The Little Car Company is bringing to life the Tamiya Wild One (58580), one of the world’s best-loved remote-controlled cars. Four decades on from the 58580’s debut, The Little Car Company has unveiled the Tamiya Wild One MAX Launch Edition, a full-sized, driveable version of the original which will no doubt turn many people’s dreams into a reality.
Bicester-based The Little Car Company manufactures limited-edition hand-built electric scaled cars based on classics from the great Marques. They have now announced a collaboration with Tamiya to produce a full-sized version of one of the best-loved remote-controlled cars made.
The Tamiya Wild One MAX Launch Edition will be making its public debut in the summer and will be limited to one hundred vehicles. The high-specification launch Edition will have Cobra bucket seats with 4-point harnesses for safety to ensure you don’t get thrown about when you drive off-road and a 5″ digital screen display with marine specification switches for when things get a little wet.
In addition, it has road tyres at the front and rear, Brembo disc brakes all around for premium stopping, and Bilstein dampers coupled with Eibach springs for smoothing out the bumps on the dirt and tarmac.
The Little Car Company has also adjusted the original R/C car design for added safety and comfort. The cockpit is wide enough to comfortably accommodate two occupants, which was one of the things at the top of the wish list for deposit holders.
Another thing they’ve done to enhance performance is changing the front suspension from a ‘trailing arm’ design to a double wishbone, alongside smoothing the front suspension turrets, which improves visibility and pedestrian safety.
Ongoing development of the full-sized vehicle has seen it grow in size from 3.5m long (137.8″) and 1.8m (70.8″) wide to 3.6m long (141.7″) and 1.9m wide (74.8″). For off-road enthusiasts, ground clearance on the Wild One MAX Launch Edition is 270mm.
Like the original radio-controlled model, the Launch Edition is powered by batteries, although the full-size versions’ batteries are somewhat larger than the original AAs.
The Tamiya Wild One MAX derives its power from eight battery packs, with a capacity of 14.4kWh. These allow the vehicle to travel up to 60 mph (96.5 km/h). And to make things more practical, The Little Car Company has developed an optional windscreen and wiper mechanism.
Deposit holders were asked if they would like the car for road use, and unsurprisingly 95% responded with a yes. So, not wanting to disappoint owners, The Little Car Company has created a road-legal pack in the UK and EU for the Tamiya Wild One MAX.
Ben Hedley, CEO of The Little Car Company, said, “We are absolutely thrilled to be one step closer to revealing our Tamiya Wild One MAX Launch Edition. Whilst there have undoubtedly been a few hurdles along the way with industry-wide supply issues, our team have done a tremendous job of bringing an R/C car to life at full size, and I couldn’t be prouder of them.”
He added, “I want to thank all our Tamiya deposit holder community, who have provided us with some invaluable contributions and suggestions for how we can make the Wild One MAX the best possible vehicle. We have listened to every single one of them since the first unveiling and have taken their ideas on board.
Their feedback has helped us develop a new type of vehicle which illustrates that electric cars can be fun without having to rely on brain-scrambling acceleration. By simplifying the design and reducing weight, this car is a perfect example of not requiring 500 horsepower to make an enjoyable driver’s car.
We are incredibly excited to show you the finished car and can’t wait for everyone to experience it for themselves.”
Tamiya Wild One MAX Launch Edition production starts in early 2024, and cars will be delivered fully built by The Little Car Company. The increased performance, size, and usability will take the Tamiya Wild One MAX to a new level. Different versions are planned, offering a variety in performance and will be available later in product development.
The Little Car Company has conducted performance and durability testing over spring 2023 before the Wild One MAX is publicly unveiled in a few months. At that time, pricing will be confirmed.
To find out more about Wild One Max, please visit www.wildonemax.com.
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