by
Bruce Kraemer
(a.k.a. Da Vols)
It seems my taste in slot cars has gotten on the odd side of late...with this Spirit Peugeot 205 my latest purchase. I had seen the first versions dressed in plain carbon fiber gray and some rallye sponsorships and though the reviews were good they were nothing more than nice rallye cars...until I saw this winged wonder specifically designed to take that journey very quickly to the summit of Pike's Peak.
Modern day rallye cars remind me of smaller examples of 70's & 80's Group 5 cars with their bulging flared fenders...and though I've stated firmly of my dislike of wings on race cars, well, one must make exceptions when it's this radical of a useage of aerodynamic devices. Spirit has done an outstanding job on the paint and detail as these old eyes can't find a flaw. The interior though a tray type is still nicely done.
Take off the 3 screws that hold the body in place and one is greeted with a very neatly packaged 4-wheel drive system. A unique spring loaded drop arm guide is interesting and can be adjusted so the front tires and guide make contact depending on the track one finds oneself. The motor and brass bushings all around seem to be firmly in place and the rear end has the perfect amount of play (actually nearly non-existent) with a smooth gear mesh.
I believe earlier versions came with set-screw wheels from the reviews I've read...not so on this version, but the plastic wheels seem to be true with no flashing and the tires also appear to be fine with just a minimum of sanding needed to true them up.
On my Artin track, with the small Slot.It-like magnet in place centered in front of the motor, it took off smoothly on its maiden laps. Having not had a RTR of late I had forgotten it had a magnet, but coupled with its small size and Artin's railings the downforce seemed minimal being able to break the car loose in the turns.
However, once this old brain remembered, the magnet was disposed of and on the track it went...even better without. The tires offer good traction and I was able to make very controlled drifts around the corners quite easily and much more smoothly then with the magnet in place. Though I have no lap timer, I'd say running without the magnet gave up very little time in comparison...and definitely much more fun. Pushed to its limits the car just tilts over slowly and safely on its side. That's an especially good thing as I'd hate to damage those wings.
This being my first rallye car I can't offer any comparison to other manufacturer's offerings, but once I have my single lane track completed I can see the Spirit Renault R5 parked in my garage too.
Having Fun - Da Vols