by sunny on December 5, 2011
The selling point for the Traxxas XO-1 is dead simple: "100+ MPH out of the box." Seriously, do you need anything else to make RC fans drool?
Measuring 27 inches long, this isn't a compact racer for leisurely racing around your local tracks. Heck, no. Designed strictly for expert RC drivers, this is a serious piece of equipment that performs like a real car. Only smaller.
The Traxxas XO-1 can hit 100 mph in as little as five seconds, going from 0 to 60 in just 2.3 ticks. You don't need to tweak any part of the vehicle to reach those speeds, although Traxxas requires you to tune it using a downloadable iPhone app (called Traxxas Link) that can dock into the all-new Traxxas TQI radio system. With the app, you get a full-color graphical UI that lets you optimize the radio to achieve the downright ridiculous numbers.
Specs include a 1650 Kv Big Block brushless motor, Castle Mamba ESC, shaft-driven 4WD, bellcrank steering and sealed hardened steel bevel differential. Notable features include numerous machined aluminum parts, SS dual-CV driveshafts, onboard air-management system and the patent-pending Cush Drive for absorbing drivetrain shocks.
Billed as the world's fastest "ready-to-race" supercar, the Traxxas XO-1 will retail for $1099.99.
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 27 inches (686mm)
Front Track: 11.61 inches (295mm)
Rear Track: 11.81 inches (300mm)
Center Ground Clearance: 0.59 inches (15mm)
Weight: 8.6 lbs (3.9 kg) (w/o batteries)
10.3 lbs (4.67 kg) (with batteries)
Height (overall): 5 inches (127.5mm)
Wheelbase: 15.91 inches (404mm)
Front Shock Length: 3.27 inches (83mm)
Rear Shock Length: 3.39 inches (86mm)
Front Tires (pre-glued): Belted Slick Front (4.29" x 1.7")
Rear Tires (pre-glued): Belted Slick Rear (4.29" x 2")
Front Wheels: 3.3" Split-Spoke™ (black-chrome)
with 17mm splined hex
Rear Wheels: 3.3" Split-Spoke™ (black-chrome)
with 17mm splined hex
[Traxxas]
by sunny on June 22, 2011
We love Tamiya's RC releases of Japanese street cars and this sexy beast from 1978 rightfully makes me just a little giddy. I know, that's a stupid thing to say about radio-controlled cars, but the Mazda RX-7 is one of my favorite Japanese machines ever.
The Tamiya Mazda RX-7 is a 1/10-scale model, available in kit form. While you won't exactly be putting together a front mid-engine rotary engine (since it's, you know, a model toy), we reckon you can still geek out assembling this.
The dual-seater coupe body (polycarbonate, with a full set of stickers for the trim) is mounted on an M-06 mini chassis, with a rear wheel drive and a long wheelbase configuration. You get a 4-wheel double wishbone suspension, dog-bone driveshafts, transmission gear differential and oil-filled CVA plastic damper shock units.
Tamiya 540-J brushed motor and ESC are included, but you'll have to buy the radio gear and batteries (it's compatible with NiCad, NiMh, LiPo and LiFe) separately. It uses 60D Radial tires in front and 60D Super Grip Radial tires in the rear.
While this isn't the first time Tamiya released a Mazda RX-7 model, this is the first one I remember with the very first one in the line. It should be available in your local hobby stores now, priced at around $235.
[TamiyaUSA]
Want to drive Vaughn Gittin Jr.'s championship-winning drifter? While that's a dream that isn't likely to happen, you can mimic the thrills with this 1/10-scale recreation: the HPI Monster Energy/Falken Tire 2011 Ford Mustang E10 Drift RTR.
A detailed reproduction of the original, this ready-to-run model features a finished body with full Monster Energy/Falken Tire graphics, HRE wheels and Falken Zenis T-Drift tires, all officially licensed from the original manufacturers. While specifically designed for drifting, a few tweaks on existing parts (no additions needed) will let you easily convert it into a street touring machine, effectively extending the enjoyment you can get out of it (you'll need to move the motor and radio equipment to optimize weight balance, though).
The HPI Monster Energy/Falken Tire 2011 Ford Mustang E10 Drift RTR features a full-time 4WD, independent suspension and a large foam bumper to aid in your drifting adventures across paved parking lot surfaces. Providing muscle is a Saturn 27T electric motor, paired with a SC-15WP electronic speed control. The pre-assembled chassis and frame uses standard mounting points, so you can also replace the included Ford Mustang body with different shells currently available from HPI Racing -- an excellent option if you're thinking of using the ride as a touring machine at some point.
All in all, the HPI Monster Energy/Falken Tire 2011 Ford Mustang E10 Drift RTR offers one of the easiest ways to get into the drifting scene. You literally just pop it out of the box, charge and hit the pavement. Price sounds sweet, too, at $349.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Length: 14.8" (375mm)
Width: Adjustable 7.32", 7.56", 7.80" (186, 192, 198mm)
Wheelbase: 10" (255mm)
Weight: 2.8lbs. w/o body (1280g)
Drive System: Shaft Drive 4WD
Drive Ratio: 7.48:1
by sunny on March 21, 2011
Hankering to add a new short course buggy to your roster of RC racers? The Losi 1/10 RTR XXX SCB could prove an interesting pick, with its realistic good looks and the proven of the XXX platform.
Ready to run right out of the box (well, you'll need to throw in a battery, but that's it), the toy car comes painted and decorated in one of three styles: Stronghold, Rockstar and Readylift. The body graphics look awesome, with detailed appearance cues lathered from bumper to bumper, including a fully-designed cockpit with window nets and an elaborate driver figure.
The 1/10 RTR XXX SCB is a 1/10-scale vehicle with a three-piece Lexan desert buggy body. Designed for tough off-road performance, it's got durable composite-molded XXX chassis, nerf bars, beadlock-style wheels with treads similar to the Eclipse Short Course Trucks, realistic bumpers and a bad-ass roll cage.
A Losi LM-32K performance motor provides the muscle, aided by a three-gear transmission with sealable differential, a 2S LiPo-compatible ESC and a Spektrum SR300 receiver. Other details include oil-filled aluminum shocks, a digital steering servo and adjustable slipper clutch.
All three Losi 1/10 RTR XXX Short Course Buggy models -- Stronghold, Rockstar and Readylift -- are available now, priced at $249.99.
Specifications
Scale: 1/10
Length: 20.078 in (510mm)
Width: 11.42 in (290mm)
Height: 7.24 in (184mm)
Wheelbase: 12.95 in (329mm)
Weight: 4.25 lb (1.92 kg)
Motor or Engine: Losi LM-32K performance motor
Speed Control: LiPo-compatible ESC
Radio: Spektrum 2.4GHz DSM Losi radio system
[Losi]
by sunny on November 8, 2010
Want to replicate Ken Block's gymkhana antics plastered all over YouTube? Perform your on-road acrobatics in scaled-down mode with the Traxxas Ken Block Gymkhana Fiesta, which mimics the champion driver's full-size Ford Fiesta competition car.
Just like in a real gymkhana course, you can use the 1/16th-scale vehicle to perform reversals, figure 8s, drifts, 180-degree spins, 360-degree spins and other acrobatic skills. Even better, you'll be doing your tire-smoking obstacle clearing with a finely-tuned machine, clad with an unmistakable replica of the Ken Block Monster Energy graphics found on the original ride, with paint job courtesy of ProGraphix.
The Traxxas Ken Block Gymkhana Fiesta comes fully-assembled and ready to race, with a Velineon 380 brushless motor, a VXL-3m ESC, a 7.2-volt 6-cell NiMH battery and a TQ 2.4GHz radio system. The full-time 4WD can do 30 mph on the included battery, which you can extend to over 50mph with additional juice and a Traxxas speed connector.
It utilizes the same F1-inspired suspension system used in the Traxxas Revo, engineered to offer precise and accurate control with the new vehicle's 1/16th frame. Other details include threaded-body GTR shocks, rally-tuned progressive-rate springs, waterproof electronics, sealed differentials, Volk TE37 racing wheels and Gymkhana-compound slick tires.
If you've ever watched a competition along a gymkhana course, you can imagine just how fun and challenging that can be. Now, you can enjoy it at the local course with the Traxxas Ken Block Gymkhana Fiesta. No pricing yet, but expect it to drop just in time for the year-end holidays.
[Traxxas]
by sunny on March 3, 2010
Here's something new for fans of older racers to watch out for: an upcoming Tamiya model of the 1971 East African Safari Rally superstar, the Nissan Datsun 240Z. If you're not familiar with that 6,200 km race, the #11 240Z basically took it all - Overall Victory, Class Victory, Team Victory and Manufacturers Championship, along with the hearts of every spectator looking on.
The Tamiya RC Datsun 240Z Rally Version is a 1/10th scale model that revives the legendary vehicle that both Herrman and Schuller drove during that period. Reproduction looks very good from the photos, managing to produce a really cool-looking vehicle that will continue to turn heads even to this day.
Available as a kit, the package includes a polycarbonate body (with bundled, non-applied stickers and masking seals), all the molded resin exterior components in the photo (including the front/rear bumpers, hood spotlights sans the LEDs and light cases), black offset wheels and Rally Block tires. A Type 540 motor and a TEU-104BK ESC comes with the box as well, although you'll have to purchase the 2-channel R/C system, battery pack and charger separately.
Not much info on the chassis, along with the rest of the parts, so it's best to wait for more details before deciding on this one. While I doubt this can stand up to HPI's awesome Cup Racer version of the same vehicle, the Tamiya RC Datsun 240Z Rally Car is easily the better-looking one. The scale reproduction is just hot. There's no exact availability date, although pre-orders are priced between $220 and $250.
by sunny on February 14, 2010
Looking for something to add to your collection of high-performance GT replicas? The Tamiya Corolla Axio apr GT should ably hold its own among your favorites, recreating the multiple-time racing champion to gorgeous detail.
Dressed to look like the version that raced at the 2009 Super GT Round 3 in Fuji (GT300 class), the kit comes with an unpainted, lightweight, polycarbonate shell (with those sleek, aerodynamic lines copied to perfection) and a slew of authentic-looking decals. The resin side mirrors, rear wing and polycarbonate fender fins are all separately molded, providing intricate realism. Hopefully, you know how to paint your way to something that looks as cool as the photo above.
The Axio apr GT uses a two-belt-driven TA05 chassis, which has been evolved to race specifications for its latest iteration (ver. II). It boasts reduced width for better roll movement range during cornering, repositioned battery mounts for enhanced handling, separate suspension mounts for easier maintenance and a one-piece motor mount with cantilever center shaft.
It includes a Type 540 motor, which should provide ample push for the tracks. Other features include a four-wheel double wishbone suspension (with short, reversible arms and 1050 ball bearings for the upright), single-speed transmission, medium-type racing slick tires and six-spoke gun metal wheels.
You'll need to pick out a two-channel radio system, battery and charger to get your Tamiya Corolla Axio apr GT ready for racing. There's a whole pile of compatible hop-ups, too, which should help you render this beauty into a more competitive ride.
Specifications
- Length: 14.7 in (373 mm)
- Width: 7.4 in (188 mm)
- Height: 4.8 in (122 mm)
- Wheelbase: 10.1 in (257 mm)
- Weight: 2.3 lb (1060 g)
- Requires: 2-channel radio with 1 servo, ESC, Paint, 6-cell NiCd/NiMH battery with standard connector and AC/DC peak charger
by sunny on February 10, 2010
A racing champion from the past makes its way through competition RC tracks in the form of the MR-03LM Sauber Mercedes C9 from Kyosho Racing. Known for rallying its way to become the winner of the 1989 World Sports Car Prototype (WSCP) against the Jaguar XJR-9, the full-scale version remains one of the most gorgeous automobiles my eyes have seen.
Included in Kyosho's Mini-Z racer series (which pays tribute for vehicle excellence), the model comes with a pre-finished body shell (complete with the accurately-applied decals) that recreates the original to dazzling effect. Those lines, those curves, that stylish rear wing - if looks could kill, I'd probably die upon seeing one in a local track (okay, I won't die, but I'll definitely salivate).
For racing performance, it boasts a low center of gravity, a coreless motor (instantaneous pickup and stopping), a newly developed steering gear unit (posting three times the gear ratio of previous versions), variable camber suspension, FET speed control amp and precision geometry settings. Even better, it allows for a ridiculous amount of adjustments, with suspension spacers and a removable motor mount. It's also compatible with all body styles from the Mini-Z series, allowing you to deck it in your choice of some of the most gorgeous car bodies in RC racing.
Released just last month, the Kyosho MR-03LM Sauber Mercedes C9 is not likely to be the fastest RC car in your roster. With that stylish design and a generous room for adjustment, though, it sounds like a definite winner in my book. It's priced at around $190.
