Carrera LaFerrari - 1/32nd Scale - Home Racing World & The Slot Car Garage

06/02/2014

1/32nd Scale Carrera LaFerrari

The large selection of models by Carrera increases so fast that it is almost impossible to keep up. That means street models normally do not appear on the top of my "must have" list. However, many enthusiasts enjoy a modern street machine as much as true race cars and Carrera has chosen a worthy example in this supercar. And it seems I have been caught off guard once again as this seemingly innocent model had a nice surprise inside.

First you need to read about this model in the 1:1 world. And doing other searches revealed to me that Carrera has done a very good job recreating it in our scale. Nothing is ever perfect but I feel most of you who choose the model will be happy.

Overall fit and finish is about as good as it gets. The shine on this car is one I wish all of my models had and is clean and even throughout.

The detail level is pretty impressive for a street car. I showed it to several people and comments about the looks, especially the visible engine detail, were very positive. I think it is impressive because we need to remember that the price point on this model is around $35.00. Carrera puts more into the detail level than I am seeing in other brands that cost a lot more.

Although the tread pattern is nice to see it won't mean much to those who actually want to race it. Still I have to give credit where it is due for the extra effort. The visible brake rotor and caliper detail always makes a slot car look better and it is very pronounced on this one.

Removing the 4 screws that mounts the body we see standard Carrera components. The polarity (direction) switch, E200 motor with 9 tooth pinion that drives the 27 tooth crown gear and dual bar magnet system.

Seems I remove the body on a slot car faster than I should. When I removed the car from the case, the back of it caught my eye. I noticed a new flyer in the back case lid and decided to open it.

Inside I found a couple nice surprises. The first is the spare mirrors. Looking at them on the model you can guess they won't last long under hard operation. Having a spare set is a welcome sight. It was not too long ago that finding these added in with the model was non-existent. Is it a big deal? It is if you broke one and did not have a spare.

But the REAL added plus is the new guide blade. This blade is designed so the car can be quickly changed to be compatible with other track systems. This has been a source of complaints in years past for some and now Carrera has delivered.

This just adds even more value. Carrera deserves credit for starting to include these in newer releases. Again you might not think this is a big deal, but I do. Veteran enthusiasts always wonder if our slot car makers actually listen to us. Well here is proof that one certainly does.

The guide blade can be pulled out and the new blade installed easily. A pair of needle nose pliers are your best choice to accomplish this.

These new blades should be in all new models. The latest Porsche has it as well.

Routed Wood Track Test
MidMo International Speedway
4x16 - 3 Lane MDF - Satin/Flat Latex Surface
Slot Car Corner Braid/Flush Mount - Aftermarket Power @ Volts
Professor Motor 2110 Low Voltage Electronic Controllers
TrackMate Timing

Operation of this car was very pleasing right from the box, even on our wood track. I had a friend over to give it a try and he could not believe the car ran as good as it did with no modifications. There was only a slight chatter in the corners, otherwise this car told us we had a great platform to tune with.

Newcomers and plastic track owners should enjoy it as well. Carrera models that have these dual magnets really hug the track and provide some fast action.

Need a tire? Paul Gage now has them made for this model.

To sum this up I have to state the facts as I see them. As veteran enthusiasts read this they are likely shaking their heads and dismissing such a model. And there is no debating it. No, this supercar is not a model that most veteran racers will choose and as I said it was not one I had high on my list either. Furthermore you will likely only see a couple of them (yellow version) as Ferrari is not known to allow much creativity. Could they be dressed into a race car? Of course. You have that modeler's license in your wallet right?

But the fact remains that Carrera created a very nice looking and equally nice running slot car for a great price. They also proved they listen to customers with the addition of the new guide blade. Including a part that makes the car compatible with competitors track systems is not something we see everyday. Some people are often are quick to criticize a company harshly when mistakes are made, but rarely do we see equal praise when a company does it right. Credit where credit is due.

Street car or not this is a nice slot car and certainly worth a second look for those die hard Ferrari fans. Those on tight budgets should welcome this car as well. Those with younger racers should look closely too. They are not going to care much as long as they are having fun and this model should deliver plenty.

-Harry

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Thanks Go To Carrera of America for Sponsoring This Review!