Review of CoMod Carrera 124's Carrera DIGITAL 132 BMW M3 DTM "M.Tomczyk, No.1" and "B. Spengler, No.7" (Item No. 30661 & 30662)
A Strong Comeback
Technical Specifications:
Weight (complete vehicle with magnets): 108 grams
Weight (body): 28 grams
Length incl. spoiler: 156 mm
Wheelbase: 86 mm
Track width (front axle): 61 mm
Track width (rear axle): 61 mm
Prototype vehicle:
It was already announced in 2010 that BMW planned to return to the DTM for the 2012 season after a 20-year absence. This made 2011 a transitional season in which the 2008 and 2009 cars were used for the last time, and Audi and Mercedes also faced off in direct competition for the final time. The champion was—as surprising as he was dominant—Martin Tomcyk, and to top it off, he did so in a “previous year’s car” from 2008. One of his main rivals was Bruno Spengler, who once again had a strong season but missed out on the title at the decisive moment.
When the DTM teams were re-formed, BMW relied primarily on drivers from within its own ranks, including both established names and up-and-coming talent. However, they didn’t want to rely on that entirely, so they signed two top drivers from Audi and Mercedes: Martin Tomcyk and Bruno Spengler. The former took the number 1, which soon appeared on his BMW M3 in the classic look—white with red, turquoise, and blue stripes. Bruno Spengler’s race car is the visual opposite; aside from the obligatory M stripes, it is almost entirely matte black. The DTM racers share only the name and the company logo with the production vehicles; they are genuine sports prototypes based on a carbon-fiber monocoque.
The BMW M3 DTM was a fast and competitive car right from the start; Bruno Spengler secured a victory as early as the second race at the Lausitzring. As the season progressed, neither mechanical issues nor nerves let him down, allowing him to celebrate the championship title at the end of the season and, in the process, shed his reputation as the eternal runner-up (or third-place finisher).
The models:
TheCarrera BMW M3 DTM is low, wide, and above all: long. No wonder—the real-life car measures a whopping 5 meters. I can’t spot any visual flaws; the model looks great and true to the original from every angle. The slightly excessive overall weight deserves some criticism, although the body itself, at 28 grams, remains within reasonable limits. The forward lighting output isn’t particularly strong, but a lot of effort has been put into preventing stray light from the wheel wells—with success. As is already familiar from older DTM cars, the side skirts are mounted to the chassis rather than the body. Apart from that, the suspension design holds no surprises; everything adheres to the standard we’ve known since 2009.
Test Drive:
With the standard magnet setup, the M3 literally drives like it’s on rails; however, combined with the high weight, the magnets slightly dampen the forward momentum. This changes as soon as you remove the rear magnet; the handling becomes more pleasant because the car drives “freer.” In corners, you gain an acceptable limit range; overall, the old adage “length runs” proves true.
Completely magnet-free, the grip of the standard tires then reaches its limits. Additional weight ism.E . Not necessary, but for decent handling, you should break in the tires a bit or switch to tires from reputable third-party suppliers. Overall, the car offers good prerequisites for this mode of operation.
Conclusion:
A real stunner, visually appealing and with good performance. The M3 DTM didn’t quite become the absolute lap-time killer; its weight is simply a bit too high for that. On the plus side, however, it offers relatively rich and harmonious handling, which is certainly not the worst foundation when viewed over a longer race distance.
A Strong Comeback
Technical Specifications:
Weight (complete vehicle with magnets): 108 grams
Weight (body): 28 grams
Length incl. spoiler: 156 mm
Wheelbase: 86 mm
Track width (front axle): 61 mm
Track width (rear axle): 61 mm
Prototype vehicle:
It was already announced in 2010 that BMW planned to return to the DTM for the 2012 season after a 20-year absence. This made 2011 a transitional season in which the 2008 and 2009 cars were used for the last time, and Audi and Mercedes also faced off in direct competition for the final time. The champion was—as surprising as he was dominant—Martin Tomcyk, and to top it off, he did so in a “previous year’s car” from 2008. One of his main rivals was Bruno Spengler, who once again had a strong season but missed out on the title at the decisive moment.
When the DTM teams were re-formed, BMW relied primarily on drivers from within its own ranks, including both established names and up-and-coming talent. However, they didn’t want to rely on that entirely, so they signed two top drivers from Audi and Mercedes: Martin Tomcyk and Bruno Spengler. The former took the number 1, which soon appeared on his BMW M3 in the classic look—white with red, turquoise, and blue stripes. Bruno Spengler’s race car is the visual opposite; aside from the obligatory M stripes, it is almost entirely matte black. The DTM racers share only the name and the company logo with the production vehicles; they are genuine sports prototypes based on a carbon-fiber monocoque.
The BMW M3 DTM was a fast and competitive car right from the start; Bruno Spengler secured a victory as early as the second race at the Lausitzring. As the season progressed, neither mechanical issues nor nerves let him down, allowing him to celebrate the championship title at the end of the season and, in the process, shed his reputation as the eternal runner-up (or third-place finisher).
The models:
The
Test Drive:
With the standard magnet setup, the M3 literally drives like it’s on rails; however, combined with the high weight, the magnets slightly dampen the forward momentum. This changes as soon as you remove the rear magnet; the handling becomes more pleasant because the car drives “freer.” In corners, you gain an acceptable limit range; overall, the old adage “length runs” proves true.
Completely magnet-free, the grip of the standard tires then reaches its limits. Additional weight ism.E . Not necessary, but for decent handling, you should break in the tires a bit or switch to tires from reputable third-party suppliers. Overall, the car offers good prerequisites for this mode of operation.
Conclusion:
A real stunner, visually appealing and with good performance. The M3 DTM didn’t quite become the absolute lap-time killer; its weight is simply a bit too high for that. On the plus side, however, it offers relatively rich and harmonious handling, which is certainly not the worst foundation when viewed over a longer race distance.
