Another video from Tamiya, this time promoting their new Subaru Impreza WRX. Just like the previous one, it’s in Japanese, but RC’s are a common language right? This video has some action with the WRX bouncing a bit on the rough stuff, and nailing the turns on-road.
click through for the embedded video..
‘Tamiya’ Category
Tamiya introduces the PRO-spec version of the 4WD XV-01 chassis. The XV stands for Crossover Vehicle. This chassis is meant to be an all-terrain platform for rally cars, on-road vehicles and pick-up style trucks. It has covers to protect the drivetrain and radio gear. The motor is mounted in the front and is belt driven power to the front/rear gear boxes. The batter slides in from a door on the bottom of the chassis.
This chassis comes as a kit and does not include electronics or tires/wheels, or a body. I really like the wheel well protection. So many rally vehicles I have driven end up with a TON of dirt or rocks inside the chassis, and I hope this helps eliminate that problem.
Tamiya XV-01 Chassis Gallery
Look for them to start shipping in July.
Check for details on the Tamiya USA website.
This one had me thinking of our own Adam the Intern and his Suzuki! Tamiya has another classic kit, this time the Suzuki Jimny (SJ30) Wheelie. The Suzuki truck craze was pretty big for a short time, and the Tamiya kit is based on the 2nd generation SJ30 from 1981. It’s a 2WD truck, has a 540 brushed motor, you’ll need to supply radio, servo, paint and battery.
Check for details on the Tamiya USA website.
While on the subject of scale looking buggies, Tamiya has just announced the re-release of the Wild One Off-Roader. It was originally released in 1985, and the kit is once again being made available. Everything you need is in the kit except you’ll need to supply a radio, battery and some paint. It’s a 1/10th scale 2wd vehicle, and uses a 540 brushed motor.
I don’t know if it’s just nostalgia kicking in or what, but I really like the look.
Details should be up soon on the Tamiya USA website.
To be unveiled at the Nuremburg toy fair in a matter of hours, Tamiya have got a whole host of new vehicles to keep with current trends on the market. Theres the usual pile of updated re-releases, a couple of limited edition kits and a heap of new hopups. Here are some noteworthy releases.
1/12 Nissan Titan
a DT-02 2wd chassis is a good chassis for beginners. Tamiya is obviously making an effort to keep up with more recent trends, as suggested by the CORR truck shell. This kit includes an ESC and motor, and is simple to build being only 2wd, but features oil filled shocks and a lexan shell. Get it fast and you’ll get a free set of ball bearings too!
1/10 Mini JCW Coupe
For a long time, tamiya’s M-chassis has dominated the racing class, and it’s nice to see yet another kit with a fresh face. The mini coupe is a replica of the race car, and all the neccessary items to re-create the bodywork are included in the kit. You can get a set of matte gold wheels with it for free if you get your hands one one quickly.
1/10 Toyota Bruiser
Some things are too good to let die. With locking differentials and a 3-speed manual transmission, it’s no wonder Tamiya’s Toyota Bruiser is popular with the scale crawler enthusiasts. Whilst it may look almost identical to the 80′s classic, this 2012 re-release has been further refined and tweaked to create a work of art.
1/10 XB Blackfoot III
Available as a ready to run for the first time, the Tamiya Blackfoot III is a classic RC that every basher should own at some point in their lives. With it you get Tamiya’s new Finespec antenna-less 2.4ghz radio system and a TEU-105BK ESC. Add a battery pack and you’ve got a perfect yard basher for lazy weekends, and a shelf queen to stare at and dream for weekday mornings.
These are just a few picks off of the huge list of new Tamiya releases for this year’s Nuremberg Toy Fair, so keep an eye out for all of the limited edition releases!
If you didn’t get to experience the Tamiya Bruiser, well it looks like you are about to get another chance. The original Tamiya Toyota Bruiser was released in 1985, and die-hard fans have been begging for a re-release to go along with the treatment a lot of the other Tamiya vehicles are getting.
The original chassis design is kept with some new modern improvements. The metal ladder frame has a black finish, while the newly designed 3 speed transmission is equipped with planetary gears for smooth performance. There is also going to be a LED light kit available for head and tail lights.
I think I know a few people that will be drooling over this.
Details should be up soon on the Tamiya USA website.
Hello Brian,
First, I have a suggestion:
I just read the 4WD Short Course Shootout and 3 trucks is not so much for a shootout. You already mentioned the Losi SCTE and Associated SC10 4×4 are not in stores now. Maybe you could get all trucks out again when they are in stores and do a 4WD Short Course Shootout Reloaded or so with all five trucks.
Floris H.
Cubby- Yes, here’s another email stolen from Brian’s email.
And yes Floris, 3 trucks isn’t very many for a shootout, but it’s better than just a pair which would have only been a “comparison”.
I think the greater question is- “Why has it taken so long for Losi and AE to get 4×4 RTR SC’s on the market?” I mean, it’s only the hottest product category on the planet right now, and the Ofna and Traxxas trucks have been on dealer shelves forever. Just think how many trucks Ofna and Traxxas have already sold in a product category that neither Losi or AE has even had an entry? What happened to the good ole’ days when Losi and AE led the pack, not sat around the back trying to play catch-up? Just say’n that time sure have changed, there are new leaders in the industry…
Cubby,
Was the big news that Tamiya was supposed to release today really just their updating their web-site? Please tell me it isn’t so.
Kalis
Cubby- For those that might not have heard, Tamiya made a “Big Announcement” (LOL) yesterday. They had been teasing about it for a couple weeks, and I’ve found, at least in the rc world, the bigger the tease the more the news is bound to suck. And yes, Tamiya’s big announcement today was that they have rehashed their web-site. So yea, their “big announcement” was ridiculously lame. Where’s an uber new car/buggy/truck??? Seriously, the marketing department over at Tamiya is easily one of the worst in our industry (IMO), and yesterdays “big announcement” was further proof of that. Which is a shame really, as there are so many great marketing people out there looking for jobs right now.
That’s it for this week ya bunch of fanatics, send me your questions, answers, and attempts to ameliorate my above responses to Cubby at BigSquidRC dot com!
YOUR Cub Reporter
As most people that know me know, I’m a big fan of running very different bodies on my vehicles. The more odd or different the better. I like to be different, I like the attention it gets, even if it’s something ridiculous, as long as I’m the only one running it, I’m happy.
We just got the press release from PROTOform about their new SoCal Panel Wagon. It’s different! I like the lines, I dig the look. The body is meant to fit the Tamiya mini chassis that is configured to 225mm length, and made to use 1:10th sedan wheels and tires. Basically that means I’m pretty sure I will never see one in my life time. Seriously.. I know a LOT of RC people, and I don’t know anyone running a Tamiya mini chassis vehicle. PROTOform.. if you are listening, cool body, please consider a different chassis. Thanks!
PROTOform SoCal Panel Wagon
For those of you running the Tamiya Mini Chassis, head over to the PROTOForm section of Pro-Line’s website and check out the details. And then drop me a email and tell me where/when you drive these things! 
Dear Cub Reporter
Why do I never see any Tamiya product on Bigsquid? Like your site but would like to see more Tamiya on it.
Shaun H.
Asheville, North Carolina
Cubby- Hey what’s up Shaun?
So… why don’t we have more Tamiya on our site? Easy- they have zero working relationship with us. We rarely get press releases from them, nor do they send us anything to test, therefore Tamiya has virtually no presence on our site. Arguably, Tamiyas product is targeted right at our core readers, making it all the more baffling to me why they chose not to have some sort of relationship with us.
Worldwide Tamiya is still a tour de force, and in certain regions of America they are still huge. Currently their product line focuses more on the past than the present or future, which is fine as it’s quite obvious Tamiya is still a huge company, but it makes me wonder how much money they are leaving on the table by not putting out more new product. I also wonder how much market share they are losing by not being more of a presence on internet sites like BSRC.
So when might you see more Tamiya on BSRC? We’ve tried our best to work with them to no avail. Looks like it’s in our readers hands now, if you want to see more Tamiya here, shoot’em an email and let them know what’s up.
And here’s one stolen from Brian’s email box… (and why does everyone spell Brian’s name “Brain” not “Brian”? Does everyone think he is that smart? Admittedly he’s no dummy, but still. LOL)
hoping you could offer some assistance….:)
Good afternoon Brain,
I really enjoyed reading your review about the “Caster Fusion EX 1” might be an older review as they have updated the kit since then. But I’ve happened to come across the 1st version and I ran into the same problems as stated in your review.
I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place which is why I’m writing, hoping you could shed a little light. I too am having trouble mounting a decent motor. I purchased a Mamba Monster/ESC combo and the motor can was too long as it hit the steering assembly as stated in your article, but in your review, you were able to make one fit …… am I missing something? Is there another mamba monster motor that is shorter? I returned the mamba combo for a store credit but now finding a good motor/esc combo is something of a mission? Is there another Shorter Motor that will fit that you could recommend with an ESC? One which has enough power to handle this buggy?
2nd I installed the Futuba S3305 High end servo and now noticed I have to set my Futaba 3PM (3) channel Trans to reverse to make work properly? If I flip it, the turnbuckle will not fit as there is not enough room to move freely or make smaller to work properly.
Was this a problem with this buggy when it first came out? I haven’t got that far yet but does my 3PM (3) channel have separate normal and reverse settings for steering & throttle??? This way I can have the steering set to reverse and throttle to normal? I’m trying my best to work the problems out but could use some advise. It seems to be a solid kit but why these challenges?
Thank You for taking the time to read my thoughts, anything you could offer would really be appreciated
Kind Regards
Gary C.
Boston MA
Cubby- Hello there Gary, thanks for taking the time to write in.
About motor size in the Caster Fusion- the first Castle system you bought must have included the 1515 1Y 2200 kv motor which is an extremely tight fit. The system you want is the Castle Monster system that comes with the 1512 1Y 2650 kv motor. The motor included in the 2650 system is significantly shorter, still has crazy power, and is an excellent fit. I’m trying to remember off the top of my head, but I think we ran either a 13 or 15 tooth pinion on the 2650 in our Fusion (while using a pair of 2S Lithium batteries wired in series), go with the smallest one you can get to mesh up.
About your Futaba 3PM transmitter- yes, it has the ability to have the steering reversed and the throttle normal, or vice versa (as does every transmitter). Transmitters must have this capability to accommodate the vast differences of servo’s, speedo’s, motors, and the directions they are mounted. It is not unusual to have to reverse the steering and/or throttle settings on the transmitter to make your car work properly.
Why all these challenges? Haha, that’s part of the fun of it, part of learning about your new hobby. Nothing in our hobby is nearly the rocket science some of the forums might make you believe. If you don’t know how to fix something on your car, read the manual and give it your best shot. If that doesn’t work, give it your second best shot. If you mess something up, parts are cheap, but the lessons you learn are very valuable.
A quick note about our test Caster Fusion- we are still driving it at bashes and demo’s. I attempted to come up with words that would adequately describe the beatings our Fusion has been through, and after considerable pondering, no words would suffice, the fact that it still lives is amazing. You can look forward to lots of good times with yours.
That’s it for this week, send us your questions, answers, recollections, fantasy’s, and total nonsense to Cubby at BigSquidRC dot com!
YOUR Cub Reporter
Tamiya has stepped back into their well-used time machine to bring back their next release in the Fast Attack 2011 buggy. Featuring a cool, scale military look, the Fast Attack 2011 is a re-released kit based on the same model from 1984 that features full ball-bearings (first production run only), detailed resin body and roll cage, a soldier figure and M60 machine gun, and Tamiya’s TEU-104BK electronic speed control, and a 540 motor. You’ll need to provide the radio system with servo, a NiMH or NiCad stick pack, charger, and paint.
Tamiya says it’s “coming soon” with an MSRP of $250.00. Check out the Tamiya website for more info.
Tamiya is showing off their redesigned TA06 Pro chassis at the Shizuoka Hobby Show in Japan. Some of the new features include a completely new chassis layout, with different motor, battery, and electronics positioning. You’ll also notice the front shocks are inboard and the belt drive system is different. There’s also been some changes made to the differentials, which Tamiya says increases the acceleration of this road rocket. Tamiya has also posted a promo video to YouTube, which I’ve embedded after the break.
Keep an eye on the Tamiya website for more info coming soon. Thanks to Hobby Media for the pic and info.
If you’ve ever wondered why Tamiya hasn’t shown up at any of the US R/C shows like RCX or IHobby, it’s probably because they are sinking all their money into this little shin-dig. Next weekend, April 15 – 17, is the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, and Tamiya is going to be there in full force with the Tamiya MotorSport Experience. And just for all you Tamiya fans, they’re giving you a chance to get free tickets for Friday, the 15th. All you have to do is go to the Tamiya MotorSport Experience website, click the banner that says “Free Friday Tickets” and fill out the form to get a printable ticket good for the 15th.