Most Iconic Kit

[mtbkym01]

I was thinking the other day about kits and before any mention of a re-release, which would be considered the most Iconic Tamiya, and which is perhaps the most desirable?

I really think that the Sand Scorcher is the one that resonated the most with being most Iconic and Desirable.......

Thoughts?

[toyolien]

Not sure about desirable, but I think 'Most Iconic' would depend on what period in the 'golden era of RC' you started being influenced. For me, I didn't get into RC until 1987. By that time I'd missed the likes of the Willy, Scorcher, Frog, Brat etc. When I used to go into the LHS as a kid I would see built up in their display cabinets things like the Boomerang, Monster Beetle, Blackfoot, Clod, Lunchbox, and Midnight Pumpkin.  So, for me, those are the Iconic ones.

[Superluminal]

Yeah that for sure or the Lunchbox are ones that I instantly associate with the brand (and from what i can remember of the shop displays behind the counter as a kid)

[Willy iine]

M38 Wild Willy…?

 

..

[Busdriver]

Sand Scorcher, Ranger, Golf, Renault 5, motorcycle and sidecar, and the big daddies of them all the Blazing Blazer and the Hilux.!!!! 

[mike in pa]

Rough Rider, sand scorcher, cheetah, hornet, grasshopper, lunchbox.

[Saito2]

If you separate the two, iconic and desirable that is, you may get different answers. Answers may differ not only in which era you got into RC but also the audience to which the question is posed. Before the re-releases, most desirable would probably be an SRB, 3-speed or possibly the first 934 or maybe even an Avante. That's assuming you are talking to the Tamiya-faithful or minimally, those in the hobby. As far as iconic in both the RC community as well as the outside world, the answer would likely shift to something like the Frog, Grasshopper or Hornet as those names might be more familiar to even the laymen, let alone those in RC but not Tamiya. 

[Finnsllc]

Iconic I’d prob say Hotshot. Most desired is a whole other thing, but perhaps 959. 

[joeling]

For me,

Iconic - Hotshot, Clodbuster. My first 2 kits

Desirable - 959, Blazing Blazer. Never had the chance first time round

[Super ally]

For me the hornet and the one i would have liked but expensive is this one which i now have.

[markbt73]

The only two I've ever shown to non-RC people had had them recognize them are the Hornet and the Hotshot. So take from that what you will.

[Tamiyastef]

For me the most iconic would be the Grasshopper as it was the car that made hobbygrade (more) affordable and the one that got so many started, including myself. Most desirable probably the one you couldn't or can't afford 

[JeffSpicoli]

The most iconic kit is clearly the BRAT.   JK.  For me it is.

 

For the masses - I think consideration would have to go to:

-Grasshopper

-Sand Scorcher

-WW1

-Super Champ

 

You can make an argument for many.   I think the Grasshopper kind of mainstreamed high end RC cars, it was the kit that many moved to after Turbo Hoppers (what I had), the Nikko car (forget the name), and others.

The Grasshopper was attainable for middle class families and kids and was a severe elevation in quality and durability and not that hard to build or do the body work.

I still remember my dad's work buddy, whose kid had a Grasshopper, new, for Christmas, I remember that thing running in the living room, it was snowy and wet outside so too nasty for running.   They set up a makeshift ramp in the living room and it was like a bull in a China shop, it was mean to be outside clearly!    The power and throttle was incredible for me coming from a Turbo Hopper.

[alvinlwh]

. 

[Bwaaatch]

Nice tries, I have the real answer. I know this to be true as it is the answer to life, the universe and everything… and the answer is…

Avante!

As others have said, we all find it hard to escape the nostalgia of our own golden age of RC. The Avante was an unobtainable dream when I was 10. Although I now own one, it is the only RC car that does actually occupy my actual dreams from time to time, though usually in Mini 4wd form.

Big respect to all your dreams!

[Alangt4]

Forget the pretenders. It’s Avante and will always be!

[GeeWings]

Grasshopper and Hornet would be pretty iconic and I reckon the Wild Willy must be right up there too.

As for desirability. It changes frequently for me. 

[tim.senecal]

for me, it is a toss up between the 1/16 scale sherman tank, or the sand scorcher.  Both resonate equally as to items i drooled over at the hobby shop, but were way out of my league as to both ability to build and money to buy.  I have been able to acquire them now, thanks to the sherman having been in production in one form or another for 45 years, and the re-re of the sand scorcher.

[Theibault]

As stated, I think when you got in the hobby does play a big factor in answering this question, but for me, I think the Hornet is most Iconic. Most desirable would be the Bruiser.

[XJman]

Lunchbox or the Bruiser chassis trucks.

[InsaneJim69]

For me it's looking through the Beatties calalogue when it came through the door. Pictures of the Monster Beetle, Mud Blaster, Hornet and the onroad cars like the D2 Merc E190 DTM. 👍

James

[Zealot]

On 12/27/2021 at 12:39 AM, Super ally said:

For me the hornet and the one i would have liked but expensive is this one which i now have.

Yes! We're two peas in a pod.

As a youngster I also owned The Hornet yet coveted The Bigwig.

I had the Tamiya 1987 Catalogue (not the R/C guide) which contained several cars that could be and are considered iconic by many. The vaunted Porsche 959 was featured prominently, however, I paid it little heed. But The Bigwig? I spent what must have been many hours over the time I had that book looking at the full page Bigwig photos and reading and rereading the write-up on a vehicle that was, at that time, well and truly unobtainable.

Of course, now I own one thanks to the 2017 re-release and it still has a peculiar hold on my attention. I'll often stop, pick it up and look at it with what I'm sure is a silly looking grin, when I pass by the display cabinet. There's a couple of Tamiya buggies that I do believe are better looking but I think, thanks to the obviously indelible impression it made during those formative years, The Bigwig will always hold the place of most iconic for me.

[Nikko85]

Grasshopper as the most iconic.

[Kol__]

I think for the iconics that Tamiya are known for it's the Grasshopper and Hornet for the buggies and the Monster Beetle and Lunchbox for the monster trucks. They were, as some have said above, the more affordable options and therefore I would think the most widespread. The high spec buggies may have been the ones some of us dreamed of and desired as kids, but for the wider masses, the non Tamiya buffs (for which the number is far higher than us geeks) the stand out, representative symbol of Tamiya models would be those 4 I reckon. If I had to go for just one, I'd say it's the Grasshopper, for some of the reasons mentioned in other posts above mainly.

Anyone know what the highest selling Tamiya model if all time is?

[Super ally]

4 hours ago, Kol__ said:

I think for the iconics that Tamiya are known for it's the Grasshopper and Hornet for the buggies and the Monster Beetle and Lunchbox for the monster trucks. They were, as some have said above, the more affordable options and therefore I would think the most widespread. The high spec buggies may have been the ones some of us dreamed of and desired as kids, but for the wider masses, the non Tamiya buffs (for which the number is far higher than us geeks) the stand out, representative symbol of Tamiya models would be those 4 I reckon. If I had to go for just one, I'd say it's the Grasshopper, for some of the reasons mentioned in other posts above mainly.

Anyone know what the highest selling Tamiya model if all time is?

I would think its between the grasshopper or hornet as biggest seller.