Joe Bo

I cannot believe how good those wheels and tyres look, one of the most scale combinations I've ever seen. Incredible work.

Absolutely unreal work @Yoshimitsu round of applause! Sold this today, sad, but need the money for other projects, I wasn't using it, and I've decided my collection has to only include models that can be driven by me or my kid. So, that'll be, err none then... Farewell sweet Alpine!

The best solution for nice scale looking gravel tyres for larger 190mm non m-chassis cars is this: Too big for the new 131 Abarth and other m-chassis, but it looks really great on the larger chassis. I'm currently building a Celica and a Delta with the above setup, see attached. @GreatDane is correct: m-chassis wheels won't clear the hubs of an XV01-2 but if you cut the wheels as per the video it works. It's a great gravel tyre. I agree though, someone needs to start making scale wheels and tyres for rally cars - the crawler scene has so many amazing options! Tamiya also really need to stop putting the Abarth wheel on everything too, but ironically it'll look ok for the 131! The Golf MK2 needs some nice 5 spokes or BBS wheels. The 2cv rally with the beetle wheels is just...sacrilege! The challenge with the m-chassis really cars is to get the rims small enough to look scale and provide a tall side wall, yet clear the hubs. Maybe the solution is to 3D print a rim with a fake sidewall like these Streetjam rims, just so you can use standard tyres. ^^^ Like this but in m-chassis size The advantage with the 131 Rally is it actually has quite small wheels and tyres for the size of it's body, so I think this model is going to look pretty scale even with the standard Abarth rims and m-chassis rally block tyres. Though I think if I've got to have this kit, which I do, I really do, it's going to need some deep dish heavy offset wheels like this:

They're for the back of the seats in the cockpit set, they simply wrap around. You can just make them out here in the image. Many of the odd little stickers on that sheet still remain from the first release that came with the cockpit set, if I remember correctly.

Absolutely - a series of Le Man racers would be amazing. Makes me ask why they developed the TC-01 chassis in the first place? Surely they must have some future models coming up to make the whole venture worthwhile. For me there's only one model I really want, a Lancia Fulvia in full rally trim. I'd love them to develop it as a standard rally/touring car size at 190mm and sit it on a new FF RA chassis, if they could take influence from the crawler world and develop some "scale" wheels and tyres even better.

Sold my Lancia 037 (see recent gallery post). I've spent 2 years planning and making it, ages and ages filling the body post holes and making magnetic mounts for it, detailing the cockpit, what felt like hundreds of coats of TS26 - as soon as it's done I stick it on eBay. What's wrong with me? I've done this a few times recently, I just enjoy building and can't stand them as shelf queens. Anyone else feel this way? Literally as the last part/decal goes on, the desire goes and I see it as pounds and pence ready to go into the next project. The only ones I keep are cars like my Grasshopper that me and my kid actually get to thrash around. I love the simplicity of them, I love mending them when they break, they just seem to suit the environment near where I live better too. Maybe as I'm not so precious about it I relax and enjoy it more, feels like a "tool" for fun rather than an expensive scale modelling project.

Thanks for the correction! Anyone else notice the raised front? The front gearbox does have a lot of extra plastic and height to it.

I'm worried about that too. It's an odd beast! As others have mentioned I feel it is purely a way for them to produce more m-chassis models, using a low cost solution that can be configured in any setup. The new TT02 of the m-chassis world if you will. However, it's quite an ungainly solution - the original M01/2 chassis could be FWD, RWD even twin motor and four wheel steering, but was much more elegant in a way. I'm struggling to understand their design decisions behind this. Just for the record I'm not criticising Tamiya at all, I'm being overly harsh, I'm glad of any new chassis and a rerelease of this body - just fascinated by their thinking. I also noticed that the Fiat 500 body sits quite high across the front axle, compare product shots from the M02/M05 releases with the same body - I wonder if the MB01 doesn't allow the low profile of the Fiat 500 bodyshell to sit low enough? Is it just me? M02: M05: MB01:

The modular side of the MB01 looks really interesting, the motor being mounted longitudinally is not something I thought they'd do, really cool.

You know that was the model I was thinking of but I couldn't remember who made it! haha

The one thing we do know is that both models will have the Fiat Campagnolo wheels, original to the original m-chassis Fiat 500 model and now Tamiya's go-to wheel for anything remotely old, from VW or a Lotus! Come on Mr Tamiya we need more wheel designs! I understand new tooling may not be viable, but I always imagined them developing some sort of insert that allows any outer rim to be used, as some of the 3D Printing guys do. I had a bad dream that the MB01 chassis stood for "Monster Buggy" and the Fiat 500 wasn't the original model we know and love, but the bodyset stuck atop a new monster truck chassis...please let this dream not be true

Cheers Honza, this will be so cool. I'm amazed they are creating a new tooling for another Golf (I am not complaining) , their market research must be right... or their relationship with VW is strong. After the Mk2 Escort I wonder if they are further scoping out the rally market on the MF01X chassis to pre-empt a 959 release perhaps. Personally I want a totally scale Tamiya replica of the 205 T16.

If it's under the Fiat 500 Abarth I think the MB01 will most likely be an on-road chassis and like many have said a 1/12 scale type affair. If the Abarth is being recreated as per the original release then I hope it's rear wheel drive, it must be an m-chassis with lay down shocks for a super low profile so they can do "lower" body styles? That would be amazing. Also, the Golf is listed as a Mk2, the only Tamiya Golfs we have are the Mk1 and the VR6 - I wonder if they are going to subtly change the Mk1 Gr2 body to match a Mk2? Extra lights perhaps? I'm not well versed in Golf differences but it would be cool if it was slightly different than the original.

https://tamiyablog.com/2022/12/future-tamiya-rc-released-that-will-be-probably-presented-at-nuremberg-toy-fair-2023/ I'm so excited the Fiat 500 Abarth is back, but what is the MB-01 chassis? A brief internet search only brings up an older buggy via the Tamiya Legends page. It must be some sort of new low profile m-chassis - as the bodyset needs a low shock tower. Pretty exciting whatever way you look at it though. Can't wait to see the Golf, imagine it'll be the usual Tamiya fayre (m rally block tyres and a new livery) but nice to have anyway. 56371 1/14 RC Scania 770S 8×4/4 58712 1/10 RC Porsche 911 GT3 (992) (TT-02 Chassis) 58714 1/10 RC VW Golf MK2 GTI 16V Rally (MF-01X Chassis) 58716 1/10 Toyota GAZOO Racing WRT/GR Yaris Rally1 Hybrid (TT-02 Chassis) 58719 1/10 RC BBX (BB-01 Chassis) 58721 1/10 Fiat Abarth 1000 TCR Berlina Corse (MB-01 Chassis)

Filled the body post holes on my 037, and started priming and painting. Only taken 2 and a half years to get to this point! Now to design a body mount system that can get it low enough....

Busdriver, those Protofrom wheels look great, always wondered about them and great to see how they look in real life - Yoshimitsu I think they'll work perfect on the Talbot!

Oh man me too - I think all of my posts on this forum are about tyres - I'm weirdly obsessed with finding the right high sidewall and narrow tyres for scale builds. Something about the standard width tyres puts me off, I love seeing RC cars sliding about on skinny scale rubber for some reason. I wish what has happened in the Crawler world, with all the many aftermarket options and super scale stuff, would port over to rally and touring cars. I suppose there just isn't the demand. I'm currently trying to make a set of RC4WD trailer tyres fit an Alpine A110, spending waaaaay too much time looking at wheels that can fit, my head is battered.

Yes Yes they are, I don't have any minilites to hand. I think they'd look great on the Talbot. From that side view I don't think the current m-chassis rally blocks are tall enough, I've had the same issue myself. You could try Grasshopper/Hornet fronts but they look too skinny. Are those L&L wheels based on HPI "vintage" or "cup racer" wheels? I think the HPI ones were called "MX60", they had a lower lip on one side to simulate a higher sidewall but are now rocking horse poo to find. I can see why L&L have produced those as there is a gap in the market there. I'm not up to speed on the HPI wheels but what member Arjen has done to this Renault 5 body could be perfect:

Hey Yoshimitsu, saw this on your Instagram but easier to reply on here. Your builds are amazing, so really excited to see this one. I too tried the truck tyres on the m-chassis rims for the same body and gave up, so I feel your pain! I ended up getting frustrated and ditched the shell after trying to cut the arches Only suggestion I have is WPL 1/16 tyres, see attached photos on a Fiat rim. I only have an 037 to compare visually to see show it fills an arch, but they're approx 69mm outer diameter. Only main issue is they are stretching slightly to fit on the rim, so they "dip" in the middle, maybe some thick foams would help? I'm currently trying to make the truck tyres work on the 037, but they're just a tad too tall, perfect for the rears, but not for the front. A 65-68mm OD rally tyre for m-chassis would be perfect, someone help!

That's really cool! It's a shame that the XV01 can't allow for front m-chassis rims, this Scorcher (from Wyoming's showroom) with RC4WD 1.5" Dirt Grabbers on m-chassis beetle wheels would be a perfect setup for the above.

Yeah...I bought an XV01 as I had a planned to use m-chassis rims with 1/16th crawler tyres for a more retro/vintage style high sidewall look, but alas they don't fit over the XV hubs. So as Big John said, anything over standard touring/rally (1.9") works. For other cars, the WPL 1/16th crawler tyres (on m-chassis wheels) are a nice alternative and can be had for cheap.

Such exciting news from Tamiya, yeah there's gripes over the wheels and chassis but its fun working out ways to improve it already before a kit has even landed on our shores! There was mention of alternative decals, I've got a body on order and am going to be looking at creating a few different schemes. If there's interest I'll look into getting some printed up, but I'm sure L&L Models will be on it. A long, long time ago I made a Bjorn Waldegard British Airways livery for the old 257mm wheelbase Controlfreax body, I really want to try the red Cossack hair spray livery, the Rothmans one of course and perhaps the Andrews Heat for Hire. Wheels With the 257mm touring car Escort bodies available, the standard Tamiya m-chassis minilites coupled with larger tyres such as Hornet fronts, or the new high sidewall Racing Truck tyres worked perfectly. See this diagram I made to roughly judge the proportion of the larger Hornet smoothie tyres fitted to m-chassis wheels for a few different wheelbases, you can see for a touring car chassis (I've listed it as TT01 here) the proportions look great: https://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.asp?cid=96566&id=32151 Its all about the hub to tyre sidewall ratio! The m-chassis wheels and tyres that come with the new Escort kit are going to look a little weird to me, the hub will be too big, and the sidewall too skinny, I really want to create/find/bodge some smaller wheels and larger sidewall tyres. What is really needed are some Street Jam style fake sidewall tyres but scaled down for m-chassis cars. I love Tamiya's Alpine, and have had two, but ended up selling them as I just couldn't live with the massive wheels, same with the original Mini and the Fiat 500 Abarth. I totally get why they are made for performance and ease of use over a few different models, but imagine driving the new Escort on proper skinny forest stage tyres, or small and wide tarmac setup, it would be great. The amazing 3D printed work of members like donut_V2 is a really exciting step in the right direction. I'm currently looking at 1/16 crawler wheels and tyres, I've got a set of Chinese unbranded tyres from eBay that fit the m-chassis wheels perfectly giving a high sidewall, but the overall size is just too big for the m-chassis cars. Other than the aforementioned hen's teeth HPI wheels and tyres, what other options are out there?

Absolutely superb, those michelins are perfect. My favourite, if not the only tyre for a 2cv. I always had them on my 1:1s. I'll be ordering a set of wheels from Shapeways. Can I ask if you get all 4, or is the price for 1 only? Would love a set of tyres, maybe when the current climate calms down I can order a set. Again, great work.