Test report from CoMod Carrera124 on the Carrera Evo VW Scirocco GT24
(Article no. 27296)
Technical data:
Weight (complete vehicle with magnets): 99 grams
Weight (complete vehicle without rear magnet): 97 grams
Weight (complete vehicle without magnets): 94 grams
Weight (body): 32 grams
Length including spoiler: 141 mm
Wheelbase: 82 mm
Track width (front axle): 59 mm
Track width (rear axle): 58 mm
Other: Vehicle has continuous front axle
Overview of the color and country variants:
For now, the Scirocco will be launched exclusively in blue. First, as a dark blue version with the starting number 117, which will be available in both the analog and digital versions. Second, a lighter version, "Wörthersee 2008," will be released exclusively as a digital vehicle.
The model vehicle:
The racing version of the new VW Scirocco debuted at the 2008 Nürburgring 24-hour race, with a total of three cars entering the race with starting numbers 116, 117, and 118. The finish line was reversed: the car with starting number 118 finished 11th overall, and car number 117 finished 15th overall. In addition, the car achieved a dominant one-two victory in the "SP3T" class.
The model:
Following the Morgan Aeromax and Morgan Plus 8, the VW Scirocco is already the third new model to be delivered with the newly designed chassis. Unlike the two Morgans, the Scirocco does not have independent front suspension, but rather a conventional single-axle design. Other features of the new chassis include:
• the angle of rotation of the guide keel has been significantly increased
• no more removable engine rear axle unit
• The magnets can no longer be removed from the outside; the vehicle must be opened once
• Overall, the chassis is designed to be much tidier and clearer.
If you want to attach trim weights, you will find many suitable places: the sidepods, the area between the front axle and the lighting board, and also the area below the rear axle can be used for this purpose.
The ground clearance is approximately 2 mm, and since the prototype is a very close-to-production race car, this value seems quite realistic. The alignment of the guide keel to the front axle is well done; the vehicle's weight rests on the guide keel, and the front axle just barely rolls along.
There is another innovation in the lighting: the two LEDs installed in the rear are equipped with a kind of shielding cone, which ensures that the light only shines backwards and does not scatter all around.
Driving behavior:
There's not much to say about the driving test with both magnets: the adhesive effect is extremely strong, the vehicle can be moved very quickly on the one hand, but on the other hand there are no limits: either you make it through the curve without any problems, or you fly off violently.
The next step is to remove the rear magnet. To do this, it's recommended to unclip the motor from its mount. Then, using a thin needle or similar tool, you can remove the rear magnet's retaining clip. Even in this mode, the holding force of the center magnet is still clearly noticeable. Nevertheless, there is a relatively wide limit if you approach a corner too quickly. The car doesn't suddenly spin out, but only tilts sideways briefly—that's how it should be. Overall, this configuration is recommended for digital operation, because the center magnet provides undesirable directional stability during rapid lane changes.
The third and final option is to remove the center magnet without replacing it. This is secured with a central screw and can be removed easily. This further improves handling and improves the vehicle's controllability. Tricky reactions are completely foreign to the small Scirocco, but you should sand the rear tires to increase their grip somewhat. On smaller tracks, it's also a good idea to set the drive voltage to around 11 volts. Whether or not you add trim weights to the chassis is a matter of personal preference. I didn't do this during my test drive.
Conclusion:
Carrera has achieved a major breakthrough with the Scirocco. The new chassis is impressive across the board, especially in magnetless operation. Nevertheless, it should be noted that the Scirocco is a relatively tall production car—it's therefore unrealistic to expect lap times comparable to those of Group C cars. The new chassis concept will likely only reveal its full potential once it's installed in a dedicated race car. I'm thinking, in particular, of the Nissan GT-R GT500. Regarding the Scirocco, I hope that more color variants or perhaps even body shells will follow soon.
CoMod Carrera124
(Article no. 27296)
Technical data:
Weight (complete vehicle with magnets): 99 grams
Weight (complete vehicle without rear magnet): 97 grams
Weight (complete vehicle without magnets): 94 grams
Weight (body): 32 grams
Length including spoiler: 141 mm
Wheelbase: 82 mm
Track width (front axle): 59 mm
Track width (rear axle): 58 mm
Other: Vehicle has continuous front axle
Overview of the color and country variants:
For now, the Scirocco will be launched exclusively in blue. First, as a dark blue version with the starting number 117, which will be available in both the analog and digital versions. Second, a lighter version, "Wörthersee 2008," will be released exclusively as a digital vehicle.
The model vehicle:
The racing version of the new VW Scirocco debuted at the 2008 Nürburgring 24-hour race, with a total of three cars entering the race with starting numbers 116, 117, and 118. The finish line was reversed: the car with starting number 118 finished 11th overall, and car number 117 finished 15th overall. In addition, the car achieved a dominant one-two victory in the "SP3T" class.
The model:
Following the Morgan Aeromax and Morgan Plus 8, the VW Scirocco is already the third new model to be delivered with the newly designed chassis. Unlike the two Morgans, the Scirocco does not have independent front suspension, but rather a conventional single-axle design. Other features of the new chassis include:
• the angle of rotation of the guide keel has been significantly increased
• no more removable engine rear axle unit
• The magnets can no longer be removed from the outside; the vehicle must be opened once
• Overall, the chassis is designed to be much tidier and clearer.
If you want to attach trim weights, you will find many suitable places: the sidepods, the area between the front axle and the lighting board, and also the area below the rear axle can be used for this purpose.
The ground clearance is approximately 2 mm, and since the prototype is a very close-to-production race car, this value seems quite realistic. The alignment of the guide keel to the front axle is well done; the vehicle's weight rests on the guide keel, and the front axle just barely rolls along.
There is another innovation in the lighting: the two LEDs installed in the rear are equipped with a kind of shielding cone, which ensures that the light only shines backwards and does not scatter all around.
Driving behavior:
There's not much to say about the driving test with both magnets: the adhesive effect is extremely strong, the vehicle can be moved very quickly on the one hand, but on the other hand there are no limits: either you make it through the curve without any problems, or you fly off violently.
The next step is to remove the rear magnet. To do this, it's recommended to unclip the motor from its mount. Then, using a thin needle or similar tool, you can remove the rear magnet's retaining clip. Even in this mode, the holding force of the center magnet is still clearly noticeable. Nevertheless, there is a relatively wide limit if you approach a corner too quickly. The car doesn't suddenly spin out, but only tilts sideways briefly—that's how it should be. Overall, this configuration is recommended for digital operation, because the center magnet provides undesirable directional stability during rapid lane changes.
The third and final option is to remove the center magnet without replacing it. This is secured with a central screw and can be removed easily. This further improves handling and improves the vehicle's controllability. Tricky reactions are completely foreign to the small Scirocco, but you should sand the rear tires to increase their grip somewhat. On smaller tracks, it's also a good idea to set the drive voltage to around 11 volts. Whether or not you add trim weights to the chassis is a matter of personal preference. I didn't do this during my test drive.
Conclusion:
Carrera has achieved a major breakthrough with the Scirocco. The new chassis is impressive across the board, especially in magnetless operation. Nevertheless, it should be noted that the Scirocco is a relatively tall production car—it's therefore unrealistic to expect lap times comparable to those of Group C cars. The new chassis concept will likely only reveal its full potential once it's installed in a dedicated race car. I'm thinking, in particular, of the Nissan GT-R GT500. Regarding the Scirocco, I hope that more color variants or perhaps even body shells will follow soon.
CoMod Carrera124
