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When buying an RC car or truck, you have two basic options. Either getting a kit where you need to do the assembly or get a ready-to-run (RTR) where the car comes out of the box fully assembled. Tamiya is one manufacturer that has been around for a very long time and producing RC vehicles since the 70’s. They are well known for making exceptional high-quality kits with outstanding instruction manuals which ensures that you have an enjoyable, hassle-free building experience and you end up with a flawlessly built car. Now if you are the type that wants to skip the building process and jump right behind the wheel of your RC for instant gratification, Tamiya has made sure that they also offer a huge selection of RTRs. In fact, Tamiya has a very diverse line-up of RTR vehicles (called Expert Built or XB for short) where you can find not only on-road vehicles, but also a nice range of common and unique off-road vehicles. The majority of the XB vehicles will require a battery pack, compatible charger and “AA” batteries for the transmitter to get it up and running. Here we will highlight some of the many RTR Tamiya vehicles available to give you just a taste of the various types you have to choose from.
Alfa Romeo MiTo (M-05) – item no. 84135
The Tamiya Alfa Romeo MiTo is available in black shown here as well as red (57802) and in silver (84136) body colors. It is based on the full-size Alfa Romeo MiTo three-door super mini. The car was designed to compete with the Mini Cooper and Audi A1 vehicles. A fun fact is that the car was named after the location it was designed, Milan, and the location where it was manufactured, Torino—MiTo. Details like side view mirrors and accurate stickers come stock with the MiTo and further dress up the polycarbonate body. Underneath sits the proven Tamiya M-05 mini chassis that mimics the full-size Alfa with a front wheel drive setup. Other features include a 540 brushed motor, TEU-104BK speed control, bevel gear differential, fully independent double wishbone suspension, oil-filled shocks, 3-piece tie-rod steering linkage for sharp cornering performance, adjustable wheelbase and 60D radial tires mounted on attractive 5-spoke chrome wheels.
Farm King Wheelie (WR-02G) – item no. 57853
Here is a vehicle that is just fun to drive, the Tamiya Farm King Wheelie. The polycarbonate body has a caricature-esque design with a plow mounted at the rear, tall stack exhaust pipes on either side of the cockpit and a driver figure complete with a ten-gallon hat. The WR-02G 2WD chassis features a heavy-duty monocoque chassis which is equipped with 3.8-inch front and 5-inch rear diameter wheels for a realistic scale presence. The motor is positioned along the centerline of the chassis and power is delivered to the rear wheels via fully-enclosed gearbox equipped with a gear differential. At each corner sits double wishbone suspension that can handle uneven off-road terrain. The WR-02G is designed with a wheelie bar to enable fun, front wheels in the air driving action. For electronics, the Farm King comes with the Tamiya FineSpec 2.4 GHz 2-channel radio system, a TEU-105BK speed control and 540 brushed motor.
Fast Attack 2011 – item no. 57828
The Fast Attack 2011 is a re-release of the Fast Attack vehicle that was originally released back in 1984. Its unique military dune buggy appearance is an eye catcher with the front and rear lights, camouflage body, realistic roll cage, fully detailed driver figure and even an M60 machine gun mounted on the passenger side of the buggy. Up front is a big bumper to keep the chassis protected from front impacts and nerf bars on either side add additional fortification. 5-spoke tan wheels are wrapped with grooved front tires and block pattern tread at the rear. A bathtub type chassis has a gearbox with the 540 brushed motor for mounted at the rear and provides full time rear wheel drive. Fully independent suspension is found all around along with friction shocks that allow it to easily run on and off road. Along with the Fast Attack buggy, Tamiya includes its FineSpec 2.4 GHz radio system and all that is left for you to add is “AA” batteries for the transmitter, battery pack for the buggy itself and a charger.
Ferrari F2012 (F104) – item no. 84356
Give yourself a taste of Formula One racing which is arguably the premier racing class in the world with the Tamiya Ferrari F2012. It comes fully factory assembled and ready-to-run with only batteries and a charger needed to get it racing. The officially licensed Ferrari F2012 has a highly detailed polycarbonate body complete with all the racing livery markings and even the OZ wheels and Pirelli slick tires. The side mirrors, barge boards and vertical fins are separate parts from the body and add to its overall realism. The F104 chassis is the backbone for the F2012 and features a FRP (Fiber Reinforced Plastic) chassis plate, 2WD rear wheel drive drivetrain with king-pin independent suspension and a rear solid axle T-plate mono-shock suspension. A 540 brushed motor spins a standard pinion/spur gear setup with ball pressure plate differential for precision performance through tight corners. Similar to the other Expert Built vehicles, the Ferrari F2012 includes the FineSpec 2.4 GHz radio system.
Heavy Dump Truck (GF-01) – item no. 57890
At quick glance the Tamiya Heavy Dump Truck may look like it shares the same chassis as the Wild Willy 2, Volkswagen Type 2 and the Farm King Wheelie, but it actually utilizes a different platform. The biggest difference of the GF-01 chassis for the Heavy Dump Truck is that it is 4WD as oppose to 2WD and has the motor placed in the center in order to drive the gears in the front and rear gearboxes. The tough monocoque chassis has the gearboxes integrated into the frame and protects it from dust and debris. Friction shocks are used for damping while mated to a fully independent double wishbone suspension setup. A torque-tuned 540-brushed motor provides the go along with Tamiya’s dependable TEU-105BK speed control. Along with the realistic injection molded resin body, the chassis, bumper and wheels are all molded in yellow. The cab and rear bed are separate components with the bed designed so that it can be set in either flat or raised positions.
LaFerrari (TT-02) – item no. 57869
Tamiya offers quite a few on-road cars and we chose the LaFerrari due to its cool factor. The scale body is well detailed with the same body lines that are found on its full-size brother. It comes out of the box completely factory painted and finished right down to the car’s unique side-view mirrors and the iconic prancing horse badges. Tamiya’s 2.4 GHz 2-channel radio system gives you reliable control of the 1/10-scale super car and the easy to maintain TT-02 4WD on-road chassis provides the performance. A centrally located propeller shaft connects the front and rear gearboxes that house durable gear differentials. The 540 brushed motor has a motor mount that allows up to ten different gear ratios to tune your car and the wheelbase length as well as ground clearance is also adjustable. The skid-shaped lower deck enables a greater roll movement range during cornering, and the 4-wheel double wishbone suspension is equipped with identical left/right suspension arms and uprights, making maintenance and assembly a simple task.
Lunch Box (CW-01) – item no. 57749
If you have been around RC for a little while, chances are you recognize the Tamiya Lunch Box monster truck with scale, bright yellow cargo van body. The Lunch Box is one of the iconic Tamiya vehicles that was first released in 1987 and has been re-released as a kit and as an Expert Built version. Unlike the vehicles that come with a polycarbonate body, the Lunch Box has a hard plastic styrene body that allows much more fine detail to be added. Like the molded vent slots in front of the windshield, door handles, chrome grill insert with headlights and window inserts. Giving the Lunch Box a stable monster truck base is the CW-01 2WD ABS bathtub style chassis. It features a solid rear axle and front independent swing arms that are supported by friction shocks. A 540 motor is attached to a sealed bevel gear gearbox to keep dirt and debris from getting inside. Mounted at the rear is a wheelie bar for some stunt driving capability.
Racing Fighter (DT-03) – item no. 57895
Cut your teeth in off-road racing with the Tamiya Expert Built Racing Fighter 2WD buggy. The DT-03 chassis is easy to drive and maintain. It utilizes a monocoque chassis that is designed to handle off-road abuse while also being light weight. The combination of a long wheelbase and four-wheel double wishbone suspension married to friction dampers with long suspension arms, allows the model to handle with stability on rough surfaces. Ribbed front and square spike rear tires provide ample grip, and the rear-positioned gearbox is sealed to protect from dust and dirt, with the built-in differential gear offering smooth cornering. The Tamiya FineSpec 2.4 GHz 2-channel radio system comes preinstalled along with steering servo, 540 brushed motor and TEU-105BK speed control. Topping it off is a polycarbonate body that comes pre-painted in the orange-based color scheme, with pre-painted black rear wing.
Toyota FJ Cruiser (CC-01) – item no. 57877
Very few manufacturers take the care to replicate full-size vehicles as much as Tamiya does and the Toyota FJ Cruiser is a great example of this. It is an accurate 1/10-scale version of the full size FJ right down to its instantly recognizable front grill and side view mirrors. The body is molded of rugged polycarbonate that also keeps the center of gravity low. It comes fully painted and decorated with all the detail stickers shown here. The lights come with pre-installed mounts to allow the addition of optional LED lights. Beneath the great looking body is Tamiya’s tried and true CC-01 4WD off-road chassis also known as the Cross Country chassis. The bathtub style plastic chassis is equipped with a rear four-link rigid suspension and solid axle while the front features an independent suspension setup. Keeping the ride smooth are oil-filled plastic shocks spec’d for the front and rear. A 540 brushed motor sits longitudinal in the chassis and along with a TEU-105BK speed control its powers the 4WD drivetrain.
Volkswagen Scirocco (TT-01D Type E) – item no. 57883
Get ready for some fun drift action with the Tamiya Expert Built Volkswagen Scirocco. The TT-01D Type E chassis is a 4WD platform with fully independent double wishbone suspension and includes special parts to make it easy to drift. It includes a Tamiya Sport-Tuned motor, aluminum motor heat sink, adjustable upper suspension arms and smooth operating CVA oil-filled shocks to enable drift driving. You will need to add your own battery pack and charger to get the Scirocco rolling, but the rest of the electronics come stock like the FineSpec 2.4 GHz 2-channel radio system, speed control and steering servo. The sleek Volkswagen Scirocco body is molded from polycarbonate and factory finished with all the stickers and plastic parts like the rear wing.
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