July 2016

Slot.it Alfa Romeo 155 V6TI - #7 - DTM 1993 - Nordschleife - #CA35a

The all new Classic DTM series from Slot.it has finally arrived to our side of the pond and it's time to see what this new car has to offer. It might be that this series will be more popular than some enthusiasts have predicted.

I will admit I am part of that "some enthusiasts". Although the era of the series interests me, I simply did not watch or follow this series back then. For motorsport enthusiasts the series is of course very appealing. And from the feedback in our forum, it appears that my own personal taste is the minority as most that have chimed in are really looking forward to it.

Data At A Glance

Some have asked why the car isn't 4WD out of the box. The reason is that the cost would be higher and thus we have a standard 2WD. That is fine by me as I really don't care much on this fact. I have heard that a special edition boxed version will be produced and it will be 4WD.

Under the base is a parts bag that includes a standard wrench for the set screws. Also parts for the 4WD system and Carrera Digital chip.

My model arrived quickly and safely as usual from Power Hobby. My first impressions were positive even though the model doesn't quite have the appeal for me. The outside is what I personally have come to expect from Slot.it. A very well executed scale effort with an overall appealing finish. Appealing but not perfect. Perhaps it is just my eyes, but the overall finish seems a bit on the dull side. As if not enough clear coat is present.

The markings are certainly crisp enough and I really like the detail effort in the interior. For a lightweight half-try interior, Slot.it created an exceptional effort.

I see other brands making almost full interiors that do not look as appealing as this.

Quick Tech Fact:

Body and interior is only 19 grams. Fully assembled with chassis: 69 grams

So although the overall finish is not as shiny as I expected, I am still pleased. The detail level is enough to make me overlook it. Nothing is ever perfect in our hobby, but Slot.it is pretty consistent on producing excellent scale representations. You DTM aficionados out there will come to your own conclusions as always. 

As a bonus to this review I decided to interview Maurizio Ferrari about this car.

HRW: "What the motivation was behind choosing this series?"

We must thank one of our employee Stefano Zannoni, who is an expert in the DTM of this era and whose knowledge was indispensable. Classic DTM was hugely popular in Germany but in Italy as well in 1:1 scale, due to Alfa racing and winning. There were a few DTM championship races in Italy, as well.

From a slot car perspective, I can easily see this series growing on me. I was not a witness to Group C, Group 5, IMSA, or any of these series back in the day either but it did not stop me from enjoying the slot car versions of them. And I learned a lot about motorsports back then along the way. One of those cases where slot cars actually taught me about the prototypes.

Under The Hood

The biggest surprise to me was the choice of inline configuration. Or perhaps I should say a very welcome one? Of course some racers will not agree but I prefer the simplicity and smoothness an inline model from Slot.it delivers.

The reason was simple really.

HRW: "Why inline? Any other changes for this chassis type?"

Cars are narrow and there's no other way to position the motor in the chassis. The motor mount hole in the chassis is inline only and for this reason the inline pods (Flat6 and Boxer included) were modified.

So INLINE ONLY for this series. Not compatible with sidewinder or anglewinder configurations.

For our home racing the inline Group C models from Slot.it are likely the best all around slot car out of the box. With just a tire change the models perform so smoothly and quietly that it's performance is what I have used as a benchmark for many years. There is no excess chatter, therefore no need to alter/customize the chassis in the pursuit of eliminating it as we have with anglewinder systems.

So having this model restricted to inline is more than acceptable to me.

The motor is the latest from Slot.it and is reported to be 21K in performance.

I bench tested this motor with my simple RPM Test Rig. It was consistently turning close to 20K with the numbers being 19,968K as an average. Remember that this is fresh from the box. Any motor will improve slightly as it breaks in. I suspect we will be very close to the rated specifications very soon.

Also remember this is just my simple laser system and to account for margin of error on my part. 

Pretty familiar setup to most veterans. The front axle can be adjusted as usual if you install the set screws yourself. The chassis is digital compatible as well as compatible with the Slot.it light kits. It will accept the longer Boxer/Flat 6 type motor using the long pod.

Road Test
MIDMO SPEEDWAY
4 x 16 3 Lane Routed MDF - Satin Latex Surface
Slot Car Corner Braid - DiFalco Control
Aftermarket Power @ 12 Volts

I'll let the video do most of the talking.

HRW SLOT CAR CHANNEL

I will change tires to Paul Gage and that will increase the grip factor considerably. Yet for boxstock, the car ran just fine. Very smooth with no modifications.

This my preferred size as it allows me a little extra in diameter for sanding/truing. This simple change alone made a huge difference for the better in performance. If you use Quick Slicks silicones, CB34 or CB35 are your best choices.

Not only is the inline chassis welcomed but I have to say I really like this motor. A milder, better suited powerplant for smaller home tracks and in my book that is a bonus. Even the famed Group C series has me swapping motors, now this one saves me a few dollars more.

To sum it up? Very nice. Is it your cup of coffee? Only you can answer that. It's a model aimed a certain audience to be sure, and in my eyes it should satisfy those who can appreciate not only the car but the era of the series itself.

Newcomers should take note. Slot.it is one of the best out of the box slot cars you can buy. The price point is more than reasonable given the quality underneath. They are very reliable and fun straight from the box to your track and should provide you with many hours of fun.

I didn't think the car would appeal to me but I was wrong. The smooth inline system and new motor really hits a home run for my track and that really increases the appeal of the series for me. Definitely worth a closer look for most enthusiasts.

-Harry

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Thank You POWER HOBBY For Sponsoring This Review

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