Another release by FLY under the GB Track line is the Lancia Beta Monte Carlo. When first seeing this car the similarities between it and the Fly Capri seem strong. The body styles here are very similar, but that’s where the likeness ends.

The detail on this car is better than I expected, Body was nicely done, with all the lettering being very crisp and opaque. The detail in the interior tray is well done, not as detailed as some other cars, but still a good representation. The windows are “rolled” down about ¾ of the way, and add a nice touch to overall appearance to the car.

The rear of the car shows some engine detail, exhaust pipes (white) and the like; this is also where it cuts down on the room for possible magnet placement (if so inclined).

The car out of the box is another smooth runner, very similar to the Capri, very quiet and smooth. The tires here were well rounded and minimal sanding was required to get a good, even tire to track surface. A small amount of rear side-to-side play in the rear axle is present, but nothing compared to earlier Fly cars. So little in fact, that shimming this car to correct it would be a task for only the thinnest of shims. I chose not to in this case. The chassis is of familiar Fly design with the venerable button magnet and sidewinder motor configuration as shown in the photo. This car is less stuck down than others with the same set-up however, so some tail out action will be apart of driving this beast. I happen to think the throttle response on this car was quite good. It is more forgiving than other cars, allowing you to recover from over throttle coming out of the corners, and gives more cushion going into them, especially tighter corners.

Smaller body details that can be easily broken are at a minimum here. The rear wing is extremely strong and low to the body, if you manage to break this, well backing off the throttle going into turn 1 is highly recommended! The mirrors are pretty tough as mirrors go, thicker and bulkier than other designs. I windshield wiper is here, but should survive most driving accidents, in the event it does not, gluing this back in place is a fairly simple task.

I prefer not choking my cars with a lot of magnet, but some want the flexibility to tweak these cars for maximum performance. I decided that this car did need a little help here, so after looking at several options, I came up with 2 that I feel helped this car become more enjoyable, yet still requires the driver to actually drive this car, and not simply transport a collection of magnets around the track.

Option 1 was taking 2 Tweaker magnets and installing them in the rear (see photo) on both sides of the engine brace tab. On my Carrera track, being less magnetic than my Scalextric, it proved to be a worthy upgrade. The 2nd option is to add a Slot-It Super Magnet SICN01 in the area forward of the engine and button magnet and before the “shipping hole” in the chassis. This is the option I chose for the Scalextric track, and it worked very well, with the first being the Carrera choice. In both cases, I added a small amount of lead weight between the front axle stubs and “shipping hole”.

All in all this is a nice car. Decent body detail, the price is right, a smooth runner, and can be adjusted to meet all driving styles. A pair of these cars would be a nice addition to your collection, or one against your Fly Capri would a good match-up. Tell Santa to put one in your stocking, in fact, just get 2; I don’t think you will be sorry.