Review by CoMod JoergW of the Carrera DIGITAL 124 Auto Union Type C 'No. 33', AVUS 1937 (23750)
Germany in the mi, d-1930s , : The people are marching toward their eventual downfall under state-imposed conformity, but in 1937, they are still unaware of this. The rising nation was eager to showcase its scientific and technological achievements to the world. Victories, such as those at both the 1936 Olympic Games, demonstrated the nation’s supposed superiority, and this was to be repeated in auto racing. Widespread motorization was still relatively insignificant at that time and primarily involved motorcycles. According to a 1937 traffic survey in Halle, approximately 3% of the population commuted to work using “other modes of transportation,” a category that also included automobiles. The bicycle was still the number one mode of transportation, ahead of the railroad, but even back then, auto racing attracted the masses. Those in power provided substantial funding to the racing and development divisions of Mercedes-Benz and AutoUnion in more or less equal measure, so that, through constant internal competition, they could always see a German car on the winner’s podium.
Since 1934 , , the newly founded Auto , Union—a merger of the struggling companies Horch, Wanderer, DKW, and Audi—has been locked, in a constant battle with the already established Mercedes-Benz brand for the top spots in the World Championship races. In contrast to Mercedes, Auto Union opted for a 16-cylinder engine, which was positioned behind the driver for the first time. The Type C produced between 520 and 560 PS from its 6-liter displacement. Other brands were virtually relegated to a supporting role during this period, and the “silver cars” dominated nearly every race finish. The winning nation was practically a foregone conclusion; the only question—whether AutoUnion or Mercedes would win and who would be behind the wheel of the winning car—was the subject of a fierce battle on the track and was what made the races so thrilling.
In 1937, the Auto Union Type C, designed by Ferdinand Porsc he, competed against the Mercedes W125 designed by Rudolf Uhlenhaut. In May 1937, the Avus (Automobil-Verkehrs- und Übungs-Straße) hosted what was then the world’s fastest race under the “Open Formula” rules, in which Hermann Lang emerged victorious in a fully-fairing W 125 (the typeCarrera being tested here as a model) and achieved an average speed of 261.7 km/h. The AVUS had been rebuilt in 1937, and the old north curve had been replaced by a banked, 43.6° steep curve built of brick. Thus, the track—which, with its two long parallel straights and the hairpin turns at the end Carrera , resembles a basic layout—was designed to allow for even higher speeds. The planned modification to the south curve was never completed due to the war. The Mercedes with start number 35 was driven by Rudolf Caracciola, a native of Remagen, but it retired from the race. The Auto Union C-Type was driven by the Italian Luigi Fagioli, who retired in the second qualifying heat. From the already well-known Carrera
Exclusiv series, the Mercedes with start number 36—originally driven by Manfred Brauchitsch—also retired. The Carrera
Exclusiv Auto Union No. 31—originally driven by Bernd Rosemeyer, who later lost his life during a world record attempt—finished in 4th place. The AVUS track placed grueling demands on both the cars and the drivers. In particular, some of the tires lasted only 4–5 laps, which is why both designs feature viewing windows in their streamlined fairings to monitor the tires. The bodywork and engines were later completely overhauled, polished to a high gloss, and optimized for high speeds. The windshield W125is given a rounded shape, and at the end of October 1937, the car heads to Frankfurt for the ONS “Record Week.” The problem familiar from the AVUS—the front end of the car lifting off the ground W125
, —also occurred here, so an additional 90 kg of lead was added to the front of the vehicle, ultimately allowing the car toW125
reach 397 km/h. But AutoUnion, with its Type C streamlined vehicle, had already set the record at 406 km/h. Extensive aerodynamic measurements, improvements to the outer skin, the resolution of cooling issues, and fine-tuning in all areas of the powertrain resulted in the new model W125achieving a sensational drag coefficient of 0.157. Rudolf Caracciola set a new record with this record-breaking car on January 28, 1938, on the Frankfurt/Main–Darmstadt highway: the “Flying Kilometer” at an average speed of 432 km/h. This record remains valid to this day: it is the fastest speed ever achieved on public roads.
The enthusiasm for motorsports and the technical advancements of that era offset other shortcomings and were specifically leveraged to advance the aggressive expansion plans that were already being pursued at the time. But enough of this historical overview—let’s turn our attention to model racing and the twoCarrera
race car models,
Carrera
the Mercedes W125
and the Auto Union Type C Optik
Carrera
. The basic shape and vehicle types are already
familiar from the
exclusive line. The design is largely faithful to the originals. The new D124 models feature several details that further enhance their already impressive appearance. The silver paint on the new releases looks more natural depending on the lighting and is beautifully finished. Redesigned, finely detailed rims, race numbers in bold red, and black, contrast-enhancing borders on the Mercedes, as well as the red design elements on the AutoUnion, make the vehicles even more appealing.
While the tires used aren’t 100% prototypical, they look appropriate. The mechanics and handling are exemplary, and the models have no lighting whatsoever, which at least makes digital refueling a bit more difficult. But that’s just the way it is. However, you can tell that the “fuel” is empty by the vehicles’ stuttering and slow movement, as well as by the tower’s intermittent counting.
Compared to the Exclusive model, the swingarm features a significantly longer guide keel, which is noticeable in the way the car holds its line. The increased steering angle and the limited suspension travel of the leading keel improve handling with and without a magnet. The swing arm is mounted without an adjustable height stop, which limits its up-and-down movement. The front axle turns easily and has a long caster. The rear axles and transmission are well-adjusted and run smoothly.
There is a positive amount of lateral play. The vehicles run significantly smoother than the first models and are easier to control. The axles and rims on both models show no signs of failure; you should simply pay attention to how the tires sit on the rims. Sanding down the grooves is certainly worth considering. With a full set of magnets, you have to really try to get the cars out of balance. Without any magnets at all, the tires don’t have optimal grip. This almost evokes a historic driving feel. I find 1–2 center magnets and the rear magnet to be very pleasant.
Tuning tires (if they ever become available) are an alternative. Otherwise, you can certainly have some exciting races here. But these fairly long cars are also perfect for just cruising and drifting to your heart’s content. The new, significantly improved suspension can also be mounted on the two streamlined bodies from the Exclusiv series (note: these bushings do not have a brass core). This way, you can put together a starting grid of 4 cars without needing any special painting or model-building skills.
Driving them is definitely fun, and racing with 4 silver cars—or perhaps a burgundy-red streamlined car of Italian origin—is sure to be a blast.
CoMod JoergW
Germany in the mi, d-1930s , : The people are marching toward their eventual downfall under state-imposed conformity, but in 1937, they are still unaware of this. The rising nation was eager to showcase its scientific and technological achievements to the world. Victories, such as those at both the 1936 Olympic Games, demonstrated the nation’s supposed superiority, and this was to be repeated in auto racing. Widespread motorization was still relatively insignificant at that time and primarily involved motorcycles. According to a 1937 traffic survey in Halle, approximately 3% of the population commuted to work using “other modes of transportation,” a category that also included automobiles. The bicycle was still the number one mode of transportation, ahead of the railroad, but even back then, auto racing attracted the masses. Those in power provided substantial funding to the racing and development divisions of Mercedes-Benz and AutoUnion in more or less equal measure, so that, through constant internal competition, they could always see a German car on the winner’s podium.
Since 1934 , , the newly founded Auto , Union—a merger of the struggling companies Horch, Wanderer, DKW, and Audi—has been locked, in a constant battle with the already established Mercedes-Benz brand for the top spots in the World Championship races. In contrast to Mercedes, Auto Union opted for a 16-cylinder engine, which was positioned behind the driver for the first time. The Type C produced between 520 and 560 PS from its 6-liter displacement. Other brands were virtually relegated to a supporting role during this period, and the “silver cars” dominated nearly every race finish. The winning nation was practically a foregone conclusion; the only question—whether AutoUnion or Mercedes would win and who would be behind the wheel of the winning car—was the subject of a fierce battle on the track and was what made the races so thrilling.
In 1937, the Auto Union Type C, designed by Ferdinand Porsc he, competed against the Mercedes W125 designed by Rudolf Uhlenhaut. In May 1937, the Avus (Automobil-Verkehrs- und Übungs-Straße) hosted what was then the world’s fastest race under the “Open Formula” rules, in which Hermann Lang emerged victorious in a fully-fairing W 125 (the type
The enthusiasm for motorsports and the technical advancements of that era offset other shortcomings and were specifically leveraged to advance the aggressive expansion plans that were already being pursued at the time. But enough of this historical overview—let’s turn our attention to model racing and the two
While the tires used aren’t 100% prototypical, they look appropriate. The mechanics and handling are exemplary, and the models have no lighting whatsoever, which at least makes digital refueling a bit more difficult. But that’s just the way it is. However, you can tell that the “fuel” is empty by the vehicles’ stuttering and slow movement, as well as by the tower’s intermittent counting.
Compared to the Exclusive model, the swingarm features a significantly longer guide keel, which is noticeable in the way the car holds its line. The increased steering angle and the limited suspension travel of the leading keel improve handling with and without a magnet. The swing arm is mounted without an adjustable height stop, which limits its up-and-down movement. The front axle turns easily and has a long caster. The rear axles and transmission are well-adjusted and run smoothly.
There is a positive amount of lateral play. The vehicles run significantly smoother than the first models and are easier to control. The axles and rims on both models show no signs of failure; you should simply pay attention to how the tires sit on the rims. Sanding down the grooves is certainly worth considering. With a full set of magnets, you have to really try to get the cars out of balance. Without any magnets at all, the tires don’t have optimal grip. This almost evokes a historic driving feel. I find 1–2 center magnets and the rear magnet to be very pleasant.
Tuning tires (if they ever become available) are an alternative. Otherwise, you can certainly have some exciting races here. But these fairly long cars are also perfect for just cruising and drifting to your heart’s content. The new, significantly improved suspension can also be mounted on the two streamlined bodies from the Exclusiv series (note: these bushings do not have a brass core). This way, you can put together a starting grid of 4 cars without needing any special painting or model-building skills.
Driving them is definitely fun, and racing with 4 silver cars—or perhaps a burgundy-red streamlined car of Italian origin—is sure to be a blast.
CoMod JoergW
