Review by CoMod Lotus of Carrera the DIGITAL 132 Audi R8 "Police"
(Art.Nr. 30644)
The Essen Motor Show has been a major destination for car and motorsports fans for many years. And for many years, the VDAT (Association of Automotive Tuners) has been promoting safe tuning at the show.
Every year, the VDAT working group "Tune it! Safe!" presents a campaign vehicle in police livery to introduce car enthusiasts to the reputable and, above all, safe approach to vehicle tuning. The working group also includes tire manufacturer Hankook and the Federal Ministry of Transport.
In 2011, a very special car was unveiled: an Abt Audi R8 GTR.
The 525-horsepower Audi R8 5.2 FSI serves as the basis for the new show car, which has, however, undergone extensive modifications: The police livery is not a paint job but a Foliatec wrap, and the car is equipped with a Hella light signal system on the roof. The naturally aspirated ten-cylinder engine has been boosted by 95 hp to 620 hp. A maximum torque of 550 Newton-meters propels the Abt R8 GTR to 100 km/h in 3.2 seconds and to 200 km/h in 9.9 seconds. However, the top speed is limited to 325 km/h, making it the fastest police car of its kind. The Audi is slowed down by a ceramic brake system, and the car sits on ultra-light 19-inch rims with Hankook Ventus S1 Evo tires, sized 235/35 in the front and 305/30 in the rear.
Inside, the Audi resembles a race car: stainless steel roll bars, Recaro racing seats with a 4-point harness system, and a carbon fiber sports steering wheel. Furthermore, the interior has been fitted with a combination of Alcantara and leather, a black headliner, black carpets, and a black dashboard. There’s little room left in the cabin for passengers, but in return, you’re the undisputed king of the highway. The guys from COBRA 11 can only dream of something like this…
So this would be the inspiration for the new item number 30644. The CARRERA police car is based on the “standard” production R8, which was released back in 2008. The Audi was one of the first cars with the revised chassis; it’s still competitive today, and from the very beginning, it was THE rival for the Porsche 911.
The paint job is cleanly executed and as close to the original as possible, since the ABT R8 naturally differs slightly from the slot car in terms of bodywork. The Digital R8 I tested has front and rear lights (the light from the front seems to shine slightly out of the wheel well), plus the light bar on the roof. Its electronics were sacrificed for the interior, which actually has a positive effect on the car’s handling, since the total weight is lower than that of the production vehicle.
All in all, it’s a very successful design—the car is a lot of fun on the track and can certainly hold its own against more modern competitors!
Best regards,
Lotus
(Art.Nr. 30644)
The Essen Motor Show has been a major destination for car and motorsports fans for many years. And for many years, the VDAT (Association of Automotive Tuners) has been promoting safe tuning at the show.
Every year, the VDAT working group "Tune it! Safe!" presents a campaign vehicle in police livery to introduce car enthusiasts to the reputable and, above all, safe approach to vehicle tuning. The working group also includes tire manufacturer Hankook and the Federal Ministry of Transport.
In 2011, a very special car was unveiled: an Abt Audi R8 GTR.
The 525-horsepower Audi R8 5.2 FSI serves as the basis for the new show car, which has, however, undergone extensive modifications: The police livery is not a paint job but a Foliatec wrap, and the car is equipped with a Hella light signal system on the roof. The naturally aspirated ten-cylinder engine has been boosted by 95 hp to 620 hp. A maximum torque of 550 Newton-meters propels the Abt R8 GTR to 100 km/h in 3.2 seconds and to 200 km/h in 9.9 seconds. However, the top speed is limited to 325 km/h, making it the fastest police car of its kind. The Audi is slowed down by a ceramic brake system, and the car sits on ultra-light 19-inch rims with Hankook Ventus S1 Evo tires, sized 235/35 in the front and 305/30 in the rear.
Inside, the Audi resembles a race car: stainless steel roll bars, Recaro racing seats with a 4-point harness system, and a carbon fiber sports steering wheel. Furthermore, the interior has been fitted with a combination of Alcantara and leather, a black headliner, black carpets, and a black dashboard. There’s little room left in the cabin for passengers, but in return, you’re the undisputed king of the highway. The guys from COBRA 11 can only dream of something like this…
So this would be the inspiration for the new item number 30644. The CARRERA police car is based on the “standard” production R8, which was released back in 2008. The Audi was one of the first cars with the revised chassis; it’s still competitive today, and from the very beginning, it was THE rival for the Porsche 911.
The paint job is cleanly executed and as close to the original as possible, since the ABT R8 naturally differs slightly from the slot car in terms of bodywork. The Digital R8 I tested has front and rear lights (the light from the front seems to shine slightly out of the wheel well), plus the light bar on the roof. Its electronics were sacrificed for the interior, which actually has a positive effect on the car’s handling, since the total weight is lower than that of the production vehicle.
All in all, it’s a very successful design—the car is a lot of fun on the track and can certainly hold its own against more modern competitors!
Best regards,
Lotus
