tests. Another example of a beautiful Racer release, something we have long come to expect.

You can view more photos of the slots on the Racer Website Here

SPORT: Audi wins Lemans!

2011-06-12T18:09:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Audi for winning what most describe as the ultimate test of man and machine, the 24 hours of Le Mans. In an amazingly action packed race full of spectacular crashes, the last remaining Audi (1 of 3) emerged victorious despite being closely hunted by 3 Peugeot 908s for the entire race. This win represents the 10th victory at Le Mans for Audi!

The below YouTube video takes you through the last lap of the race, amazing stuff as Audi goes across the finish line 13.8 seconds ahead of the lead Peugeot after 24 hours.

Below is one of the most spectacular crashes you'll ever see in motorsport where the driver walks away, I'm thinking Allan McNish might buy himself an Audi road car after surviving that off.

NEWS: Slot.it Toyota 88C

2011-06-12T17:56:00.000-07:00

Slot.it Toyota 88C

24hrs Daytona 1998

Rosanna from Slot.it has just sent through the technical specification cards of the hugely anticipated Toyota 88C. The car was raced at the 24 hours of Daytona in 1998 by Drake Olson, Chris Cord and Steve Bren (all American team of drivers). I think we'll all agree that the Toyota 88C has been a Group C car that has been always missed in the slot world of motor sport. But no longer, thank you Slot.it!

This from Slot.it: 'The Toyota 88C is a sports car prototype built in 1988 by Toyota according to the Group C specification, to race the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Japanese Sports-Prototype Championship.

The car, designed by Dome, was powered by a 4-cylinder turbocharged engine, named "3S-GT", a 2.1-liter, water cooled, 680-hp, 16 valves aluminium head, unit. The chassis was an aluminium

monocoque, and the composite bodywork was made of carbon fiber and kevlar.

In 1989, one of these cars was entered in the IMSA GTP championship, a category with rules which were very similar to those of Group C in Europe, by All American Racers, Dan Gurney's (an American racing legend who won Le Mans in 1967) team.

The new Slot.it model reproduces the car that took part to the 24 Hours of Daytona, driven by Drake Olson, Chris Cord and Steve Bren. All American Racers, using this engine as a development base, was later (1992, 1993) able to claim, with the Eagle MKIII, two IMSA titles, two victories at Sebring and one in Daytona.'

You can read more on the Slot.it Website Here

NEWS: NSR Porsche 997

2011-05-28T17:47:00.000-07:00

NSR Porsche 997 GT3 RSR
'Rene Rast', Veltins MRS Racing

NSR have just released the 'Veltins' MRS racing livery of their Porsche 997 GT3. Another predominately white livery from NSR but I like the look of the Veltins' sponsorship and being white will make it a highly visual slot on the track.

MRS Racing ran the car in the 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Racing series.

You can read more on the NSR Website Here

NEWS: SCX Peugeot 908 HDi

2011-05-28T17:24:00.001-07:00

Peugeot 908 HDi FAP
Team Oreca Matmut, 24hrs LeMans 2010

This from SCX: 'This colourful decoration of the Peugeout 908 HDI FAP was driven by the #4 team Oreca Matmut: Olivier Panis, Nicolas Lapierre and Loic Duval in the 24h Lemans 2010 and scored the fasted lap!

The new Peugeot 908 HDI FAP from SCX® is here to challenge its rival, the all-powerful Audi R10, on the track. This is a car designed to deliver a high top speed, with strikingly aerodynamic lines. Its front end is divided into three parts, with the headlights at the sides and the driver’s cockpit in the middle. Between these sections are two enormous air intakes which, in the real car, serve to cool the diesel engine.'

Wheelbase: 93 mm
Transmission type: 4×2 direct rear
Car length: 144.5 mm
Transmission ratio: 9/27=3
Wheel track: 62 mm
Rear axle dimension: 21 mm
Guide type: ARS
Screws: 5 (2+2+1)
Motor: RX-42B
Transmission type: Rear
Weight: 83 grams
Body car Weight: 19 grams

You can read more on the SCX Website Here

NEWS: NSR Mosler JDK

2011-05-27T17:34:00.000-07:00

NSR Mosler MT900R JDK
G&A Racing, 24hrs of Zolder 2008

NSR are about to release a new livery of their ever popular Mosler MT900R. The black and white JDK looks a little simple to my taste. However, the predominately white livery would make for a highly visual slot on the track and at the speeds these things go, that's a good thing.

G and A Racing ran the car in the VW Fun Cup 25 Hours, Menzo 24 Hours of Zolder, Francorchampagne Spa-Francorchamps and the FIA GT Championship Zolder in 2008 winning the VW Fun Cup 25 Hours.

You can read more on the NSR Website Here

NEWS: Sideways Dallara

2011-05-27T16:59:00.000-07:00

SW11 Dallara DP - Taylor Racing
Daytona 24hrs 2011

This from Racer Slot Cars: 'This model will be available very early in june. Please mind photos are still relevant to a preproduction sample.

We have also been forced to release SW11 cars before long awaited SW10 Riley MkXX AIM Autosport PACIFIC due very difficult tampoprinting setup for that model. SW10 will be therefore available at begiining of july.

At the same time we will also introuduce in price list a new chassis for Dallara DP (stock code - MK01A EVO ) ready to accept new 6 screws Slot.It motor mounts but overall injected in new material which, after testing performed, showed an important increase of handling and performance.

The EVO chassis will be also available for RIley MkXX (stock code MK01 EVO ) at same time of release of SW10.'

I have to admit that I love the look of these cars, they are so ugly that they become beautiful to the eye. Personal taste aside, what no one will dispute is the AMAZING performance that these cars offer, the Sideways Riley MkXX is the second fastest car to run on my home track in almost 4 years!

You can read more on the Sideways Website Here

NEWS: Aston Martin Zagato

2011-05-27T16:35:00.000-07:00

Aston Martin Zagato Concept

From CarGurus Blog: 'What you’re looking at is the Aston Martin V12 Zagato concept, a collaboration between Aston and Italian design firm Zagato. The car previews a model destined to run the 24 Hours of Nürburgring this June. In the past we’ve accused Aston of doing the same design over and over, which, quite honestly, we don’t have a problem with. This V12 Zagato changes everything. While still amazingly gorgeous, it manages to infuse some weirdness along with bits of a Ferrari FF and even some Nissan GT-R.'

'The gaping front grille contributes to the epic look, and the giant side vents look almost deep enough to reach into and change the air filter.

Underneath that menacing hood lurks a 5.9-liter V12 that channels 510 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels through a 6-speed single-clutch automated gearbox and a carbon driveshaft within a magnesium torque tube.'

You can read more on the Car Gurus Blog Here

NEWS: Ninco 'Lightning' Releases

2011-05-20T22:49:00.000-07:00

Ninco's Upcoming 'Lightning' Releases

Just when things seem a little quite, Ninco comes to the rescue with some damn impressive 'Lightning' slot releases for May. If you don't already have one of Ninco's Lightning cars in your collection then you don't know what you're missing out on!

Head over to the Ninco Website Here for more information.

SPORT: Spanish F1 2011

2011-05-20T17:54:00.000-07:00

With less than 24 hours to go till qualifying for the 2011 Spanish F1 at the Catalunya Circuit, here's a few YouTube videos that might interest the F1 fans out there. The first is a CG of a lap around the circuit and the second is the highlights real from the 2010 Spanish race.

Go Webber!!!!!

NEWS: Ninco May Releases

2011-05-20T17:22:00.000-07:00

Ninco's May 2011 Releases

Just when things seem a little quite, Ninco comes to the rescue with some impressive slot releases for May. First up is the all new Lamborghini Diablo model release in the Ninco 1 range. For those of you not familiar with the Ninco 1 range they are similar to the high impact Scalextric range with reduced detail (ie no clear windows or internal detail) and as a result are more cost effective. The new Diablo looks fantastic and I just hope Ninco has plans to release it in the more detailed 'S' range.

The next 2 cars come from Ninco's 'S' range and are both rally cars which should make a lot of slotters happy. The first is a very impressive dirt effect Ford Focus 'expert' livery from the Rally of Great Britain 2009 (ref # 50577). The Focus comes standard with belt driven 4-wheel drive, NC-5 motor, suspension springs and sprung guide. :)

The second rally car is the always popular Porsche 911S. Unlike the Focus, the Porsche does not come with belt-driven 4-wheel drive but does have suspension springs, NC-5 motor and a sprung guide.

Head over to the Ninco Website Here for more information.

NEWS: Más Slot May 2011

2011-05-11T23:59:00.000-07:00

Más Slot No.107, May 2011

Más Slot No.107 (May 2011) has been published and even if you can't read Spanish the photography makes for a gripping viewing, (be sure to click on the below image for full screen mode and you can flick through the publication.)

Open publication - Free publishing - More coleccionismo

NEWS: Falken Ford GT-R

2011-05-11T23:33:00.000-07:00

SCALEXTRIC Ford GT-R
C3136 'Black Swan Racing'

Scalextric have just released the Black Swan Racing Falken liveried Ford GT-R. Detail and finish levels look excellent and for those that don't already have a Ford GT, these are great on a plastic track.

This from Scalextric: 'Black Swan returned to full-time American Le Mans Competition in 2009 at the Petit Le Mans Race at Road Atlanta whilst also developing the Ford GT in collaboration with Ford Racing. Partner, Falken Tire, is part of the team for the American Le Mans series. The company’s rich racing heritage spans from 24 hour racing at Germany’s Nurburgring to Japan’s Super Taikyu GT series. The Ford GT 2004 is a modern version of the Ford GT40 from the 1960s. The car is now being entered into GT racing around the world.'

A little bit of background information from Black Swan's Racing Peter McCarthy at the 2009 Carlisle ALL-FORD Nationals.

You can read more on the Scalextric Website Here

SPORT: McLaren MP4-12C GT3

2011-05-07T17:25:00.000-07:00

Oh Yeah! Welcome back to GT3 racing McLaren, we've all missed you! There will be alot of GT3 manufactures and racers shaking in their boots right about now :)

NEWS: Slot.it Mazda 787B

2011-05-06T15:45:00.000-07:00

Slot.it Mazda 787B

Le Mans 1991 No.18

Rosanna from Slot.it has just sent through some awesomely large photos of the soon to be released Mazda 787B. The car was raced at Le Mans in 1991 by S.Johansson, D.Kennedy, M.S.Sala. With a predominately white livery, the new Mazda will make for a highly visible slot on the track and while not in my Slot.it Top 5 releases for 2011 a very impressive looking slot car.

You can read more on the Slot.it Website Here

NEWS: Scalextric Ford Mustang

2011-04-25T16:38:00.000-07:00

SCALEXTRIC Ford Mustang
C3088 'Bill Todd, US SVRA vintage racing series'

Scalextric have just released the complete badarse looking Bill Todd US SVRA (Sportscar Vintage Racing Association) liveried Ford Mustang. As we would expect from a Scalextric Mustang, detail and finish levels are excellent and as we all know these little babies go like pocket rockets!!

This from Scalextric: 'This car is raced by Bill Todd in the US SVRA vintage racing series and is ideal to race against all of the Scalextric American muscle car range including Corvette Stingray, Chevrolet Camaro, Ford Mustang and Ford Torino cars. Exclusively produced by Scalextric.'

You can read more on the Scalextric Website Here

NEWS: Mercedes GP F1

2011-04-25T16:22:00.000-07:00

SCALEXTRIC MERCEDES GP PETRONAS
C3167 '2011 Schumacher'

Scalextric have just released some stunning photos of the highly anticipated 2011 Petronas Mercedes GP F1. Driven by Michael Schumacher, the striking Petronas Mercedes F1 in silver is bound to be very popular with the F1 crowd, I know I'm getting one!

This from Paddock Talk: 'The new silver and green livery creates a true marriage between the heritage of the Silver Arrows and the team’s title partner PETRONAS. The legacy of the Silver Arrows goes back to the 1934 Eifel Race when, on the evening before the event, the white paint was sanded off the Mercedes W25 race car to fulfil weight regulations (750kg formula) and the silver colour of the aluminium surface of the car appeared. This season, with the return of the Silver Arrows, the MGP W01 will shine in silver combined with a flow of iridescent silver shading. On the nose and on other parts of the car traces of black carbon fibre visible are visible – a reminder of the first Silver Arrow of 1934.'

You can read more on the Scalextric Website Here

NEWS: Scalextric Ford GT-R

2011-04-25T16:00:00.001-07:00

SCALEXTRIC Ford GT-R
C3088 'Robertson Racing Poloti'

Scalextric have just released the Robertson Racing Poloti liveried Ford GT-R. Detail and finish levels look excellent and for those that don't already have a Ford GT, these are great on a plastic track.

This from Scalextric: 'This Robertson Racing Ford GT competed in the American Le Mans Series driven by David Robertson, Andrea Robertson and David Murry. The Ford GT 2004 is a modern version of the Ford GT40 from the 1960s. The car is now being entered into GT racing around the world.'

You can read more on the Scalextric Website Here

NEWS: Más Slot Apr 2011

2011-04-18T07:05:00.000-07:00

Más Slot No.106, April 2011

Más Slot No.106 (April 2011) has been published and even if you can't read Spanish the photography makes for a gripping viewing, (be sure to click on the below image for full screen mode and you can flick through the publication.)

Open publication - Free publishing - More coleccionismo

NEWS: XLOT BMW M3

2011-04-18T06:48:00.000-07:00

Ninco/XLOT BMW M3 E30
'Warsteiner'

Ninco is about to add a new mode to their 1/28 XLOT range, the BMW M3 E30. The first livery to be released will be the beautifully liveried Warsteiner M3 and boy does it look impressive! The below movie gives you some concept of the chassis and drive design.

You can head over to the Ninco Website for more information.

NEWS: Avant Slot Mirage Gr8

2011-04-17T20:16:00.000-07:00

Mirage Gr8 Ford Cosworth DFV
'2nd Le Mans 1976'

Avant Slot have just released an all new exciting slot model, the Mirage Gr8 reference number 51201. The Grand Touring Cars Inc. Mirage was raced at Le Mans in 1976 and finished an impressive 2nd driven by Jean-Louis Lafosse and Francois Migault.

Paint and decal finish look very impressive and the chassis set-up is classic Avant Slot design. The bettom image shows the chassis with 3 magnets in place but I'd be surprised if the Mirage was shipped with any more than one. :)

You can find out more about this releases from the Avant Slot Website

NEWS: Ninco Corvette 1956

2011-04-17T18:51:00.000-07:00

Ninco Corvette 1956 'Speed Record'

Ninco is about to release the Corvette that set the speed record for production cars in 1956. The Ninco classic has a strong following, this one will sell quick!

This from 'The Corvette Story' website: 'Chevrolet went racing with the latest Corvette and was rewarded with excellent success. It started in January 1956 when John Fitch set a production car record of 145 MPH at Daytona Speed Week. He then drove a stock 1956 Corvette at the NASCAR speed week Flying Mile event in Daytona, setting a speed record of 145.543 mph.'

Head over to the Ninco Website Here for more information.

NEWS: NSR Corvette 'Road Version'

2011-04-17T18:27:00.000-07:00

NSR Corvette C6R
'Road Version'

Italia Slot have published some photos of NSR's latest Corvette C6R, the blue and red 'road versions'. Paint finish looks excellent (particularly the red) but the greyish looking wheel inserts let the car down a little I think - Of course that would be an easy fix with a little spray paint.

These 'road versions' are bound to be popular given the slot communities demand for the release of NSR's Corvette C6R but I think most slotters will hold out for the 'No Prisoners' and Compuware liveries.

You can find out more about this releases from the Italia Slot Website Here

NEWS: Ferrari 2012 FF

2011-04-17T18:08:00.000-07:00

Ferrari 2012 FF

From Autoblog.com: 'FF means "Ferrari Four" and this unashamedly standout model will most likely cost around $300,000 when it hits North American ports in the end of October of this year. That's cheap. Why keep a $173,200 Porsche Panamera Turbo S, a $39,680 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 4x4, a $111,100 Corvette ZR1, and a $21,200 Ford Transit Connect cluttered in your drive, when you can save both money and garage space by snapping up the ingenious and rare all-wheel-drive 651-horsepower Ferrari FF and call it a day? For that matter, why buy a house when you can have all the comfort and room we took advantage of inside the FF? The leather is luscious and an optional Schedoni [pronounced ske-DOH-nee] luggage set outfitted in the same hides runs around $10k.'

'And seeing as there has been a real challenge for anyone selling 12-cylinder cars lately, any new V12 needs to be about a lot more than simply the engine and its power. That said, even the 6.3-liter "F140 EB" V12 sitting front/amidships in the FF possesses a raft of sophisticated improvements. Nuances to the FF's engine almost make the outgoing 612 Scaglietti's F133 F 5.7-liter V12 and its 536 horsepower seem historic. The 6.3-liter has more in common with the 611-to-661-hp 6.0-liter V12 in the 599 line. Just add 200-psi direct injection and new "reed" valves in the dry sump to keep oil from seeping back up with the pistons. Voila! 651 hp and 504 pound feet of torque and at least a 15-percent improvement in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.'

You can find out heaps more about the Ferrari FF 2012 on the autoblog.com blog

NEWS: NSR Porsche 997

2011-04-15T16:10:00.000-07:00

NSR Porsche 997
'Rally Portugal 2008'

Italia Slot have just published some impressive photos of NSR's latest angle-winder rally Porsche 997, the Rally Portugal 2008 livery reference NSR1061AW.

This is the first 'actual' racing livery for NSR's Porsche 997 and the colours work well enough for me. I'd like to see NSR release a 'dirt effect' 997 livery in the future, after all this is a rally car right?

You can find out more about this releases from the Italia Slot Website Here

NEWS: SCX April Releases

2011-04-15T15:37:00.000-07:00

SCX April Releases

SCX are releasing a few new slots and as always we can count on SCX to release interesting and original models. The first is the famous Citroen 2CV 'Sahara' reference 64880. The other slot is the always impressive looking Hummer H3 with 'mud effect' reference 65070.

You can find out more about SCX slot cars from the SCX Website Here

NEWS: NSR Team Gunston

2011-04-14T01:15:00.000-07:00

NSR Porsche 917K
'Team Gunston'

Italia Slot have published some awesome photos of NSR's latest Porsche 917K and this is one we've all been waiting for...the 'Team Gunston'!

This is bound to be one very popular livery so if you're interested, a ManicSlot top tip would be to order one from you favourite supplier.

You can find out more about this releases from the Italia Slot Website Here

GALLERY: Porsche 917K

2011-04-08T22:23:00.000-07:00

Fly Porsche 917K

Vila Real 1971

The ManicSlot Mini Review

Strengths:

The 917 K is a very popular slot that has a high collection status
Average 'from the box' magnetic performer, (will more than likely require some TLC)
Striking Sandeman livery and classic runner
Very high level of detail
Excellent paint and decal job, it's hard to ignore such a striking green livery
Once setup correctly, is a fantastic non magnetic runner

Weaknesses:

The 917 K (along with most of the Fly classic range) will require some modification and after-market parts if you are to get the most from it

Verdict:

Personally I love the Fly classic range and the Porsche 917K is no exception, this is a beautiful looking slot car on the track and just a joy to race. Once setup correctly, this is one of the fastest non-mag performers on my Carrera plastic track. With a decent motor and rear rubber upgrade these beauties can easily match the performance of a NSR 971K on track.

For more information on how to upgrade these beauties, click the below link to a How-To on Setting up a Fly Classic.

Return to the ManicSlot's Gallery Here

NEWS: Racer Silverline 250 Range

2011-04-08T17:16:00.000-07:00

SL05R Road car (red), SL05Y Road car (yellow), SL05B Road car (black)
and SL06 Daytona 2000Kms. 1964 (L.Perkins / B. Eve)

Racer Slot Cars have sent through some stunning photos and information on their latest additions to the Silver Line range, the Ferrari 250 GTO no less! The Silver Line range from Racer gives you all the benefits of the Racer finish quality and stunning detail (not to mention Slot.it engineering) but at a much cheaper rate than your typical Racer slot car.

While not exactly what I would class as 'cheap', the recommended retail price of 120 euro for these beauties will make them perhaps a little more obtainable to the average slotter. One thing is for sure, they look absolutely fantastic!!!

You can view more photos of the slots on the Racer Website Here

NEWS: Scalextric McLaren MP4-12C

2011-04-07T17:42:00.000-07:00

SCALEXTRIC McLaren MP4-12C

Scalextric have just released the all new McLaren MP4-12C model. I'm a huge Scalextric fan but when I first saw these photos I was not that impressed with the look of this new offering. Perhaps it's the orange paint finish on the first release (soon to follow will be a silver and red livery) but the photos do't do the model justice. I have since seen some additional photos of the McLaren and it looks much better.

This from Scalextric: 'The McLaren MP4-12c supercar enhances the Scalextric stable of supercars for 2011. The famous McLaren orange livery sets off a stunning bodywork fitted with head lights and brake lights complete with full engine and interior detail. DPR is fitted as standard on the chassis ahead of the side-winder motor.

The McLaren MP4-12C is a sports car designed and manufactured by McLaren Automotive. The car's final design was unveiled on 8 September 2009, and it was launched in 2011. The MP4-12C features a carbon fibre composite chassis, and is powered by a mid-mounted McLaren M838T 3.8-litre V8 twin-turbo engine developing approximately 592 bhp (441 kW; 600 PS) and around 443 lb•ft (601 N•m) of torque. The car will make use of Formula 1-sourced technologies such as "brake steer”, where the inside rear wheel is braked during fast cornering to reduce understeer. Power will be transmitted to the wheels through a 7-speed Seamless Shift dual-clutch gearbox equipped with "Pre-Cog", which allows the driver to pre-select the next gear by half-pulling the paddle shifter behind the steering wheel, which allows the transmission to execute faster gear changes.'

You can read more on the Scalextric Website Here

NEWS: Fly Slots Strike Back!

2011-03-25T17:26:00.000-07:00

FLY SLOT CARS ANNOUNCES RETURN!!

The rumours had started circulating amongst the forums and discussion groups, Fly Slots had stopped releasing slot cars...again! Fly has a huge fan base and a lot of them found this rumour disappointing, I'm one of them!

Well the great news is that what ever hurdle Fly had, they have pushed through it and are back to releasing slot cars. And not just any ordinary slot cars, but the famous Lotus 78 in JPS black and gold colours raced by Andretti no less! Scheduled for mid year release the Lotus 78 promises to be a hugely popular release and is the third classic F1 release from Fly behind the amazing March 761 and Williams FW07.

This from Wikipedia: 'It was obvious that the 78 was something special though, as proved by Andretti and Gunnar Nilsson who won once in Belgium. When the car worked well it was almost uncatchable. Other teams started scrambling to design their own version for 1978. The problem they had was that they didn't know exactly what was so special about the car, as Chapman and other members of Lotus came up with any number of excuses to hide the real reason. That as well as the skirts, which hid any view of the underside of the car.

The 78 was good enough to still be a winner in early 1978, with Andretti and Ronnie Peterson scoring a win each and another three pole positions before it was replaced by the Lotus 79, which was as far ahead of the 78 as the 78 had been ahead of the rest of the field in 1977. The 78 was to see one further works team start, however. Owing to damage sustained to his 79 in practice, Ronnie Peterson was forced to use the reserve car, 78/3 (JPS-17), to qualify for the 1978 Italian Grand Prix. The car had not been maintained or developed by the team as they concentrated on the 79, and the car was hurriedly prepared for the race. Although his team mate Andretti predictably took pole position, the slower 78 was only good enough for fifth place on the grid for Peterson. Sadly, the Swede was caught up in a massive start line accident, which resulted in his car ramming the barriers nose-first, completely destroying the front end of the vehicle. Peterson later died owing to complications arising from the treatment he received following the crash.

The original development prototype, 78/1 (JPS-15), was sold to Hector Rebaque. He ran this car through his Rebaque privateer team in World Championship events during 1978 and 1979, and in non-Championship races into the early 1980s.

In all, the Lotus 78 took seven wins, nine pole positions and scored 106 points in its career.'

You can read more about the Lotus 78 on the Wikipedia Portal Here

MOVIE: Porsche 917K Goodwood

2011-03-25T16:34:00.000-07:00

Some beautiful footage on board a Porsche 917K (and 908/3) at Goodwood hillclimb, what's really interesting (except for the amazing sound of the 917K) is how tight the hillclimb is in places.

NEWS: Auto64 Rally Mag

2011-03-24T17:57:00.000-07:00

A 1:32 scale slot car rally, recreating, in miniature, the golden age of British rallying particularly the 1960s and 1970s. Here are the cars, the drivers, the rally stages, the spectators and the scenery of Britain in the 1970s, all recreated in Scalextric.

Open publication - Free publishing - More 1-32

SPORT: Peugeot wins Sebring!

2011-03-20T21:16:00.000-07:00

PEUGEOT WINS SEBRING 2011!

This from The Clutch Garage: 'The running of the 12 Hours of Sebring took place this weekend in Florida, and the results show that newcomers have what it takes to compete with the big-boys of the American Le Mans Series. The race was riddled with yellow flags, keeping the field nice and tight throughout the race. Overall it was a race to remember, and below will fill you in on the action you may have missed.

In the Prototype 1 category, Loic Duval took the checkered flag in the Team ORECA Matmut’s Peugeot 908 HDi FAP. This is the first Sebring voctory since it swept GT in 2000 in factory-backed Dodge Vipers. Through all 12 hours, and even down to the final hour, Duval would battle Highcroft Racing’s Simon Pagenaud in his HPD ARX-01e. Within the final 60 minutes of the race, Pagenaud managed to overtake Duval during a pit stop. However, Pagenaud had a pit stop ahead of him, and simply couldn’t develop the gap that was needed to get ahead of Deval.'

NEWS: Slot.it GT40

2011-03-15T05:40:00.000-07:00

Slot.it Ford GT40 MkI

Sebring 1966 #24

Well it feels like it's been a long, long wait for what might be Slot.it's most anticipated new model release ever but the moment of truth is finally upon us...so what's another weeks wait in terms of slot car perfection?

All indications are that the Slot.it's first GT40 release, the red 1966 Sebring #24 MkI will be released in around 10 days time. I don't know about you but I'm pretty damn excited about this one?!

You can read more on the Slot.it Website Here

NEWS: Racer 250P/275P

2011-03-15T05:24:00.000-07:00

RCR 58A - Ferrari 250P Le Mans 1963

RCR 58B - Ferrari 275P Le Mans 1964

Racer Slot Cars have sent through some beautiful photos and information on their latest releases, the RCR58A - Ferrari 250P raced at Le Mans 24hrs in 1963 (winner) driven by L.Bandini / L.Scarfiotti and the Ferrari RCR58B 275P raced at Le Mans 24hrs in 1964 (winner) driven by J.Guichet / N.Vaccarella.

You can view more photos of the slots on the Racer Website Here

NEWS: Scalex Mercedes F1

2011-03-13T05:57:00.000-07:00

SCALEXTRIC MERCEDES F1 GP PETRONAS

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER LIMITED EDITION

Scalextric releases its fair share of boxed limited editions but every now and then, (like with the 'Year of Legends' 1967 twin pack) they really hit the nail right on the head. And for some reason I feel their latest limited release of the Michael Schumacher Mercedes F1 car will be as popular.

Love him or hate him, Schumacher changed F1 as we know it and the Petronas Mercedes F1 silver livery makes for a very striking slot car.

This from Scalextric: 'Mercedes-Benz returned to Formula One for the 2010 season, joining forces with the 2009 World Champions, Brawn GP. Mercedes made its Formula One debut in 1954 with immediate success. Juan Manuel Fangio and Karl Kling dominated with Fangio winning the Driver’s titles in 1954 and 1955.

The return of Mercedes and the ‘Silver Arrow’ cars to Formula One was greeted with a wealth of excitement, along with the news that racing legend Michael Schumacher had signed for the team on his sensational return to Formula One.

Michael Schumacher has broken several world records during his glittering career in Formula One (1991 to 2006). Most notably, Schumacher has achieved and incredible seven World Championships; beating the five World titles of Juan Manuel Fangio (a record that few believed would ever be broken).

The Scalextric Limited Edition model is fitted with a high performance 20,000rpm motor, hardened rear axles and enhanced decoration detail to the driver’s helmet. This is a limited edition of 3,000 models.'

You can read more on the Scalextric Website Here

GALLERY: NSR Momo Mosler

2011-03-12T15:29:00.000-08:00

NSR Mosler MT900R

'Oulton Park Winner 2009'

The ManicSlot Mini Review

Strengths:

Probably the best performance 'From The Box' slot car on the market!

Amazing 'FTB' magnetic and non-magnetic performance

Solid detailed slot car

Front and rear alloy 'air system' wheels

Floating angle-winder motor pod, mega light body

Adjustable magnet position

Beautiful engineering, alloy gearing

Weaknesses:

VERY low ride height (not good for tracks with too much vertical elevation)
You've heard it before but the Mosler has scaling issues - The price of blistering performance!
Detail levels could be better but let us not forget this car IS made to race, not to look at

Verdict:

What can I say really? If you have one of these or have seen one of these cars then you'll KNOW how fast they are. Even with minimal set-up they will probably beat your best car's lap time on your track. This is my only Mosler and one of only 3 NSRs I own - I guess an indication of how much they cost. That being said, there is no doubt that you get what you are paying for with a NSR Mosler, a stunning slot car with physics defying performance!

Personally I love the matt black and yellow Momo livery but paint/decal finish on this car is pretty basis by today's Fly or Slot.it standards. This car has been made to race and there are no compromises made in the performance department for the sake of aesthetics. As a result the Mosler has some scale issues so if you're after a shelf queen then this is probably not the car for you. However if you want a bloody fast car with amazing engineering that is a pleasure to drive, then this IS the car for you!

Return to the ManicSlot's Gallery Here

MOVIE: Onboard RB7 F1

2011-03-11T17:32:00.000-08:00

Some beautiful footage on-board the 2011 Red Bull Racing F1-RB7 with Sebastian Vettel, be sure to look for the rear wing working in the first part of the movie. This is a HD movie so if you have a big screen it's worth watching it there.

GALLERY: Ferrari 599XX

2011-03-11T16:20:00.000-08:00

Carrera Ferrari 599XX

The ManicSlot Mini Review

Strengths:

It's a Ferrari and Carrera has the exclusive rights to make the Ferrari 599XX

Strong 'from the box' performance

Impressively detailed slot car, beautiful wheels!

Front and rear lights

Revised chassis (much lighter)

Revised magnet configuration, (now only comes with a single magnet)

Revised smaller reverse direction switch

Weaknesses:

Average non magnetic performance
Rubber requires upgrading
Wheel diameter are non-standard which makes it difficult to upgrade rubber

Verdict:

There is no doubt that Carrera's release of the Ferrari 599XX is an impressive addition to the Carrera line-up. The first 2 releases have sold well and Carrera has plans to release 2 more 599XX liveries in 2011, (be sure to check out the black liveried car!). It's clear to me that Carrera has listened well to the slot car community with the 599XX and have significantly improved their chassis design and at the same time reduced overall car weight - 2 big steps in the right direction!

Detail levels are as good as those of any manufacture and 'FTB' on-track performance is great. The 599XX signals that Carrera is dead serious about their future in the slot car industry. Combine these things with an aggressive pricing structure and Carrera is on a real winning formula, something that's great for us all!

Return to the ManicSlot's Gallery Here

SPORT: Aston Martin's AMR-One

2011-03-05T19:01:00.000-08:00

Aston Martin's AMR-One LMP1

From Autoblog.com: 'Aston Martin has revealed its plans for this year's LeMans Cup series, introducing a brand new LMP1 race car called the AMR-One in the process.'

'The AMR-One is powered by a turbocharged and direct-injected inline-six gas engine resting in a carbon fiber monocoque open-top chassis. The Aston's tiny 2.0-liter mill was developed with LeMans Cup's new efficiency regulations in mind.'

'There will be six AMR-Ones built in total, with a one-car effort going into the 2011 Intercontinental LeMans series, which includes the 24 Hours of LeMans. Darren Turner and Stefan Mucke plus a third driver (to be determined) will wheel number 007 at LeMans, and Adrian Fernandez, Andy Meyrick and Harold Primat will drive car 009. Follow the jump for Aston's official press blast.'

Go get'em Aston!!!! You can find out more about Aston Martin Racing on the autoblog.com blog

NEWS: Más Slot Mar 2011

2011-03-05T06:28:00.000-08:00

Más Slot No.105 (March 2011) has been published and even if you can't read Spanish the photography makes for a gripping viewing, (be sure to click on the below image for full screen mode and you can flick through the publication.)

Open publication - Free publishing - More slot

NEWS: Carrera 2011

2011-03-04T17:04:00.000-08:00

CARRERA's 2011 RANGE

Carrera's German website has some very exciting images of their upcoming early 2011 production releases. There are some beautiful looking slot cars here and some like the Le Mans Audi pace car that are bound to be very popular.

Carrera have released images of their soon to be released cars (Go! through to 1:24) but I'm only showing 1:32 scale releases in this article, enjoy.

It's great to see Carrera will be returning to some of their old models with reliveries of the Ferrari 512BB and Porsche 935/78.

As no huge surprise Carrera will be releases several more of the popular and striking Ferrari 599XX. The below yelow livery is impressive but not as impressive as the upcoming black 599XX they will be releasing in 2011.

If you don't have a 599XX in your line-up as yet, I highly recommend them as they run very well and look bloody great on the track!

These releases are all impressive but the buzz of the slot community is all around Carrera's decision to release 2 very special 1/32 cars indeed...the Mercedes and Audi Stromlinie cars!

These cars are bound to be very popular and really look like nothing else ever conceived in the 1:1 racing world. Pre ordering with your favourite slot car shop is highly recommended if you're interested in acquiring these beauties!

So all in all it looks like Carrera are on track to a very successful 2011 and given their current pricing structure it's no wonder. If you haven't had a look at Carrera in a while I recommend you give them another good look. Great slots, great prices...what more could you ask for?

You can find out more about Carrera products on the Carrera Website Here

NEWS: Carrera Ferrari 2011

2011-03-04T16:12:00.000-08:00

A great movie from Carrera showcasing their 2011 Ferrari range and what an impressive range it's going to be!

SHOP: Club Design Shirts

2011-03-02T01:09:00.000-08:00

Custom club, business or team shirt anyone?

So you'de like a custom slot car shirt designed for your club, business or team? Well then you've found the right place..

Here’s how in 5 easy steps:

1. Visit ManicSlot's online store by clicking 1 of the shirts and then from the opened store page, click on the red Lotus 49 to open a design request email,

2. Pick from the store's showcased template designs (1, 2 or 3) or let us customise one of them for you,

3. Tell us your club, business or team name and nominate your preferred text colouring,

4. Tell us what slot car you’d like on the shirt (pick one already featured in our store or request another one and we'll see if we have it)

5. Finally as an optional step: tell us your town, city, country or even club/business moto and we'll add this to complete your design.

Then simply send the email to us and we'll take it from there. Once we receive your email we will put together your requested design and send a copy to you for your approval. Once you're happy with the design we will publish the design in the store (on the shirt styles you nominate) for your team mates, club members, etc. to order.

NEWS: Lamborghini's Aventador

2011-03-01T02:38:00.000-08:00

Lamborghini's new kid on the block is insane, I mean COMPLETELY INSANE!!!!!! Check out this footage from the Geneva Motor show...

NEWS: SCX Releases

2011-02-28T02:15:00.000-08:00

SCX New Releases

SCX are releasing some impressive new slots, a striking Plymouth Cuda, Aston Martin DBR9, Citroen C4 WRC and a Mercedes AMG DTM set.

You can find out more about SCX slot cars from the SCX Website Here

NEWS: Porsche 956KH

2011-02-25T00:12:00.000-08:00

Slot.it Porsche 956 KH

Slot.it have just released a striking liveried Porsche 956KH which won the Mugello 1,000km enduro in 1983.

I don't have to say anything about this release, we all know the 956/962 is an amazing slot car!

You can find out more about Slot.it cars from the Slot.it Website Here

NEWS: Airfix GT Racers

2011-02-21T22:16:00.000-08:00

Airfix GT Racers 1/32

For longer than I can remember Airfix has been producing accurate plastic models, as a boy I had dozens of Airfix figther planes and bombers on my roof.

For a while now Airfix has been producing 1/32 scale plastic car models and have recently released 2 very exciting kits that would make for an excellent kit conversion to slot cars, especially onto something like a Slot.it HRS chassis, etc.

The 2 kits are the Aston Martin DBR9 and the Jaguar XKR GT3. The kits both have around 45 parts (although you won't require all the parts for a kit conversion) and come with painting instructions and decals. Left over parts can always be used for static scenery. Below is a photo of the Jaguar's body to give you an general idea.

You can find out more and order these kits from the Airfix Website Here

NEWS: Scalextric Nuremberg

2011-02-20T15:23:00.000-08:00

NUREMBERG 2011

Italia Slot have published some awesome photos of Scalextric's 2011 line up from Nuremberg including the individually released Williams/McLaren classic F1s, Ford RS200 and Aston Martin Lola B09/60.

Also on show are some very impressive re liveries of the Ford Mustang, Ford GT, - We also get to see some early prototype versions of the VW Beetle and Mercedes F1 2010.

Destined to be very popular amongst the F1 fans will be the Mercedes GP Petronas from 2010 (above). It looks like Scalextric are well advanced in production, let's just hope they get them out before the end of the 2011 season!

The above #38 Mustang looks like a must have in that amazing red livery and the Sunoco Camaro doesn't look that shabby either.

The Falken Ford GT is also a striking looking livery and is bound to be more popular than last years Gran Turismo liveried release.

And finally for those of you not lucky enough to already have the Aston Martin Lola B09/60, Scalextric will be releasing it as an individual slot in 2011.

You can find out more about the 2011 Scalextric releases from the Italia Slot Website Here

NEWS: Más Slot Feb 2011

2011-02-19T07:21:00.000-08:00

Más Slot No.104 (February 2011) has been published and even if you can't read Spanish the photography makes for a gripping viewing, (be sure to click on the below image for full screen mode and you can flick through the publication.)

Open publication - Free publishing - More coleccionismo

NEWS: Le Mans Miniatures Nuremberg

2011-02-18T14:48:00.000-08:00

NUREMBERG 2011

Italia Slot have published some awesome photos of Le Mans Miniature's 2011 line up from Nuremberg including the new Mirage, Mantra MS670, Audi R15 and last but not least, the Renault Alpine A441 - Wow what an amazing looking slot!!!

The Gulf Oils liveried Mirage GR8s from 75 look damn impressive and are bound to be very popular, the only question is can you afford the set!? :)

Also destined to be very popular are the Mantra MS670s from 72, just check out the rear end of these cars and the amazing detail levels Le Mans Miniatures have incorporated into these slots.

And of course the Porsche 917, just look at the detail levels of that rear wing, absolutely stunning work from Le Mans Miniatures.

And moving into the modern era, the striking Audi R15 from Le Mans. Le Mans Miniatures will be releasing the number 7, 8 and 9 car in 2011.

I'm sure you'll agree a incredibly impressive Le Mans Miniatures line-up for 2011.

You can find out more about the 2011 releases from the Italia Slot Website Here

SLOT SOUL: Porsche 911 GT1

2011-02-12T14:50:00.000-08:00

SLOT SOUL: Fly Porsche 911 GT1 98

I cant take credit for this respray as I found this lovely Camel Porsche 911 Gt1 respray on ebay. Originally a baby blue Racing EVO2 this car obviously needed some treatment and the Camel livery was the perfect answer.

When I got the car it had been raced hard and needed a little lift and a new set of rubber to improve performance. I added a set of Ninco PRO-RACE EVO Magnesium hubs which suit the car very well. I have used the Ninco hubs on a number of cars from different eras and they work and look very impressive.

You don't have to purchase a 'white kit' to get into creating your own slot cars liveries. Often you have a slot that you like driving so much that it starts to look a little old from wear and tear. You know the slots I'm talking about, we all have them and these slots are the perfect candidate for a respray. Revamping an old slot also has the bonus of providing you with brand new slot for the cost of a little paint and some decals.

NEWS: Slot.it New Models

2011-02-11T17:05:00.000-08:00

NUREMBERG 2011

Italia Slot have published some photos of Slot.it's 'under development' models for 2011, namely the Lola B09/60 and the Lancia LC2/85.

With the exception of the Audi R8C, the Lola is going to be arguable Slot.its first true modern LMP release which is great news for us LMP prototype fans! Scalextric have already released the Lola and it converts into an impressive looking slot car for racing on the track.

The Lancia looks impressive but for my money I just can't wait till Slot.it releases the Lola, hopefully we might see them both on the shelves in late 2011.

You can find out more about the 2011 Slot.it releases from the Italia Slot Website Here

NEWS: NSR 2011

2011-02-11T16:19:00.000-08:00

NUREMBERG 2011

Italia Slot have published some awesome photos of NSR's 2011 line up from Nuremberg including the new Corvette and Audi R8!!! It looks like NSR are seriously getting into GT territory and I'm thinking there won't be a single slotter complaining.

The Corvette C6R is bound to be very popular and the word on the street is it could be a NSR Mosler killer - Impossible right, lets wait and see?!

The NSR Audi R8 looks well advanced and will be running on a similar chassis to the new Corvette C6R which means its also going to be one fast car.

As no suprise, NSR are also releasing some reliveries of their existing line-up and there are some damn impressive looking liveries among them. Here are a few including a Jager Porsche, Gulf Ford P68 and Gulf Mosler.

The gulf P68 looks amazing but I think the high wing P68 looks even better, I've got to have one of those!!

No doubt a VERY impressive NSR line-up for 2011. You can find out more about the 2011 releases from the Italia Slot Website Here

NEWS: Kyosho DSlot43

2011-02-06T05:42:00.000-08:00

Kyosho 'DSlot43' Enters the Slot Car Market!

Over the last few years we have been spoilt when it comes to new manufactures entering the slot car market; Avant, NSR, Pioneer, HPi, Power Slot and Sideways to name a few.

Well it's time to take a look at the new slot on the block, DSlot43, (above is their Nuremberg Fair stand). As their name suggests, DSlot43 will be manufacturing 1:43 scale slot cars but don't let that turn you off, these little gems pack a punch and are impressive in the engineering and performance departments. As you can read in the below image, Kyosho will be drawing on the 45 years of experience in building RC model cars.

These little babies will come standard pivoting motor pod and with a 1:32 motor and guide which is amazing! You will even be able to fit your own spec 1:32 motor to improve performance if you so desire. See below schematic for engineering details.

The first 6 cars to be released will be the Porsche 911 GT3, Nissan GT-R (R35), Lamborghini Murciélago, Porsche Carrera GT, Porsche 962C and Mazda 787B.

Below is a small movie to give you a little taste of the DSlot43 action to come!

You can find out more on the DSlot43 Website Here

NEWS: Ninco 2011

2011-02-05T05:32:00.000-08:00

Below is the Ninco 2011 CATALOG N.18 detailing the up coming Ninco releases for 2011 and quite a few exciting releases there are!

Open publication - Free publishing - More slot

NEWS: CARRERA 2011

2011-02-04T22:31:00.000-08:00

NUREMBERG 2011

Carrera have published some very exciting photos of their 2011 line up from Nuremberg. The photos show Carrera Go, 1:32 and 1:24 scale up coming releases.

It looks like Carrera will be releasing quite a few 1:32 DTM cars this year, Mercedes C-Class and Audi A4 which are always a big hit especially in Europe. The Bosch chrome Mercedes DTM looks particularly bloody impressive I must say and I'm also a pretty big fan of the driver, a certain someone's brother!

Coming as no big surprise, Carrera will also be releasing several more liveries of the Audi R8 and they all look fantastic! As I had also greatly hoped for, Carrera will also be releasing the new Mercedes SLS AMG as a Safety Car (see below) for all the F1 fans out there, excellent work Carrera.

Next come some photos of the Carrera 'Go' range of cars due for release in 2011. Looks like Carrera might be taking their Go range in a new direction with BMW X3 RAID cars (including a Dakar livery), Dune Buggies and Subaru WRC releases.

Carrera will also be releasing quite a few new 1:24 scale cars and if you're into this scale you may find it difficult picking which one to get! After the huge success of the 1:32 Ferrari 599XX, Carrera will also be releasing it in 1:24 scale. While a very impressive looking slot, the 1:24 show is completely stolen by Carreras release of the Ferrari 250 GT, what an amazing looking slot car! The red 250 GT is featured in the below photos but I have a feeling that the silver GT in the background will be the most striking of the liveries.

So it looks like Carrera are well on track for an impressive 2011. You can find out more about Carrera products on the Carrera Website Here

SHOP: ManicSlot's Designs

2011-02-04T15:49:00.000-08:00

ManicSlot's New Designs

Ok now that I have your attention...for those of you that like to look as good as the slot cars you collect, ManicSlot's Store has some new exciting slot car shirt designs for you. Obviously the shirts come in a range of sizes and types from value T-Shirts through to Polo Shirts, (the Ringer shirts are shown here only as an example).

For those of you interested in finding out more, you can find ManicSlot's Store Here

MOVIE: Carrera Nuremberg

2011-02-04T15:08:00.000-08:00

NUREMBERG 2011

Below is a fantastic movie of Stadlbauer's (Carrera) Booth at Nuremberg, it's a great movie as it gives you some idea of the scale of this event. If only we could all be there!

GALLERY: Ford FG Falcon

2011-02-01T01:49:00.000-08:00

Scalextric Ford FG Falcon

Steve Richards

The ManicSlot Mini Review

Strengths:

The Scalextric Ford FG represents strong collectibility especially in Australia
Quick change braid system/easy digital conversion system
Quality paint and finish levels
Solid 'from the box' magnetic performance
Solid level of detail

Weaknesses:

No clear windows
No front or rear lights

Verdict:

I'm very happy to report that Scalextric have come along way in the detail and performance departments with the new Australian LE V8 Ford releases. Gone are the days where we have to accept a completely sub standard slot car just because Scalextric only produce 1500 units. Scalextric have listened to the feedback and have lowered the body and by doing so not only does the Falcon look more realistic but it's COG is much lower improving performance on the track!

The front and rear wheels are accurately tucked under the body and the ride height has been vastly improved from the older Falcons. The new wheels are also a thousand percent improvement on the old 5 spoke wheels. Does Scalextric need to do more with the V8 Falcon? Hell yes but this release has gone a long way to making the Scalextric offering a slot car worthy of the V8 Supercar name, EXCELLENT work Scalextric!

Return to the ManicSlot's Gallery Here

NEWS: Car of the Year

2011-02-01T01:26:00.000-08:00

Car of the Year 2010

NSR Porsche 997 Rally

Slot Addiction has just announced there 'Car of the year' for 2010, NSR's Rally Porsche 997.

This from Slot Addiction: 'From Slot MiniAuto want to thank first of all the efforts made by the team of moderators of the forums and Passion Addicted Slot Slot, the Slot Demo Blog and friends who are part of Facebook Slot MiniAuto to bring to fruition this year's vote , hoping to have them and some other surprise in future editions.

On the other hand sincerely thank all the fans that their vote have given us confidence in achieving reliable results, reflecting the concerns of the world of slot and allow many readings manufacturers surely know interpret.
We can only convene the next edition of Slot MiniAuto where we will issue a list of winners of prizes of voters to be held in the coming days with the total participants in the two media.
Once you know the winners, we will contact them either by phone in the case of Slot MiniAuto or by a private in the case of the Forums, to let them know their status as winner of any prize.
On the other hand, both MiniAuto and portals Slot partners will agree the agenda to make delivery of trophies to the winners of each category manufacturers.
Again, repeat the thanks to all who have made this ninth edition and to convene the tenth will include surprises.'

Typifying the 1967 season, the Brabham twins finished second (Brabham) and third (Hulme), which clinched the Drivers' Championship for Denis Hulme and the Constructors' Championship for the Brabham team.
Although the Lotus 49 and Clark had been beaten, Jimmy Clark had one satisfaction: his victory in Mexico was his 24th Grand Prix win, putting Clark even with the great Juan Manuel Fangio.'

You can read more on the Slot Addiction Website Here

NEWS: McLaren / R390 RAW

2011-01-27T05:26:00.000-08:00

Slot.it BMW McLaren F1 GTR RAW

& Nissan R390 RAW

Joseline from Slot.it has just sent through the specification cards on the follow-up to the Audi RAW, the McLaren F1 GTR and R390 RAWs. We all know how excellent the Audi RAW was and just how popular they were with racers.

This information on the McLaren from Slot.it: 'It is a fully equipped McLaren car, ready to race with the new Evo 6 chassis + motor mount configuration. It takes advantage also of the exclusive Flat-6 R motor, in anglewinder guise, and race ready tires.'

McLaren orange body, assembled RTR
McLaren F1 GTR Reloaded chassis AW compatible (EVO 6 - Ver.2)
Plastic 15.8*8 front wheels
Zero Grip 17*10 front tires
Anglewinder 0.5mm offset Boxer/Flat motor mount, EVO 6
Flat-6 R 22000 RPM high downforce motor
Z11 pinion, 6.5 mm diameter
Z27 AW plastic crown
Aluminum 15.8*8 short hub rear wheels
C1 20x9.5 rear tires (PT35)

This information on the R390 from Slot.it: 'It is a fully equipped Nissan car, ready to race with the new Evo 6 chassis + motor mount configuration. It takes advantage also of the exclusive Flat-6 R motor, in anglewinder guise, and race ready tires.'

Nissan orange body, assembled RTR
Nissan R390 GT1 Reloaded chassis AW compatible (EVO 6 - Ver.2)
Plastic 15.8*8 front wheels
Zero Grip 17*10 front tires
Anglewinder 0.5mm offset Boxer/Flat motor mount, EVO 6
Flat-6 R 22000 RPM high downforce motor
Z11 pinion, 6.5 mm diameter
Z27 AW plastic crown
Aluminum 15.8*8 short hub rear wheels
C1 20x9.5 rear tires (PT35)

You can find out more about Slot.it products on the Slot.it Website Here

NEWS: Lotus 49 Mexico

2011-01-25T16:58:00.000-08:00

Scalextric Lotus 49

Jim Clark, 1967 Mexico Grand Prix

Scalextric is onto a good thing with the Lotus 49 and it seems slotters around the world can't get enough of this beautiful little car! Just released is the Jim Clark Mexico 1967 Grand Prix 49 which we have seen before in the original LE box set. I personally missed out on the LE box set so welcome the chance to add this stunning 49 to my existing collection.

This from Scalextric: 'In the Mexican Grand Prix on 22nd October 1967, Jim Clark was again on pole, with Chris Amon's Ferrari beside him and Dan Gurney's Eagle in third behind Clark. When the starter gave a false signal and hesitated, so did Clark, and Gurney accidently rammed the rear of the Clark's Lotus, which damaged the Eagle's radiator and put Gurney out of the race but left Clark's Lotus unscathed. Hill took the lead in the early stages, but Clark had put himself in first place by the third lap, with Hill ultimately being forced to retire on lap seventeen of the sixty-five lap race due to a transmission problem.

You can read more on the Scalextric Website Here

NEWS: BRM Megane 1/24

2011-01-25T16:03:00.000-08:00

BRM Renault Megane 1/24

It's been a while since we've seen anything new from BRM but it looks like the wait has been well worth it. Italia Slot has just released some photos of the soon to be released BRM 1/24 Renault Megane and it looks very impressive. Although the Megane is not to everyone taste, (I have always like Ninco's Megane) I think BRM's offering has great appeal.

Detail and engineering levels (separate motor mount in angle winder configuration and adjustable suspension) for the Megane look insane, enjoy the pictures. Other good news is that BRM will also be releasing a 'kit' version of the Megane for us to assemble and livery ourselves, excellent work BRM!

You see find view more Megane photos over at the Italia Slot Website Here

NEWS: ManicSlots Store

2011-01-22T16:19:00.000-08:00

ManicSlots launched exciting slot car merchandise store!

After 3 years and almost 400 news articles, reviews, how to's, thousands of slot car gallery and wallpaper images, ManicSlots has decided to open a store that will show case the photography you see on this site in exciting and practical ways.

So why open a store, (I hear you say) isn't work paying you enough Manic? During the last 3 years I've had countless compliments and requests regarding the slot car photography I have on ManicSlots and have decided to make it more available to those interested.

The store will initially feature interesting, practical and fun slot branded items like, T-Shirts/Polo shirts, stubby holders, iPhone/iPad, framed prints, coffee mugs, Sigg water bottles, mousepads and wall clocks. Later on we'll add calendars, posters, banners to name a few products.

Anyway, all that crap aside, I hope you enjoy the new store (click the store image above) even if it's just for a little bit of tire kicking! ;)

NEWS: Mercedes SLS AMG

2011-01-21T16:43:00.000-08:00

Carrera Mercedes SLS AMG Coupe

Carrera are about to release an absolutely stunning new model (ok so I LOVE the SLS AMG) the Mercedes SLS AMG Coupe! The SLS AMG has captured the imagination of the world with its classic lines and stunning looks.

The SLS AMG is priced at around half a million dollars here in Australia and for those who don't have that in loss change, Carrera has given us the unique opportunity to have our very own SLS AMG for much less. ;)

Hopefully Carrera will release the F1 SLS AMG pace car which would make a great addition to Carrera's F1 range. Speaking of F1, Carrera has also released images of their upcoming Ferrari 2010 F1 release driven by Felipe Massa, very nice!

You can read more on the Carrera Website Here

NEWS: SCX Aston Martin

2011-01-19T04:56:00.000-08:00

SCX 64840 Aston Martin Le Mans 24hrs 2010

SCX have just released the impressive 'Young Driver AMR' livery for their Aston Martin DBR9 which competed at Le Mans in 2010. Impressively the team finished 22nd overall, approx 80 laps behind the winning LMP car. Driver by Tomáš Enge, Christoffer Nygaard and Peter Kox the livery looks very striking and would make for a great addition to your GT line-up.

Not that surprisingly Scalextric will also be releasing the Young Driver AMR livery in 2011, product code C3196.

Head over to the SCX Website Here for more information.

NEWS: Slot.it 2011 Range

2011-01-17T23:11:00.000-08:00

Slot.it 2011 Range

Slot.it has released its line up for 2011 and what a line up it is!! The long anticipated GT40 looks like it has been well worth the wait and Slot.it has a few surprises for us too.

The Toyota 88C is looking fantastic and from all the noise I hear from ManicSlot readers, its going to be one of the hot ticket items for 2011. I can hear the term 'pre order' on the horizon. :)

The huge surprise for 2011 (and what a pleasant surprise) is that Slot.it will be finally adding a modern LMP car to the Slot.it line up. What we can only assume to be the first of many modern LMP cars is to be the Lola B09/60 in the Drayson Racing livery.

Some old familiar shapes and liveries like the Audi R8C, Porsche 962KH and the Chaparral 2E although the GT40 MkI and MkII, Toyota 88C, Lancia LC2/85 and Lola B09/60 certainly make up for it with fresh modelling. Oh and if the Le Mans 24hrs winners Gulf GT40 is half as good as it looks it will be flipping FANTASTIC!!!

After the huge success of the Racing Audi R8C Slot.it will be releasing two new racing versions in 2011, the Nissan R390 GT1 (Racing Anglewinder EVO6) and the BMW McLaren F1 GTR (Racing Anglewinder EVO6).

You can find out more about Slot.it products on the Slot.it Website Here

NEWS: Ninco Jan 2011

2011-01-11T00:01:00.000-08:00

Ninco January 2011 Releases

Ninco has 3 new exciting slots to release in January and they all look like keepers to me! Above is the ever popular Mosler MT900R is a striking red/yellow Gordon livery. Below is the Shell liveried Citroen C4 WRC 'Lighting' with Ninco's stunning new alloy wheels.

The final release is a 1/28 PORSCHE 997 GT3 -Jagermeister. The 997 looks very similar to a previous Jager release but this livery has 'race dirt' which looks pretty good particularly on the orange car.

Head over to the Ninco Website Here for more information.

NEWS: Scalextric 2011 Update

2011-01-08T21:53:00.000-08:00

Finally some images (although mostly computer generated) of some of the 2011 Scalextric range. The first movie details some of the LMP upcoming releases including some impressive Porsche RS Spyder re liveries and the highly anticipated release of the Gulf Racing Aston Martin LMP1.

The next movie showcases some of the upcoming GT range, Scalextric will be releasing the Corvette C6R in 2011 which will make a fantastic race mate for the DBR9. The United Autosports Audi R8 GT looks excellent as does the 'Young Driver AMS' Aston!

The last movie shows the Scalextric 'super resistant' slot car range for 2011.

MOVIE: SLR McLaren 722GT

2011-01-08T18:39:00.000-08:00

Want to see Jeremy Clarkson test racing a Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 GT?

Yep? Well then enjoy the following movie from Top Gear!!

NEWS: Racer Toyota 2000GT

2011-01-07T16:22:00.000-08:00

SL04A - Toyota 2000GT #1 - Fuji 24hrs 1967

SL04B - Toyota 2000GT #2 - Fuji 24hrs 1967

Racer Slot Cars have sent through some stunning photos of their latest release, the Toyota 2000GT #1 driven by S. Hosoya / Y. Otsubo SL04B and the Toyota 2000GT #2 which was driven by T. Tsutsumi / F. Hiroshi and won the Fuji 24hrs in 1967.

These cars are a little different to the usual Racer release in that they have a plastic chassis with a Slot.it inline motor mount. Racer are releasing the Toyota 2000GT under their 'Silver Line' range of slot cars. This means that apart from being lighter they will be more affordable than your normal Racer release (around $AU130)!

You can view more photos of the slots on the Racer Website Here

SPORT: 911 GT3 RSR 2011

2011-01-07T15:51:00.000-08:00

Porsche 911 GT3 RSR 2011

Looks like Porsche have decided to lift the bar in the GT class with the release of the 2011 GT3 RSR. Starting at 410,000 Euro the 2011 version of the most successful GT racer in the world will set you back a pretty penny but then it's not the most successful for nothing...

This from Zer Customs; "Over the weekend, Porsche has revealed the 2011 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR - the latest version of their successful racing car. The new 2011 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR comes with a 4.0-litre, 6-cylinder boxer engine that now develops 455 hp (355 kW) at 7,800 rpm and 450 Nm of torque. The maximum rev range of the 2011 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR continues to be 9,400 rpm. The engine of the 2011 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR is coupled with a six-speed gearbox with sequential jaw-type shift that comes with oil/water heat exchanger, single-mass flywheel, hydraulic disengagement lever and a three-plate carbon-fiber clutch. The 2011 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR is also equipped with a limited slip differential 45/65 percent."

"Aerodynamically, the 2011 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR has
a new front lip that give more downforce on the front axle, wider, 12 inch front wheels, and a new rear wing. The rear lid of the 2011 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR has been optimized for improved air ducting."

"he 4.0-litre, six-cylinder boxer engine now delivers 455 hp (355 kW) at 7,800 revs, five horsepower more than its predecessor. The power increase results from an engine management system which adapts even better to different fuel grades, as well as a redesigned exhaust system and a modified air intake housing. Moreover, the derivability of the famously efficient engine has undergone further improvements. Maximum revs remain unchanged at 9,400 rpm."

You can find out more about the new GT3 RSR on the Zer Customs Website Here

MOVIE: Rally Max 88 BMW M3

2011-01-06T21:21:00.000-08:00

This YouTube video has some of the best (perhaps also the craziest) driving I have ever seen!!

NEWS: Más Slot Jan 2011

2011-01-03T21:12:00.000-08:00

Más Slot No.103 (January 2011) has been published and even if you can't read Spanish the photography makes for a gripping viewing, (be sure to click on the below image for full screen mode and you can flick through the publication.)

SPORT: Lotus Renault GP

2011-01-03T17:10:00.000-08:00

Lotus Renault GP F1 Team

A return of the black and gold? Not quite yet...

It's been 3 decades since the world saw the famous black and gold of Lotus and Renault but in 2011 we'll see the next best thing! Will this be the injection Renault so desperately needs?

"For 2011, the Lotus Renault GP cars will race in a new interpretation of the iconic black and gold colours that were last used when Lotus and Renault joined forces in the 1980s. This livery, which has been on the drawing board for over two months in order to reinterpret its iconic graphic signature to suit modern media requirements, is sure to strike a powerful chord with the sport's enthusiasts around the world."

While it's great news to see the return of Lotus Renault to Formula 1, let's just hope that the presence of 2 Lotus teams doesn't cause too much confusion for the fans. Let's also hope we don't have some messy legal battle between the two teams throughout the season.

You can find out what the Lotus Renault GP chiefs have to say about the matter on the Telegraph Website Here

EVENT: Dakar 2011

2011-01-03T16:12:00.000-08:00

The Dakar 2011

The Legend Continues!

The 2011 Dakar Rally has commenced, without doubt the fiercest test of both man and machine on the globe! As in 2010, this years Dakar takes the drivers through Argentina and Chile in South America.

"An Extraordinary Human Experience: Like the mountains or the oceans, the wide open spaces inspire “the adventurers”. Enrolling for the Dakar is, in a certain way, like climbing Everest, sailing round the globe or rowing round the world. The places on the final podium represent an exceptional challenge, sometimes the challenge of a lifetime.

Apart from the standings, all the competitors are motivated by this resolute desire, an almost crazy dream. Whether bikers, car drivers or truckers, the competitors all share this ambition, a feeling that brings them together. The tradition of solidarity, a principle which is one of the pillars of the “Dakar Spirit”, stems from this shared passion: despite the linguistic barriers, on this level the competitors all speak the same language."

The above map shows the route for the 2011 race, "With more than 9,500 km to be completed, including 5,000 km of racing, spread over 13 stages, the Dakar 2011 offers a dense programme, whose specifics have been adapted to the different types of vehicle present on the rally. The longest distances, both in the special and link stages, are situated on the return journey towards Buenos Aires."

"Founded in Africa, where it built up its legend, the Dakar is by nature attracted to the unknown. The discovery of regions, countries and continents, a rationale of the event, has pushed the Dakar to take a new direction. The Sahara fascinated competitors for almost thirty years, but now the Dakar is attempting to conquer other continents, with an unfailing will to surprise. Having become a nomadic international event, the Dakar draws on a thirst for interaction and the open-mindedness of its competitors, who all crave to explore the deserts of the world."

Maybe one year we'll see the Dakar Down-Under!?

Enjoy the official teaser from Dakar, it has a great sound track so make sure you enable full-screen and turn up the volume!

You can read much, much more on the Dakar Website Here

NEWS: Scalextric 2011 Range

2011-01-02T16:29:00.000-08:00

Scalextric's 2011 Range

Well it's that time of the year again when we all wait with great anticipation to see exactly what our favourite manufactures will be releasing in the new year. Scalextric has released some details on what we can expect but if you're expecting heaps of images (like last year) then you're going to be a little disappointed.

What you wont be disappointed in is that Scalextric has announced that they will be releasing the Bugatti Veyron in both 'Super Resistant' and 'High Detail' models - AWESOME!!!

This from Scalextric; "Flamboyant, exotic and intense; the Hypercar achieves the highest possible performance for the next generation of supercars. Only a small number of vehicles around the world qualify for elite Hypercar status. VIPs include the quickest road-legal car ever, the 267mph Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4, and the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 5.4L supercharged V8. Scalextric "Hypercars" pairs the heavyweights from this exclusive sector; reflecting the curious combination of explosive, raw power and sublime, flawless beauty."

Scalextric will also be releasing the McLaren MP4-12C in 'Super Resistant' and 'High Detail' slot models. I'm really looking forward to the high detailed release, here's hoping Scalextric get this one spot on.

Also from Scalextric; "Scalextric have teamed up with McLaren to release a very special Limited Edition product; with car decorations designed exclusively by Formula One Champions Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button. The distinctive race helmets of Jenson and Lewis are highly decorated and the rear registration plates denote each driver name. Scalextric and McLaren. Committed to innovation."

A few small model photos (below) that Scalextric have released show us another exciting model, the F1 Mercedes GP Petronas.

"Mercedes returned to Formula One for the 2010 season as a team in its own right, taking over from the 2009 World Champions, Brawn GP. The 2010 return of Mercedes to Formula One was greeted with a wealth of excitement and with the announcement that racing legend, Michael Schumacher, had signed to drive for the team on his sensational return to Formula One, the stage was set for an incredible 2010 season. The Scalextric Limited Edition model is fitted with a high performance 20,000rpm motor, hardened rear axles and enhanced decoration detail to the drivers' helmet."

Some other completely new Scalextric models include;

Bugatti Veyron (C3173 Super Resistant, C3199 High Detail)
McLaren MP4-12C (C3157 Super Resistant, C3200 High Detail)
Ford Fiesta RS WRC (C3183 Super Resistant, C3202 High Detail)
MG MGB (C3143)
VW Beetle (C3204)
Chevrolet Corvette C6R GT2 (C3185 Super Resistant, C3189 High Detail)
Ford RS200 (C3156)
Mercedes GP Petronas (C3146, C3147, C3167, C3168)

You can read more on the Scalextric Website Here

NEWS: Slot.it Toyota 88C

2011-01-02T16:11:00.000-08:00

Slot.it Toyota 88C

Pre Production Photographs

Slot Car Amazing Shot.com have some 'amazing' pre production photographs of Slot.it's upcoming Toyota 88C! As we have come to expect from Slot.it, the 88C looks fantastic and very detailed, the only question is how long will we be waiting for this gem...not too long I hope?

You can read more on the Slot Car Amazing Shot's Website Here