Want to learn more about this beauty? Xray has a lot more details on every aspect of the new RX8 ’13 over at THIS LINK.

Happy Friday everyone, we’ve finally made it to another weekend. Close your eyes and hit “enter” on a BSRC TGIF Mystery LINK.

New from XRay is the 2013 version of their NT1 10th scale nitro touring car. This latest version hosts a slew of improvements over the previous model. Some of the major changes are new shocks, new towers, new chassis, new bulkheads and new driveshafts (among many other things). If you are looking for an elite nitro touring car, the 2013 NT1 should be on your list.

We’ve received no word on a potential price point or release date, but you can get more information and photo’s over on XRay’s Official Website.

What’s the best way to kick your weekend off right? To enjoy one of our TGIF Mystery Links of course.

The changes for the 2013 XB9 include-

* New longer and wider chassis for increased stability and weight balance
* New engine position and internal component layout to improve performance, efficiency and durability
* New updated side guards
* New fuel tank with floating stone type fuel filter
* New high-torque clutch set
* New heavier high-torque flywheel
* New high-torque clutch shoes
* New high-torque clutch springs
* New 16° caster blocks suitable for majority of track conditions
* New steering blocks for increased corner speed
* New Ackermann position for increased corner speed
* New HUDY Spring Steel™ turnbuckles with new size
* New front shock tower with new roll center positions
* New rear shock to accommodate optional longer chassis brace
* New longer muffler mounting to accommodate all types of mufflers

For more information on the XB9 check out the official XRay Website, and for even more XRay news check out THIS link right here on BigSquidRC.

* Innovative XRAY Multi-Flex™ setting
* All-new and improved weight balance and weight distribution
* Easy chassis flex setting for traction and stability adjustment
* More forgiving and easy-to-control handling
* Long-term tested by team and regular drivers in all standard conditions
* Focus on smallest details to increase performance, handling, and reliability
* All-new shocks with completely redesigned parts
* New drivetrain parts for increased performance, weight balance, traction, and reliability
* New narrower chassis is more flexible in longitudinal direction and stiffer in lateral direction
* New chassis flex adjustment
* New radio box plate with batteries relocated to front
* New side guards with Multi-Flex™ adjustment
* New high-downforce body with side guides and improved engine cooling
* New rear wing with increased side stability and increased downforce
* New rear wing was specifically designed to work with the new body
* New more-reliable central drivetrain with larger outdrives and new central drive shafts with 3mm pins
* New drive shaft locking rings prevent the driveshaft from coming apart

For more information on this and all of XRay’s high end vehicles hit up the official XRay Website.

We finally made it through the first week of 2013, to celebrate, how about a Mystery Link?

* All-new T4 platform
* Improved chassis flex
* Improved traction
* Improved weight balance
* Improved steering
* Improved center of gravity
* All new top deck
* All-new servo saver
* All new chassis design
* All new anti-roll bars
* All new rear uprights
* All new super low shock towers
* All new front lower bumper mounts
* All new composite hubs for bulkheads
* All new Super Low Profile (SLP) aluminum shocks
* All new low profile foam bumper
* All new Super Short Shock Springs (4S)
* All new redesigned and re-engineered bulkheads
* All new unique super low profile tweak-free motor mount
* All new upper bulkhead clamps
* All new updated alu lower suspension holder
* All new steering system
* All new tweak-free servo mount

If you are looking for a rolling work of art, the new XRay T4 should be right up your alley. Hit up this LINK for the official webpage of the new XRay T4.

Looking for more XRay news here on BigSquidRC? HERE is the link you want.

First off, congrats to Team Germany for pwn’ing the world at MXoN over the weekend. K-Roc and crew put in some stellar rides to cinch Germany’s first MX of Nations win, they deserve loads of props. Team America just didn’t have it over the weekend, suffering from poor starts and crashing, and well, just lack of speed on the hardcore Euro sand track at Lommel. “Sigh”…

Next up…

The 2012 International iHobby Expo is right around the corner October 11-14 in Cleveland Ohio. I am cordially inviting all of our readers to make it out to the show, not only to hang with the BigSquidRC crew in booth 401 (hint hint), but to also rub elbows with some of the industries finest like Pro-line, Horizon, Parma, MRC, etc. Thursday and Friday are industry only days with Saturday and Sunday being open to the public. Of note to our readers are our rc demo’s on Saturday and Sunday- there we’ll be giving away a FREE Vehicle out during each of our shows. A brand new Axial EXO Terra Buggy, a ARRMA Granite Monster Truck, a Team Durango DESC210 RTR, and a Duratrax Evader Brushless! These are some of the vehicles we’ll be handing out to a lucky person in the crowd, come on out, you could go home with a new rc.

Oh and yes, I will be attending the iHobby show again this year, so if you’re an industry type that has had enough of my malarkey, please feel free to drop by the booth and give me an earful or two (just expect the same in return).
Get all the iHobby Expo info HERE.

Next subject is…

Achtung off-road rc track owners- if you ever wanted to build a scale rc track, one that actually simulates a full scale track, I highly suggest you look at replicating the Reno Nevada Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series track. Wow, the Reno track makes me wanna cut the check for a couple hundred grand and go race full scale short course. But seriously, how did our hobby ever think it was a good idea for our tracks to look closer to Anaheim 1 than to Bark River or Reno? You don’t see full scale off road trucks busting triples and quads. Scale looking tracks to go with scale looking vehicles only makes sense, and they might actually result in better racing. Yes, seriously.

And on to…

We’ve got a big week in store for our readers here at BigSquidRC. We are still giving away a free Hobbico vehicle this week and I hear this weeks contest is going to be EXTRA fun, be sure and sign up for a shot at a free rig.

We’ve got at least two cool reviews coming your way this week, one being a Pro Match 50C 5000 mah Lipo battery review, and the other being a Durango DESC210 RTR review. I’ve personally gotten in a ton of trigger time in with the Durango short course RTR and I’ll say now that not only is it good for the track, but it is also a very respectable bash-mobile. Keep your eyes on the front page for the full review.

Also something interesting coming up later today is an interview with Lee Morrison, the lead developer for the new Horizon ECX Revenge 8th scale buggies. We gathered up a bunch of questions from the bash crew and Lee was cool enough to be quite open and frank with his responses. Some are just general questions about the new Revenge buggies while others lead to some behind the scenes insight into the ECX brand, we hope you’ll dig reading it.

Speaking of the new ECX Revenge buggies, they were just the tip of the iceberg for big new releases last week. The new ECX’s hit on Thursday, then the big “industry news” that I had eluded to last week, the new Team Associated SC10B hit on Friday morning, followed an hour later by the announcement of the new Thunder Tiger ST4 G3 truggy. And finally on Saturday X-Ray released full info on their new T4 touring car. I gotta say that’s a pretty epic week as far as new vehicles go in our hobby.

Team Associated SC10B- The new scale short course buggy from Associated has been warmly received, I think even the hardcore racer types know that its a class that is destined to flourish. You can bash one because of its larger tires, and you can race one because it is not prone to parachute effect, and most importantly, it should be a winner on the sales floor. Scale appearance IS good for our hobby, thankfully AE finally jumped in with Losi and Kyosho to help the scale buggy class take off and to hopefully help kill off some of the un-needed UFO classes. However, the SC10B was a year and a half late to the sales floor, and like our contributor Jim said, “Looks ok, but I view it as another product from a defunct company that is still around as a sticker company. Ready-to-xxx just says built in China, I don’t give a hoot what’s included.”. Personally, I’ve driven Associated 2wd buggies for the vast majority of my rc life, in fact I’ve driven them far more than I’ve driven everything else I’ve ever owned combined, yet because AE so late (again) to the scale buggy party I think I’m still happy with my STRC’ed-out Losi SCB.

Oh… and we hear the Associated SC10B is NOT the cool buggy coming out from AE. Their “cool” buggy, a 5th scale version, is much more scale and not that far out. But then “not that far out” is a relative term, if AE is on HPI time, it could mean years, not months.

ECX Revenge Type E and Type N- Who would have thought the little company that could would bust out some 8th scalers? When you hit a bash spot there are two kings of the hill, 8th scaler buggies and monster trucks. If you show up with anything less prepare to be run over and spit out as roost (or to be hit and broken). Now ECX is suddenly a player for king of the local bash spot. Will the new ECX 8th scalers have teething pains like some of their other offerings? Will they be a legit contender for bash vehicle of the year? We shall find out soon, very soon.

Thunder Tiger ST4 G3- Ya, so we know the Thunder Tiger monster truck took over as king of the hill in many areas of the country. How will the truggy version stack up? It’s based off the same platform so I’ve gotta say it should be one bad ass machine, and if it’s bad ass, it will sell. I can’t help but think the new Thunder Tiger will not only be a beast to bash with but also another sales hit. Who would have thought 5 years ago that Thunder Tiger would have went from non-existent to mainstream here in the USA?

X-Ray T4- Every few years X-Ray busts out a new touring car platform for the hardcore on-road crowd. Unfortunately this time around not many Americans care about a new uber X-Ray. Certainly the new T4 is a huge news in other parts of the country, but as one of our staffers so eloquently stated, “That thing would be a cigarette butt to my Revo.”, the American market just isn’t in touring car mode right now. However, I’d still love to have one sitting on my desk just so I could marvel at its engineering.

And, one last thing…

Rumors continue to persist about a new scale, straight axled monster truck coming from Traxxas. The rumors had died off for a while, but last week they started back up again with a vengeance. I wonder how long the list would be at your LHS to get one of those off the opening order…

And that’s it for yet another incredibly verbose edition of THE Cub Report. Have a great week folks, as always, support your local hobby shops, tracks and bash spots!

YOUR Cub Reporter

Stopping by the Team XRAY booth at the Nuremberg Toy Fair, it was exactly what you would expect. Ultra high-end off-road and on-road that just makes you drool. We took a TON of pictures, so make sure to click the read-more to see the whole set!

Catch all of our fair coverage by hitting this Nuremberg Toy Fair Link .

XRAY had quite a few new releases at the show this year, all of them targeted at the high-end racing market, we’ve posted a bunch of pictures and info on them after the break, so click through to keep reading.

Another big item from the gang was their new RX8 1/8 scale on-road racer.  We recently posted a link to the behind the scenes look at the development of the car and XRAY was showing off the rapid prototyped version (above left) of the car as well as the final version at their booth.  Check out all the details at the XRAY web site.

Also new was their 2011 update to their T3 racing sedan.  Some of the changes include a new narrow chassis designed for LiPos, a centrally positioned dual steering system, and an adaptation of XRAY’s Multi-Flex Technology on the T3′s top deck, which will allow adjustments to the car’s stiffness.

Finally, XRAY showed up the 2011 update to their XB808 nitro buggy and XB808E electric brushless buggy.  The 2011 nitro update features a new chassis design, an updated centrally aligned drive train, redesigned suspension geometry, improved weight balanced and a ton more.

For more info on all these products, check out Team XRAY’s web site.

After several months spent behind the computer and after I was convinced that we had fixed all the basic details, it was time for the first prototypes. To make prototypes today is completely different compared to the old days. Now all composite parts are “printed” using a special sand printer technology which creates the sample in few hours from a file we send via e-mail. These are fairly fragile but give an excellent idea how the composite part will look like. All the aluminum, steel and graphite prototypes are very easy to produce as well, thanks to the in-house production technologies linked to the network.

It’s a very interesting article with a bunch of cool photos to go along with it. Go give it a read.