Carrera 1/24 Streamliners! - Home Racing World & Slot Car Garage

Wednesday February 02, 2011

These latest 1/24 releases from Carrera are truly in a class by themselves. As with many models out there, either these are going to spark your interest or they won't. For those of you who do like the looks of them, read on as we find out what these beasts have to offer.

Wild looking as it gets aren't they? These models represent a special time in racing history. I do not waste much space on history, so look these cars up in your favorite search engine, sit back and enjoy a trip back in time. You will then learn why these models were likely made and why only Carrera would be the ones to make them.

Now fast forward to today. When I first looked at these models a smile came on face. Why? Because you may not think so but these monsters can be some of the most fun you can have in our hobby. Years ago Carrera released models like this and for the most part they were ignored. I was guilty of it myself until I went on a slot racing visit and my friend Kurt Moser had a pair of them. We broke them out and the racing they provided was nothing short of a blast!

Here we are in 2011 with 3 brand new offerings, and the feedback I have heard had me hopeful. Would these models be equally as fun? Just looking at them had me anxious. But before we start breaking any speed records, let's take a closer look at the outside shall we?

This is a size reference using a standard 1/32nd scale Carrera NASCAR.

The paint and clear coat on all of these are very well done. The Maserati still looks wet to me and you can see a mile into it.

Details like the upper wheel openings and the attention to our drivers should satisfy many of you.

These wheel covers also give a distinct look to them. They will pop off in a hard crash but they snap right back in place easily.

Scale wise I think Carrera did a very good job. Nothing is perfect but when you research them I think you will feel the same. The futuristic shape has certainly been captured well enough for me. Hopefully these photos are good enough for you to make up your mind.

Looking underneath you can see each model has a chassis molded for it. You can also the wheels and tires on the Maserati are quite narrow compared to the other two. Still, I am hopeful they will be equally matched.

Under The Hood

Since all 3 models have the same components, I will simply feature one chassis.

Inside you can see the electronics for the digital part of the car. 2 of the ends are unhooked as these models do not have lights. You also see the motor that has a 10 tooth pinion that turns the large 50 tooth spur gear.

There are 2 sets of magnets for this car. One is near the middle of the car and one is in the rear. Removing the motor pod assembly reveals them both. There is also a shim under each set of magnets that you could remove to lower them slightly although I do not see where you would ever need to. These provide a lot of down-force as is.

The midsection magnets come in a group of 3. You can take away one at a time or leave them as is. I like this flexibility, nice thinking here Carrera.

There is also an odd change you can make. Inside the back lid of the case is a plastic adaptor. It is made to replace the metal one in the car. The one in the car has threads were the car mount screw goes.

According to the instructions, you can swap these out to save weight. I really do not see where this is going to make much difference and think Carrera could have easily just made the plastic one threaded as it would hold the car well enough.

Box Stock Track Testing

ATTENTION! These cars require at least 18 volts to run as designed.

Standard 1/32nd scale or lower transformers will not have enough voltage to make these cars operate properly.

These models are also DIGITAL. ALL new Carrera 1/24 models will be digital ONLY. To operate in analog mode you will need to quickly program them. Here is a video that shows you how.

DIGITAL to ANALOG CONVERSION VIDEO
Courtesy of Carrera USA

This video shows 1/32nd scale but the process is the same. I performed this on all 3 of these models and they worked perfectly.

For those who cannot load the video:

1. Move the polarity switch to the forward position.

2. Place model on track with rear wheels in the air.

3. Pull the trigger on your controller 3 times. On the 3rd time you should see the wheels turn. You are done. You can now also move the polarity switch to change the direction of the model.

Operation is fine once you get them programmed. Do not expect these cars to perform like any 1/32nd scale models you may have. The sheer mass of these models is simply going to effect them. Acceleration is a little soft but the braking is pronounced enough thanks to the heavy magnets. Tires had fair grip but I think a good sanding and cleaning will certainly help matters.

You can switch the direction the model will run with the polarity switch.

We raced on Carrera track and the magnets really do work! They are a little too strong for me, but my son loved them. You can always remove some magnet so no real issue. It is easier to take away than add to in this case as Carrera gives you all the magnets you should ever need.

All in all I have to give a good rating here as they functioned as intended out of the box. And to be honest, they are fun. Just as much fun as I hoped. My son and I had a ball blasting around our smaller road course with them. I can tell you now that they can handle a TOUGH beating! Having the option of changing direction with the flip of a switch is also a plus in my book.

Funny how this hobby can easily bring out the child in you. My 13 year old has no idea what these cars are, he just thought they "looked wild". I am no history expert on them either and this did not stop us from racing them. Once we got started the laughing and close racing we had was priceless. The Maserati did seem to have an advantage but on our smaller tracks it was not a lot.

Final Thoughts

I have mixed feelings here, but I will try to be as objective as I can be.

CONS:

1. I do not like being forced to buy digital. It increases my cost for something I do not use. Plus some folks still have problems with the conversion. I will also add that since the enthusiast has no other choice, then some instructions inside the case SHOULD be present for the conversion for the many analog (standard) racers.

2. The need for a different power supply has always been, and will always be a nuisance. But Carrera is likely never to change that so we will simply have to live with it. I think if they did change it, the popularity of the entire line would increase.

PROS:

1. The cars do run well out of the box and are constructed with very good quality. I also like seeing something different and these models are certainly that. Carrera also offers several cool American cars so these really add to the entire line.

2. Anything that brings attention to this scale is a plus. I enjoy 1/24th scale racing and seeing more models released for it always makes me happy.

3. These models are just fun to drive and race. They look "wild" and the racing is close like it should be.

In the end I am slightly biased in a way. These cars are just plain fun to play with! So yes, I like these models and think that those of you who have the power supply and track to handle them might enjoy them too.

- 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 of America For Sponsoring This Review!

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