Review by CoMod Chris of the Opel Manta A “Tuner”
(analog 27232 and digital 30431)
The Manta—books have been written about this car, movies have been made about it, and countless jokes have been told about it. Above all, however, the Manta was one of the most popular cars to customize, so that today there are almost more modified versions than stock ones.
On the road, though, you almost exclusively see the Manta B, which is no surprise, since it was built from 1975 to 1988. Its predecessor, the Manta A, by contrast, rolled off the assembly line for just 5 years. The most legendary Manta, however, did not come from Opel, but from the Belgian company “Transeurop Engineering,” abbreviated as TE. There, the 2.8-liter six-cylinder engine from the Opel Commodore was transplanted into the Manta, which u.a. required a slight extension of the front end. To top it off, the customer got sleek fender flares that made it clear even from the outside that this was no ordinary Manta. Contemporary sources indicate that fewer than 100 vehicles were built.
And it is precisely this TE 2800 that servedCarrera as the model for the Slot Miniature, as evidenced by the “TE 2800” lettering embossed on the chassis. The car is available in green in both the digital and analog lineups, with the analog version offered as a standalone model and as part of the “Tuner Classic” starter pack. A red Manta in Carrera the
-design has also been announced
; this is set to be released exclusively as an analog version.
The Manta’s sleek body shape is very well rendered in the model, and the flashy, poison-green color scheme makes the car an absolute head-turner—a look that’s even reflected in the rims. The matte black hood, along with the black window trim and accent strips, create an eye-catching contrast. There are also oversized Opel lightning bolts on the hood and doors, as well as the “Manta A Power” lettering in the original Opel style. Some of the “details” on the passenger side are also oversized, while the driver is dressed in true style with a tank top and a mullet. There is one minor drawback, however—the rear of the body sits a bit high on the chassis; presumably, this “jacked-up” look was also quite trendy in the ’80s.
Let’s move on to the technical aspects —while the chassis is
, in principle , a special design for the Manta, it consists exclusively of familiar elements: the separately removable engine-rear-axle unit, the innovative keel-like design, and the option for digital retrofitting. The steering angle of the guide keel could be larger, but there’s nothing wrong with its position. As is almost always the case, the setup is limited to removing the rear magnet and adjusting the center magnet for maximum ground clearance. The Manta’s compact dimensions suggest a lively driving experience, and sure enough, the car takes corners quite aggressively, though it always remains easy to control. There are no instances of the car losing traction or similar unpleasant surprises. Thus, it lives up to its “Tuner” nickname and proves to be a worthy opponent for theGo lf GTI.
Personally, I’d be thrilled if more color variants were released in the coming years—the color palette of the ’70s and ’80s has a lot to offer in this regard, and there were also attractive special editions like the “Black Magic,” which would certainly perform very well on the racetrack.
CoMod
Chris---------------------------------------------------------------------
-Review by CoMod Lotus of the Opel Manta A “Tuner”
(analog 27232 and digital 30431)
How do you start a review of the Opel Manta?
Let’s approach it from a different angle: Let’s let Wikipedia speak—or rather, let’s quote from the online encyclopedia!
“The Opel Manta is a passenger car model introduced in September 1970 by Adam-Opel-AG. It is a five-seat, two-door coupe with a water-cooled, front-mounted four-cylinder engine and rear-wheel drive. In film, the Manta and its drivers were immortalized in *Manta, Manta, and Manta—The Movie*, much like the VW Beetle was in its day, though often with a rather ironic and derogatory tone. Countless songs—for example, Norbert’s Manta and the Cowards—and Manta jokes emerged about Manta drivers as one of the most widespread and highly stylized stereotypes of a certain type of redneck: A foxtail on the antenna, a six-pack on the back seat, a blonde—who happens to be a hairdresser—in the passenger seat—this was the cliché of a Manta driver. The stereotypical Manta driver also had a low level of education, macho behavior, cowboy boots, an elbow hanging out the window in any weather, and many other traits that others considered embarrassing.
“That’s exactly what the new Manta looks likeCarrera
!”
They couldn’t have done a better job of bringing this cult classic to life. First, a few words about the characters: The passenger has a bust that would make Sonja Kraus pale in comparison. The driver wears a black tank top, Go
a chain, and sports the classic mullet. Very true to the original—see above!
As for the car itself:We have the Manta here in its tuned version with fender flares. The paint job is absolutely authentic to the era. Bright colors were all the rage back then; parking lots were colorful, not uniformly silver. The matte black hood (designed to prevent light reflections), the huge OPEL logo on the hood, the racing stripes, and the OPEL lightning bolt and lettering on the side. A very nice detail: the LUI sun visor on the windshield. The paint job is very detailed and clean; the only minor drawback on my model is the slight blurriness along the edge of the hood. One of my favorite features is the spoke rims: they’re actually a painted photo-etched part!
The bodyitself is very sturdy and can withstand crashes without any problems. The car is absolutely child-friendly, in case Dad ever lets his kid take it for a spin.
And it drives just as smoothly as it looks. The 97gr of plastic and metal really fly around the curves on those high-grip tires; acceleration is good, and the magnets keep the car securely on track. Without magnets, it’s a bit harder to drive—it ends up feeling closer to the original than it intends to. In tight turns, it tends to slide out quickly.
Conclusion: : The Stingray is a worthy opponent for the VWGo lf GTI. If the Ford Capri or Escort were to be added now, the classic ’80s disco cars would be complete.
CoMod Lotus
(analog 27232 and digital 30431)
The Manta—books have been written about this car, movies have been made about it, and countless jokes have been told about it. Above all, however, the Manta was one of the most popular cars to customize, so that today there are almost more modified versions than stock ones.
On the road, though, you almost exclusively see the Manta B, which is no surprise, since it was built from 1975 to 1988. Its predecessor, the Manta A, by contrast, rolled off the assembly line for just 5 years. The most legendary Manta, however, did not come from Opel, but from the Belgian company “Transeurop Engineering,” abbreviated as TE. There, the 2.8-liter six-cylinder engine from the Opel Commodore was transplanted into the Manta, which u.a. required a slight extension of the front end. To top it off, the customer got sleek fender flares that made it clear even from the outside that this was no ordinary Manta. Contemporary sources indicate that fewer than 100 vehicles were built.
And it is precisely this TE 2800 that served
The Manta’s sleek body shape is very well rendered in the model, and the flashy, poison-green color scheme makes the car an absolute head-turner—a look that’s even reflected in the rims. The matte black hood, along with the black window trim and accent strips, create an eye-catching contrast. There are also oversized Opel lightning bolts on the hood and doors, as well as the “Manta A Power” lettering in the original Opel style. Some of the “details” on the passenger side are also oversized, while the driver is dressed in true style with a tank top and a mullet. There is one minor drawback, however—the rear of the body sits a bit high on the chassis; presumably, this “jacked-up” look was also quite trendy in the ’80s.
Let’s move on to the technical aspects —while the chassis is
, in principle , a special design for the Manta, it consists exclusively of familiar elements: the separately removable engine-rear-axle unit, the innovative keel-like design, and the option for digital retrofitting. The steering angle of the guide keel could be larger, but there’s nothing wrong with its position. As is almost always the case, the setup is limited to removing the rear magnet and adjusting the center magnet for maximum ground clearance. The Manta’s compact dimensions suggest a lively driving experience, and sure enough, the car takes corners quite aggressively, though it always remains easy to control. There are no instances of the car losing traction or similar unpleasant surprises. Thus, it lives up to its “Tuner” nickname and proves to be a worthy opponent for the
Personally, I’d be thrilled if more color variants were released in the coming years—the color palette of the ’70s and ’80s has a lot to offer in this regard, and there were also attractive special editions like the “Black Magic,” which would certainly perform very well on the racetrack.
CoMod
Chris---------------------------------------------------------------------
-Review by CoMod Lotus of the Opel Manta A “Tuner”
(analog 27232 and digital 30431)
How do you start a review of the Opel Manta?
Let’s approach it from a different angle: Let’s let Wikipedia speak—or rather, let’s quote from the online encyclopedia!
“The Opel Manta is a passenger car model introduced in September 1970 by Adam-Opel-AG. It is a five-seat, two-door coupe with a water-cooled, front-mounted four-cylinder engine and rear-wheel drive. In film, the Manta and its drivers were immortalized in *Manta, Manta, and Manta—The Movie*, much like the VW Beetle was in its day, though often with a rather ironic and derogatory tone. Countless songs—for example, Norbert’s Manta and the Cowards—and Manta jokes emerged about Manta drivers as one of the most widespread and highly stylized stereotypes of a certain type of redneck: A foxtail on the antenna, a six-pack on the back seat, a blonde—who happens to be a hairdresser—in the passenger seat—this was the cliché of a Manta driver. The stereotypical Manta driver also had a low level of education, macho behavior, cowboy boots, an elbow hanging out the window in any weather, and many other traits that others considered embarrassing.
“That’s exactly what the new Manta looks like
As for the car itself:We have the Manta here in its tuned version with fender flares. The paint job is absolutely authentic to the era. Bright colors were all the rage back then; parking lots were colorful, not uniformly silver. The matte black hood (designed to prevent light reflections), the huge OPEL logo on the hood, the racing stripes, and the OPEL lightning bolt and lettering on the side. A very nice detail: the LUI sun visor on the windshield. The paint job is very detailed and clean; the only minor drawback on my model is the slight blurriness along the edge of the hood. One of my favorite features is the spoke rims: they’re actually a painted photo-etched part!
The bodyitself is very sturdy and can withstand crashes without any problems. The car is absolutely child-friendly, in case Dad ever lets his kid take it for a spin.
And it drives just as smoothly as it looks. The 97gr of plastic and metal really fly around the curves on those high-grip tires; acceleration is good, and the magnets keep the car securely on track. Without magnets, it’s a bit harder to drive—it ends up feeling closer to the original than it intends to. In tight turns, it tends to slide out quickly.
Conclusion: : The Stingray is a worthy opponent for the VW
CoMod Lotus
