souless tamiya ever?

[Truck Norris 2237]

I strongly believe that the Neo Fighter buggy is one of the ugliest Tamiya's job.

It was only needed so few modifications to have a better look model such as a better wing, a driver inside, a couple of head lights, a better decal design but Tamiya didn't do them. The worst thing is this fake front windshield that I already never understood onto the Frog, can you believe in these 2014 model?

Max

A driver figure, head lights and better wing would bump up the price, or mean corners would need to be cut elsewhere (friction shocks etc). The buggy is designed for the beginner racer, so performance is more important than looks or detail. The great thing though is if you disagree then you can add a driver, spots, and better wing.

As much as we might scream and shout and tell them they are wrong, Tamiya have been at this a long time and know exactly what they are doing.

[BigSteve 149]

Surely it's subjective I'm a child of the 80's the so called golden years of Tamiya. Yes you had the likes of the Hotshot, Bigwig, Avante, Egress etc but how many of our parents could afford to buy us our childhood rc dreams.The humble Hornet and Grasshopper at that time were Tamiya's entry level buggies and for most of us that's all we could afford. Yes I'm not denying that Tamiyas of that era looked a lot more interesting/scale and I still love them to this day but times have changed. I personally own and run a DT-03 and in my opinion it's really good value for money and a far better entry level runner than a Hornet, Grasshopper, Frog or a Fox but admittedly hasn't got the same courisma as the 80's models.

It's all about different times and value for money. Take the TT-02B enrty level 4WD it doesn't look anywhere near as good as Tamiya's 80's offerings but at under £100 again it's good value for money and a decent runner.

Like I said I adore the Tamiyas from the past the same as the majority of us here and that's why Tamiya will keep on emptying our wallets with their re re's if not so we can afford our childhood dreams but for nostalgia sake.

Steve.

[Wez-li 1790]

If the buggy doesn't have a driver figure, or driver name next to the cockpit, then it can't have a soul, can it?

[BigSteve 149]

Hi my friend how do you classify Soul. If Tamiyas new releases looked the same as the vintage models surely that would mean that they haven't moved on/evolved. Mr Tamiya is trying to appeal to the new blood coming into this hobby which must be a good thing. Also with the re releases he's trying to keep us older enthusiast happy as well. I think that the older models had more character than the newer releases for sure.

Steve.

[kontemax 1725]

No soul because they didn't suffer and didn't waste time and energy to design them.

As we say in Italy, "cotto e mangiato", like a fast food junk food.

They needed probably 15 minutes to design the body and the chassis.

This is the reason why the model has no soul. The soul is not the driver soul but the designer soul.

Max

Hi my friend how do you classify Soul.

[TongueTied 56]

No soul because they didn't suffer and didn't waste time and energy to design them.

As we say in Italy, "cotto e mangiato", like a fast food junk food.

They needed probably 15 minutes to design the body and the chassis.

This is the reason why the model has no soul. The soul is not the driver soul but the designer soul.

Max

So what about the Dual Ridge? Sounds like they spent a bomb designing that one and look at the result!

[Terz1 745]

This has been an interesting topic to read. I think what gives something a soul is the person that has had the experience plus a lot of time. Like already mentioned the hornet isn't the best performing rc out there but it has a huge following including myself. I remember being 11 years old and watching my mate drive it on the gravel and thinking wow that is amazing and how fast it was and how much fun it looked. I thought it was the best thing ever! It was the first time I'd seen a tamiya and decades later the memory is as fresh as ever. You can't say anything bad about a hornet! Even though it bounces around, flips, tumbles and rolls I love it.

Fast forward to now and the same scenario as I had with the hornet and in decades to come this person would be saying the same things as I'm saying now. Wow I remember the first tamiya I ever saw when I was 11. It was a neo fighter. It was so fast, soo much fun, totally amazing! The best thing ever!

I think each generation builds up their own nostalgia around objects they had as children. And everyone knows each generation says that things were always better when they were younger. No doubt some old timers see my beloved hornet and think what's that cheap plastic tat you've got there!? When I was young everything was hand carved out of wood. Things had real soul back then!

[GregM 1109]

The DT-03 Neo Frog pays hommage to the old Frog (if you ditch the Neo Fighter decals for the likewise supplied Frog decals), which is visible by the chassis design, boxart paintjob and the long sleek bodyshell. At the same time, its lexan bodyshell is more easy and less time consuming to paint and decorate than its older hard bodyshell cousins, the DT-02 Super Fighter G and DT-01 Fighter Buggy RX.

What I would like to see on the DT-03 would be newly created bodyshell with a design that could have really been born in the 80s. Say, lexan body, edgy lines, a tiny bit of scale realism, stripe decals, oldschool wing, separately attached spot lights and a driver figure. Something in the vein of the Hornet or Grasshopper. And if I've got another wish granted, I'd like it to have an animal name that goes in line with the paintscheme/look of the car. Any suggestions?

[kontemax 1725]

Dual Ridge is the clear example how sometime Mr. Tamiya himself has no interest in his own products leaving some third parts to design them.
With these horrible results.
Dual Ridge is simply an abort, an exercise of style of a person without any decent taste, without any minimum of style and without any background in RC world and in the Tamiya world in particular:

"The Dual Ridge is a 4WD buggy based on the easy to build and easy to maintain TT-02B off-road chassis platform. Its body features aggressive aerodynamics and a futuristic form which is legendary among Tamiya's fun to build and drive off-road buggies. The form itself was designed by a famous Japanese designer who is spearheading many of Honda Motors Companies vehicles of the not so distant future."

So famous that there's not the name and the only legendary thing is the ugliness of this model, I would add.

Max

So what about the Dual Ridge? Sounds like they spent a bomb designing that one and look at the result!

[TongueTied 56]

Dual Ridge is the clear example how sometime Mr. Tamiya himself has no interest in his own products leaving some third parts to design them.

With these horrible results.

Dual Ridge is simply an abort, an exercise of style of a person without any decent taste, without any minimum of style and without any background in RC world and in the Tamiya world in particular:

"The Dual Ridge is a 4WD buggy based on the easy to build and easy to maintain TT-02B off-road chassis platform. Its body features aggressive aerodynamics and a futuristic form which is legendary among Tamiya's fun to build and drive off-road buggies. The form itself was designed by a famous Japanese designer who is spearheading many of Honda Motors Companies vehicles of the not so distant future."

So famous that there's not the name and the only legendary thing is the ugliness of this model, I would add.

Max

Exactly

[neverfollow 599]

As well as some of the names of these models. Either they get lost in translation, or they are not overseeing and just releasing without a care.

Some examples:

Rock Socker

Land Freeder

And I'm sure there are many, many more.

[qatmix 794]

I'm a massive fan of the Dual Ridge body, it's classic Tamiya, the Topforce, Big wig etc are all aero inspired designs and the Dual Ridge is a great looking car. There are options if you want other styles (The neo scorcher has a classic style of shell). Also the designer who created this is a big an of Tamiya and I think that shows in the love and attention that have been bestowed on this beauty.

[DynamiteD 8]

At the risk of being unpopular, I have a Dual Ridge and I love it. I bought it because I liked the way it looked. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Mike

[Nitomor 2122]

The Dual Ridge reminds me a little of the Marui Ninja, now that was a good looking buggy.

[Sayer 742]

This thread is funny to me because while I understand the sentiment that started it, I apparently don't hate the new buggy examples given nearly enough. The Neo Scorcher is a nice looking buggy. The dual ridge is ugly buy not any uglier than some of Tamiya's ugly vintage buggies and while I don't much like the DT03, it's because I don't much like the frog either.

Besides, it's not that bad with the right paint job after all

http://www.rc-news.de/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Testbericht-Tamiya-Neo-Fighter-Buggy-DT-03-58587-34-620x369.jpg

[Nobbi1977 1793]

Besides, it's not that bad with the right paint job after all

http://www.rc-news.de/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Testbericht-Tamiya-Neo-Fighter-Buggy-DT-03-58587-34-620x369.jpg

Funny you should say that

[Terz1 745]

That looks great nobbi! It has to be pink. I want one.....

[steelo 93]

I think all new R/C vehicles today are 'souless' I miss the 80's-90's 'cartoonish' buggies with huge wings, headlights and drivers that were so awesome back in the day. I remember being so excited walking into Radio Shack or looking at a Tower Hobbies catalog because of the really cool looking trucks and buggies they carried. The cheapo 'Nikko 9.6V 'Heads Up' buggy gave me the most fun out of any R/C I can remember.... I think it probably has to do with price cutting and the 'PC' culture we are living in now.

[Sayer 742]

Psst, the "heads up" buggy was Tyco

[steelo 93]

Haha...my bad, My first R/C car was a Nikko Lobo 2...I must have confused them

[kontemax 1725]

I strongly believe it.

Max

What an extraordinarily insulting thing to write...

Dorvack.

[mynameisdannyowens 61]

Dual Ridge isn't my cup of tea but simple solution is I don't have to buy one!

It looks a bit like a silver shoe box with half a cycling helmet attached at the front and a Batarang behind it!

[Sayer 742]

Dual Ridge isn't my cup of tea but simple solution is I don't have to buy one!

It looks a bit like a silver shoe box with half a cycling helmet attached at the front and a Batarang behind it!

And now I can't breathe

[speedy_w_beans 4272]

I don't see a problem with the Dual Ridge...

Looks like it could have drawn some inspiration from the Solar Eagle, another Tamiya from 1992:

[kontemax 1725]

Ahahahah what's a Batarang? Seems an ugly thing!

Max

Dual Ridge isn't my cup of tea but simple solution is I don't have to buy one!
It looks a bit like a silver shoe box with half a cycling helmet attached at the front and a Batarang behind it!