In early February, Carrera presented its 2026 releases on its website with only a few images. A few days ago, Carrera of America published its catalog, revealing more. These are only preliminary computer-generated images, but they give us an idea of the final product.
réf 20021143 : Grand Stand Building.
A new grandstand with a completely different design from the one that has been in the catalog for years (ref. 2001100). Something modern.
Based on the image, this new grandstand has 4 rows of 12 seats, for a total of 48 seats.
The announced retail price is €30, and it is expected to be available at the end of May 2026.
Note that the previous grandstand has 6 rows of 14 seats, for a total of 84 seats. However, this version replaces simple benches with proper seats, offering greater comfort (tickets will be more expensive). Its price is €70. It remains to be seen how much the size will cost for a row of grandstand seating in a straight line opposite the stands.
réf 20021144 : Pit Stop Building with VIP Floor
A new building for the stands is a good thing, but the visuals are very concerning. It seems we’re only seeing the VIP area from above; I can’t see the stand area itself. More to come soon.
The design is similar to the new stand.
The announced retail price is €30, and it should be available at the end of May 2026.
réf 20021145 : Advertising Arch Building
Another new feature is a modernly designed advertising arch, this time sporting the color red, Carrera’s signature color.
The announced retail price is €30, and it is expected to be available by the end of May 2026.
réf 20021146 : 50 Spectators for Grand Stand unpainted – kit
The perfect complement to the new grandstand: the spectators. An empty grandstand is nothing without its spectators. This kit includes 48 grandstand seats and 50 spectators.
However, if you were hoping to add these figures at the time of purchase, you’re out of luck. They are sold unpainted, white as ghosts. You’ll have to get out your brushes and paints. Carrera is playing a double game: selling figures cheaper because they’re unpainted and relying on the brand recognition of another company in the group, Revell, to sell paint.
It’s very clever and very economical for those who know how to paint, because until now, a set of 20 painted figures had a retail price of €75. That’s over €180 for 50 figures! On the Revell website, a pot of paint from the Aqua Color range costs €3.70, and for the Enamel range, €2.80.
If we use a dozen colors, the paint budget comes to:
Aqua Color: 12 x €3.70 = €44.40
Enamel: 12 x €2.80 = €33.60
We’ll see at release whether the figures are new molds or the same as before.
Announced retail price: €30, and it should be available at the end of May 2026.
New, more modern buildings for our tracks are a good thing; we’ll have to see the final result.
Photos: Carrera catalog.