Karl-Thomas Neumann has got one already, so does Tina Müller. KTN has even taken his home – he had to. This cool little piece of engineering had simply proved too distracting at the office. If you are asking yourself what the culprit is, an Opel ADAM would probably be your last guess – but that’s exactly what we’re talking about here. Not a life-sized one, naturally, but a remote-controlled 1:10-scale model car. This 40-centimeter miniature has been replicated so lovingly and meticulously that it exudes just the same irresistible charm as the original.
The model car making team at Racers Paradise: Holger Lübeck, Michael Reichwein, CEO Markus Knott, and Katja Knott.
ALMOST THE ENTIRE PRODUCT RANGE AS 1:10 MODELS
Racers Paradise is the company behind this little gem. The sports model car specialist from Erftstadt near Cologne has been working together with Opel since 1998, among others putting together feature models for Opel dealers to demonstrate the latest product features – such as a Zafira A with an electrically controlled Flex 7 fold-down seating system or a 1:7 scale demonstration model of the Ampera for dealers.
Much like Opel itself, Racers Paradise is also embarking on an unprecedented product campaign. The model maker is now also offering the Corsa D and Corsa OPC, and the cult classics Commodore A, Rekord C, Kadett C Coupé, and Opel GT as highly detailed 1:10-scale replicas, in addition to the ADAM, Astra GTC, and Commodore B. But that’s not all: Having gained official Opel licensing, Racers Paradise is planning to add almost all of the current Opel models to its product range over the course of 2015. Current models such as the Corsa E are set to follow along with other milestones, including the Ampera, Manta B, Kadett E GSI, Opel Monza, Rekord A, and Corsa B.
THE MARKETING AND DESIGN DEPARTMENTS ARE ALSO INVOLVED
“The mighty Opel brand is set to conquer the modelcraft departments of all the major toy store chains with this range of models,” enthuses project engineer Reimer Völz. The seating expert from the International Technical Development Center coordinates the collaborative activities between Racers Paradise and the specialists from Opel Marketing and Opel Design; their input is vital for endowing the model with as much authentic Opel flair as possible. “No other carmaker offers so many of its own models as meticulously detailed as these,” says Völz.
The ADAM was merely a starting point as it was the perfect Opel model for the miniature replica company to demonstrate their near-obsessive attention to detail. On the Racers Paradise website, there even is an Opel-style product configurator that offers nearly as many options to customize the vehicle exterior as the life-size ADAM does. Body shell in Fire Red or Marangu Green? Roof in Midnight Black or Cream White? Logo bar in Mojito Green or Lime Yellow? The Racers Paradise 1:10 models offer exactly the same paintwork options as the original, producing a virtually identical replica.
Classic cars on call: Numerous finished models such as the Kadett C Coupé sit on the shelf, ready for dispatch.
ORIGINAL CAD DATA AND TOOLS AVAILABLE WHEN NEED BE
The paint job, by the way, is applied by hand. The polycarbonate panels are thermoformed, a process that is very similar to the deep drawing performed at Opel’s pressing plants. In order for the proportions to be fully accurate, the Opel designers are even sharing their CAD data with the model maker. In addition, several of Opel’s proprietary tools have also made their way from Rüsselsheim to Erftstadt.
Racers Paradise CEO Markus Knott and his employees Holger Lübeck and Michael Reichwein take care of all the assembly duties at the modelcraft company, whereas Knott’s wife Katja looks after logistics and shipping. At peak times, the production team is bolstered by suitably skilled students and retirees.
Markus Knott has been a huge Opel fan since he was a kid, with the remote-controlled Rekord C particularly close to his heart, the car he has entered in the RC Youngtimers Trophy race.
ALMOST 50 YEARS LATER: THE BLACK WIDOW BECOMES A MODEL
“Putting together a standard model takes us about one-and-a-half to two hours,” says Knott, who has been a huge Opel fan ever since he was young. “When it comes to one-off models, we’ll easily spend eight hours or more.” One-offs are actually requested fairly regularly; for example, the team recently produced a 1:10 replica of the Monza Concept prototype, a particularly special gift that caused quite a stir at the 2013 IAA.
When the Development department held its Christmas raffle last year, the coveted first prize was a Black Widow – the legendary, Rekord C-based Opel racing car that in the late 1960s was taken to unprecedented heights by a youthful Niki Lauda together with future design legend Eric Bitter. For all those who drew blanks in the raffle, consolation is finally at hand: The Black Widow is now also available for sale from Racers Paradise.
Remote-controlling a legend: The Black Widow, the Rekord C-based Opel racing car, is also meticulously handcrafted at Racers Paradise.
As much as the Racers Paradise remote-controlled cars may be an entertaining distraction, describing them as “toys” doesn’t do them much justice. These model cars are highly advanced design objects, with no mass production or cheap plastic parts in sight.
Not only do the exteriors of the 1:10-scale replicas represent the Opel designs incredibly faithfully, the chassis and motor are also a joy to behold for any tech enthusiast. Among others, the remote-controlled cars feature independent wheel suspension and a choice of front-wheel drive or even permanent four-wheel drive, as well as proportional steering and a stepless speed control.
Even the base versions reach top speeds of 35 kph, which in special cases can be tuned all the way up to 80 kph. In addition, the Opel body shells made by Racers Paradise are compatible with many other model makers’ standard chassis, which is why they can also be purchased separately.
Find out more information on all present and future models as well as further accessories in the online shop at www.opel-models.de