The Backyard – What Might Tamiya Unveil in Nuremberg?
Happy Friday all, and welcome to The Backyard!
This week I’m in a bit of a ponderous mood, what with the Nuremberg International Toy Fair set to kick off in juuust over a week — January 27th through the 31st in Nuremberg, Germany.
While a wide range of R/C companies will be announcing products and showing off new wares at the massive show, Tamiya is especially notable for using Nuremberg as the stage to reveal much (if not all) of its upcoming release slate for the year. Because of that, fans of the Big T (myself included) circle this show on the calendar every single year.
This year feels particularly important for Tamiya, as they’re celebrating the 50th anniversary of their first R/C car. The legendary 1/12 Porsche 934 (#58001) was released all the way back in 1976 — a milestone few companies in this hobby can even come close to claiming.
The fine folks over at the Tamiya Blog have already compiled a list of what’s been officially confirmed for the show, but the scuttlebutt online suggests there are still additional R/C releases yet to be revealed.
So… what would I like to see?
Now, I’ll be the first to admit that what I want and what we’ll actually see don’t always overlap — but that’s kind of the whole point of this column. Also worth noting: every R/C kit that’s been confirmed so far is a car, and I’m very much a truck guy. So yeah… these picks are all trucks. Well, I guess one is KIND OF a car, but it’s off-road at least!
A New American-Style 1/14 Semi Truck
Tamiya has leaned heavily into Euro trucks in recent years, which is great — but it feels like it’s time to show American rigs some love again. I’d be all-in on a classic Mack or something similarly old-school and imposing.
#58146 Chevy S-10 4×4 Racing Truck Re-Release
I absolutely lusted after one of these in the ’90s and never got my hands on one. A re-release would be an instant buy for me. Huge Mickey Thompson Off-Road Series vibes with this one.
#58081 Nissan King Cab Stadium Truck Re-Release
Vintage off-road racing is red-hot right now, and while Tamiya has done a fantastic job re-releasing classic buggies, stadium trucks have been largely ignored. The King Cab is iconic, beautiful, and another truck I vividly remember drooling over as a kid. I’d nab one without hesitation.
Something New on the BBX10 Platform
The BBX10 is an excellent platform, and with a few years under its belt now, it feels ripe for a follow-up. The Sand Scorcher gets mentioned a lot as a potential BBX refresh, and honestly? I’m on board. That could be a lot of fun.
#58256 Juggernaut II Monster Truck Re-Release
Oh yeah — hook this straight to my veins. The Juggernaut II was wildly ahead of its time, and with retro solid-axle monster truck racing being as popular as it is right now, I genuinely think this kit would sell far better than Tamiya might expect. The monster truck crowd would lose their minds over it.
I’ll wrap things up by saying I’d also love to see something new and modern on the bashing front. Not a 6S rooftop-launching monster like an ARRMA, but a contemporary off-road or monster truck design that clearly nods to Tamiya’s heritage while still being able to handle a reasonable brushless setup and the normal rigors of bashing. The BBX proved that when Tamiya goes clean-sheet, good things happen.
Alright, that’s it for me this week. Until next time, keep it on all 4’s!
