[woodcote]

   

AFX22082 Shelby Mustang GT500H Black/Gold. RRP $42.99. Arrived at the AFX warehouse on 12 June - due with retailers very soon.

After acquiring exclusive rights for the AFX brand in 2020 and finally unshackling themselves from parent company Tomy, Racemasters are delivering an exciting time for HO enthusiasts around the world, with wave after wave of new releases.

       

The next car due to arrive is a stunning livery on the rather tasty Mustang GT500 mould. Designated GT500H, this is a throwback to the famous 1966 'Rent-a-Racer' Mustang GT350H...

   

Around a thousand of these cars were produced in partnership with Hertz, almost all painted in black with gold stripes - although a few were Shelby Oxford white with blue stripes. The 1966 GT350H hire car was marketed to businessmen and strictly for over-25s - however, many ended up at the local racetrack or drag strip, hence the 'Rent-a-Racer' nickname. Often passed over as ex-rentals when coming up for sale in the late 60s and early 70s, these V8-powered Shelby-spec models are now some of the most sought-after Mustangs for modern-day collectors.



Fast-forward to the summer of 2022 and the Shelby-Hertz partnership was revived to produce 25 'H' versions of the 2021 Mustang GT500 - 19 in black and 6 in white. The 5.2-litre V8 engine delivered over 900 bhp, making this one hell of a hire car! They were available at Fort Myers, Las Vegas, Miami, Orlando, Phoenix and Tampa, costing from $399 per day. A bargain!

The AFX model recreates the GT500H as an HO slot car, featuring the iconic black and gold livery plus tiny Hertz and Shelby decals...

       

Underneath the Mustang body is the 1.7-inch wheelbase Mega-G+ chassis, which runs on any traditional HO slot car system. Spares are widely available...

   

The AFX Shelby GT500H is available for pre-order at a number of US retailers for $35 upwards. Enthusiasts in Australia, Europe and the UK will be able to pick up the car a few weeks after the US release from their usual vendors. There is a store-finder page on the Racemasters website: https://afxracing.com/stores/

Thanks to Elyse and the Racemasters AFX team in Reno, Nevada for the fabulous images of this new car...

   

[Kevan]

I don't even race this scale but that looks very interesting.

[Gareth]

That looks so good. Sorely tempted.

[Scuderia_Turini]

Amazing details that show up very well in these larger-than-life photographs. 

Leo