Carrera DIGITAL 132 Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3

Carrera DIGITAL 132 Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 "AMR Bilstein, No.97", Silverstone 2013
Item No. 30676

The successor to the Aston Martin DBR(S)9 ( Carrera no stranger to Carrera us), which has been used in racing since 2006 Carrera , entered the GT3 arena in 2012 with a V12 engine and 6-liter displacement, delivering approximately 600 hp and 700 Nm, as a competitor to the Porsche 911, Audi R8, and Mercedes SLS. For true fans, a slightly stripped-down road version is of course also available.

This model, featuring the familiar yellow-and-blue Bilstein design, is the result of a technical collaboration between the vehicle manufacturer Aston Martin and the suspension specialist Bilstein. Competitions in the German VLN series, particularly with a focus on the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, turned out quite well for the V12 Vantage as a comeback. In 2013, it managed to secure a 10th place overall finish in the 24-hour race. This Carrera1:32 Carrerascale model was raced in the British Blancpain Endurance Series, where Aston Martin is building up a factory team. New entries are planned for the 24-hour races at Spa and the Nürburgring.

Appearance: The yellow-and-blue livery stands Carrera out clearly on the Carrera track. The new Aston Martin looks good among the GT cars. I like the front view with the slanted headlights and the huge rear spoiler. From the side, the gap between the tires and the wheel wells is still a bit too wide.

Technical details: Actually, all familiar components, even though the car itself is new.
The headlights are white, bright enough, and barely shine inward. The taillights, which appear blue, are actually red. The brake light, in particular, is highly visible. The tires have good grip. True to the prototype, the tires are quite thin; skidding should be done with caution. Perhaps there will also be matching Orthmann parts or similar for this car; it certainly deserves them.

Workmanship: As for the paint job, there are minor—and I mean minor—imperfections and an annoying flaw on the left C-pillar. All other components, such as decals and technical parts, are flawless and neatly assembled. What I would have liked to change is the antenna. If it were made of flexible material, you could leave it on without hesitation during a race; as it is, the antenna, which sticks out slightly toward the rear, is very vulnerable.

Handling: At 102 grams, the car is a bit heavy, but it has a good balance of wheelbase, length, and width and can Carreracertainly compete in the GT series Carrera . The chassis allows for tuning using weights. I find the handling with and without the magnet to be well-balanced, pleasant, and lively.

Bottom line:Finally, a “new” manufacturer is back on the Carrerascene in the GT3 circuit Carrera. I think we might see more variants, such as the cars from the Fischer Racing Team. The car would certainly look great in 1:24 scale, but will that ever happen??? Looking at the entry lists… there are still quite a few other manufacturers that haven’t yet made their debut in 1:32 scale.

CoMod Jörg