Carrera Evo `41 Willys Coupe Hotrod "High Performance II

Carrera Evo '41 Willys Coupe Hot Rod "High Performance II"

However, what makes this vehicle so appealing isn't so much its design as its bright yellow paint job with a black accent stripe.
Review by CoMod Carrera124 of the Carrera '41 Willys Coupe Hot Rod "High Performance II"
(27267)

After four color variants of this model were released in the analog lineup in 2007 , and three more in the digital lineup, the yellow Willys Coupe is now the eighth color variant overall.

Since a hot rod is practically always a custom build, it makes little sense at this point to discuss how faithful it is to the original. Whether or not you like the car’s design is something everyone must decide for themselves. Personally, I find it harmonious and well-executed. However, the appeal of this vehicle lies less in its design and more in the bright yellow paint job with a black accent stripe. The rest of the car’s decals are fairly minimal, which is by no means a drawback. The color scheme alone is enough to make this car stand out from many others, whether it's on display or on the racetrack. And even though I usually don't like high-gloss rims at all, they're a perfect match for this car. And as is already familiar from the other high-performance models, the shiny chrome engine is also on full display here. The rear axle features XXL wheels that are only partially concealed by the wheel wells. The bold paint job also prevents the lights from showing through.

The suspension itself features no new design elements; it’s already familiar. Unfortunately, the spoiler is positioned slightly behind the front axle, but hot rods are probably among the few vehicle types where this is clearly the only feasible option. The spoiler’s angle of rotation is greater than, for example, on the BMW Z4 and Audi R10, and is therefore sufficiently large.

If you want to retrofit the car with digital controls, you’ll need the circuit board (Part No. 26732).
Care must be taken when routing the cables, as space under the cockpit is very limited.

I conducted the testdrive without the rear magnet; the center magnet was set to maximum ground clearance, allowing the car to circle the track without any problems. Due to the extremely wide track width at the rear axle, any tendency to tip over is nipped in the bud, and the car drifts very smoothly. However, the large rear wheels on the High Performance models result in a longer overall gear ratio, so acceleration and braking performance are slightly worse than on the Hot Rods with standard tires.

All in all, this car not only looks great in a display case but also performs well on the race track. Of course, you won't be able to set any record-breaking lap times with it, but it's sure to be a lot of fun to drive.

CoMod Carrera 124--------------------------------


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-Review by CoMod martinmm of Carrera Evolution the '41 Willys Coupe Hot Rod "High Performance II"
(27267)

Opinions on the appearance of hot rods are divided—some people like them, while others think there are no uglier cars. I have a pretty laid-back attitude toward hot rods: I’m not particularly interested in them, either in their original form or as race track vehicles—but I’ll grant that they do have a certain visual appeal. Of the hot rods in Carrera the lineup, the Willys Coupe is the one I’ve liked the least so far—though I’m judging it solely based on the photos.

When I finally held the yellow Willys Coupé in my hands, I was very pleasantly surprised: it doesn’t have that somewhat clunky, toy-like look that the pictures had led me to expect. Even the yellow body gives off a high-quality, solid impression. The somewhat tricky shade of yellow is well executed—yellow vehicles often look plasticky when the color is too lemony. The richly detailed interior is also very nice.

Workmanship
: The test model had no noticeable defects. The wheels and axles run reasonably smoothly, and the steering column turns easily.


Technical Specs: The guide fin is positioned too far back and about 1–2 mm too high. The weight of 97 g (without magnet) is acceptable.

Handling
: Without the rear magnet: The tires provide sufficient grip. It’s fun to drift. The center magnet prevents the car from losing traction to some extent. All magnets removed: Tire grip is sufficient. You can drift in a controlled manner. The gear ratio is a bit too long due to the large rear wheels. This impairs braking performance. I would suggest a different, shorter gear ratio here. Testing was conducted on a small home track 13 meters long with a 13-volt operating voltage.
 
Conclusion:
The Willys Coupe handles well on small to medium-sized home tracks, both with the rear magnet removed and without any additional grip aids. The large rear wheel diameter and the moderate grip of the tires prevent strong acceleration or aggressive handling. The rear keel tuning could be better. Unfortunately, the rear wheels of the various HotRods vary greatly in diameter. As a result, it’s actually almost impossible to race them against each other. On our 28-meter-long club track, this amounts to about one meter per lap for the 32-scale HotRod. On the other hand, I don't exactly see Hot Rods as the kind of cars you'd use to set lap records.

CoMod martinmm