When you think of a big radio-controlled car, what scale are you thinking of? Maybe 1:8-scale cars or 1:5-scale monster trucks. Tamiya has even greater visions, because it’s commissioning a really big version of its iconic Wild One RC buggy, except instead of controlling it through a remote, you just hop in and go.
Back in the 1980s, the Tamiya radio-controlled car range had something for everyone, from the ludicrous monster van form of Vanessa’s Lunch Box to the style of the Grasshopper. Hell, it still does thanks to re-releases in multiple scales and fantastic community eager to build, enjoy, and customize their nostalgic Japanese RC cars. That community is allegedly strong enough that Tamiya thinks it can support a 100-unit run of launch edition full-scale Wild Ones, and it’s turned to a small British company to make it happen.
Based in the astonishing Bicester Heritage complex in Oxfordshire, the Little Car Company made its name building junior cars for the likes of Bugatti and Ferrari. These scaled-down, driveable versions of some of automotive history’s greats are meant for children and adults alike. While expensive, they’re a comparative bargain when you look at what a full-scale Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa and Bugatti Type 35 cost.
However, just because the Little Car Company plans to build this buggy, don’t expect it to be small. The Wild One MAX is deceptively large – around 141.7 inches long and 74.8 inches wide. Considering that’s shorter than a Chevrolet Spark yet the same width as a Lamborghini Gallardo, expect outrageous proportions to shine through in real life.
As with most remote control cars these days, the full-scale Tamiya Wild One MAX is powered by batteries that are rechargeable and removable. Total capacity among all eight battery packs sits at 14.4 kWh which isn’t a huge figure, but should be plenty for a vehicle this small. See, the whole thing is expected to weigh just half a tonne, which makes it both road-legal in the UK and EU as a quadricycle and capable of a claimed 60 mph top speed.
Of course, power is nothing without control, and for sandy blasts and greenlane excursions, there’s other hardware that’s more important than propulsion gear. With that in mind, the Little Car Company plans to equipe the Wild One MAX with Bilstein dampers and Eibach springs at all four corners, a sweet set of Maxxis off-road tires on 14-inch wheels, and Brembo brakes to slow everything down. Speaking of handling bits, the 1:10-scale Wild One features a trailing arm front suspension setup, but the human-sized variant gets double wishbones.
Thanks to the iconic sand racer design, the Wild One MAX sports a solid 10.63 inches of ground clearance, and the all-important off-road angles aren’t bad either. Breakover angle is a decent 28.4 degrees, approach angle is a stellar 34.1 degrees, and departure angle clocks in at a whopping 50.8 degrees. It all adds up to a machine that should be plenty of fun off the beaten path.
There’s nothing in series production quite like the Wild One MAX. It’s a bit like an Ariel Nomad, all scaffolding and bugs in your grille, except it’s electric, eco-friendly, and a rather sensible use of the earth’s resources. Sure, most people won’t be daily-driving their Wild One MAX, but 14.4 kWh of battery packs is but a raindrop to the 100+ kWh pack monsoon that’s so trendy right now.
Tamiya claims this is only the start for the Wild One MAX. While first deliveries aren’t expected until early 2024, the firm is planning a range of performance levels and variants to bring electric dune buggy adventures to a more mainstream audience. Still, should you wish to put your name down for a Launch Edition model, reservations cost £100 each and can be placed on the buggy’s dedicated website.
(Photo credits: Tamiya, Little Car Company, RC Driver)
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I want this so bad. I had a Tamiya Fox growing up, and now that I’m a grown-ass man with money I of course re-bought a Tamiya Fox from the 80’s and rebuilt it. It’s an absolute blast.
Cool! I had a Fox that had double wishbones, so I wonder why they didn’t use that as a basis. Maybe this one sold better? Whatever the case, I love it!
My basement is becoming a scale version of the DT MI estate with too many rc cars. Some projects, like my 80s Chevy grille clodbuster im restoring.RC10 graphite, and the list goes on… Too many from 1:5 stuff down to mini z.
I had a Clod Buster too! Also, I did buy a T/A RC10 which is so badass. I didn’t have one when I was a kid it was too expensive and I was lucky to have the Fox and Clod Buster anyway. My RC10 is still in pieces.
I’d love one of these. Sadly I have too many remote control vehicles already.
It’s a cool idea and actually pretty straightforward technically since the original RC car is modeled on a Baja buggy so all you need a buggy frame with the same styling and proportions and an electric drive train. The only tricky part is making the motor sound like a little RC car.
I started with a Marui Hunter kit as my first RC car, then later built a Kyosho Optima. That’s how I learned about how differentials work. My current dog used to chase RC cars so I bought a modern, already made but good car. Dog kind of lost interest in it so I haven’t used mine in awhile. Not sure that’d work for all dogs with a strong prey drive, but mine never tried to damage it, just seemed to like the challenge of the chase. But she’s older now.
And this is why I sometimes almost wish I had become a predatory investment banker
Yep. Those Little Car Company cars are NOT cheap. And Bicester Hertiage is the super bougie centre of the car scene in the UK. Singer has their UK office there.
You should ask the other Autopian staff members to try and pronounce ‘Bicester’ 😉
I kind of liked the power wheels from the Alibaba sellers in the mall. it was intended to help control your kid, but they were fun without kids in them too.
I have two WCC and one Hummer SUT 1:6 RC cars, also a convertible 69 Camaro version. The WCC units have fake hydraulics and shoot sparks. they were pretty neat and kind of an impulse buy about 2 decades ago at a midnight before black Friday stop at Wally world back when they were open 24 hours.
They need to scale up the 540 motor to a trash can size electric motor for reality.
The pinions and grub screws too, make it 1:1
I should work on my goldpan again. The plastic bits have mostly cracked by now.
Thomas, please keep us informed of the price once it is released. Will be interesting to see if they value this as a pricy toy like a SxS or as a collectable.
When they make a full size Tyco Turbo Hopper I’m in!
Last year, I saw a black Isuzu Amigo that someone had done a full set of Tyco Bandit decals for, along with a giant whip antenna. Made my day.
Looks like much fun, but I’d rather have the Meyers Manx 2.0. Same kind of fun, but eminently more road able. Probably way more expensive than the Wild One MAX, too, but worth it, I think, as the MAX is clearly more of a toy at this stage.
Hot damn this brings back Memories of The Frog, RC10, and JRX2. I know I did Waffle Love yesterday, but this popped into my head as soon as I read the headline.
Well, I’m just out of school
Like a real, real cool
Gotta dance like a fool
Got the message that
I’ve gotta be a wild one
Oh yeah, I’m a wild one
Gonna break and loose
Gonna keep a movin’ wild
Gonna keep a swingin’, baby
I’m a real wild child
Gonna meet all my friends
Gonna have myself a ball
Gonna tell my friends
Gonna tell them all
That I’m a wild one
Oh yeah, I’m a wild one
I finally found an EV I can get behind. This is friggin’ awesomesauce. If ti can be registered for the streets, this would be an exciting summer commuter car.
I want one so bad. The dream I had as a kid of what electric powered cars would be like if they were as fun as scale ones is coming to pass.
I love this idea so much. I want to drive one!