Review by CoMod martinmm on the Carrera Evo/D132 Morgan Plus 8
(27294 and 30472/30473)
When I removed the Morgan Plus 8 from the box, I immediately noticed the small wheel diameter – until 2-3 seconds later, it clicked: there's the new chassis underneath! So I immediately took it out of the box and inspected it. Yes – finally!
The original Morgan Plus 8 appeared in 1969 alongside the existing Plus 4. Equipped with Rover V8 engines of 3.5 - 4.6 liters displacement and an initial power of 150 hp, it was produced with approximately 230 hp until 2004.
Optics/Processing
Without directly comparing the Carrera car to the original, it appears to be very well executed formally. The proportions seem to be right, the driver a bit tall, but the car was also quite petite. The driver figure is very realistic, although a bit more of the interior could be realized, as there's plenty of space underneath.
The dark green paint job has a British feel, while the light blue version, at first glance, takes some getting used to on this classic roadster. The paintwork and lettering are absolutely flawless; even the small plates in front of the radiator are neatly executed. The 'real' spare tire is also a good fit. A thin plastic dummy is lighter, but the rubber tire looks more authentic. The Morgan Plus 8 doesn't have lights—not that I miss them—but I'd gotten used to them.
Technology
On the new Evolution/Digital 132 chassis, the magnets are located on the inside. The guide keel can be rotated approximately 80° on each side! The front wheels are mounted via independent suspension. This makes it possible to position the guide keel further forward, even if, as in this case, there is hardly any space in front of the front axle.
Driving behavior
To remove the magnets, the body is detached from the chassis. The rear magnet is attached with a plastic clip. Using a small screwdriver, you can lift it out of its anchorage and remove the magnet. The magnet in the middle of the chassis sits between the motor and the circuit board. To remove it, unscrew the circuit board. Removing the magnets is a bit more complicated than with the old chassis, but it didn't take longer than 2-3 minutes. Then the Morgan Plus 8 could finally go on the track! With 13 volts on my approximately 12m long test track, it was really fun! The tires have good grip and the Morgan, which weighs just over 70g, could be quickly and controllably drifted around the track. The coordination of the front end/guide keel to the track is almost ideal. Without deliberately provoking it, I was unable to throw the car off the track.
I then placed the light blue Digital 132 version on the track with the full set of magnets. However, this is a stop-and-go operation. The magnets are much too strong on this lightweight model. It doesn't fit together. After removing the rear magnet, it felt much better. The car can be driven very quickly around corners, and extensive drifts are possible because the magnet is very wide and the guide keel no longer poses an obstacle due to its large rotation angle.
Conclusion
The new chassis completely won me over, although this small, lightweight car certainly doesn't represent the average Evolution/D132 car. I'm curious to see how the wide, flat race cars perform on the track! Anyone who enjoys driving around twisty tracks without magnets and with feeling will definitely get their money's worth with the Morgan Plus 8!
CoMod martinmm
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Review by CoMod JoergW on the Carrera Evo/D132 Morgan Plus 8
(27294 and 30472/30473)
Optics:
The vehicle cuts a very good figure in the pit and on the track. The proportions are harmonious and faithfully realized. Green is the classic color of English racing and sports cars, and light blue is a trendy 70s design. Details like the rally badges on the front and the "real" spare tire further enhance the vehicles. With the nicely designed driver figure in his authentic outfit, I would have preferred at least a hint of sculpted legs. Unfortunately, the Plus8 doesn't have lighting, which is certainly due to the very tight space in the front area. When driving digitally, you'll probably miss it most because of the refueling signals.
Technology:
The new chassis and especially the new guide keel area are a success. The car now looks very tidy from underneath and no longer so assembled. It's somehow more prototypical. This, of course, has a small drawback, more on that later. The significantly expanded swivel range of the guide keel allows the car to drift more controlled, especially on Turn 1, which is included in the basic package layout. Early locking and un-locking is a thing of the past with reasonably normal (and certainly very fast) driving. Unfortunately, the new magnet regulations aren't really on the side of slot racers. They're intended to prevent children from swallowing magnets, so the magnets can no longer be simply removed from the outside with a screwdriver. You have to disassemble the chassis and then unscrew the circuit board inside for the center magnet. The holder at the rear can be easily bent open and lifted off with a mini screwdriver. It makes sense to remove the motor for this work. This is a great opportunity to really get to know your new slot car. :-) Most of us won't be changing our setup every day, and while the driving fun can still be had with magnets, the very light vehicle is actually overwhelmed with the full load. Test and decide for yourself which magnets stay in. To each his own, just like with old Fritz.
Processing:
All parts fit perfectly, without burrs, paint defects, etc. The printing is detailed, not smudged, and also abrasion-resistant (assuming normal gripping).
Driving behavior:
I've already said a lot about this in the technical section. Of the previous evolutionary stages of the Evolution vehicles and their digital counterparts, this is the best vehicle concept to date, purely from a driving perspective. Personally, I would prefer this chassis with the sliding magnet from that time, but as always in life, you can't have everything. The Plus 8 has well-fitting and extremely grippy tires that allow for fast driving. I don't see any need for tuning tires any time soon.
CoMod JoergW
(27294 and 30472/30473)
When I removed the Morgan Plus 8 from the box, I immediately noticed the small wheel diameter – until 2-3 seconds later, it clicked: there's the new chassis underneath! So I immediately took it out of the box and inspected it. Yes – finally!
The original Morgan Plus 8 appeared in 1969 alongside the existing Plus 4. Equipped with Rover V8 engines of 3.5 - 4.6 liters displacement and an initial power of 150 hp, it was produced with approximately 230 hp until 2004.
Optics/Processing
Without directly comparing the Carrera car to the original, it appears to be very well executed formally. The proportions seem to be right, the driver a bit tall, but the car was also quite petite. The driver figure is very realistic, although a bit more of the interior could be realized, as there's plenty of space underneath.
The dark green paint job has a British feel, while the light blue version, at first glance, takes some getting used to on this classic roadster. The paintwork and lettering are absolutely flawless; even the small plates in front of the radiator are neatly executed. The 'real' spare tire is also a good fit. A thin plastic dummy is lighter, but the rubber tire looks more authentic. The Morgan Plus 8 doesn't have lights—not that I miss them—but I'd gotten used to them.
Technology
On the new Evolution/Digital 132 chassis, the magnets are located on the inside. The guide keel can be rotated approximately 80° on each side! The front wheels are mounted via independent suspension. This makes it possible to position the guide keel further forward, even if, as in this case, there is hardly any space in front of the front axle.
Driving behavior
To remove the magnets, the body is detached from the chassis. The rear magnet is attached with a plastic clip. Using a small screwdriver, you can lift it out of its anchorage and remove the magnet. The magnet in the middle of the chassis sits between the motor and the circuit board. To remove it, unscrew the circuit board. Removing the magnets is a bit more complicated than with the old chassis, but it didn't take longer than 2-3 minutes. Then the Morgan Plus 8 could finally go on the track! With 13 volts on my approximately 12m long test track, it was really fun! The tires have good grip and the Morgan, which weighs just over 70g, could be quickly and controllably drifted around the track. The coordination of the front end/guide keel to the track is almost ideal. Without deliberately provoking it, I was unable to throw the car off the track.
I then placed the light blue Digital 132 version on the track with the full set of magnets. However, this is a stop-and-go operation. The magnets are much too strong on this lightweight model. It doesn't fit together. After removing the rear magnet, it felt much better. The car can be driven very quickly around corners, and extensive drifts are possible because the magnet is very wide and the guide keel no longer poses an obstacle due to its large rotation angle.
Conclusion
The new chassis completely won me over, although this small, lightweight car certainly doesn't represent the average Evolution/D132 car. I'm curious to see how the wide, flat race cars perform on the track! Anyone who enjoys driving around twisty tracks without magnets and with feeling will definitely get their money's worth with the Morgan Plus 8!
CoMod martinmm
----------------------------------------------------------------
Review by CoMod JoergW on the Carrera Evo/D132 Morgan Plus 8
(27294 and 30472/30473)
Optics:
The vehicle cuts a very good figure in the pit and on the track. The proportions are harmonious and faithfully realized. Green is the classic color of English racing and sports cars, and light blue is a trendy 70s design. Details like the rally badges on the front and the "real" spare tire further enhance the vehicles. With the nicely designed driver figure in his authentic outfit, I would have preferred at least a hint of sculpted legs. Unfortunately, the Plus8 doesn't have lighting, which is certainly due to the very tight space in the front area. When driving digitally, you'll probably miss it most because of the refueling signals.
Technology:
The new chassis and especially the new guide keel area are a success. The car now looks very tidy from underneath and no longer so assembled. It's somehow more prototypical. This, of course, has a small drawback, more on that later. The significantly expanded swivel range of the guide keel allows the car to drift more controlled, especially on Turn 1, which is included in the basic package layout. Early locking and un-locking is a thing of the past with reasonably normal (and certainly very fast) driving. Unfortunately, the new magnet regulations aren't really on the side of slot racers. They're intended to prevent children from swallowing magnets, so the magnets can no longer be simply removed from the outside with a screwdriver. You have to disassemble the chassis and then unscrew the circuit board inside for the center magnet. The holder at the rear can be easily bent open and lifted off with a mini screwdriver. It makes sense to remove the motor for this work. This is a great opportunity to really get to know your new slot car. :-) Most of us won't be changing our setup every day, and while the driving fun can still be had with magnets, the very light vehicle is actually overwhelmed with the full load. Test and decide for yourself which magnets stay in. To each his own, just like with old Fritz.
Processing:
All parts fit perfectly, without burrs, paint defects, etc. The printing is detailed, not smudged, and also abrasion-resistant (assuming normal gripping).
Driving behavior:
I've already said a lot about this in the technical section. Of the previous evolutionary stages of the Evolution vehicles and their digital counterparts, this is the best vehicle concept to date, purely from a driving perspective. Personally, I would prefer this chassis with the sliding magnet from that time, but as always in life, you can't have everything. The Plus 8 has well-fitting and extremely grippy tires that allow for fast driving. I don't see any need for tuning tires any time soon.
CoMod JoergW
