Formula Renault 3.5—TOMICA

[rides]

The Formula Renault 3.5 is the open cockpit, V8 powered cars, and it was traditionally a stepping stone for many drivers who were pursuing careers in Formula One.  

Featuring normally aspirated V8 motors produce 530 bhp and the large wings, both front and rear, provide large amounts of downforce and grip. Some say the FR3.5 sounds like a Formula One car should, or at least used to, before they moved to the turbo/hybrid power units.

[rides]

Model and Packaging

The Formula Renault 3.5 was released August 2014, and retired December, 2016. It replaced the No. 14 Komatsu Anti-Personnel Landmine Demining Equipment D85MS and was succeeded by the No. 14 Suzuki Escudo.




As far as I know, this Formula Renault 3.5 is the first formula car return to the Tomica mainline series since the 1990s.


。It is a 1/69 model, and it is the 6th vehicle to be assigned the number "14"


。2010 Official Renault Sport livery is included as the sticker


。A 2009 Official Renault Sport livery was released as the first-edition

[rides]

Exterior and Interior

Tomica adopted the Dallara T08, which was the third generation of car used in the World Series by Renault/WS Formula V8 3.5 from 2008 season, and designed by Mr. Luca Pignacca and Mr. Andrea Toso.


。Inspired by the shape of Renault F1 R27, Dallara has designed a new carbon bodyshell that narrower than its predecessor

。Model Scale：1:69
。Real car size：5,070 mm (Length) x 1,050 mm (Height)
。Real car size in 1:69 scale：~734 mm (Length) x ~152 mm (Height)
。Model size：~735 mm (Length) x ~160 mm (Height)




Tomica represents the car that underwent a number of changes to its aerodynamic configuration, in line with the 2009 Formula One technical changes.

Including:

。The removal of the cars bargeboards


。The removal of sidepod chimneys


。The removal of the flip-ups ahead of the rear wheel

More parts of the exterior:



。The spoon-shaped front wing, printed with purple and white



。The bodyshell has a raised nose cone which delivers improved aerodynamic performance



。The gearbox, meanwhile, is the typical six-speed sequential with flat shifting


。The aero package includes DRS. It flips up a small flap at the trailing edge of the main element



。The sticker add the addition yellow and Formula Renault 3.5 logo to the rear wing


。The imposing rear crash-box is replicated by separate plastic parts


。Printing purple and gray, and with the addition 3.5 sticker


。The Renault sport logo is default printed on the engine cover, and exactly reverse printed as the same as the real car!


。The sticker adds the hood scoop

[rides]

Chassis

The engine is yet another 4.0-litre flat-plane V8 based on a Nissan block. The lump is good for 530hp @ at a tasty 9,200rpm, and is supplied by Gibson Technologies: for the record, the engine is the Gibson ZRS03.
​
Top speed at Monza approaches 298-300 km/h with another 10-15 km/h added via DRS. Lap-times are close to what they’re running in the real-world: 1:34s at Monza, 1:41s at the ’Ring GP, 1:59s at Spa.


。Formula Renault uses a monoshock front end. What this means, essentially, is that there’s one spring that holds the car up, plus an anti-roll bar for lateral movements


。The rear suspension uses pushrods, double adjustable four-tube shock absorber

。Real car Front / rear axle track：1,662 / 1,529 mm
。Real car Front / rear axle track in 1:69 scale：~240 / ~220 mm
。Model Front / rear axle track：200 / 190 mm



。Real car wheelbase：3,125 mm
。Real car wheelbase in 1:69 scale：~453 mm
。Model wheelbase：~530 mm

。Kerb weight：610 kg

[rides]

End of the road

Formula Renault 3.5 used to be had a rich history with many drivers going through its ranks to get to the Formula 1, like Sebastian Vettel, Kevin Magnussen, Jean-Éric Vergne, Daniel Ricciardo, and a bunch of others all made their way through the various series.

But at the end of July 2015, Renault Sport announced it would be withdrawing its backing to the Formula Renault 3.5 from 2016 onwards, and on 17 November 2017 was announced that due to lack of entries the series would not take place in 2018 and the series ended afterward.

But why? The above video by Jacob Bosley does explain some clues why the Formula Renault 3.5 not welcomed by the drivers anymore.