Slot.it Audi R18 Le Mans Winners Collection - Home Racing World & The Slot Car Garage

April 8, 2013

Slot.it Audi R18 TDI Le Mans Winners Collection - #CW12 - 1/32nd Scale
*Wrench for wheels/axle collars/gears located under box.

There are times when it is not just the car but the version of it we wait for. Many veteran enthusiasts already know about this model from Slot.it and what it brings to them but I waited for this release before taking the chance.

When it comes to modern Le Mans racing my interest level is not that high. I enjoy it but like other enthusiasts my favorites lie elsewhere. Perhaps that is why I decided to wait for a version I truly wanted. Not that I have not had the chance earlier. There is no shortage of this model in our hobby to say the least. 5 to 6 different companies announced versions of this car so there is a vast selection to say the least.

Yet I chose Slot.it. I do not race in a large club or participate in any club level competition. Even if I did it is likely I would choose it. Slot.it delivers a lot of performance for my hobby dollar and I have yet to be disappointed.

Being apart of the Le Mans Winners Collection it comes in a very nice presentation box along with the Limited Edition Number card. My model is #0481 of 4000.

I like the history that is printed on the inside of the lid. No matter if you already know it or not, it is a nice addition for those that may be just getting started. And even if you do not care for the car, the historic race it won was a great one.

The model looks well done overall. The body is very light as you would expect from a model intended for pure competition but it also has a good detail level for scale enthusiasts.

Nothing is ever perfect in our hobby but I feel Slot.it makes exceptional efforts. They are trying to make a slot car that appeals to a variety of enthusiasts and for many they usually succeed.

Things like the rubber antennae are nice touches. This let's you know it is built to be raced and handled heavily. I certainly appreciate it.

I do not appreciate the standard 17 sized wheels which look much too small in diameter for this car. Of course this wheel size is used so that the current line of tires/parts can be fully utilized and for the hardcore competitive racer it makes sense. Except I am not one of them. I do not feel you have to sacrifice scale authenticity to achieve performance.

So we have to "call it like we see it" in our reviews but I also want to be as fair as possible. So in fairness this model was made for the highly competitive club circuits in Europe as well as here at home. Since this is the primary audience the model is intended for, then I cannot honestly state that anything is truly wrong with this approach. It just doesn't appeal to me. For YOU it might be just fine.

Technical Data At A Glance

Looking underneath we see the now standard anglewinder system. On this model the offset is 1.MM. Here are some snapshots from the Slot.it catalog explaining what the offsets are and how they are used in their line up.

Two screws secure the body and chassis. Once removed we get a closer look. The Flat-6 motor is here with an 11 tooth pinion turning the 28 tooth spur gear.

New guide system is in place and it works well enough for me.

Front axle is adjustable and this chassis comes with the bottom screws. There is a wrench provided under the cardboard box base if you do not have one.

What has me wondering is why the screws on top are missing? First, you would think this flagship of a car would come fully loaded. Second, and even more confusing as my "test" livery model had them included. It is not a major item for me as I have some in my parts tray. Perhaps just an isolated case, but I have to mention it.

The tires are the C1 compound and will work well enough on abrasive track surfaces such as NINCO. For other surfaces it is up toy you to choose your winning tire.

While we have the body off it is a good time to do a "walk around".

It is recommended that you check all the screws for the wheels and gear to make sure they are secure. Also checking for proper fit.

Also take the time to set the front axle height. Finally you might want to sand/true the tires or swap them out entirely.

Boxstock Testing
MIDMO International Speedway

This product review was different because we had our annual Spring Fun Run going on at the same time. Jeremy Bibbee (Bibbster) is one of our close friends and feature editors here at HRW HQ was on hand to do the honors of testing.

The testing went as expected. The car was fast and very responsive. Even though our smaller footprint track is not the ideal place for a model such as this, it still let us know we had a great performer. Gear mesh is very quiet and it has not had any break in time. Control was a little touchy at first, but we dialed the controller in a little and things improved.

The only issue we discovered was tire grip. They are good tires for the surface they are intended for, but here they just do not last very long.

Conclusions:

The Good: Simply another great car from the Slot.it camp. It looks good and runs great right out of the box.

The Bad: Nothing really. Given what it was built for there is not much to complain about.

One Change

About the only thing this car needs for our track is a new tire. Since our track is a wood surface these stock tires just do not grip the way we prefer.

I swapped on a new set of Yellow Dog Urethanes #2102RY. It gives me a slightly wider and taller tire so when I sand them I can get the desired diameter I like. I also like the new rounded sidewalls and this alone really improves the looks and performance in the corners. One less edge I have to contour to reduce chatter.

After the tire change this beast really tore up the track. With the pod just a little loose it sliced and diced through our tighter corners easily.

We could spend hours talking about setups. That is the beauty of a model like this. From lead placement, tire selection & gear ratios this model is ready for you to start tuning. I do not show much in this review because I did not do very much. Just the right tire gave me the grip level I am comfortable with. I did add a little lead sheet up front but I am not sure that did anything given the small amount added.

I enjoyed this model more than I thought I would. I am sure some of you have had that happen. I liked it so much I ordered the first test livery version to go with it as a running mate.

Now I can try different approaches and see what is the hot setup for the old MIDMO.

Final Thoughts

This model may not be perfect, but hardly any model is. This slot car is a solid performer and should fit right into your collection if you enjoy this modern series.

-Harry

Contact ME about this review or the hobby in general.

Thanks To Chicagoland Toys & Hobbies for Sponsoring This Review

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