Toy Fair 2010 – Team Orion
Team Orion are showing off their new range of Rocket Packs that feature an integrated balancer socket, removing the need for a small wire and socket coming out of the pack allowing you to easier position your battery in the car. Supplied with the relevant cable to connect the charger balancer to the balancer port. Other updates on the battery line up include the new 5400mAh 45C Carbon race pack, the new one cell 3.7V 4200mAh 45C pack and new 4S, 5S and 6S packs packs for 1/8th off road. For the E-Revo and mini E-Revo there is a large range of LiPo packs for each of the cars in a range of power ratings and which come with a range of different skins to customise the look of these packs. The Swiss company were also showing off their new line of 6.6V LiFe packs which go up to 3800mAh with 60C.
In terms of electronics, the company have their new Short Course combo that includes the Experience 2 Pro ESC together with a 3750kw motor, a combination that has been extensively tested in the Slash, the speedo including the relevant mounts for the car, and which will be suitable for all short course trucks. Carrying on with motors, the new Vortex V8 suitable for the 1/8th scale brushless class is a 4 pole motor that offers more torque than the previous motor.
Adding to their line of chargers, the new Advantage Twin Spec charger can charge 2 separate packs at one time and spreads the maximum output of 20A between the connected packs. Runs on 12V, it can handle LiPo and LiFe up to 6S and for NiMh up to 16 cells. For small LiPo packs of only 1S or 2s, Team Orion also offer the IQ, a simple wall charger that has a max output of 700mah. Finally in terms of electronics they have a new foldable LED bench lamp that is similar to others on the market apart from the fact that can be powered by 220V.
Regarding engines, we had ABI main man Adrien Bertin explain to us the new offerings from Team Orion, with the new range of Alpha engines on display. New for the buggies is the 3 port Alpha engine, which has been designed with help from the company’s US team drivers and provides lots of bottom end torque helped partly by the use of the CRF crankshaft. This patented and balanced crankshaft is also used in the company’s 7 port buggy engine that has good bottom end as well as good top speed and like its 3 port counterpart is supplied with a ceramic bearing and all the new range of engines use a new aluminium carburetor with updated needles and isolation bushing that all helps with idle return. Team Orion have also introduced what they call the Discovery pack which has a 3 port Alpha with ABI internals but doesn’t sport the CRF crankshaft, however it is lightened, nor the ceramic bearings but is supplied with a pipe set and is sold at a very good price and will be limited to 300pcs.
For on road their is the new Alpha ABI 21, a 7 port engine with a machined carburetor for best tolerances and features the isolator like on the buggy engines. It sports a ceramic bearing and is aimed at having exceptional durability. The .12 Alphas has also been updated with a similar carb as the 21 and comes with a balanced crankshaft, the CRF crank not available on the on road motors just yet, but we can expect them in the future.
