Test report by CoMod Lotus for the Carrera DIGITAL 124 Maserati 4CL-1500 'No.38', Tripoli 1939 (23749)
What do you write about a car you have no information about?
Two pictures online; that's all I could find about the Maserati 4CL 1500 Streamline. One from the front, one from the back. Also, the information that the car started the 1939 Tripoli Grand Prix and, with Luigi "Gigi" Villoresi at the wheel, was in the lead, but then retired due to engine problems. Incidentally, the same happened with two of the three other Maserati 4CLs that started (though these didn't have streamlined bodies).
There was probably only one race with this body, and the car was probably rebodied immediately after the race. Now, of course, one could spend a long time with a general report on the streamlined cars of the 1930s and the dominance of the racing cars from Auto Union and Mercedes. But I'll spare you that and refer you to the excellent report by CoMod Jörg on the two Silver Arrows mentioned above. The history of pre-war motorsport couldn't be summarized any better.
So let’s write a few words about the model itself.
The Maserati is the third model in the streamlined series and complements the two aforementioned German models in every respect. The car is visually very well executed, as far as one can judge from the sparse images. The only difference, in my opinion, is that the driver sits a bit high.
The wheel covers are also removable, but have a different locking system than the silver ones. What I particularly like are the prototypical treaded tires. The '38' has the new 124-inch chassis with internal magnets (which can be easily removed if necessary), the new swing arm with the wider pivot angle, and the fully enclosed chassis.
The vehicle weighs 179g including magnets. The weight is well distributed, allowing for very smooth driving. However, you should be aware that the streamlined Italian car handles quite differently than, for example, the new Porsche 911. The Zuffenhausen-based car practically sticks to the track, while the 4CL requires a bit more effort to drive. But that's exactly what makes this car so much fun!
Even though the 4CL never won a pre-war race against Mercedes and Auto Union in real life, it is a worthy opponent on the Carrera track!
CoMod Lotus
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Review by CoMod martinmm of the Carrera DIGITAL 124 Maserati 4CL-1500 'No.38', Tripoli 1939 (23749)
For the fast Tripoli race track, Maserati had fitted a 4CL from the 1.5-liter Voiturettes category with a streamlined body. The race was also announced for smaller cars at short notice in 1939. Luigi Villoresi was at the wheel, and he reached a top speed of 170 mph with this car. However, the Maserati did not make it to the finish line due to a broken piston. High-speed tests were also conducted with the Maserati on the motorway near Florence.
Technology:
The vehicle features an identical new chassis design to the two silver streamlined vehicles. The track width is almost the same, and the wheelbase is slightly longer.
Optics:
The otherwise very petite 1.5-liter Maserati 4CL appears quite large due to its distinctive, streamlined body, but it is actually quite a bit smaller than the Mercedes W125 or the Auto Union. The narrow wheels are almost the size of bicycle tires. The driver's head is very finely crafted with a leather cap. Overall, the driver appears somewhat undersized. If you remove the front wheel covers,
This creates a very different visual impression of the car, which I personally like better.
Driving operation:
Driving with the full magnet load is almost identical to the two silver streamliners. The Maserati is even a bit more agile, which is probably due to its 30g lower weight. For a direct comparison, I removed the rear magnet and the middle of the three center magnets and added an additional 10g of weight behind the swing arm. Despite the thin tires, the car has surprisingly good grip and can be driven very quickly around both small and large corners.
A very exotic vehicle that has only been used in a race in this form once. It looks great in a display case, although its superb handling naturally means it belongs on the track.
CoMod martinmm
What do you write about a car you have no information about?
Two pictures online; that's all I could find about the Maserati 4CL 1500 Streamline. One from the front, one from the back. Also, the information that the car started the 1939 Tripoli Grand Prix and, with Luigi "Gigi" Villoresi at the wheel, was in the lead, but then retired due to engine problems. Incidentally, the same happened with two of the three other Maserati 4CLs that started (though these didn't have streamlined bodies).
There was probably only one race with this body, and the car was probably rebodied immediately after the race. Now, of course, one could spend a long time with a general report on the streamlined cars of the 1930s and the dominance of the racing cars from Auto Union and Mercedes. But I'll spare you that and refer you to the excellent report by CoMod Jörg on the two Silver Arrows mentioned above. The history of pre-war motorsport couldn't be summarized any better.
So let’s write a few words about the model itself.
The Maserati is the third model in the streamlined series and complements the two aforementioned German models in every respect. The car is visually very well executed, as far as one can judge from the sparse images. The only difference, in my opinion, is that the driver sits a bit high.
The wheel covers are also removable, but have a different locking system than the silver ones. What I particularly like are the prototypical treaded tires. The '38' has the new 124-inch chassis with internal magnets (which can be easily removed if necessary), the new swing arm with the wider pivot angle, and the fully enclosed chassis.
The vehicle weighs 179g including magnets. The weight is well distributed, allowing for very smooth driving. However, you should be aware that the streamlined Italian car handles quite differently than, for example, the new Porsche 911. The Zuffenhausen-based car practically sticks to the track, while the 4CL requires a bit more effort to drive. But that's exactly what makes this car so much fun!
Even though the 4CL never won a pre-war race against Mercedes and Auto Union in real life, it is a worthy opponent on the Carrera track!
CoMod Lotus
*************************************
Review by CoMod martinmm of the Carrera DIGITAL 124 Maserati 4CL-1500 'No.38', Tripoli 1939 (23749)
For the fast Tripoli race track, Maserati had fitted a 4CL from the 1.5-liter Voiturettes category with a streamlined body. The race was also announced for smaller cars at short notice in 1939. Luigi Villoresi was at the wheel, and he reached a top speed of 170 mph with this car. However, the Maserati did not make it to the finish line due to a broken piston. High-speed tests were also conducted with the Maserati on the motorway near Florence.
Technology:
The vehicle features an identical new chassis design to the two silver streamlined vehicles. The track width is almost the same, and the wheelbase is slightly longer.
Optics:
The otherwise very petite 1.5-liter Maserati 4CL appears quite large due to its distinctive, streamlined body, but it is actually quite a bit smaller than the Mercedes W125 or the Auto Union. The narrow wheels are almost the size of bicycle tires. The driver's head is very finely crafted with a leather cap. Overall, the driver appears somewhat undersized. If you remove the front wheel covers,
This creates a very different visual impression of the car, which I personally like better.
Driving operation:
Driving with the full magnet load is almost identical to the two silver streamliners. The Maserati is even a bit more agile, which is probably due to its 30g lower weight. For a direct comparison, I removed the rear magnet and the middle of the three center magnets and added an additional 10g of weight behind the swing arm. Despite the thin tires, the car has surprisingly good grip and can be driven very quickly around both small and large corners.
A very exotic vehicle that has only been used in a race in this form once. It looks great in a display case, although its superb handling naturally means it belongs on the track.
CoMod martinmm
