Test report from CoMod Carrera124 for the Carrera Evolution Dekon Monza (27265 and 27266)
The unknown being
Chevrolet Dekon Monza? When the 2008 novelties were presented in the club in written form at the end of 2007, I couldn't imagine what this car looked like. That changed when I held the 2008 catalog in my hands: this car seemed familiar from somewhere. At the time, Faller had this vehicle type in its range for its in-house Faller-AMS track in 1:60 scale. However, at the time, they were products from Aurora, distributed exclusively by Faller. All the more gratifying that Carrera has once again taken on this relatively unknown racing exotic in this country in 1:32 scale.
The Chevrolet Monza, built between 1975 and 1980, was a pleasingly designed coupe with robust mass-production technology, similar in concept and form to the Opel Manta, but adapted to American tastes. And just like in Group 5 here in Germany, harmless mass-production coupes were transformed into wildly winged and powerful racetrack monsters across the pond. In this respect, the Chevrolet Dekon Monza is a perfect visual match for the Porsche 935-78, Ferrari 512, and Steinmetz Jumbo. Sources speak of 11 or 12 Dekon Monzas built, both of which were, or still are, adorned with various attractive paint schemes. The two variants presented here are both colorful and appealing; in my opinion, the prospects for further diverse color variants are not bad, provided the initial models sell well enough.
The green and white IMSA version, true to the original, comes without headlights, whereas the Le Mans version is equipped with headlights. Both versions have taillights, so the all-clear for digital operation is given. There's nothing wrong with the body shape or paint scheme, but criticism is directed at details: the grille in the driver's window and the side pipes appear somewhat plasticky, but this doesn't really detract from the overall impression. The driver's seat is practically unformed, but rather flat—a reasonable compromise for a slot car.
Technical data:
Weight (complete vehicle with magnets): 103 grams
Weight (complete vehicle without rear magnet): 100 grams
Weight (complete vehicle without magnets): 96 grams
Weight (body): 29 grams
Length including spoiler: 158 mm
Wheelbase: 75 mm
Track width (front axle): 53 mm
Track width (rear axle): 57 mm
Other: the green-white version Art. No. 27266 has no front lighting
Technically, the car offers no surprises; familiar elements are present: the two removable magnets, the removable motor-rear axle unit, the guide keel plate, and the proven E200 engine. The wheels have a relatively small overall diameter, resulting in quite agile acceleration and braking. Since the rims are also rather small, true to the original, the mounted tires have a relatively large amount of "meat" and thus offer really good grip. Conversion to Digital 132 is done quickly with the 26732 retrofit decoder. There is sufficient space inside the car to store the cables and plugs.
For the road test, I removed the rear magnet—as always—and adjusted the center magnet to the highest possible ground clearance. As already mentioned, acceleration and braking performance are absolutely satisfactory. The center magnet ensures a balance between suction and almost any cornering drift; only the maximum angle of rotation of the guide keel occasionally puts an abrupt end to the drifting fun. On smaller, basic-sized tracks, the Chevrolet is significantly more agile and faster than, for example, the Opel Commodore Steinmetz; on larger tracks, the performance is comparable. Shoulders are highly recommended for the Chevy; otherwise, the rear spoiler will likely soon be scratched by guardrails.
Conclusion: I simply love these types of cars; the spectacular '70s looks are still impressive today. Wide chassis with road roller-sized tires result in impressive performance for slot cars. Actually, the time is ripe for an Evo-style racing series.
CoMod Carrera 124
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Test report from CoMod JoergW on the Carrera Evolution Dekon Monza (27265 and 27266)
Good morning,
There's something new in the evolution of the 70s "poultry show." This time it's a Monza from Chevrolet, which was pimped up by the Dekon racing team and used in the IMSA Camel GT race series and the SCCA Club Racing series, among others. The Chevrolet, then still the GM Monza, was produced between 1975 and 1980 and was originally supposed to be equipped with a rotary engine, but this never happened. Even the civilian version of the Monza could be transformed, at least visually, into a race car with the addition of an $800 spoiler package. The Chevrolet Monza is more comparable to the Opel Manta or Ascona than to the Opel luxury coupe of the same name. Google some pictures, and you'll be amazed at all the American imaginations have created with this vehicle, from drag-and-dirt to Le Mans racer... If you can imagine it, you can build it ;-)
Optics:
Both Monzas are finished in light base colors, making them easily visible on the track during races. Both have a white hood and roof, but still feature enough details to distinguish them in the race. The color scheme, sponsor stickers, and tires are largely true to the original and true to scale.
Technology:
Unfortunately, the 27266 also doesn't have any lights under the covered headlights (which would certainly shine through unsightly), so this would require a talented hobbyist. I would prefer lights simply because of the digital upgrade and the possibilities it offers. The rudder position and immersion depth are okay; there could have been a few more millimeters of space at the front, but the handling is still good.
Processing:
The mirrors on the vehicles are very delicately executed, true to the original; for racing, I would personally disassemble the parts beforehand. The mirrors look great for the display case. On my model, the hole in the left mirror mount on the 27266 is not ideal, so the mirror falls off at the slightest touch. Otherwise, both models have straight axles, but the front axle could use some lubrication to ensure it runs freely for longer.
Driving behavior:
The Monza drives like the 70s counterparts of Ferrari, Opel and
Porsche and should be well integrated into a racing series together with them. Individual differences in best times are more attributable to the driver than the car. The standard tires grip quite well, but should be lightly glued. For operation without magnets, the tires require grinding.
Conclusion:
These visually and drivingly appealing vehicles are Carrera's way of expanding the "poultry show" of the 1970s and once again demonstrating the courage to branch out from the mainstream. Should buyers reward this, we can certainly expect more exotic cars from this exciting racing era.
CoMod JoergW
The unknown being
Chevrolet Dekon Monza? When the 2008 novelties were presented in the club in written form at the end of 2007, I couldn't imagine what this car looked like. That changed when I held the 2008 catalog in my hands: this car seemed familiar from somewhere. At the time, Faller had this vehicle type in its range for its in-house Faller-AMS track in 1:60 scale. However, at the time, they were products from Aurora, distributed exclusively by Faller. All the more gratifying that Carrera has once again taken on this relatively unknown racing exotic in this country in 1:32 scale.
The Chevrolet Monza, built between 1975 and 1980, was a pleasingly designed coupe with robust mass-production technology, similar in concept and form to the Opel Manta, but adapted to American tastes. And just like in Group 5 here in Germany, harmless mass-production coupes were transformed into wildly winged and powerful racetrack monsters across the pond. In this respect, the Chevrolet Dekon Monza is a perfect visual match for the Porsche 935-78, Ferrari 512, and Steinmetz Jumbo. Sources speak of 11 or 12 Dekon Monzas built, both of which were, or still are, adorned with various attractive paint schemes. The two variants presented here are both colorful and appealing; in my opinion, the prospects for further diverse color variants are not bad, provided the initial models sell well enough.
The green and white IMSA version, true to the original, comes without headlights, whereas the Le Mans version is equipped with headlights. Both versions have taillights, so the all-clear for digital operation is given. There's nothing wrong with the body shape or paint scheme, but criticism is directed at details: the grille in the driver's window and the side pipes appear somewhat plasticky, but this doesn't really detract from the overall impression. The driver's seat is practically unformed, but rather flat—a reasonable compromise for a slot car.
Technical data:
Weight (complete vehicle with magnets): 103 grams
Weight (complete vehicle without rear magnet): 100 grams
Weight (complete vehicle without magnets): 96 grams
Weight (body): 29 grams
Length including spoiler: 158 mm
Wheelbase: 75 mm
Track width (front axle): 53 mm
Track width (rear axle): 57 mm
Other: the green-white version Art. No. 27266 has no front lighting
Technically, the car offers no surprises; familiar elements are present: the two removable magnets, the removable motor-rear axle unit, the guide keel plate, and the proven E200 engine. The wheels have a relatively small overall diameter, resulting in quite agile acceleration and braking. Since the rims are also rather small, true to the original, the mounted tires have a relatively large amount of "meat" and thus offer really good grip. Conversion to Digital 132 is done quickly with the 26732 retrofit decoder. There is sufficient space inside the car to store the cables and plugs.
For the road test, I removed the rear magnet—as always—and adjusted the center magnet to the highest possible ground clearance. As already mentioned, acceleration and braking performance are absolutely satisfactory. The center magnet ensures a balance between suction and almost any cornering drift; only the maximum angle of rotation of the guide keel occasionally puts an abrupt end to the drifting fun. On smaller, basic-sized tracks, the Chevrolet is significantly more agile and faster than, for example, the Opel Commodore Steinmetz; on larger tracks, the performance is comparable. Shoulders are highly recommended for the Chevy; otherwise, the rear spoiler will likely soon be scratched by guardrails.
Conclusion: I simply love these types of cars; the spectacular '70s looks are still impressive today. Wide chassis with road roller-sized tires result in impressive performance for slot cars. Actually, the time is ripe for an Evo-style racing series.
CoMod Carrera 124
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Test report from CoMod JoergW on the Carrera Evolution Dekon Monza (27265 and 27266)
Good morning,
There's something new in the evolution of the 70s "poultry show." This time it's a Monza from Chevrolet, which was pimped up by the Dekon racing team and used in the IMSA Camel GT race series and the SCCA Club Racing series, among others. The Chevrolet, then still the GM Monza, was produced between 1975 and 1980 and was originally supposed to be equipped with a rotary engine, but this never happened. Even the civilian version of the Monza could be transformed, at least visually, into a race car with the addition of an $800 spoiler package. The Chevrolet Monza is more comparable to the Opel Manta or Ascona than to the Opel luxury coupe of the same name. Google some pictures, and you'll be amazed at all the American imaginations have created with this vehicle, from drag-and-dirt to Le Mans racer... If you can imagine it, you can build it ;-)
Optics:
Both Monzas are finished in light base colors, making them easily visible on the track during races. Both have a white hood and roof, but still feature enough details to distinguish them in the race. The color scheme, sponsor stickers, and tires are largely true to the original and true to scale.
Technology:
Unfortunately, the 27266 also doesn't have any lights under the covered headlights (which would certainly shine through unsightly), so this would require a talented hobbyist. I would prefer lights simply because of the digital upgrade and the possibilities it offers. The rudder position and immersion depth are okay; there could have been a few more millimeters of space at the front, but the handling is still good.
Processing:
The mirrors on the vehicles are very delicately executed, true to the original; for racing, I would personally disassemble the parts beforehand. The mirrors look great for the display case. On my model, the hole in the left mirror mount on the 27266 is not ideal, so the mirror falls off at the slightest touch. Otherwise, both models have straight axles, but the front axle could use some lubrication to ensure it runs freely for longer.
Driving behavior:
The Monza drives like the 70s counterparts of Ferrari, Opel and
Porsche and should be well integrated into a racing series together with them. Individual differences in best times are more attributable to the driver than the car. The standard tires grip quite well, but should be lightly glued. For operation without magnets, the tires require grinding.
Conclusion:
These visually and drivingly appealing vehicles are Carrera's way of expanding the "poultry show" of the 1970s and once again demonstrating the courage to branch out from the mainstream. Should buyers reward this, we can certainly expect more exotic cars from this exciting racing era.
CoMod JoergW
