Review by CoMod Chris & Jörg of the Carrera DIGITAL 132 Porsche 918 Spyder + "Martini Racing, No. 23"
Art. No. 30697 and 30698
In the range: 2014
Available from: end of August/beginning of September 2014
Technical data:
Weight (complete vehicle with magnets): 100 grams
Weight (body): 27 grams
Length including spoiler: 139 mm
Wheelbase: 85 mm
Track width (front axle): 56 mm
Track width (rear axle): 58 mm
Other: Vehicle has continuous front axle
Overview of the color and country variants:
Last year, the open-top version was released in the "Time Race" and "Celebracers" anniversary basic sets. The individual vehicles, however, come with a closed roof, one in the black and red "Salzburg Racing Design" and one in the familiar Martini livery on a white background. The recently announced Idee & Spiel special model will also be a 918 Spyder in the Martini design, but with a black base color.
Technology:
No surprises, the familiar and proven G2 chassis with the E200 engine is used. And despite limited space in the front end, a continuous front axle was implemented. With a total weight of exactly 100 grams, the model is no lightweight, but it's still within an acceptable range. The lighting is implemented with SMD LEDs, excellent at the rear, but unfortunately, the front is bothered by clearly visible stray light peeking out from the wheel arches.
Optics:
This one has mixed feelings. The classic Martini Racing design suits the model perfectly, and the black add-on parts stand out well against the white base color. There are also a few colorful accents in the interior. The black and red model looks much more inconspicuous overall, but there are few alternatives in terms of design.
I'm dissatisfied with the overall appearance. I encounter original vehicles fairly regularly, and they appear significantly flatter and bulkier than the model is able to portray.
Driving test:
This brings us to the car's best feature. With the full array of magnets, the car adheres extremely strongly to the road. Even with the rear magnet removed, the center magnet still holds the car firmly in its lane, but allows for a certain degree of cornering flexibility. The tendency to roll is very slight, resulting in fast lap times on tight circuits and, overall, a sufficiently docile cornering characteristic. The test car's smooth and relatively quiet driving noise is striking. The open-top 918 Spyder from last year's base package is annoying here with a significantly louder and droning noise. I don't know if this can be explained by the additional roof; perhaps it's just normal dispersion.
*****************************
6.57 minutes… record on the Norschleife for production vehicles. The new Porsche 918 Spyder with hybrid drive has a 4.6-liter V8 engine and 795 or 887 hp (production model/racing version each with combustion + electric motor), which results in an acceleration of just under 3 seconds from 0-100 km/h and a top speed of
from 325-340 km/h. It's available in the basic configuration for 768,000 euros... not a bargain, but plenty of power for the money... limited to 918 units, though.
Optics:
The white Porsche in the Martini livery is, of course, very easily recognizable on the track. The noble
Fortunately, the matte-black 918 has red stripes and a white starting number… so it’s not a dark car either.
Carrera has shown itself to be in love with the implementation of the originals … License plates are correct,
The brake calipers are colored, the brake discs have a hint of perforation, etc. The driver's physique is a bit too cliché for me personally, but that might just be a matter of taste. In the original photos I found online, the Martini has a white spoiler to match the Martini design and black rims with a red center nut. The model has a black spoiler and silver rims... okay, some things are clear: it's the Weissach (tuning) package with a carbon look.
Overall, the vehicles don't look as aggressive and sloppy to me as the pictures of the real vehicles - but that could also be because of the closed roof, most 1:1 photos show it open and the perspectives of the photos may also be misleading... I haven't seen one in real life yet.
Technology:
Actually, all familiar components, even if the vehicle on it is new.
The headlights are white, bright enough, shine downwards, and illuminate the road. The taillights are bright, and the brake lights are clearly visible. The tires have grip, but the tread pattern is limited. True to the original, the tires are quite thin, so dragging them should only be done with extreme caution. The rear end features thin, raised flaps. These are part of the chassis, so proceed with caution.
Processing:
In the area of the paintwork, small - and I mean small - imperfections
, for example, in the curved lines of the Martini decals. The lines vary in thickness, from thinner to thicker. All other components, such as decals and technical parts, are flawless and cleanly mounted. The wheels and axles rotate smoothly and run smoothly, no issues.
Driving behavior:
The vehicle is still okay at just under 100 grams. I feel that
The handling is quite balanced and pleasant with and without the magnet, but lively with or without the magnet. However, the tires quickly reach their grip limits... perhaps a little weight in the chassis is the solution.
Conclusion:
The vehicle fits into the range of super sports cars and will find its buyers.
PS The starting number is the number of the respective prototype.
Art. No. 30697 and 30698
In the range: 2014
Available from: end of August/beginning of September 2014
Technical data:
Weight (complete vehicle with magnets): 100 grams
Weight (body): 27 grams
Length including spoiler: 139 mm
Wheelbase: 85 mm
Track width (front axle): 56 mm
Track width (rear axle): 58 mm
Other: Vehicle has continuous front axle
Overview of the color and country variants:
Last year, the open-top version was released in the "Time Race" and "Celebracers" anniversary basic sets. The individual vehicles, however, come with a closed roof, one in the black and red "Salzburg Racing Design" and one in the familiar Martini livery on a white background. The recently announced Idee & Spiel special model will also be a 918 Spyder in the Martini design, but with a black base color.
Technology:
No surprises, the familiar and proven G2 chassis with the E200 engine is used. And despite limited space in the front end, a continuous front axle was implemented. With a total weight of exactly 100 grams, the model is no lightweight, but it's still within an acceptable range. The lighting is implemented with SMD LEDs, excellent at the rear, but unfortunately, the front is bothered by clearly visible stray light peeking out from the wheel arches.
Optics:
This one has mixed feelings. The classic Martini Racing design suits the model perfectly, and the black add-on parts stand out well against the white base color. There are also a few colorful accents in the interior. The black and red model looks much more inconspicuous overall, but there are few alternatives in terms of design.
I'm dissatisfied with the overall appearance. I encounter original vehicles fairly regularly, and they appear significantly flatter and bulkier than the model is able to portray.
Driving test:
This brings us to the car's best feature. With the full array of magnets, the car adheres extremely strongly to the road. Even with the rear magnet removed, the center magnet still holds the car firmly in its lane, but allows for a certain degree of cornering flexibility. The tendency to roll is very slight, resulting in fast lap times on tight circuits and, overall, a sufficiently docile cornering characteristic. The test car's smooth and relatively quiet driving noise is striking. The open-top 918 Spyder from last year's base package is annoying here with a significantly louder and droning noise. I don't know if this can be explained by the additional roof; perhaps it's just normal dispersion.
*****************************
6.57 minutes… record on the Norschleife for production vehicles. The new Porsche 918 Spyder with hybrid drive has a 4.6-liter V8 engine and 795 or 887 hp (production model/racing version each with combustion + electric motor), which results in an acceleration of just under 3 seconds from 0-100 km/h and a top speed of
from 325-340 km/h. It's available in the basic configuration for 768,000 euros... not a bargain, but plenty of power for the money... limited to 918 units, though.
Optics:
The white Porsche in the Martini livery is, of course, very easily recognizable on the track. The noble
Fortunately, the matte-black 918 has red stripes and a white starting number… so it’s not a dark car either.
Carrera has shown itself to be in love with the implementation of the originals … License plates are correct,
The brake calipers are colored, the brake discs have a hint of perforation, etc. The driver's physique is a bit too cliché for me personally, but that might just be a matter of taste. In the original photos I found online, the Martini has a white spoiler to match the Martini design and black rims with a red center nut. The model has a black spoiler and silver rims... okay, some things are clear: it's the Weissach (tuning) package with a carbon look.
Overall, the vehicles don't look as aggressive and sloppy to me as the pictures of the real vehicles - but that could also be because of the closed roof, most 1:1 photos show it open and the perspectives of the photos may also be misleading... I haven't seen one in real life yet.
Technology:
Actually, all familiar components, even if the vehicle on it is new.
The headlights are white, bright enough, shine downwards, and illuminate the road. The taillights are bright, and the brake lights are clearly visible. The tires have grip, but the tread pattern is limited. True to the original, the tires are quite thin, so dragging them should only be done with extreme caution. The rear end features thin, raised flaps. These are part of the chassis, so proceed with caution.
Processing:
In the area of the paintwork, small - and I mean small - imperfections
, for example, in the curved lines of the Martini decals. The lines vary in thickness, from thinner to thicker. All other components, such as decals and technical parts, are flawless and cleanly mounted. The wheels and axles rotate smoothly and run smoothly, no issues.
Driving behavior:
The vehicle is still okay at just under 100 grams. I feel that
The handling is quite balanced and pleasant with and without the magnet, but lively with or without the magnet. However, the tires quickly reach their grip limits... perhaps a little weight in the chassis is the solution.
Conclusion:
The vehicle fits into the range of super sports cars and will find its buyers.
PS The starting number is the number of the respective prototype.
