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General => Report & Review => Topic started by: socrates on August 29, 2010, 15:48:55

Title: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: socrates on August 29, 2010, 15:48:55
Hi folks! After a lot of people complained about the agent series and argued how to use at least some of the pieces in another context, I did a review of my newly owned Super-Racer. 
 :)
I wholeheartly think that this is a great set, which I would have loved having as a kid, which my son actually DOES love and which I really like as being a thoughtful concept with some really nice features.  :love:

Well, maybe not everyone will like it, but for fans of james bond and co this set is a 100 percent must!

So lets start with the box. Well, they really did a new design here. A little too fancy and too un-playmobilish for my personal taste, but without doubt it is a rather cool box with a glittering silver stripe...

Title: Re: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: socrates on August 29, 2010, 15:54:37
There is not too much to build up, as it is basically the car and one agent with some small parts, but to be honest, in these reviews it is always hard for me to take pictures directly after opening. The first moment, I am thinking about taking pictures is typically after enjoying myself assembling the set.  :-[

So, no self-disciplined in-box pictures, but some nice pictures of the car as a whole!

For me, this is clearly a 007 Lotus Esprit. But with some slightly different features. It can swim and fly and comes with two cannons in the front of the car. I like the design pretty much and would love to see this car in a city life version with a real trunc. Right now, there are plane turbines behind the lid, which is nice for saving the world but a real handicap for a short drive to the supermarket after a long day in office.

What I did not like is the fact that they photoshopped the box that way that one could think the lights are actually working. Well, as you might guess, they are not. ;)
Title: Re: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: socrates on August 29, 2010, 16:00:08
Here comes another close-up on the ships propeller... They are nice-looking and turning fast if you blow air against them. The tires are the same like from the sporting car from the pimp garage... 20' rimes I guess...  8-)

Nice for convincing the bond-girl to come for a ride. Which is btw an important set missing in this series. Well, but I guess the agents are best to be combined with the holiday sets then... :)

The windshield can be removed, but you can place the klickies without any problem also with windshield on...

The cockpit is rather simple with not much details. One remark maybe to the seats. They are just clipped in without any sysX connectors or something, but what can I say: I wanted to remove them for the pictures but didn't get them out again without tools. So, no pictures, but they are well-designed!
Title: Re: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: playmo1989 on August 29, 2010, 16:02:18
well the box looks impressive  :o :o :o they start to change the normal blue boxes ee??  ??? ??? i don't like the set but for a kid it would be very fun !!!!! :)
Title: Re: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: socrates on August 29, 2010, 16:13:29
Here again a picture of the seats.

And a total view of the fly mode. You need exactly three moves to release the jet engines and flip the wings...
Title: Re: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: socrates on August 29, 2010, 16:19:12
First, you have to open the lid to free the jet engines...
Secondly, you have to flip the back wings open...
Third, the main wings have to be flipped open.

Interestingly, the big wings are attached with SysX-alike connectors that appear to have a much stronger static as the normal ones have. We had this discussion in another thread: So it is possible to make very rigid clip in connectors...
Title: Re: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: Wolf Knight on August 29, 2010, 16:19:53
Now you got me wondering Amir....hmmmm I think I like it... A lot!!! Thanks for the pics and review!!! Love the wings!!!
Title: Re: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: socrates on August 29, 2010, 16:25:41
Finally, lets have a closer look at the cannons! They are very similar to the ones from the recent pirate ships. The only difference is that they have a slight peak and they come in red and white...
There are two small levers on the left and right mudguards to release the guns. It is a good location to fire them during play, but if you do not want to fire them, it is hard to play the car without accidently shooting a cannon.
This causes more like Johnny English situations than really professional agent fights... ;)
Title: Re: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: socrates on August 29, 2010, 16:28:41
I had a lot of fun playing with the car during the photo session!

I even succeeded in catching the bullet while firing!  ;D

Finally, we will have a closer look on this cool agent.
Even though it appeared to be quite dangerous to take pictures of him.  :camera:
Title: Re: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: playmo1989 on August 29, 2010, 16:31:47
the klicky's glasses are printed on the face?
Title: Re: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: socrates on August 29, 2010, 16:33:57
The agent comes only with two things:
A suitcase full of top secret documents and his license to kill...
...and a pistol.

Well, what else would he need. ;)

And in case he is stunned by a sexy russian female agent, the suitcase comes with a cool handle to clip it on the wrist of the agent. A very nice gadget!  8-)

Finally, just to stink again against photoshopping on boxes, you should take a closer look on the suitcase and its chain on the box cover...  :hmm: ::) :no:

But, well, as I said in the beginning, I think this is just a cool set. And, yes, WolfKnight, once you have the box in your hand, it will be a tough decision to not buy it and store it in a bat-cave of one of your castles... :)

Hope, you enjoy the pictures, I had fun shooting them!

best,
socrates
Title: Re: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: socrates on August 29, 2010, 16:35:34
the klicky's glasses are printed on the face?

Yes. As he has vision enhancement implants directly connected to his visual cortex it would be fatal to rip off the glasses and thus they are permanently implanted into his face.  :P

best,
socrates
Title: Re: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: Martin Milner on August 29, 2010, 16:36:44
Great review Amir, thanks for all the pics and info!

I agree, the box picture showing the headlights is deceiving, and Playmobil need a major wrist-slap for this sort of behaviour. Maybe the Pilot group can mention this.

 The rest of the box is super-fab-shiny, obviously designed to be eye-catching, and maybe to set this theme off from the rest of Playmobil's range, to appeal to a new audience? The 7-12 age range is saying to the older kids that this is a cool toy their younger siblings can't have!

Very cool toy, and certainly one I'll have to get. Dang, that's another theme for my collection.

Without having one in my hand, the only change I can say I would make is to have had white or silver hubcaps instead of red.

As usual, my initial negative reaction to this series is fading, and I'm starting to warm to it.
Title: Re: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: playmo1989 on August 29, 2010, 16:49:57
Great review Amir, thanks for all the pics and info!

I agree, the box picture showing the headlights is deceiving, and Playmobil need a major wrist-slap for this sort of behaviour. Maybe the Pilot group can mention this.

 

this will be their answer i think :  :hehe: :hehe: :hehe:
 

 :lol: :lol: :lol: i believe they won't really take our opinions seriously they only thing that they want is to find a new group of people to sell ....
 
Title: Re: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: socrates on August 29, 2010, 17:18:30
this will be their answer i think :  :hehe: :hehe: :hehe:

Maybe if you tell the designers personally, but if we tell horst and horst tells it andrea and andrea tells the designers...
 :hehe: :whip:
 
..then they might still think it, but never do it again. ;)

best,
socrates
Title: Re: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: playmo1989 on August 29, 2010, 17:24:39
Maybe if you tell the designers personally, but if we tell horst and horst tells it andrea and andrea tells the designers...
 :hehe: :whip:
 
..then they might still think it, but never do it again. best,
socrates


yes perhaps  ;)
Title: Re: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: playmofire on August 29, 2010, 17:25:53
An excellent review, Amir, and thank you for doing it.  It must have been very tiring trying out the guns, "driving" the car etc.   :lol:  But seriously, I enjoyed reading your review very much even though, again, it's not my theme.  However, if they did a "normal" version for the city life theme, then it would very much be on my list.

I agree that the headlights on the box are deceiving and that is not what we expect of Playmobil and needs to be mentioned.   I agree with Martin about the hubcaps - silver ones to match the wheels or white ones would be better.  They look like the standard hubcap pattern and so the white ones available for other vehicles would fit.
Title: Re: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: Rasputin on August 29, 2010, 18:03:01
Hi

Great pictures and review  :wow:

Seeing as I have 3 boys I will be having to buy 4 of these  :lol: Not only would I change the hubcaps but I really do not like the red missle tips sticking out the front. If they were white it would be less obvious. I personally would want to put some lights in the spot similar to the ones in rally cars .

This is one more deception on playmobil box art team. They have also been doing a lot of the color tone switch-eroos as well and it does get annoying when you open up a box and it is some ugly orange boat .

Rasputin "The Mad Monk"
Title: Re: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: Andy R on August 29, 2010, 19:53:30
I like the concept. I’m waiting until they come to the US and I get a couple to decide whether I like the series or not.
Title: Re: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: Tiermann on August 29, 2010, 23:59:41
Great review, thanks! I really like the klicky. In general I will skip this theme but I do like the lab and some of the accessories and klickies
Title: Re: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: Gis on August 30, 2010, 12:44:04
Thanks for the review Amir. The whole theme really is geared towards more action packed playing, which is in line with what kids want these days. So much action everywhere they expect toys to bring some action as well.

I think it's a neat little set and could very well make it to "my sons" xmas list *grin*
Title: Re: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: Bolingbroke on August 30, 2010, 15:23:33
Heh heh - that 'TURBO' decal at the back of the car ... not very Fleming, is it? This looks like a chav-mobile rather than a posh ride fit for the discerning secret agent. But then again, it's only a toy.  ;) Great review.
Title: Re: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: Justindo on August 31, 2010, 03:14:36
Thanks for the review and pictures, Amir.  I would have liked this set when I was a child, so perhaps Playmobil has done a good job with it.  That said, it has little appeal to me now.
Title: Re: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: flatcat on September 16, 2010, 09:23:01
Thanks for the great review, Socrates :wave:

I must say the whole secret agent theme is growing on me (will never like the boxes) and I think I may have to buy one of this now, after I slated the whole theme before it came out :lol:

Damo :)
Title: Re: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: Bolingbroke on September 16, 2010, 09:31:29
I don't like the klicky - there's too much printing going on. They could at least have given him proper detachable sunglasses  ::)

I'm a massive James Bond fan but I don't know ... the set is way way way too basic. So many accessories they could have included but all you get is a measly briefcase and a pistol.

Do any of the other sets in the series feature a femme fatale klicky at least?
Title: Re: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: BlueWizard on September 16, 2010, 16:19:27
Thanks for the great review - and pix - socrates!  I think you have me warming up to this theme (will I be another playmofan adding a new theme to my collection?). Now that you've mentioned it - are we going to see a picture of your 007 with a bikini clad Bond girl? :o :lol:

David
Title: Re: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: baden-wurttemberg on September 17, 2010, 02:07:18
Thank you for the great pics and review Socrates! I'm starting to like these agent sets know....  :love:  :love:  :love: I really liked this car. I didn't read through it clearly...but does it float too??



Baden  :wave:
Title: Re: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: socrates on September 17, 2010, 06:38:41
Hey Baden!  :wave:

It is actually floating!  :D
Though, I am not sure whether or not it can dive as the original bond car could...  :P

best,
socrates
Title: Re: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: BlackPearl2006 on February 13, 2012, 08:21:12
i finally caved in and bought this car today.  LOVE it!  Though I ended up spraypainting the rims CHROME (instead of the cheezy plastic orange it came in).  And I threw in my bikini beach girl next to the agent so he'd have some company on one of  his solo missions....though he should be wary, the more beautiful, the deadlier!

I have to admit, though, not a big fan of the graphics on the car.... especially the "TURBO" word on the rear trunk lid, and the horribly applied brake lights and side marker "lense" graphics.  Would have been better if the marker lights and brake lights were actual lenses like the headlights (at least the headlights weren't painted on though).

The design of the rear "trunk" area does look as if they could use the same mould with a different trunk lid if they wanted to release this car as a civilian model sans boosters and wings.  I do wish it had a roof though.  I can fabricate one, but there's not enough room for the clickies heads; they're heads already protrude from the top of the open roof, sadly.  grrrr

I love the missiles....these are the strongest firing missiles I've ever had on any toy!  I wonder how well they fire under water?

I plan to disassemble the chassis...I want to see if there is styrofoam inside (instructions/box do not mention a water mode, or use in water as most water PM toys do).  I'm curious if it truly is made to float on water on purpose.  No slot for underwater motor that I can see though (that would be cool).

I'm going to keep this one stock so my son can bang it around and play with it underwater too, but I plan to buy 2 more, one to paint gloss black, the other to paint chrome silver, and maybe 2 more to do in candy red and another in blue.  The interior isn't detailed enough IMO... I wish the entire dash and interior were moulded in seperate pieces in different colours than white.

And to make its transformation complete, I wish the wheels could turn to face downward (similar to the Delorean in Back To the Future, or like in the Bond movie).  Makes for an excellent base for a custom though :)
Title: Re: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: tahra on February 13, 2012, 15:44:31
Must resist... MUST resist.....

Title: Re: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: Baron Marshall on February 13, 2012, 17:52:13
don't resist this car is awesome  ;D
Title: Re: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: bootgypsy on February 13, 2012, 19:49:30
just wanted to say that my son got this car over the weekend, he's 10 and he loves it! It is a nice set! but i agree...there needs to be a girl!  :love:
Title: Re: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: PlaymoMan on February 14, 2012, 23:29:33
I'm a massive James Bond fan but I don't know ... the set is way way way too basic. So many accessories they could have included but all you get is a measly briefcase and a pistol.

Yeah, I agree. Perhaps some of Bill's cool Night Vision Goggles, a camera pen...etc.

Anyways, thanks for the review. I have been wondering whether or not to get this set. Although, like many other people, the graphics printed all over the car are not attractive and definitely not what a secret agent would want. ;)
Now, if Playmobil did a version of James Bond's Aston Martin, I'd be all over it. ;D
Title: Re: 4876 Agent Super-Racer
Post by: retronio22 on July 20, 2012, 14:50:19
I have seen this figure without glasses?Have you checked if it's double faced?????