Tamiya's top 3 iconic 4wd buggies?

[Mad Ax 9312]

I know this is pretty subjective, but I was wondering what would count as the top 3 iconic 4wd buggies from Tamiya?

I'm re-thinking my collection a bit over the next few months and was wondering how best to reference the some of the best or most memorable times in Tamiya's history.

I think the Hotshot most definitely must be up there, but after that I'm not sure. Various variants of the Hotshot followed but do any of them have that real iconic status?

And I know we can't possibly think about Tamiya 4wd buggies without mentioning about the Avante.

Where do we go after that? Top Force? In my opinion, things started to lose the true classic feel once they started going into TRF territory.

Any thoughts or opinions welcome

[XV Pilot 1936]

I concur re. the Hotshot and Avante, but as for 3rd place, that is a challenge. Maybe the Bigwig? It seems to have the greatest number of people clamouring for a re-re...

[Nitomor 2122]

Hotshot

BigWig

Avante

For me, but,

The Manta Ray would be a possible contender for me also and perhaps more so than the Avante. The Avante isn't really in keeping with the others, it's like a Bruiser in that its a top end metal engineered beasty, flawed but wonderful shelf piece. The Manta Ray is a historically significant 4wd, grandfather of the TA series and probably the most capable of the 4wd buggies I've ever owned (not owned any of the new breed).

My own collection will be

Hotshot II when it arrives

Bigwig when it arrives;)

Avante Black Special

If the Manta Ray were Rere'd again I'd probably pick one up for old times sake. It was the first model I built myself, my first and second cars my Dad paid the shop to build them!

[XV Pilot 1936]

Hmm. I was also considering nominating the Manta Ray, as I have fond memories of it being my first hobby-grade buggy. However I thought it might just be me being biased due to personal experience. Glad to hear someone else also considers it as a possible contender!

[whahooo 465]

For me It's the Hotshot!

The Avante is also very nice, but I never had one and never drove one....

My third place would be either a Terra Scorched or the Dirt Thrasher, but I do not own a Terra Scorcher, so I say Dirt Trasher because it handles better and I own one.

I really do not like the look of the Mantra Ray by the way...

[Mad Ax 9312]

Some very interesting opinions already - I sort of skipped over the Manta Ray and went straight for the Top Force, but although it's clearly an important car from Tamiya's past, it (to me at least) doesn't have any of the hallmarks of Tamiya's vintage appeal. I guess the Manta Ray certainly does - from the sci-fi inspired body which Tamiya became so fond of during that era to the multipurpose interchangeable chassis design that gave Tamiya such a wide product range from such a small parts base.

But I suppose the same reasons for excluding the Top Force could also be used to exclude the Avante. Iconic? Surely. In keeping with the Hotshot era? Probably not.

I was very tempted to put the Bigwig on the shortlist but decided to hold it back to see what others said. I do love the idea of it tho, fingers crossed for a re-release

[Gruntfuggly 562]

HotShot, Avante, 959.

[taffer 948]

hotshot, thundershot, mantaray

starts with the original and most iconic, tshot is the most improved over the hotshot gearbox series and ends with inferior (compared to tshot) but the most versatile mantaray......but then I'm biased towards the thundershot chassis!

[Sheriff 36]

Hotshot

Avante

Bigwig

Edited- didn't see '4wd' in OP's post

[Nitomor 2122]

^ 4wd...

[chevelle 997]

1: Hotshot, 2: Boomerang, 3:Avante I know that the HS and the BR are very similar but the title is for the 3 most Iconic

I have the sets just to cover my bases though

Hotshot, Supershot, Hotshot II.

Boomerang, Supersabre.

Avante, Egress (I suppose I should have a Vanquish and the 2001 too )

[Klausen 1197]

Most iconic for me are Hotshot II, Bigwig and Boomerang.

[Wooders28 4723]

For iconic,i would say:-

Bruiser (buggy?)

Hotshot

Avante

For favourite I would swap hotshot for bigwig.

[kontemax 1725]

Hot Shot

Avante

Egress

Max

[94eg! 834]

Make it 4

Hotshot

Avante

Egress

Top Force Evolution

[Mad Ax 9312]

I see the Boomerang appears a few times in the list and that plays nicely into my plans

[Saito2 6686]

Hmmm. Good discussion. I'm going with 1.Hot Shot 2.Avante 3.Egress.

The Hot Shot is a given. As much as I like the others in the family like the Super Shot and the Big Wig, they just don't break new ground. The Big Wig is close being 10th anniversary car with many unique parts. The Boomer (and Super Sabre) were just simplified, better functioning versions of the Hot Shot. The Thundershot series is great and sadly under rated but despite hitting all its design intended targets, isn't iconic. Its a streamlined, modernized version of the Hot Shot ethic.

The Avante definitely treads new ground. It's flawed but in a way that only Tamiya could do so. The over-engineering is soooo Tamiya. Like the Hot Shot, it did cause a stir when introduced.

The Egress is the odd one I picked. It's not all new but represents the Avante in its best form. Where the Egress is iconic, to me, is it's first use of exotic materials in one kit. Carbon graphite and titanium goodness all rolled into one with an extreme price tag to match. I'm not saying it sold in large numbers, but the price alone got people talking.

The Top Force is nice and the 100th car, but to me is trumped by the Evolution which is trumped by the Egress because it's the first to use all those materials. Plus, both border on a newer age for Tamiya. The Manta Ray is actually the most important of the group because of the touring cars it spawned. When it came out no one could imagine it would prove to be so versatile. But importance does not necessarily mean iconic so I left it out.

[mongoose1983 3335]

I would have to say Hot Shot, Avante, and Egress. I would have pointed the BigWig, but back when I first became interested in Tamiya the Egress was considered la crème de la crème in 4wd buggies.

[Nitomor 2122]

The Hotshot speaks for itself, first 4wd buggy, had cool quirky features like the sealed compartment for the electronics and funky suspension. (I prefer the HSII which was more iconic for me as a refined HS). It also inspired the thunder shot series etc and the boomerang.

The Big Wig broke new ground when launched, I believe it was the first 8.4v compatible model and came with the technigold motor. It was a rocket and had the direct drive steering, it was the poster car for Tamiya at the time and every kid wanted one. It also featured the bathtub type chassis sandwiched with the body to keep muck mostly out. I can't think of any 4wd buggies with the bathtub type setup at that time.

The Manta Ray for reasons afore mentioned, it's historical importance for future models (TA and DF series) and it was massively capable within most budgets along with its futuristic look. It also won the UK 4wd buggy championship in '91. Much of its design cues are carried from the Bigwig, the front and rear bolt on gearboxes, bathtub chassis, shaft drive, swoopy shell.

For me the Boomerang (never really been a fan) doesn't do anything for me or tick any special or iconic boxes. The Avante and Egress were expensive engineering exercises but they weren't honest affordable buggies for the people therefore largely inaccessible, desirable? yes, iconic? Though the Avante was the first of these high class buggies thst belongs in another list along with probably the Blazing Blazer and Bruiser for Tamiya engineering masterpieces. But the Avante was certainly Iconic, even if was, or perhaps because it was, unobtanium for most it became an object of desire like the Bruiser.

Iconic - "very ​famous or ​popular, ​especially being ​considered to ​represent ​particular ​opinions or a ​particular ​time":

So for me, for Iconic it would have to be;

Hotshot

Bigwig

Manta Ray/Avante (hard to pick a winner for third spot!) Avante more famous perhaps (poster car for Tamiya at the time) and desirable but Manta Ray more popular and representative of buggies at that time and the peoples champion with its race success.

For desirable which is much more subjective, my personal cabinet display choice would be;

Hotshot II

Bigwig

Avante though I'd also have a Manta Ray if I hadn't missed the rere!!

[Wez-li 1790]

Hot Shot

Avante

Manta Ray

No Manta Ray, No top force, no top force evo, and no 1/10 190mm touring car series that we all know and love.

[Mad Ax 9312]

Some great and inspiring replies here - not just the suggestions but the reasoning too. I love how a simple question on this place can generate so much thought

[Nitomor 2122]

After some more thought,

Hotshot

Bigwig

Avante

No BigWig, no Manta Ray. The Manta Ray was an extension of the Bigwig after all, gearbox bolted either end of a bathtub chassis, closed off with a futuristic swoopy bodyshell. Avante was groundbreaking as Tamiya's first attempt at a double decker FRP type chassis which was used on the touring cars etc, a radical departure from the traditional buggy concept of all enclosed electrics and probably coinciding with waterproofed electrics.

[Wez-li 1790]

"I, am your Father"

[Nitomor 2122]

I am your Grandfather!!

[Nitomor 2122]

Whatever suckers...just get out of my way...

Respect your elders slick, (old dog new tricks), to finish first, first you have to finish!