Review by CoMod Carrera124 on the Carrera Evolution Porsche 911
(27242)
Porsche 911 and racetracks – they belong inextricably together. As early as 1964, miniature versions of the original 911 were making their rounds on the Carrera 132 Universal. In the 1970s, Märklin offered the 911 in a 1/32 Targa version for the Sprint system. In the 1990s, the then-current 964 was finally available in 1/24 scale in the Exclusive range.
A few days ago, Porsche unveiled the second, facelifted version of the 997 to the world public. The exterior changes are limited – besides redesigned front and rear aprons, the new LED lights at the front and rear are particularly noticeable. The more interesting innovations are hidden beneath the sheet metal – in addition to a new engine generation with direct injection, the interior, including the infotainment system, has also been updated. The biggest innovation, however, is the optional dual-clutch transmission, which allows gear changes without interruption of thrust. What slot cars have always been able to do – namely, accelerate from a standstill to top speed without pauses in gearshifts – the real 911 can now do too.
After only a brief delay, the scaled-down Carrera slot car rolled onto the test track. The designers and mold makers had perfectly mastered the shape – exactly what the 911 looks like. Compared to the catalog image, the color is neither dark nor metallic, but a vibrant, solid red. It suits the car perfectly. The black window frames are very precisely executed, as are the printed lettering on the front and rear. Even the wheel center hubs feature printed Porsche crests. A silver, relief-like mock-up of the engine can be seen beneath the rear apron.
An AutoArt slot car used for comparison shows that both cars are visually in the same league. If there's anything to criticize about the Carrera model, it's probably the externally visible LEDs in the headlights. In comparison, the crew of the AutoArt 911 seems unrealistic and gives off the visual impression of lifeless mannequins. Some might find the Carrera model's ground clearance a bit too high. It should be noted that a real 911 also has relatively high ground clearance. An Evo display box can easily be pushed under the side skirts, and there's still plenty of room.
The technology and chassis offer few surprises, with familiar elements: the removable engine-transmission block and the relatively large guide keel unit. The guide keel itself is positioned just in front of the front axle—not ideal, but acceptable. The chassis largely corresponds to that of the 911 GT3 RSR in the midsection, with the front and rear having different shapes.
Two other slot car manufacturers have famously given their racetrack 911s real rear-mounted engines – Carrera, thankfully, has refrained from such experiments and opted for the classic inline-engine solution. The interior is therefore kept rather flat in the rear area, with the dashboard shaped about halfway. Considering the technical constraints, this is a sensible compromise. The tires have a fine profile and offer an average level of grip: I've had Carrera tires with better grip, but also worse ones.
Retrofitting the digital circuit board is a quick and easy process – the tangle of cables needs to be carefully tucked away, but the chassis provides ample space for it. Some caution is required when mounting the body on the chassis: first, the rear LEDs must be neatly threaded into the taillights, then the front LEDs.
For the road test, I completely removed the rear magnet and adjusted the center magnet to maximum ground clearance, as always. All spacers were removed. The performance is very appealing – the car is very lively and the handling is very neutral. This means that, depending on your preference, almost any drift angle can be achieved in corners, but maintaining a clean line is also no problem. The magnetic adhesion is relatively weak and therefore probably contributes significantly to the good handling. Tight K1 combinations don't unsettle the car, and there's no skidding.
The rear lights shine through the plastic a bit, so there's still room for improvement. The front lights offer a very rich light output, so night racing wouldn't be a problem.
Conclusion: For me, this is the best and most beautiful 1/32 model of the year so far. Excellent looks combined with very appealing handling—you couldn't ask for more.
CoMod Carrera124
(27242)
Porsche 911 and racetracks – they belong inextricably together. As early as 1964, miniature versions of the original 911 were making their rounds on the Carrera 132 Universal. In the 1970s, Märklin offered the 911 in a 1/32 Targa version for the Sprint system. In the 1990s, the then-current 964 was finally available in 1/24 scale in the Exclusive range.
A few days ago, Porsche unveiled the second, facelifted version of the 997 to the world public. The exterior changes are limited – besides redesigned front and rear aprons, the new LED lights at the front and rear are particularly noticeable. The more interesting innovations are hidden beneath the sheet metal – in addition to a new engine generation with direct injection, the interior, including the infotainment system, has also been updated. The biggest innovation, however, is the optional dual-clutch transmission, which allows gear changes without interruption of thrust. What slot cars have always been able to do – namely, accelerate from a standstill to top speed without pauses in gearshifts – the real 911 can now do too.
After only a brief delay, the scaled-down Carrera slot car rolled onto the test track. The designers and mold makers had perfectly mastered the shape – exactly what the 911 looks like. Compared to the catalog image, the color is neither dark nor metallic, but a vibrant, solid red. It suits the car perfectly. The black window frames are very precisely executed, as are the printed lettering on the front and rear. Even the wheel center hubs feature printed Porsche crests. A silver, relief-like mock-up of the engine can be seen beneath the rear apron.
An AutoArt slot car used for comparison shows that both cars are visually in the same league. If there's anything to criticize about the Carrera model, it's probably the externally visible LEDs in the headlights. In comparison, the crew of the AutoArt 911 seems unrealistic and gives off the visual impression of lifeless mannequins. Some might find the Carrera model's ground clearance a bit too high. It should be noted that a real 911 also has relatively high ground clearance. An Evo display box can easily be pushed under the side skirts, and there's still plenty of room.
The technology and chassis offer few surprises, with familiar elements: the removable engine-transmission block and the relatively large guide keel unit. The guide keel itself is positioned just in front of the front axle—not ideal, but acceptable. The chassis largely corresponds to that of the 911 GT3 RSR in the midsection, with the front and rear having different shapes.
Two other slot car manufacturers have famously given their racetrack 911s real rear-mounted engines – Carrera, thankfully, has refrained from such experiments and opted for the classic inline-engine solution. The interior is therefore kept rather flat in the rear area, with the dashboard shaped about halfway. Considering the technical constraints, this is a sensible compromise. The tires have a fine profile and offer an average level of grip: I've had Carrera tires with better grip, but also worse ones.
Retrofitting the digital circuit board is a quick and easy process – the tangle of cables needs to be carefully tucked away, but the chassis provides ample space for it. Some caution is required when mounting the body on the chassis: first, the rear LEDs must be neatly threaded into the taillights, then the front LEDs.
For the road test, I completely removed the rear magnet and adjusted the center magnet to maximum ground clearance, as always. All spacers were removed. The performance is very appealing – the car is very lively and the handling is very neutral. This means that, depending on your preference, almost any drift angle can be achieved in corners, but maintaining a clean line is also no problem. The magnetic adhesion is relatively weak and therefore probably contributes significantly to the good handling. Tight K1 combinations don't unsettle the car, and there's no skidding.
The rear lights shine through the plastic a bit, so there's still room for improvement. The front lights offer a very rich light output, so night racing wouldn't be a problem.
Conclusion: For me, this is the best and most beautiful 1/32 model of the year so far. Excellent looks combined with very appealing handling—you couldn't ask for more.
CoMod Carrera124
