Into the

21^st CENtury

The Market is about to be flooded with factory-assembled models. CEN cars are the latest to be displayed in the UK and we took a look at the 4WD IC powered Honda Accord

new breed of cars are becoming increasingly popular throughout the RC industry. Ready to Run kits are designed to be the future of entry level models for those looking to purchase their first RC kit. Irvine have jumped onto the band wagon by becoming the UK agents for the CEN range of kits.

We received a Honda Accord bodied GX1 GP machine that came 90% pre-assembled by the CEN factory. All that was left was to spray and sticker the shell and install the radio equipment to get it up and running.

CEN cater for both electric and IC powered models with the electrics referred to as EP and the IC or gas powered kits called GP. As well as this, you can either buy your kit as a 2WD, (SP1) or 4WD (GX1). The range is shown below outlining the prices and reference numbers:

Model Price Spec

GX1 GP £174.99 4WD IC powered

GX1 EP £129.99 4WD electric powered

SP1 GP £139.99 2WD IC powered

SP1 EP £89.99 2WD electric powered

With four different variants of chassis, the choice of bodyshell design is also very varied. The majority of options are based upon touring cars like the Honda Accord, Alfa Romeo 156, BMW 320i, Volvo S40 and Peugeot 406. If you fancy something different, then there is the Honda NSX, Toyota Supra, Mercedes CLK or the Porsche 911. There are also the typical rally style like the Subaru Impreza, Escort Cosworth, Peugeot 206, Skoda Felica, Mitsubishi Evo VI and the VW Golf.

NEWCOMERS

START HERE

The new CEN range of cars is targeted at the newcomer to the sport, and their design features clearly point to this. All models are factory built to the same spec. The finer points are left to the buyer and this includes installing the radio control, mounting tyres and foam inserts to the wheels, putting oil in the shocks and painting the bodyshell. The final task mentioned will soon be an option, as pre-painted versions will soon be made available to cut down on time even further. This perhaps is one area that we feel a beginner could struggle with, as some intricate masking was required to copy the scheme dictated by the instructions. This also included a three-colour paint job, which may be above the level of a first time buyer.

The basis of most IC kits is a strong and sturdy alloy chassis and the GX1 is no different. Based upon the thick alloy A6061 T6 material, the CEN chassis uses plastic wishbones and moulded gearbox houses bolted directly to the chassis. A second upper level creates a box section to make the whole structure very stiff and eliminates any flex.

On the top of the base chassis, sits the .12 sized engine, complete with pull start and rear exit exhaust. This in turn, drives the dual belt transmission powering both the front and rear wheels with drive split by a geared style differential at both ends. Unlike most other nitro kits, instead of three belts, the CEN uses two and a rear gearbox set-up to drive the rear wheels. As far as we know CEN are the first to do this and it offers great durability of the rear transmission as well as sealing it from the elements such as dirt, water from the track and any spilt fuel. As mentioned before, these diffs are pre-built along with the entire transmission and are well housed in protective plastic. This will help durability, as the chance of dirt getting in is minimal.

The independent suspension includes many features that entry-level kits tend to do away with. Both the camber and the toe in are adjustable by altering the lengths of the upper links and steering links respectively to help tune you cars handling whilst the oil filled shocks ensure that all but the roughest of tarmac surfaces bring problems. Although supplied built up, the shocks do need to be removed from the car to have the oil put in. This is simply to reduce the chance of leaking or damage during transit.

The CEN range of kits are fully adjustable including toe-in and camber at the front, adjustable camber at the rear with either 0, 1 or 2 degrees of rear toe-in by using optional hubs.

POWER AND

CONTROL

An NX-12S engine powers the CEN car and includes a compact rear exiting exhaust to allow the burnt gases to escape. A bright pink rubber exhaust guides the fumes away from the bodyshell. A quick fill fuel tank will hold enough fuel to prevent an excessive number of fuel stops to spoil your fun and this is supported by a recoil starter to make those re-starts painless. In order to keep control of the all wheel drive model, a disc brake unit located at the rear of the chassis using a dual pad to give impressive braking levels.

BODY STYLING

The Honda Accord we received in our kit has a level of detail to clearly identify it without being unnecessarily over the top. A rear wing that bolts on is accompanied by rear view mirrors, windscreen wiper and roof top mounted aerial to give it that authentic feel. The kit comes with window masks that are very sticky and so once in position, are unlikely to bleed around the edges. In order to follow the directions, there are three areas that have to be masked up as the body and wing involve three colours of paint - red, black and white. The roof, sides and rear bumpers, along with the front splitter are all painted black whilst the rear wing gets the red treatment. I still feel that this level of masking is perhaps a bit too much to ask of beginners, as it is quite difficult for those with little or no experience. A wider sticker selection could be the answer. Once the paint has been applied, the logos can then be fitted. A separate instruction manual is included with the kit to assist you with positioning each numbered logo. The material used for the decals is quite thick, therefore care must be taken when fitting as there is little room for error. Unfortunately we followed the instructions to the letter and cut the holes for the body posts prior to painting and fitting. These holes do not line up with the recognised body posts but after a little swapping around of the three supplied types it fitted well on the chassis. Just be careful when attempting this area of the build. Any other 200mm wide bodyshell can be accepted onto the CEN chassis so you are not limited to the CEN selection that we mentioned earlier. On the other hand, it is possible to adjust the width of the kit by moving the hub pivots in on either side to reduce the width and, make it 190mm wide - the industry standard for competition electric scale saloons. In turn, this opens you up to a whole host of lexan shells from GT cars to sleek coupes - the choice is yours.

Specification

1:10 scale touring car

Alloy chassis

4WD drivetrain

Belt drive transmission

Geared differentials

Oil filled shocks

TECHNICAL DATA

WIDTH: ………………………………196mm

WHEELBASE: ……………………….257mm

FRONT TRACK: …………………….168mm

REAR TRACK: ………………………168mm

WEIGHT: …………………………….1500g

GEAR RATIO: ……………………….6.83:1

Rating

KIT SPEC 90%

RACEABILITY 87%

OVERALL 89%

Summary

If you are in the market for a pre-built kit, then

the CEN machine is ideal. With four wheel

drive and a recoil starter, it is ideal for those

with limited experience whilst the 12S engine is

sure to provide enough power for power slides

and plenty of wheel spin - overall perfect for the

beginner and those into the touring car boom.