Thanks to everyone offering the nice comments, it's really nice to see people appreciating our efforts! (I'm one of the Schumacher design engineers)
I'll try and offer some thoughts on some of the points:
Hex Lightweight Spool and Hex 1 nut wheel design:
We really wanted to try and maximise the performance potential. Its also important to innovate and keep the class moving forwards. With any luck, other manufacturers will follow on with this and bring an easier age to 1/12 racing in future.
It gives 3 main advantage, its lighter, so improved unsprung mass for cornering improvements and rotating mass, for speed. The wheel flex is improved and provides more equal flex and consistency going into each part of each corner. Its also much quicker and simpler to change tyres.
**The Jt3-38USR and JT2-38USF is a USA spec foam control tyre, although I appreciate some racing with specific brand control tyres will force an axle change to the traditional wheel fitment.
If you don't like the change its fine, there's many options available:
-Run what you have for the axle already.
-Get the eclipse 4 diff set U8171 or specifically bagged for the eclipse 4 traditional wheels spool set U8178 (coming soon).
-Stick with your eclipse 3/ other car / rear axle design
Gigaplex+Erhard: C/F chassis is likely to work better for low traction outdoor tracks, the flexibility and higher centre of gravity tend to create or feel like they create more grip.
We had to release the car with the best suited most common spec. That means medium and high traction conditions for 1/12 racing.
-Gigaplex, this car doesn't have a differential to set, again solid rear axles are becoming the most common/ standard for 1/12 racing, more often than not, so we wanted to include it. *F1 only: For your pain with F1 class diff's I feel your pain. Soon the Icon f1 diff will get a cheap update part which setting tension means only loosening 1 wheel.
*
-Dan/Robert, thanks, we agree it carries lots of DNA from the Eclipse 3.. Having said that I think from a picture or distance it probably looks more similar than actually is. I think Robert covers it quite well, although theres probably some further differences maybe not so obvious such as:
-the new damper tubes x3 are big bore, more durable but also improved handling consistency and particularly handling in bumpy conditions. They are shorter, and no heavier. So the weight is positioned better.
-For these shorter dampers rear carbon parts are changed to adjust the damper positions, including the chassis to perfect the centre damper length.
-The front kingpin is improved in 3 ways over the eclipse 3 part. It can be fitted to an eclipse 3. The damping lasts longer and is improved as the oil output holes are re pitched and are always now within the hub, at all bump and droop positions. This also prevents excess oil squirting out when damping refreshed. There is a small diameter lip added to the base to prevent the hub carrier sticking when on full droop. The surface finish is also vastly improved for a much smoother suspension action.
-Front flex is adjusted to offer slightly more, and therefore less initial 'twitchiness' with better mid corner steering. This is via both the slightly amended top decks, and front lower beam profile. This lower beam also benefits from nicer fitting sockets secure by o ring rather than glue.
-The mass damper is now compatible in the front end unlike the Eclipse 3 chassis/ front end.
-Although the pod was robust and quite tweak free in the old model, the Eclipse 4 is now even more reliable and less likely to tweak with a new pod base design.
-Various other changes to bring the kit spec in line with most commonly used team driver parts such as the 1.5 camber strap, alloy chassis as standard and chassis location to fit an optional ~1gram 25mm fan mount facing the speed control in the centre of the car.
-New bumper plate to cater for slide in spacers such as MT020034 (montech) for easier front ride height adjustment.
Some of these things are not so obvious when looking at the car at a glance in the images. Yes you could pick and choose which parts you think are worthwhile to you, and update your eclipse 3, just there are maybe more parts than it appears at a glance.
If you got this far, thanks for reading my essay..