Review by CoMod Mike... on the Carrera D124 Ford GT40 MkII Le Mans
(23735 and 23736)
. Yeah, yeah...The initial product illustrations don’t really do justice to the actual proportions, but what I pull out of the shipping box is a
whole other world... My first impression is immediately of a beautiful, glossy paint finish, and the decals show no imperfections either. Even DSC-seasoned club members acknowledge—with a touch of envy—the excellent execution of this Le Mans classic!
From a technical standpoint, there’s nothing new to report: the chassis, built to the usual high standards, is heavy, but that naturally results in excellent road holding—even if one might wish the weight were just a tiny bit lower! Due to the manufacturing method, the wide tires on plastic rims naturally can’t be compared to machined rims, but lightly sanding the rear tires delivers excellent handling on our wooden club track, as always! As with any slot car, sanding the wheels is recommended—not just when driving without a magnet. On theCarrera
track, sanding isn’t, of course, a must for having fun with the GT40. However, as already mentioned, it is recommended.
Compared to other D124 vehicles, the front axle sits nicely in the wheel well. However, I still always recommend removing the axle spring. Then, use the control arm bolt to lower the front end to achieve better alignment of the keel.
After switching to analog mode, however, one drawback became apparent: not in terms of handling—drifting is very enjoyable here—but the lighting is too dim compared to the other D124 models! This will require a bit of tinkering. On the digital track, this isn’t as noticeable due to the constant lighting, which always operates at full voltage. Looking at the body and chassis, this lighting compromise is likely due to the optimization of the vehicle itself. As a result, the body—with its large recesses—is manufactured as a "single piece" (welded together) and does not need to be bolted together from two additional parts, as is the case with the Ferrari P4. This simplifies assembly, but the light output of the side LEDs suffers as a result!
Nevertheless, it’s a beautiful car with excellent handling characteristics (with sanded-down tires) on the wooden track. You can even crank up the voltage a bit here, and the car still stays on track!
For me, it’s clearly my new favorite 1:24 scale car.
CoMod Mike...
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Review by CoMod JoergW ofCarrera
the
D124 Ford GT40 MkII Le Mans
(23735 and 23736)
The legend of the Ford GT began in the early 1960s. Henry Ford II wanted to reenter the world of racing for marketing reasons and planned to do so by partnering with Ferrari, a company that was facing significant financial difficulties at the time. However, negotiations with the headstrong Enzo Ferrari broke down due to his insistence on a clear dominant role in this joint project, with the Ferrari name taking precedence. Ford was unwilling to accept the role of a junior partner. Henry Ford II now set his sights on nothing less than victory at Le Mans—and thus victory over Ferrari.
Carroll Shelby, John Wyer, and Eric Broadley brought their experience u.a . from the Lola GT to the project, and as early as 1964, two GT40s were testing at Le Mans. The GT40 featured a monocoque construction and a mid-engine layout—revolutionary designs for their time! These were complemented by riveted and bonded lightweight aluminum panels. Initial aerodynamic challenges then led to the GT 40 Mk II with its distinctive rear spoiler, which is now available as a model.
The Ford GT 40 Mark II is a race car with a height of just over 100 cm, which explains its name (GT 40 = 40 inches in height). Incidentally, the bulge in the roof was added later to accommodate a slightly taller driver.
A GT 40 secured its first victory in 1965 at the Daytona Continental 2,000 km race. Not only did the Cobra Daytona take second place and another GT 40 take third... but no Ferrari made it to the finish line. Thus, the “Ford Racing” project came
to an end.
In 1966, the MK2 secured three victories in both 24-hour races (Daytona Beach and Le Mans). Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon triumphed at Le Mans in 1966, winning the race in the GT 40 MkII. The GT 40 fleet crossed the finish line in first, second, and third place. Henry Ford II made a special trip to the Sarthe to line up his cars for a victory photo. The picture went around the world.
The Ferrari 330 P3s scored points much less frequently, and Ford went on to win the 1966 World Championship. In 1967, the changing of the guard slowly began. The Ford GT 40 MK2 and MK4 raced side by side. The MK4s claimed the victories, but the MKs continued to score points. But now forCarrera
the model that many Carrera risti have waited long enough for
!
Appearance:
The model is highly true to the real car and features a high level of detail. The paintwork and decals—or printed graphics—are clean and sharply defined, right down to the finest lines. However, the delicate, exposed mirrors should be removed before racing. By the way, the silver lines on the front flaps of the auxiliary lights aren’t botched, crooked chrome trim frames—they’re actually meant to represent the tapestry strips used back then.
Technical Details:
There’s nothing new to report regarding the keel and skid plate areas. If you like, you can certainly remove the front axle spring to make the car look a bit lower. I didn’t notice any improvement in handling on the small track. The day before, I’d still been racing with the spring in place. The front LEDs are likely positioned on the sides due to the one-piece body construction. Black caps are intended here—as with the taillights—to prevent light from shining through into the body. Light escapes only toward the front. Unfortunately, this means that on the GT40, very little light escapes from the headlights through the plastic light channel. This limitation should be taken into account when driving at night and in tank mode. Removing the front caps and covering the stray light areas with felt strips improves the situation somewhat. There is certainly still room for improvement here.
Handling:
Now for what happens outside the display case: driving and racing. Inspired by a question in a forum and my own playful curiosity, I tried to see if tuning tires from other, already available models would fit the GT 40. To make a long story short, yes, such tuning tires do exist. The rear tires from the Grand Sport fit like a glove. Although the tires were already mounted and a race in our little home digital track series was coming up, I decided to conduct the test under real-world conditions after all. The GT 40 drove very smoothly; it’s well-balanced and can navigate consistent turns at high speeds particularly well. Even on twisty, short sections of track with changing directions, it doesn't lose
its composure easily.
Since the other drivers had no objections, I raced the GT40 as-is—just removed the magnets and put on tuning tires—without any further preparation, and then let it race against the Grand Sports in the 60s class for over 30 minutes in the following race. The GT 40’s last-place finish was certainly not the car’s fault ;-) The idea quickly came up to test whether the contemporary Ferrari 330P4 and the GT 40 could be raced in a single series. There would certainly be plenty of car and design options to choose from, and the series would be a real visual treat.
Start reserving plenty of space under the Christmas tree and spread the word about your wish lists—it’ll be worth it!
CoMod JoergW
(23735 and 23736)
. Yeah, yeah...The initial product illustrations don’t really do justice to the actual proportions, but what I pull out of the shipping box is a
whole other world... My first impression is immediately of a beautiful, glossy paint finish, and the decals show no imperfections either. Even DSC-seasoned club members acknowledge—with a touch of envy—the excellent execution of this Le Mans classic!
From a technical standpoint, there’s nothing new to report: the chassis, built to the usual high standards, is heavy, but that naturally results in excellent road holding—even if one might wish the weight were just a tiny bit lower! Due to the manufacturing method, the wide tires on plastic rims naturally can’t be compared to machined rims, but lightly sanding the rear tires delivers excellent handling on our wooden club track, as always! As with any slot car, sanding the wheels is recommended—not just when driving without a magnet. On the
Compared to other D124 vehicles, the front axle sits nicely in the wheel well. However, I still always recommend removing the axle spring. Then, use the control arm bolt to lower the front end to achieve better alignment of the keel.
After switching to analog mode, however, one drawback became apparent: not in terms of handling—drifting is very enjoyable here—but the lighting is too dim compared to the other D124 models! This will require a bit of tinkering. On the digital track, this isn’t as noticeable due to the constant lighting, which always operates at full voltage. Looking at the body and chassis, this lighting compromise is likely due to the optimization of the vehicle itself. As a result, the body—with its large recesses—is manufactured as a "single piece" (welded together) and does not need to be bolted together from two additional parts, as is the case with the Ferrari P4. This simplifies assembly, but the light output of the side LEDs suffers as a result!
Nevertheless, it’s a beautiful car with excellent handling characteristics (with sanded-down tires) on the wooden track. You can even crank up the voltage a bit here, and the car still stays on track!
For me, it’s clearly my new favorite 1:24 scale car.
CoMod Mike...
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Review by CoMod JoergW of
(23735 and 23736)
The legend of the Ford GT began in the early 1960s. Henry Ford II wanted to reenter the world of racing for marketing reasons and planned to do so by partnering with Ferrari, a company that was facing significant financial difficulties at the time. However, negotiations with the headstrong Enzo Ferrari broke down due to his insistence on a clear dominant role in this joint project, with the Ferrari name taking precedence. Ford was unwilling to accept the role of a junior partner. Henry Ford II now set his sights on nothing less than victory at Le Mans—and thus victory over Ferrari.
Carroll Shelby, John Wyer, and Eric Broadley brought their experience u.a . from the Lola GT to the project, and as early as 1964, two GT40s were testing at Le Mans. The GT40 featured a monocoque construction and a mid-engine layout—revolutionary designs for their time! These were complemented by riveted and bonded lightweight aluminum panels. Initial aerodynamic challenges then led to the GT 40 Mk II with its distinctive rear spoiler, which is now available as a model.
The Ford GT 40 Mark II is a race car with a height of just over 100 cm, which explains its name (GT 40 = 40 inches in height). Incidentally, the bulge in the roof was added later to accommodate a slightly taller driver.
A GT 40 secured its first victory in 1965 at the Daytona Continental 2,000 km race. Not only did the Cobra Daytona take second place and another GT 40 take third... but no Ferrari made it to the finish line. Thus, the “Ford Racing” project came
to an end.
In 1966, the MK2 secured three victories in both 24-hour races (Daytona Beach and Le Mans). Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon triumphed at Le Mans in 1966, winning the race in the GT 40 MkII. The GT 40 fleet crossed the finish line in first, second, and third place. Henry Ford II made a special trip to the Sarthe to line up his cars for a victory photo. The picture went around the world.
The Ferrari 330 P3s scored points much less frequently, and Ford went on to win the 1966 World Championship. In 1967, the changing of the guard slowly began. The Ford GT 40 MK2 and MK4 raced side by side. The MK4s claimed the victories, but the MKs continued to score points. But now for
Appearance:
The model is highly true to the real car and features a high level of detail. The paintwork and decals—or printed graphics—are clean and sharply defined, right down to the finest lines. However, the delicate, exposed mirrors should be removed before racing. By the way, the silver lines on the front flaps of the auxiliary lights aren’t botched, crooked chrome trim frames—they’re actually meant to represent the tapestry strips used back then.
Technical Details:
There’s nothing new to report regarding the keel and skid plate areas. If you like, you can certainly remove the front axle spring to make the car look a bit lower. I didn’t notice any improvement in handling on the small track. The day before, I’d still been racing with the spring in place. The front LEDs are likely positioned on the sides due to the one-piece body construction. Black caps are intended here—as with the taillights—to prevent light from shining through into the body. Light escapes only toward the front. Unfortunately, this means that on the GT40, very little light escapes from the headlights through the plastic light channel. This limitation should be taken into account when driving at night and in tank mode. Removing the front caps and covering the stray light areas with felt strips improves the situation somewhat. There is certainly still room for improvement here.
Handling:
Now for what happens outside the display case: driving and racing. Inspired by a question in a forum and my own playful curiosity, I tried to see if tuning tires from other, already available models would fit the GT 40. To make a long story short, yes, such tuning tires do exist. The rear tires from the Grand Sport fit like a glove. Although the tires were already mounted and a race in our little home digital track series was coming up, I decided to conduct the test under real-world conditions after all. The GT 40 drove very smoothly; it’s well-balanced and can navigate consistent turns at high speeds particularly well. Even on twisty, short sections of track with changing directions, it doesn't lose
its composure easily.
Since the other drivers had no objections, I raced the GT40 as-is—just removed the magnets and put on tuning tires—without any further preparation, and then let it race against the Grand Sports in the 60s class for over 30 minutes in the following race. The GT 40’s last-place finish was certainly not the car’s fault ;-) The idea quickly came up to test whether the contemporary Ferrari 330P4 and the GT 40 could be raced in a single series. There would certainly be plenty of car and design options to choose from, and the series would be a real visual treat.
Start reserving plenty of space under the Christmas tree and spread the word about your wish lists—it’ll be worth it!
CoMod JoergW
