Review by CoMod Carrera 124 of the Carrera Evolution Porsche 911
(27242)
—The Porsche 911 and racetracks go hand in hand. As early as 1964, miniature versions of the original 911 were already doing laps on theCarrera
132 Universal track
. In the ’70s, Märklin offered the 911 in a 1/32 Targa version for the Sprint system. In the ’90s, the then-current 964 was finally available in 1/24 scale as part of the Exclusiv line.
A few days ago, Porsche unveiled the second, facelifted version of the 997 to the global public. The exterior changes are fairly modest—in addition to redesigned front and rear bumpers, the new LED lights at the front and rear are particularly striking. The more interesting innovations are hidden under the hood—in addition to a new generation of direct-injection engines, the interior, including the infotainment system, has also been brought up to date. The biggest innovation, however, is the optional dual-clutch transmission, which allows for gear shifts without interrupting thrust. What slot cars have always been able to do—namely, accelerate from a standstill to top speed without any shift pauses—the real 911 can now do as well.
With only a brief delay, the scale model of the 911 rollsCarrera onto the test track as a slot car. The designers and mold makers have nailed the shape perfectly—this is exactly what the 911 looks like, and nothing else. Compared to the catalog image, the color is neither dark nor metallic, but a bold, solid red. It suits the car exceptionally well. The black window frames are very accurately rendered, as is the printed lettering on the front and rear. There are even Porsche crests printed on the wheel spokes. Under the rear bumper, you can also spot a silver, embossed-style dummy engine.
A slot car from AutoArt used for comparison shows that both cars are visually in the same league. IfCarrera there’s anything at all to criticize about the
model, it’s most likely the LEDs in the headlights that are visible from the outside. In contrast, the figures inside the AutoArt 911 look rather unrealistic and give the impression of lifeless mannequins. Some might Carrera
find the model’s ground clearance a bit too high. It’s worth noting, however, that a real 911 also has relatively high ground clearance. You can easily slide an Evo display box under the side sill, and there’s still plenty of room to spare.
The technical components and chassis hold few surprises; you’ll find the familiar elements: the engine-transmission block that can be removed from below, as well as the relatively large keel unit. The front splitter itself is positioned just in front of the front axle—while this isn’t ideal, it’s acceptable. The suspension in the middle section largely corresponds to that of the 911 GT3 RSR, though the front and rear sections have different designs.
As is well known, two otherslot car manufacturers have equipped their track-ready 911s with real rear-mounted engines—Carrera thankfully,
this manufacturer has refrained from such experiments and opted for the classic inline engine layout. The interior is therefore kept relatively flat in the rear, with the dashboard molded out about halfway. Given the technical constraints, this is a sensible compromise. The tires have a fine tread pattern and offer an average level of grip: I’ve had Carrera
tires with better grip —but also worse ones.
Retrofitting the digital circuit boardis a quick and easy process—the tangled cables need to be carefully tucked away, but the chassis provides plenty of space for them. Some care is needed when mounting the body on the chassis: first, the rear LEDs must be neatly threaded into the taillights, then do the same with the front LEDs.
For the testdrive , I—as always—completely removed the rear magnet and adjusted the center magnet for maximum ground clearance. All spacer plates were removed. The driving performance is very impressive—the car accelerates with great responsiveness, and the handling is very neutral. In other words, depending on your preference, you can achieve virtually any drift angle in the turns, but driving a clean line is also no problem. The magnetic grip is relatively weak, which likely contributes significantly to the car’s good handling. Tight K1 combinations don’t throw the car off balance; there’s no loss of traction.
The taillightsshine through the plastic a bit—there’s still room for improvement there. The headlights provide very rich illumination; night racing would be no problem with them.
Conclusion: for me, this is the best and most beautiful 1/32 scale new release of the year so far. Excellent looks combined with very appealing handling—you couldn’t ask for more.
CoModCarrera 124
(27242)
—The Porsche 911 and racetracks go hand in hand. As early as 1964, miniature versions of the original 911 were already doing laps on the
A few days ago, Porsche unveiled the second, facelifted version of the 997 to the global public. The exterior changes are fairly modest—in addition to redesigned front and rear bumpers, the new LED lights at the front and rear are particularly striking. The more interesting innovations are hidden under the hood—in addition to a new generation of direct-injection engines, the interior, including the infotainment system, has also been brought up to date. The biggest innovation, however, is the optional dual-clutch transmission, which allows for gear shifts without interrupting thrust. What slot cars have always been able to do—namely, accelerate from a standstill to top speed without any shift pauses—the real 911 can now do as well.
With only a brief delay, the scale model of the 911 rolls
A slot car from AutoArt used for comparison shows that both cars are visually in the same league. If
The technical components and chassis hold few surprises; you’ll find the familiar elements: the engine-transmission block that can be removed from below, as well as the relatively large keel unit. The front splitter itself is positioned just in front of the front axle—while this isn’t ideal, it’s acceptable. The suspension in the middle section largely corresponds to that of the 911 GT3 RSR, though the front and rear sections have different designs.
As is well known, two otherslot car manufacturers have equipped their track-ready 911s with real rear-mounted engines—
Retrofitting the digital circuit boardis a quick and easy process—the tangled cables need to be carefully tucked away, but the chassis provides plenty of space for them. Some care is needed when mounting the body on the chassis: first, the rear LEDs must be neatly threaded into the taillights, then do the same with the front LEDs.
For the testdrive , I—as always—completely removed the rear magnet and adjusted the center magnet for maximum ground clearance. All spacer plates were removed. The driving performance is very impressive—the car accelerates with great responsiveness, and the handling is very neutral. In other words, depending on your preference, you can achieve virtually any drift angle in the turns, but driving a clean line is also no problem. The magnetic grip is relatively weak, which likely contributes significantly to the car’s good handling. Tight K1 combinations don’t throw the car off balance; there’s no loss of traction.
The taillightsshine through the plastic a bit—there’s still room for improvement there. The headlights provide very rich illumination; night racing would be no problem with them.
Conclusion: for me, this is the best and most beautiful 1/32 scale new release of the year so far. Excellent looks combined with very appealing handling—you couldn’t ask for more.
CoMod
