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IXO Sunbeam Lotus Review

CLC207 (released Feb 2010)
(reviewed 17.02.10)
 
So how have IXO done on their first road car version of the Talbot Sunbeam Lotus to follow on from their series of rally cars?
 
For starters, it must be noted that this is a French-registered version, so left-hand drive and with repeater indicators on the front wings and a SIMCA badge on the rear, finished in Embassy Black and what we would refer to as a “Series 1” (grey interior, small headlamps, Chrysler badge on the front grille).
There are naturally going to be some features that are not quite right compared to the original car but many of these are to be expected on a scale model, some of them due purely to the limitations of production.
 
 
IXO CLC207
 
Exterior
Marchal lamps are mounted on the front bumper but sit higher than they should and look more like the early production cars that had them mounted on brackets that fitted behind the bumper; this is no complaint, however, as this look works much better, in my opinion. The door locks are missing and the front number plate is wrongly-sited on the nicely-shaped bumper, though, which is disappointing; this could be rectified by a keen modeller, however.
 
 
IXO CLC207 Front
 
The stripes – always the first sign of whether a car is right, especially a full-sized version – are an authentic colour and finish, although a bit too narrow at the front and a little wayward on some models, as are the pin-stripes that go around the rear of the car, but credit to IXO for including these in the first place. Unfortunately, the Lotus roundel is of a new design and not correct for a Sunbeam Lotus, but since this is rather small, it does not detract from even an enthusiast’s enjoyment of the model.
 
The TALBOT and Sunbeam badges are from a series 2 car, however, and a single exhaust pipe is fitted; these features were no doubt chosen to provide common parts between this version and CLC208, the series 2 Moonstone model that is next on IXO’s list to release. A shame, but understandable. (A single exhaust is not an error on an S1 car but early cars had twin outlets and this would have looked much better.)
 
IXO have reshaped the sills of the car from those seen on the rally versions and these now look much more like the real thing, and the shape of the car is very pleasing, complemented by Amil wheels that are a good match for the 13-inch originals.
 
Interior
On the inside, the key features are all replicated nicely and the contours of even the door cards are well represented, though the seats could do with more stitching detail to be more convincing, but a fine effort on the overall shape of them. The dashboard is a nice feature, with a fine set of instruments to be seen through the open driver’s window.
 
 
IXO CLC207 Interior
 
 
Summary
Overall, this is a cracking model of the car, nicely-proportioned, sitting nicely on its wheels and with the right look about it. Detail errors can be overlooked and it still puts to shame the Prestige resin kit version, which up until now had looked pretty decent, and should be a must-have addition to any Sunbeam Lotus enthusiast’s collection. Now to see whether IXO have managed to change the Moonstone version to right-hand drive for us…
 
 
CLC208 (released May 2010)
(reviewed 15.05.10)
Well, the first thing to say is that the Series 2 version of the Sunbeam Lotus road car is left-hand drive, which in the Moonstone colour is a mistake. That is a big shame. Looking past this, though, and it's another cracking model from IXO. Since it's announcement, however, it has always been listed as "Moonstone with Silver stripes" but the photo supplied to us by IXO some six months ago showed this to be incorrect, and the production version matches that. Unfortunately, the pinstripes that carry on from the main stripe around the back of the car are silver! So perhaps they did toy with that idea originally...
The other downside to this model is the seat trim. IXO have done well with the Piccadilly stripes on the seats but have applied these over base grey seats, rather than colouring them black. It all looks a bit strange, almost like a new car would have looked with its protective film still covering the seats. There are also some areas of the car that should be painted black, and the bumper overriders are also missing. A steady hand and a tin of modeller's paint could work wonders on these areas, but why have IXO thought fit to secure the base with their triangular-headed screws rather than the Philips type of the previous model? That doesn't help.
Mind you, on the plus side, this version does have door locks, unlike the black one, and the wing mirrors have been re-positioned correctly to match later style on the road car.
 
 
 
Summary
UK owners had been waiting for a model that they could personalise with their own registration plates but they will be disappointed with this offering on that front. Asides from that, though, it sits very nicely alongside any collection of Sunbeam Lotus rally models (and the Embassy car reviewed above), and club members have already been keen to acquire their own example.