Tamiya brings back another R/C classic with this Subaru BRAT. Long-time fans will once again experience the nostalgia of their childhood and beginners can enjoy the easy operation of this colourful off-road truck.

About the Subaru BRAT

The Bi-drive Recreational All-terrain Transporter was created by Subaru in the late 1970s from their earlier 4WD station wagon model for the US market. Powered by a flat-four engine ranging from 1.6 to 1.8 litres in displacement, this pickup had the unique feature of having jump seats welded to the truck bed, which allowed it to be imported as a car instead of a truck. One of the cars more famous owners was former US President Ronald Reagan, whose red BRAT is restored and displayed at his former residence in California.

About the Model

High-quality 1/10 R/C assembly kit of the Subaru BRAT, one of Tamiya's early R/C creations.

Same 2WD chassis as used for the reissue Frog, with 4-wheel independent suspension and full ball bearings to handle tough off-road driving.

Comes with two body shells, one made of plastic material similar to the original BRAT for a nostalgic feel and one made from durable polycarbonate material.

Please note: For legislative reasons, the chrome plated chassis shown on some Tamiya promotional images (which date back to 2006) has never been included in UK kits which have a plain plastic chassis the same as the Frog model.

Options Explained

Bearing Upgrade: These make the car run more smoothly and are easily installed during assembly. If there is no option for these shown, then the kit already includes the bearing upgrade as standard. These are entirely optional.

Radio System: There is a choice of a TWIN STICK (Traditional) radio or a Steering Wheel (Modern) radios. All operate on 2.4Ghz and use the new Crystal-Free technology, so you can run multiple cars at the same time without any interference. All radios chosen from this page will include a steering servo as these are not included in the kit itself.

ESC: This is the connection between the radio system and the motor. You have several choices. Tamiya no longer make their own ESC, instead they supply from their facilities Hobbywing or Mstyle units. Where a model number is shown (e.g. 20 or 15) that is the motor capacity of the unit - the lower the number, the more powerful a motor you can install later. All work with the motor in the kit.

Battery: The higher the number, the longer the run time.

Charger: Charge time is proportional to the battery you choose. Some examples - for the 1800 battery (others will take longer) - USB charger takes around 4 hours, Mid Speed around 2 to 3 hours, Etronix Fast Charger can be as quick as 60 minutes in the house or 30 minutes in the car and Ansmann Delta also around 30 minutes (and also works in the car).