Review by CoMod JoergW of the Carrera 2007 Evo/D132 AMG Mercedes C-Class cars
(27234, 27235, 27236, 30432, and 30433)
The DTM weekend is over... You think the season is over? Well, the real one is, but theCarrera season has just begun—both in the analog and digital worlds. Last weekend, I took the digital and analog versions of the Mercedes and Audi for a test drive, and I’d like to share my impressions of the Mercedes cars with the club.
Appearance:
I was simply blown away—especially the chrome-colored Schneider Mercedes really shows what it’s capable of. The decals and body details are very true to the original and cleanly executed. I couldn’t really find any flaws in any of the cars. Even the white—which is usually quite tricky—has excellent decal coverage. All the cars are true to the real thing, no question about it. Otherwise, vehicle manufacturers probably wouldn’t be granting approval anymore these days… the “wild ’90s” are over, at least for one or two manufacturers ;-)
Technology:
Nothing new, really. The swivel range of the front keel is okay; the return spring isn’t too strong.
Workmanship:
The delicate side mirrors are quite secure but can be removed without any trouble (which I’d strongly recommend for racing). It remains to be seen how well the small additional spoilers—especially at the rear and on the sides—will hold up in racing. Even in the real DTM, there’s a lot of “colorful plastic” on the tracks… it certainly won’t get that bad in the 1:32 scale model racing world, but that’s just the price we pay for the very high level of detail we want.
Handling:
All versions of the Mercedes handle very well; however, without any magnets and without lead trim, etc., the tires’ weaknesses do become noticeable. This is definitely an area that needs improvement—tuning tires would be an effective solution here as well. Otherwise, just sand them down and test them—though I haven’t gotten around to that yet (my sander needs a new V-belt). With all magnets—or at least the center magnet—the DTM Mercedes drives fast and safely. The “average buyer” will find cars here whose driving performance will provide them with plenty of enjoyment for quite some time. The Audis were at least a tiny bit faster on my home track.
Conclusion:
These cars will certainly
appeal to a broad range of buyers in Europe—and especially in Germany— and make good economic sense. Though by that I mean only the sales figures themselves... I don't know how much more it costs for sponsors and vehicle manufacturers. I'd love to see this series in 1:24 scale, too... At least in the club, I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way.
CoMod JoergW----------------
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Review by CoMod Lotus of theCarrera 2007 Evo/D132 AMG Mercedes C-Class cars
(27234, 27235, 27236, 30432, and 30433)
This was actually supposed toCarrera
be a general club review of the new C-Class DTM Mercedes
, but then I decided to single out the ORIGINAL PARTS Mercedes driven by veteran driver Bernd Schneider because I like the car so much. Sure, Jamie Green’s SALZGITTER and Gary Paffett’s STERN turned out pretty well too, and they look great on the track just because of their bright colors, but I think the paint job on BERND SCHNEIDER’s ORIGINAL-TEILE is simply brilliant. The graphics on the hood demonstrate once again just how high the bar is set in model car manufacturing today. What Ninco started a few years ago is now state-of-the-art; they Carrera took on the challenge back then and, over the years, have raised the bar even higher themselves.
The carwith which the 44-year-old from the Saarland z.B . won the race at the Nürburgring in 2008 and finished fifth overall in the drivers’ standings is visually the 2008 version, though in terms of the body, it’s actually the 2007 model of the AMG-Mercedes. Just like the Audis, the Mercedes come equipped with a host of small additional spoilers. We’ll have to see if it survives a crash or two; in any case, it’s advisable to remove the side mirrors and possibly the rear spoiler beforehand if you don’t want these parts to fall victim to the races (and subsequently the vacuum cleaner).
The suspension is our old friend with the removable axle assembly. Some body parts are attached to the chassis; to disassemble the car, you need to loosen the central screw at the rear and two more at the front. Then carefully separate the body from the rest of the vehicle. Reassembly is the same process, but start by fitting the front section first because of the front light assembly.
In terms of handling , the old DTM cars were already among the best theCarrera market had to offer, and for me, the current cars are also among the top contenders. The wide tires give the Schwaben excellent handling, and thanks to the center magnets, it remains easy to control even for beginners and inexperienced drivers. All in all, it's a car that's a real blast to drive!
CoMod Lotus
(27234, 27235, 27236, 30432, and 30433)
The DTM weekend is over... You think the season is over? Well, the real one is, but the
Appearance:
I was simply blown away—especially the chrome-colored Schneider Mercedes really shows what it’s capable of. The decals and body details are very true to the original and cleanly executed. I couldn’t really find any flaws in any of the cars. Even the white—which is usually quite tricky—has excellent decal coverage. All the cars are true to the real thing, no question about it. Otherwise, vehicle manufacturers probably wouldn’t be granting approval anymore these days… the “wild ’90s” are over, at least for one or two manufacturers ;-)
Technology:
Nothing new, really. The swivel range of the front keel is okay; the return spring isn’t too strong.
Workmanship:
The delicate side mirrors are quite secure but can be removed without any trouble (which I’d strongly recommend for racing). It remains to be seen how well the small additional spoilers—especially at the rear and on the sides—will hold up in racing. Even in the real DTM, there’s a lot of “colorful plastic” on the tracks… it certainly won’t get that bad in the 1:32 scale model racing world, but that’s just the price we pay for the very high level of detail we want.
Handling:
All versions of the Mercedes handle very well; however, without any magnets and without lead trim, etc., the tires’ weaknesses do become noticeable. This is definitely an area that needs improvement—tuning tires would be an effective solution here as well. Otherwise, just sand them down and test them—though I haven’t gotten around to that yet (my sander needs a new V-belt). With all magnets—or at least the center magnet—the DTM Mercedes drives fast and safely. The “average buyer” will find cars here whose driving performance will provide them with plenty of enjoyment for quite some time. The Audis were at least a tiny bit faster on my home track.
Conclusion:
These cars will certainly
appeal to a broad range of buyers in Europe—and especially in Germany— and make good economic sense. Though by that I mean only the sales figures themselves... I don't know how much more it costs for sponsors and vehicle manufacturers. I'd love to see this series in 1:24 scale, too... At least in the club, I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way.
CoMod JoergW----------------
--------------------------------------------------------
Review by CoMod Lotus of the
(27234, 27235, 27236, 30432, and 30433)
This was actually supposed to
The carwith which the 44-year-old from the Saarland z.B . won the race at the Nürburgring in 2008 and finished fifth overall in the drivers’ standings is visually the 2008 version, though in terms of the body, it’s actually the 2007 model of the AMG-Mercedes. Just like the Audis, the Mercedes come equipped with a host of small additional spoilers. We’ll have to see if it survives a crash or two; in any case, it’s advisable to remove the side mirrors and possibly the rear spoiler beforehand if you don’t want these parts to fall victim to the races (and subsequently the vacuum cleaner).
The suspension is our old friend with the removable axle assembly. Some body parts are attached to the chassis; to disassemble the car, you need to loosen the central screw at the rear and two more at the front. Then carefully separate the body from the rest of the vehicle. Reassembly is the same process, but start by fitting the front section first because of the front light assembly.
In terms of handling , the old DTM cars were already among the best the
CoMod Lotus
