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If you are a relative newcomer to the RC hobby, you will most likely not have a decent grasp on all the incredible products that are currently available. Even knowing what one manufacturer makes can be unclear. Take for example the renowned manufacturer, Tamiya, who creates hundreds upon hundreds of quality hobby products including a huge variety of RC vehicles. To make things clearer for you, here is a list of ten very cool Tamiya vehicles you may not know about. These must-see vehicles range from neat and nimble trikes to incredible, highly detailed and realistic tractor trucks.
Scania 770 S 6×4—item #56368
The first of the Tamiya vehicles you may not now about is the ultra-realistic Scania 770 S 6×4 tractor truck. Tamiya actually sells nearly 30 different tractor trucks and the Scania 770 is one of the newer ones that was released in 2022. There is a nice mix of US style trucks and Euro style trucks like the Scania 770. You can quickly understand why Tamiya chose to replicate this truck once you learn about the full-size version. Scania is a world renowned truck manufacturer and this particular model boasts a 770-horsepower 16.4-liter V8 diesel turbo engine that is dropped into a double rear-axle drive 6×4 chassis. Tamiya decked out its version with a realistic roof bar features light pods, grille mini bar, low bar and side bars and if you like you can illuminate them with optional LEDs. Underneath the scale body you will find highly-realistic suspension utilizing metal leaf springs and friction dampers. A ladder frame uses aluminum side channel with plastic cross members and becomes an ideal spot to mount the 3-speed transmission with electric motor. You can also add one of the many Tamiya trailers to complete this killer looking big rig.
Comical Grasshopper—item #58662
Now to change things up with something lighthearted and fun, here is the Comical Grasshopper. It is based on the WR-02CB 2WD chassis which is a variant of the of the WR-02 wheelie chassis. It is a super fun and exciting chassis to drive on and off road whether you want smooth driving or setup for wheelie action. Tamiya builds the gearbox with the motor already installed for you to shorten the build time and reduce any hassle. It is equipped with long suspension arms with oil-filled shocks to give the Comical Grasshopper excellent off-road performance and a wheelie bar mounted at the rear supports the buggy for long sustained wheelies.
British Battle Tank Centurion Mk.III—item #56045
RC tanks are definitely one of those Tamiya vehicles you may not know about, especially since hardly any RC manufacturers offer them. Tamiya offers nearly 20 RC tanks and the British Battle Tank Centurion Mk.III highlighted here is one awesome example. The real Centurion Mk.III was developed to counter the powerful German army tanks during WWII. This variant of the Centurion is the most polished and was equipped with the L/66.7 20 pounder long barrel gun Each Tamiya tank is an incredible scale model of the full size tank worthy for display on a shelf, but these are fully remote control. The tanks offer a full range of movement: forward and reverse, turns, turret rotation with gun elevation. On top of that, the Tamiya tanks are equipped with a full sound system with LEDs that are matched up with movements from the tank. For example, firing the main gun is accompanied by an LED flash in the barrel of the cannon, realistic recoil of the barrel with vehicle kickback. Each tank has authentic engine and firing sounds that were recorded from the full-size vehicle. Inside is a large speaker to ensure the sounds are clearly audible.
Dancing Rider—item #57405
One of the most unique of the Tamiya vehicles are the Trikes. This three wheeled machine replicate the delivery trikes that are used in Japan. Tamiya’s engineers cleverly designed the RC trike to lean into the corners just as the full-size versions do with the added benefit of support arms that are linked to the steering servo to help right the model if it tips onto its side. The 3-wheel chassis features the motor in the rear section, with the battery in the front. The two sections are linked in the middle with a steering servo that leans the entire front section left or right to initiate turns. The Dancing Rider is an absolute blast to drive and can be upgraded with the numerous Hop-Up Option parts offered by Tamiya.
Landfreeder Quadtrack—item #58690
Tracked vehicles are just plain cool. Not only do they stand out from other RC vehicles, but they also are wild to watch as they operate climbing over obstacles. The Landfreeder Quadtrack is built off of the proven Tamiya TT-02 chassis and comes as assembly kit that you put together including the four tracks. The tracks attach to the suspension arms with plates and each features a sprocket and four rollers. The third roller is sprung to assist in the performance department. You even have a choice of two types of elastomer track links; standard and grouser. A bonus with this kit is that the polycarbonate pickup truck body comes pre-painted to speed up the build process for you. Tamiya includes separate plastic plated parts to recreate the grill cover, fog lamps and roll bar to enhance the realism of the body. A polycarbonate chassis cover and wheel well liners will protect the chassis from dirt and dust when off-road running.
Alfa Romeo MiTo—item #84136
The Tamiya Alfa Romeo MiTo may just seem like another little touring car, but this specific vehicle is one of the few Ready-to-run (RTR) vehicles that Tamiya offers. This means that unlike the rest of the vehicles shown in this article, the MiTo comes out of the box fully assembled only requiring a battery pack and battery charger to get it rolling. Tamiya’s RTRs or Expert Built (XB) vehicles are a nice option for someone who wants to jump right in and get running as soon as the battery pack is charged. Tamiya includes a reliable 2-channel 2.4GHz pistol grip transmitter to control the vehicle. There are many different styles of XB vehicles offered by Tamiya. The MiTo is based on Tamiya’s popular M-05 mini 2WD chassis that is equipped with fully independent double wishbone suspension, friction dampers, a bevel gear differential, 540 size brushed motor all mounted on a durable ABS plastic chassis.
Dynahead 6×6—item #58660
We already showed you the cool three-wheeled Dancing Rider and here is the unstoppable Dynahead 6×6 decked out with six big V-tread block tires that are all driven by the powerful 540 brushed motor. The G6-01TR chassis is basically one giant transmission loaded with gears to drive the front, center and rear wheels simultaneously. Integrated into the frame of the chassis is the sealed gearbox. Tamiya offers four 6×6 vehicles including the Dynahead 6×6 presented here, King Yellow 6×6, the Konghead 6×6 and the Volvo A60H Hauler 6×6. The body of the Dynahead is actually mounted on a variation of the G6-01 chassis named G6-01TR which is fitted with hub reduction axles to give the truck extra height for clearing obstacles.
Mercedes-Benz Race Truck Actros MP4 MG Motorsport—item #58683
If you are not familiar, European Truck Racing Championship or ETRC is an exciting race series where full size big rigs compete. These massive semi trucks are powered with staggering 1,000+hp turbocharged diesel engines and race door-to-door. Shown here is the Mercedes-Benz Race Truck Actros MP4 MG Motorsport raced by the Tankpool24 team and is fitted on top of the proven Tamiya TT-01 Type-E shaft-driven 4WD chassis. This chassis features a low center of gravity, 4-wheel double wishbone suspension system and front and rear gear differentials that all come together to produce excellent on track handling. The realistic body is made from lightweight and durable polycarbonate and comes in a 3-piece set along with separately molded plastic side mirrors, coupler and rear bumper parts.
1990 Mercedes-Benz C11—item #47484
Dedicated on-road race cars like the Tamiya 1990 Mercedes-Benz C11 are a blast to drive with their quick and agile handling characteristics. The full-size C11 racecar was powered by a M119 5.0L twin turbo V8 engine and proved to be a threat out on the track thus achieving some impressive finishes. This explains why Tamiya re-released this kit which was first offered back in 1990. Under the accurately recreated polycarbonate body sits a composite chassis with an ABS resin bathtub with front and rear space frames and FRP plates. A Tamiya RS-540 Sport Tuned brushed motor is included and is bolted up to a direct drive 2WD setup that transmits the motor power directly to the spur gear mounted on the rear axle. Rear suspension is provided by a 3-point suspension setup that places the rear gearbox on a CVA oil-dampened T-bar and up front uses a coil spring pin. High-grip foam sponge tires come stock in the kit and will give you the performance needed for on-road running.
Mercedes-Benz Arocs 3348 6×4 Tipper Truck—item #56361
At the beginning of this list of Tamiya vehicles you may not know about, we featured the Scania 770 S 6×4 tractor truck which is setup with a 5th wheel so that it can be connected to any of the Tamiya tractor trailers. The Mercedes-Benz Arocs 3348 6×4 Tipper Truck does not have that capability as it features a realistic dump truck bed which can be operated by a transmitter when the separately sold Actuator Set (56545) is installed. The dump bed is comprised of metal sub frame and resin panel sections that make it look realistic and offer functionality. This truck is also equipped with a Tamiya TR mighty-tuned 35-turn brushed motor to create power for hauling heavy loads and it is equipped with newly designed rear tires, rear fenders and taillights.
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