An R/C Legend Returns
With its aggressive-looking body design and low center of gravity, the Hotshot, Tamiya's first shaft-driven 4WD R/C buggy, made waves when it was introduced in 1985. The unique 3-piece chassis included such innovative features as front/rear mono-shock oil dampers, 4-wheel double wishbone suspension equipped with stabilizers, and front/rear fully-enclosed gearboxes equipped with thrust ball bearings and differential gears. A wide array of Option Parts were produced especially for modifying the Hotshot, and the machine became something that every youth at that time dreamed of. Fans have clamored for a re-release of the epoch-making R/C car, and Tamiya now brings back this legend to let fans relive their childhood memories.

An Old Dog with New Tricks
Tamiya designers have given the Hotshot a makeover, replacing older, harder to assemble parts with modern equivalents but still keeping true to the spirit of the original Hotshot. While the front/rear double wishbone suspensions and adjustable mono-shock oil dampers remain the same, the drivetrain features modern dog bone type propeller shafts for enhanced reliability. The oil dampers have also been changed to the more modern diaphragm type. Also, with the use of a modern ESC, the original Hotshot's rear aluminium heat sink was no longer necessary. However, the Hotshot would not look the same without it, so our solution was to install a dummy part to remain faithful to the original look. Take this updated Hotshot out for a spin and compare it to today's R/C buggies to experience how far this hobby has developed!

New, more efficient dog bone type front/rear drive shafts and propeller shaft.


Progressive type rear suspension features pushrod and connecting plate.


You can see the dummy aluminium heat sink clearly in this rear view.

Front/rear mono-shocks feature diaphragm type oil dampers and feature adjustable springs.


Kit includes metal maintenance stand bars, which can be used together with the battery holder to lift the car.

Specification

- Length: 390mm
- Width: 235mm
- Height: 150mm
- Weight: 1270g
- Tread: (Front/Rear) 194mm
- Tyre Width/Diameter: (Front) 28/82mm, (Rear) 34/82mm
- Frame: ABS Resin Monocoque
- Drivetrain: Shaft-driven 4WD
- Diff. Gear: 3-bevel
- Steering: 2-piece Tie Rod
- Suspension: 4-wheel Double Wishbone
- Motor: Type RS540

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) radio. Both radios operate on 2.4Ghz and use the new Crystal-Free technology, so you can run multiple cars at the same time without any interference. The steering wheel radio is included in the price, a traditional twin stick radio just a few pounds more.

ESC: This is the connection between the radio system and the motor. You have two choices - the Tamiya Hobbywing unit which will take much more powerful motors, or the Mstyle (from Tamiya Denmark distributor HPI Europe) which will take many upgrades still, is waterproof and a very reliable unit. The Hobbywing unit has a very good reputation with modellers and has a higher capacity allowing faster motors to be used at a later date. Both units feature electronic brakes. Which ESC to choose is purely personal preference as both are equally suitable for this kit.

Battery: The higher the number, the longer the run time. The 1800 battery is included in the price.

Charger: You can choose to upgrade the charger - USB charger takes around 4 hours depending on the battery, 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). The basic USB charger is included in the price.

If you would like more options, would like to choose a package without one of the above components, or wish to purchase the car kit on it's own, please search our site for the CUSTOM option of this kit - easily found by searching for the kit name or number followed by CUSTOM.