RC buggies are certainly fun to watch and ride and CEN Racing is a well-known company among RC car enthusiasts, which has begun in recent years to create some impressive race buggies, for every budget and each skill level, from beginner to advanced.
The CEN Matrix falls into the beginner and intermediate category and will offer a complete and well-rounded package for a 1/8 electric buggy. You will also benefit from the impressive list of technical and performance features of this RC car.
The Matrix R2 comes equipped with a powerful 5.0 cc engine with a pull start system, which is attached to a composite two-piece tuned pipe. The air filter is factory-oiled, which is good because you don’t have to worry about this. This engine achieves good top speeds and has a lot of torque. Thus, your car will have a lot of power on the track and will be able to accelerate really fast.
The car’s suspension runs really smooth, regardless of bumps or difficult tracks. Also, the suspension arm assembly is built to withstand difficult challenges. Durability is an important characteristic of this buggy. The most important point of the front suspension is the 4mm shock tower. The shocks are mounted to the upper end of the tower using ball studs and are easily adjustable. While the front suspension brace is made out of aluminum, the rear suspension brace is actually made from plastic. If you think the suspension is impressive, wait until you see the steering blocks, which are cast aluminum. This allows for a lot of strength, stability, and durability. However, the steering system is similar to what you might see on other buggies and it is composed of a steering rack with two mounting positions with a dual bell crank system.
You can adapt the suspension settings according to your driving style or to the type of track. You can adjust ride height thanks to the various shock spacers and the role center thanks to the two suspension pin positions available where the upper suspension arms connect to the buggy’s chassis. A 3mm sway bar keeps the suspension well balanced and another 3mm front brace keeps the suspension pins firmly together. The front and rear arms are interchangeable. Even if the suspension is fully adjustable, there are no turnbuckles.
The car’s body looks really cool with its standard body paint and it fits perfectly on the buggy. The car has a perfect balance due to the fact that all components are centered on the chassis. It is fitted with Cen XCellerator tires which use a medium compound and will handle really well on a variety of surfaces. In order to ensure that they won’t loosen, thread lock is applied on all four tires.
The Matrix R-2 is well equipped also in the electronics department. The Skylon DX Pro digital FM radio has a 10 model memory transmitter and it is easy to operate. Also, two high torque servos with internal metal gears are used for steering and brake duties. They handle extremely well on the race track; braking will lock all four tires at the same time, while even on full acceleration the front wheels are pointed in the right direction.
All the drive train components spin freely and ride on sealed ball bearings. The drive train runs very smooth and it is able to handle all the power of the engine.
All in all, this buggy is a perfect way to start your adventure in RC car racing. CEN Racing has put together a cool buggy, which is well assembled; it has interesting technical features, mostly durability, speed and versatility, which focus on maximum performance.
