The Backyard – I’ve Got the Bug

Greetings all and Happy Friday! Welcome to The Backyard!

Well, Tamiya sure knows how to get my attention.

Earlier this week, seemingly out of nowhere, they announced the new Volkswagen Dune Beetle Cross, based on the new BB-02 chassis.

And friends…I absolutely LOVE this thing.

What made the announcement even more fun was that I didn’t see it coming whatsoever. We normally have a pretty good idea of what’s coming down the Tamiya pipeline thanks to the various hobby shows and leaks throughout the year, but unless I completely missed something, this wasn’t shown off at the Nuremberg Toy Fair. The release just kinda happened!

SURPRISE! Here’s an awesome new Baja Bug!

I’ve already been a big fan of what Tamiya has been doing with the BBX platform. As a matter of fact, I have an original BBX sitting on my workbench right now that I’ve been slowly building whenever I get some free time.

And now I already want another one.

The Dune Beetle Cross is very much in the spirit of the legendary Tamiya Sand Scorcher, but importantly, it isn’t just a Sand Scorcher redux. This looks like a modern interpretation of that classic Tamiya Baja Bug vibe, and I think they absolutely nailed it.

The licensed Volkswagen body looks fantastic. You’ve got the bulging Baja-style fenders, exposed rear engine, roll cage, window netting, lights, driver and co-driver figures—the whole thing just oozes personality.

And then there’s the chassis itself.

Tamiya is calling this the BB-02, and there are some really interesting changes underneath. The chassis has more of a floor-pan design than the BBX, and my favorite bit may be the front suspension. You can apparently build it with either traditional double wishbones or double trailing arms, with the latter really completing that old-school VW off-road look.

That’s such a cool touch.

This is exactly the kind of thing I want to see Tamiya doing.

I love the classics and re-releases as much as anyone—you folks have heard me ramble about the Clod Buster and Lunch Box plenty lately—but there’s something especially exciting about seeing Tamiya take inspiration from its history and use it to create something NEW.

The Sand Scorcher is an icon. It doesn’t need replacing.

Instead, give me a modern Tamiya kit that understands why the Sand Scorcher was so cool in the first place. That’s what the Dune Beetle Cross looks like to me.

And apparently I’m far from alone, because the reaction I’ve seen from fellow Tamiya enthusiasts this week has been extremely positive. This thing seems to have hit the hobby right in the nostalgia gland. It certainly got me!

The funny thing is that I haven’t even finished building my regular BBX yet! It’s sitting right there on my workbench as I type this, probably wondering why I’m already looking at its new sibling.

Sorry, little buddy. I’ll finish you. I promise. But yeah, I’m absolutely getting a Dune Beetle Cross.

There’s something about a Tamiya Baja Bug that just feels right, and combining that classic look with the modern BB-series engineering is pretty much catnip for me.

Tamiya, you got me. Again.

Alright, that’s it for me this week. Until next time, keep it on all 4’s!