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For fans of 1/43 scale slot cars, SCX Compact track and cars are very well regarded. Compact was an important part of the SCX re-launch twelve months ago and featured strongly at this year's Nuremberg Toy Fair. For 2020, the product range has been streamlined, but with new sets and cars added. There are four Compact sets and twelve individual cars listed in the catalogue.

The most basic set is the C10267 DTM Masters with 3.6m of track, standard wired controllers plus Audi A4 and Mercedes C-Classe DTM cars. RRP in the UK is £49.95.

       

The C10304 Speed Masters set is new for 2020 has a wireless upgrade, with 3.6m of track, two wireless controllers plus two Porsche 911 GT3 cars. RRP is £54.95.

There is big step up to the C10269 Top Cyclone set, which has 4.9m of track - including two loops - two wireless controllers, plus two Blancpain GT series cars - an Audi R8 LMS GT3 and a Mercedes AMG GT3. RRP is £84.95.

       

The fourth and final set is new for 2020. The C10305 Sport GT set includes 4.4m of track, wireless controllers and another pair of Audi and Mercedes Blancpain GT series cars. RRP is £74.95.

All but the DTM set cars are also available individually. In addition, there are six non-set cars, four new for 2020 and two of them a brand new tooling. RRP for all the individual cars is £14.95.

Three of the four Mercedes-AMG cars are Blancpain cars and one from the Spanish GT Open championship...

C10270 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Blue #6 - Black Falcon, Blancpain Series 2018. Silver Cup. Drivers: Hubert Haupt & Luca Stolz.
C10271 Mercedes-AMG GT3 'Race Scout' #88 - AKKA ASP Team, Spa 24 hours 2018. Pro Cup. Drivers: Raffaele Marciello, Daniel Juncadella & Tristan Vautier.
C10307 Mercedes-AMG GT3 'Diako' #10 - SPS Automotive Performance, GT Open series 2019. Pro Cup. Drivers: Fabrizio Crestani & Miguel Ramos. New for 2020.
C10309 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Green #6 - Black Falcon, Blancpain Series 2019. Silver Cup. Drivers: Abdulaziz Al Faisal, Hubert Haupt & Patrick Assenheimer. New for 2020.

       

All four Audi GT3s are Blancpain Series cars...

C10272 Audi R8 LMS GT3 'TecSOM' #26 - Santéloc Racing, Blancpain Series 2018. Pro-Am Cup Champions: Nyls Stievenart & Markus Winkelhock.
C10273 Audi R8 LMS GT3 'Huet' #25 - Santéloc Racing, Blancpain Series 2018. Pro Cup. Drivers: Simon Gachet & Christopher Haase.
C10308 Audi R8 LMS GT3 'Audi Sport' #25 - Audi Sport Team Saintéloc, Spa 24 hours 2018. Pro Cup. Drivers: Markus Winkelhock, Frederic Vervisch & Christopher Haase. New for 2020.
C10310 Audi R8 LMS GT3 'Schramm' #5 - Phoenix Racing, Blancpain Series 2019. Pro Cup. Drivers: Kim Luis Schramm & Frank Stippler. New for 2020.

To have all (but one) of the GT3 cars decked out in authentic 2018 and 2019 Blancpain Series liveries is a nice touch. Throw a Huracán in there and would be an extremely impressive Blancpain grid. Carrera has two Blancpain Huracáns in their 1/43 scale Go! range, but the SCX Compact cars are so much better-looking.

There are also two new Porsche 911 RSR liveries on the 'old' SCX Compact Porsche 911 GT3 (or was it a GT2?) body...

C10311 Porsche 911 GT3 'Bott' #912 - Manthey Racing. Winners of the 2018 Nürburgring 24 hours: Richard Lietz, Patrick Pilet, Frédéric Makowiecki & Nick Tandy. New for 2020.
C10312 Porsche 911 GT3 'Tio' #4 - Momo Megatron Lechner Racing, Porsche Mobil1 Supercup 2019. Driver: Tio Ellinas. New for 2020.

   

Last, but not least, of the individual cars are the two brand new Audi S1s ...

C10313 Audi S1 WRX 'Red Bull' #5 - EKS Audi Sport, 2018 FIA World Rallycross Championship. Driver: Mattias Ekström. New for 2020.
C10314 Audi S1 WRX 'Exte' #4 - Team JC Raceteknik, 2019 FIA World Rallycross Championship. Driver: Robin Larsson. New for 2020.

I'll say it again, but that's a pretty good line-up of 2018 and 2019 racing cars. Excellent 1/43 scale models, fun to drive, lovely authentic liveries - SCX vs Carrera Go! is no contest in my opinion. Apart from the Carrera Pixar 'Cars' models, I do like them.

Finally, the same handful of accessories stay in the catalogue...

   

C10274 Hand Controller (Compact). This is the standard wired controller. RRP £11.95.
C10275 Lap Counter Track. None of the sets have a lap counter included, so this is pretty much a must-buy for racing. RRP £11.95.
C10276 Track Extension Set - 4 x standard 90-degree curves, 2 x full straights (345mm) and 2 x two-third straights (227mm). RRP £19.95.

I've always found Steve at Staffs Slot Cars UK superb with offering SCX Compact support, spares etc. The new distributor will have a lot to live up to...

Thanks to Matt at Gaugemaster for supplying the 2020 SCX catalogue and details of UK recommended retail prices. The 2019 products should be available soon. Pendles have the four 2019 cars in stock (two Audi R8s, two AMGs). Those I've marked New for 2020 are expected later in the year. All the SCX Compact items on order are listed on the Gaugemaster Retail website:  www.gaugemasterretail.com/magento/slot-cars/scx