Tamiya Wild One MAX: iconic RC car returns as £35K electric off-road buggy
The Little Car Company, the British firm best known for its hand built electric scaled cars, has unveiled the Tamiya Wild One MAX, a fully electric limited-run off-road buggy based on the original radio-controlled car.
Ask your parents what they wanted for Christmas in the late 1980s and it's likely that the Tamiya Wild One radio controlled car would have been top of their list.
Released in 1985, the radio-controlled car became an icon of the Tamiya brand and was so popular it was re-released in 2012.
The Launch Edition model will have a total capacity of 14.4kWh thanks to eight removable battery packs, with Tamiya promising a top speed of 62mph. And it should feel quick, too, with a kerb weight of just 500kg.
The Launch Edition car has been designed to match the original RC car, but has been tweaked slightly in order to accommodate two passengers inside the cockpit.
The striking new machine gets Cobra bucket seats and a waterproof digital screen with marine specification switches, as standard.
The firm's new recreation sits on 14in rims equipped with Maxxis off-road tyres front and rear. It features Brembo disc brakes all round, Bilstein dampers and Eibach springs.
The new EV should be able to tackle just about anything, with the Launch Edition model set-up with a 270mm ground clearance, 34.1 degree approach angle, 28.4 degree breakover angle and 50.8 degree departure angle.
An optional windscreen and wiper mechanism has been developed by The Little Car Company to make the Wild One more practical.
The front suspension turrets have been smoothed off to allow for improved visibility and pedestrian safety. The suspension has also been upgraded from a ‘trailing arm’ to a double wishbone design.
Through the development phase, the car has now grown in size from 3500mm long and 1800mm wide, to 3600mm long and 1900mm wide.
Production for the Wild One Max model will begin in early 2024, with cars costing from £35,000. The first 100 buyers will also get a Launch Edition pack which adds a carbonfibre dasboard plaque, 'hologram' wheel designs and a matching model of the RC car to use at home.
Other versions offering different levels of performance are set to be built at a later date.
Some history on The Little Car Company
Ever dreamed of owning an Aston Martin DB5? Any petrol-head or James Bond fan will have, but trying to buy one is impossible unless you’re a millionaire; a nice one will set you back around £1 million.
So where does The Little Car Company come into this? Well, they build mini versions of cars like the DB5, fitting them with a battery and electric motor. They’re designed for children and adults, the tiny replicas are around three-quarters the scale of the original cars. You’ll have to find around £40,000 if you want your own DB5 Junior, though.
And it’s not just the Aston Martin that the Oxfordshire-based firm builds. It also offers the Testa Rossa J, a scaled version of the storied Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, a car that won the 24hr of Le Mans a handful of times.
The Little Car Company also built a smaller version of the Bugatti Type 35 called the Baby II. It also pays tribute to Ettore Bugatti who created a smaller version of the Type 35 for his son Roland called the Baby in 1926.
Check these images of the radical new Tamiya off-roader
