Monday October 23, 2006

Hot Rod Invasion!

New Carrera Street Muscle Arrives...

The very latest models from Carrera will certainly catch your eye if you love street machines. Some of these cars are very different from the "normal" releases we see in our hobby and for me that is a good thing. I am a huge fan of American Muscle and Carrera is certainly giving us a heavy dose of both classic and modern street offerings. We are fortunate to have some of the best of these new hot rods for a closer look, so sit back and enjoy the ride:)

Not everyone in our hobby appreciate models such as these, but I do. These cars capture the eye of many young would-be enthusiasts and that one aspect alone makes them a success. Carrera has been brining us classic American muscle that no other company will, and many of us are glad they do. Recently, some previous models have seen some drastic changes to appeal to an even broader market, while other all new models have also entered the fray.

Old School vs. New School

The first 2 models are both excellent examples of this series. The Dodge Charger in yellow with the rear black racing stripe over the trunk lid give it a great classic effect. Fans of these old street sleds should be happy with the overall fit and finish and that Carrera stayed with a more traditional approach.

This car is standard in that it is not lighted, which is fine by me. Some racers might see this car as a candidate to create more NASCAR classics, so adding lights would have been a hindrance. These cars are fun to drive just the way they are and add just more options for the fans of these classic Mopars.

The latest Nissan 350Z with it's wild graphics is directed at the "Tuner" crowd and they have done an excellent job. This car really impressed me with the paint work as the blue on this car is simply gorgeous. This car is also fully lighted front and rear which makes more appealing for many enthusiasts.

The splash graphic on the side finishes off the effect nicely along with some great looking wheels that have the spokes painted to match the body color. The first car was the counter-part to that Fast & Furious Tokyo Drift release, and I wondered when a new livery would come.

And do not let this car fool you. It, like others in this line up can scoot! It has a great balance in tighter corners and the tires hook up nicely with just a little bit of sanding. I have found myself racing against the clock with this car more than I thought I would.

Got Bling?

Next up we have the latest Corvette and Camaro that are truly unique. The Vette will certainly catch your eye with the almost chrome-like finish. The Camaro is painted with a little more traditional flair, but still looks the part of a classic street cruiser that has seen some modern attention.

Of course the main change here is the wheels. Yes, these are spinner wheels and they actually do spin. The effect they create is actually pretty good and should please fans of these types of cars.

I showed the pair of these cars to over 30 of my students here and the reaction was all positive. And why shouldn't it be? Diecast car makers have been making cars along these lines for years and the public seems to swallow them up. Having slot cars with this effect can only be a good thing.

The Vette is not only equipped with the spinner wheels, it also has one other added feature. It is fully lighted both front and rear, but the big surprise was the "ground effects" blue lighting in the bottom of the chassis.

I have to say this is really over the top for me. I never would have guessed that Carrera would go to this length to create a street machine.

The Camaro is basically the same design we have seen aside from the wheels. It does have the removable hood so you can see the engine detail. Again, some will not care about items such as this but it just adds to the identity of this car for me.

"Nice Car Officer"

One thing that has always been popular in our hobby are models painted and decorated like emergency vehicles. Police cruisers lead the pack for many and this Pony car will fit right in. Of course, the one item that finishes off these types of cars are whether or not the lights on top function. Well, these do and very nicely I might add. As you give the car power, the red and blue lights alternate and create the "uh-oh" effect quite effectively.

On the other side of the law is a standard Mustang is a very ominous black livery.

The fit and finish of this car is very well done as the paint looks as if it is still wet. The wheels add the street flair to it and I found it to be a good match with this paint. Again, this car is fully lighted and also is the other car in this series that comes with the ground effects kit.

Chassis

Of course the chassis will vary to fit these models but they are all equipped with the same motor, and dual magnet system that is now standard on Carrera cars. This makes all of them very close competitors on the track, which is exactly what I like to see.

The Nissan has a slight edge in the corners, but overall they are all still close enough for younger racers and parents to do battle with. Lap times were in ranges of 4.4 and 4.6 seconds for all models.

The cars come equipped with a 9 tooth pinion that turns a 27 tooth crown gear. Gear mesh and operations is very smooth and quiet which is a common trait with Carrera models, especially in the last few years. Some of the models come with a polarity switch that allows you to change direction. Not all enthusiasts appreciate this added touch but it can be fun at times to just change things up a bit.

Conclusions

As I stated early on, not everyone appreciates these models. However, they accomplish exactly what Carrera wants them to. They appeal to a younger audience and certainly catch the eye of would-be enthusiasts. I brought all of the models shown with me to my work, and allowed over 40 students ranging in ages from 18 to 27 to take a look. The reactions I witnessed was nothing but positive as they asked all kinds of questions about them and all of them thought they were downright "cool". And that makes them winners to me.

Hardcore race enthusiasts will pass on them, but some of you might want to think about at least 1 pair in your garage. We bring them out from time to time just for something different and we have had plenty of fun with them in the short time we have had them. Given that the average price of these models are well below many others, they are also friendly on those with tighter budgets.

- Harry

As always feel free to contact me about this article or just the hobby in general at harry@homeracingworld.com, or better yet drop into our Message Forum and share your thoughts with other enthusiasts!

Thanks Go To CARRERA USA For Providing Us With These Great Cars!