The XRay NT18: a nitro powered micro touring car
Included Items:
The XRay NT18 Micro Nitro Touringcar is available in two different kits: one kit no. 38 0200 which exist of the NT18 kit plus engine and muffler and the other kit is no. 38 0291. This second kit, which has except the NT18 kit plus engine and muffler also an 'electric pack' which exsist of two metal gear micro servo's and a special receiver battery pack. The small NT18 is a kit which has to be build by the new owner and the car has the following high performnce parts included: 16 High-Speedpre-olied ball-bearings, foam tires mounted on rims, coil-over shocks, two gear differentials, steel turnbuckle and an aluminium main drive schaft. As a bonus Xray has included a Hudy tool Phillips screwdriver and a allenwrench for kit assambly.
Summary:
The XRay NT18 scale of 1.18 micro nitro touringcar is a surprising car; it is the smallest car with fuel engine, produced in serial, it has a high-quality finishing, is simple to build and has a more than good handling on the track. The finishing of all components is exemplary, everything fits very good, holes have been bored accurately and the components can be simply assembled. The construction manual is very clear, each phase of construction has been clearly represented and each component is in the notebook provided with a component number. The 0,8cc (0.05ci) engine persuades by easy starting and adjusting, by pure course and the long drive time (approx. 7,5minuten) on the fuel from the 30cc tank. After a day drive on the circuit the car has absolutely no play in the components, and the car can be cleaned simply. Even the foamtires hardly show wear, and are still good for a lot of pleasure in days to follow.
Setup, Build & Directions:
The NT18 kit is fairly easy to assemble. All components are well marked and selected in severall numbered bags. In the construction manual the bags are clearly mentioned and all components are well reconisable in the manual. The construction is well thought, and within three hours the NT18 can be build. The most parts are made of plastic, which is high quality and wearproof. The assembly starts with the construction of the differentials, followed by the suspention, the assambly of the clutch and exhaust on the the engine, the mounting of the engine and fueltank on the chassis. After these components the electronics follow. These are mounted on a plastic carrier which is mounted on the chassis.
Appearance & Styling :
The NT18 kit is supplied with a unsprayed body of 150mm width. It comes with pre-cut vinyl window masking to cover the inside of the car windows, a peel off the outer overspray film, plus two complete sets of XRay racing decals. The decal sheet features window borders, headlights, grilles and turn signals for realism. Although the XRay NT18 is a small car, only 215mm in length, the body is detailled.
Engine & Drivetrain:
The small .05ci (0,8cc) engine delivers a lot of power to the car of only 530grams. Driving away with the small car is simple; the clutch seizes smoothly and the car reacts excellently to steering - and gas/brake instructions. The car accelerates very fast, of course because the relatively large engine and low weight of NT18.
Performance:
The top speed of the small NT18 nitro touringcar is according to XRay around 50km/h, a very real value.
Handling:
The car is standard provided with foamtires which offers much grip on the asphalt of the circuit of AMCA. The handling is surprisingly good! The car can be controlled very easely, is not nervous in the steering and is exact in the placing into corners and rounding corners. The once cut line is very well followed neutrally, and throttle gives predictable understeer. The brake functioning is largely sufficient; there can slowed down rapidly before a corner without unbalance in the car. The suspention works very well and the damping by means of flex-chassis gives a predictable behaviour to the car.
Suspension & Chassis:
The chassis itselve is an integral part of the suspention. At the front there are two slides in the chassis which are brigded by a torsionbar. This rorsionbar is fixed at the left and rightside, and in the middle it can be adjusted by a screw. By tighting the screw the flexibility of the chassis will deminish, making the chassis more rigid. By loosing the screw the damping of the chassis (the 'flex') will increase. This way the chassis is an intrgral part of the suspension, which has four coil-over springs at each wheel, but no dampning.
Durability:
At building the small car we asked ourselve the question: ` is a car with so many plastic parts over €300.- euro worth?’. Not only seen the number of parts, but also seen the plastic parts had we slightly the idea that this XRay wasquite expensive for what what you get for your money. For the same money you can also choose from a lot of different 1/10 scale touringcars, which are mostly provided with oil-filled shocks, a larger engine and has two-speeds gearbox. But after driving with this surprising 1/18 scale NT18 micro touringcar of XRay, we can say that the car is worth every Euro. Fun, durability and speed: it is all in this small Xray!
Conclusion:
The largest compliment that we can give the NT18 micro touringcar are that driving with it feels like driving a well tuned 1/10 200mm nitro touringcar. During our testing we were regularly simultaneous on the track with several 1/10 touringcars, and we had no moment the impression that we drove a car which was inferior to the 1/10's. The small XRay NT18 followed to the 'large boys' on the sinuous part the circuit - where it came to the cornering and acceleration - with ease at and only on top speed on the straight part of the circuit the NT18 gave some to the 1/10's.
Extra’s:
Photo-serie: An extensive photo-report of the build of this XRay NT18 click here:
Movies :
Credits:
Car: XRay NT18
Type: 1:18 micro nitro 4WD touringcar
Advised price: €319.-
Manufacturer: Xray Model racing Cars, Trencin, Slowakije.
Website:
http://www.teamxray.com/
Importor/Distributor for the Netherlands: Serpent Model Racing Cars, Heemstede,Nederland
Website:
http://www.serpent.com/
Testteam: Alex, Roelof en Jaap
© maart 2006
www.RC-Junkies.com
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