[CharlesWA]

The latest WRC car is now RC! The new items report from Chicago indicates that it'll both be on the basic/entry level electric TT-01 chassis (which Tamiya appears to be rolling out a pretty nice line of hop-ups for, hmmm

) and the basic (and possibly only current?) gas chassis, the TGS. Of couse what they really need to do to sell me is to put it on the new TB-02 chassis.

It'll probably be a couple months before the two cars make it to the US via Tamiya America (though maybe less time). Give it an extra month or two before the body set is available for $30-$40 (un-painted, though all the decals should be included as usual).

Notes for the R/C newbies... this body should fit just fine on any 1/10th scale 190mm wide "touring cars". Be sure to double check before drilling body post holes as sometimes HPI, Tamiya, etc. do it a little differently. Also, you may need longer than usual rear body posts since this is a hatchback body. Some cars will come with posts that are long enough, on some you can buy optional posts, and on others you'll have to get creative with using more generic posts.

Those rims look like some existing ones that Tamiya already has, though it's possible that they're new too. They'll be an extra $5-$10 per pair on top of the body price, and of course you'll need inserts and tires. The existing ones are 26mm wide, though if these are new there's a chance that Tamiya will have made them in the narrower 24mm wide form factor that is more popular in rubber tire touring car racing.

I now return you to your normally "auto related" Pit Stop. I'm off to start rifling through boxes looking for parts to build a chassis (probably a TA-03 R or F) for Tamiya's "World Tarmac Rally" class.

 

[focaljet-1]

Tasty.

 

[soybean311]

It looks nicer than the one currently at Fry's!

 

[BUR_ZX3]

Tasty.

 

[CharlesWA]

It looks nicer than the one currently at Fry's!

I wouldn't be surprised if Fry's ends up carring the TT-01 version at some point... From what I saw, though, their prices are much higher on the Tamiya XB cars than on-line, and a bit higher than the local hobby store.

Also... I'm pretty sure I saw somewhere that Tamiya will have a 1/24th scale version of the same car out soon for all you static model freaks.

 

[hatched]

I attended the show yesterday and picked up the body – it was beautiful! Very nice, indeed.

 

[CharlesWA]

I attended the show yesterday and picked up the body – it was beautiful! Very nice, indeed.

Did you put it back down or did they let you leave with it?

 

[WanabeRS]

It'll make a nice addition to my collection of Focus Bodies. It's a shame HPI didn't make it, their bodies always seem to be better.

 

[CharlesWA]

Better in what sense?

I challenge you to put the HPI Focus body next to any of the 2 or 3 existing Tamiya Focus bodies and explain how it's better. Tamiya's are always more detailed, realistic, etc. Of course if you're going for a more aerodynamic, "swoopy" interpertation of a car that might let you run faster then yeah, HPI, Pro Line, Protoform, etc. bodies will give you an edge. Heck, even a Tamiya Skyline or NSX body would give you a huge edge over the Focus body... But that's not the point here now is it.

 

[WanabeRS]

Sorry said that wrong, i actually meant in a durbility way. I have the WRC Focus tamiya body and it was a bit more brittle than my hpi bodies. Took one good hit and split it. now my hpi bodies take a hell of a kicking and just get scratched and dented. But still they're all good representations of the Focus so i don't really care, i just want it!!!!

Got any pics of your focus bodies on your R/C car?

 

[smoke3006]

Better in what sense?

I challenge you to put the HPI Focus body next to any of the 2 or 3 existing Tamiya Focus bodies and explain how it's better. Tamiya's are always more detailed, realistic, etc. Of course if you're going for a more aerodynamic, "swoopy" interpertation of a car that might let you run faster then yeah, HPI, Pro Line, Protoform, etc. bodies will give you an edge. Heck, even a Tamiya Skyline or NSX body would give you a huge edge over the Focus body... But that's not the point here now is it.

Proline and Protoforms bodies are always kinda mutated/melted looking, but HPIs are usually quite realistic. Got their original Focus body on my Cen electric rally car right now in fact. Going to be getting another Focus body to put on my E-maxx too

 

[jptech2004]

It looks nicer than the one currently at Fry's!

w3rd...i was at fry's the other day and saw the wrc rc car. wasn't impressed.

 

[VizualXTacyZX3]

thats the body kit im doin to my car!! the WRC03 kit...i gotta find that RC to collect

 

[Pzevinside]

Scwheet.