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Scalextric C4657 Subaru Impreza WRX - Winner Thailand Rally 1997 - Rui Madeira / Nuno Rodrigues da Silva. Scalextric website exclusive £39.99

This is an interesting release for a number of reasons. Firstly, it's another very nice livery on the new Scalextric Impreza WRX mould, this time from the Asian-Pacific rally championship. The car was a Group N entry and the Scalextric model sports a smaller production-style rear spoiler that is different to that on the Group A models released so far...

         

Something else that also caught my eye is the price - £39.99 - which is £17 cheaper than the RRP of the other Subarus. It is yet to be seen if Scalextric have shaved a few pennies off production costs by omitting 4WD, but everything else looks like a full-spec high-detail Scalextric model.

The Scalextric model recreates the 1997 Thailand Rally winner - Portuguese ace Rui Madeira and co-driver Nuno Rodrigues da Silva flying in to beat the locals in what was their first rally in a Subaru. Here are the Australian TV highlights from 1997 - apologies for the terrible picture quality...



When the Scalextric Club was wound down a couple of years ago, the team did say they'd prefer to produce some low-volume quirky models that were available to everyone, not just Club members. I'd put this Subaru in that category - and at the low price, it's a very tempting release, not just for rally fans. You can buy it on the Scalextric website here.