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Kyosho Optima re-release coming!

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I just got a newsletter from tower for preordering the Optima (had many orders from them already). But they don't ship outside US. Ouch :blink: ! I'm so in love with automatic generated mailings :D

Oh wow, Kyosho actually restricted export for the kit? I guess it makes sense. Kyosho wants to protect their non-US distributors from Hobbico and their wildly low pricing (after coupon). ;)

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I see that RPP Hobby now has these on pre-order as well, $299 with free USA shipping... for those of us who don't much like doing business with Tower...

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I see that RPP Hobby now has these on pre-order as well, $299 with free USA shipping... for those of us who don't much like doing business with Tower...

I just joined the Super Saver program at Tower, was only $5. With their coupon code (as a super saver member) you get $45 off bringing it to $255 out the door. (free shipping) Not bad.

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I just joined the Super Saver program at Tower, was only $5. With their coupon code (as a super saver member) you get $45 off bringing it to $255 out the door. (free shipping) Not bad.

Sheesh, y'all in the US are sooo lucky. In the UK the Optima re-re is pre-ordering around £299 (about $425!) and not due until the end of March e.g. http://www.modelsport.co.uk/kyosho-optima-1-10-4wd-kit/rc-car-products/397207

Hey ho, it'll be worth the wait and I can sell the kids for medical experiments ;)

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Oh wow, Kyosho actually restricted export for the kit? I guess it makes sense. Kyosho wants to protect their non-US distributors from Hobbico and their wildly low pricing (after coupon). ;)

& Yet i have got Email from Tower's , For Exclusive international club member coupon offers 25% off .

THE 1ST thing you see is the Optima Pre order "WHAT" ?? .. HAHA .

WOW !!

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359 euros from tamico. That is some expensive nostalgia factor!

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RC Mart's price is a bit disappointing. Looks like the HK sellers are not going to be able to offer this kit any cheaper than the US ones. Bah.

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Yes, thanks. :) In the meantime I found a french website that offers this. Not yet avalaible but less expensive.

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kyosho seems to be making the shops do one price in there country , so it's the same all round ? . dictator ship is it .

This may kill them for sales do you think ?. I know Aus will be way out there in price & won't be worth buying .

Sadly this is the way it is here , cheaper else where in the world .

If this is the way it's going , looks like i won't be getting one , let alone two of them . :( ..

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kyosho seems to be making the shops do one price in there country , so it's the same all round ? . dictator ship is it .

This may kill them for sales do you think ?. I know Aus will be way out there in price & won't be worth buying .

Sadly this is the way it is here , cheaper else where in the world .

If this is the way it's going , looks like i won't be getting one , let alone two of them . :( ..

it is a bit steep in price over hear in the UK its £299 give or take a few pounds I have ordered one but because of the price I couldn't justify two, I think it will sell to the people who are die hard fans it probably has strong pre-orders but the price I think will be its killer!
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it is a bit steep in price over hear in the UK its £299 give or take a few pounds I have ordered one but because of the price I couldn't justify two, I think it will sell to the people who are die hard fans it probably has strong pre-orders but the price I think will be its killer!

It'll be interesting to see how much actual stock there is at each retailer. I agree it'll be die hard fans only, and I'm not tempted at uk prices - I have my original and I'm not precious about a new build cutting into blister packs etc.

If I can pick up another body, rather than relying on after market products, then great news ;)

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It'll be interesting to see how much actual stock there is at each retailer. I agree it'll be die hard fans only, and I'm not tempted at uk prices - I have my original and I'm not precious about a new build cutting into blister packs etc.

If I can pick up another body, rather than relying on after market products, then great news ;)

let's hope they do body parts set so you can have one for your original I have a set of original turbo optima rims and tyres so I'm hoping they fit as I think they are the best looking wheels on any RC car to date!, does anybody know if kyosho is making this optima a long term release like tamiya seem to be doing with the sand scorcher?
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I just checked Kyosho official website. So far, there has no further information about hopups.

Anyone has information about it?

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The UK price has never been a factor for me when considering the acquisition of a high-end RC kit. If it had been then I wouldn't have anywhere near as many kits in my possession. £280 for a Sand Scorcher? £390 for an Egress? £460 for an Avante? £750 for a Bruiser? Not a chance.

Actually though, the £300 UK price for the Optima is reasonable. And if worst came to the worst I would pay that amount for this kit. We are only four re-release kits in and Kyosho are peaking already. This is their platinum level re-release and nothing after it is going to be as impressive or expensive. A Mid re-release would be great but not as earth shattering as the Optima. And the price would probably be the same, or maybe even less. Bearing in mind the fantastic history and performance of the Optima this one would be worth forking out the extra pennies at the UK price.

Those based in the US must be very happy with this one though. They are getting it for $300, maybe less with the various discounts, and are paying hugely less compared to what they have had to shell out for Tamiya's equivalent high-end stuff.

As for who will buy the kit? Well yes, maybe the UK based Tamiya fanboys who only have a passing interest in Kyosho's stuff will be put off by the price. But everyone else in other countries, and in particular those who were around when the Optima was winning all and sundry? I imagine they will be all over this re-release.

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By the way, except for the new spike tires, I'm not used to the new driver figure either.

Anyone feels the same?

I know what you mean. The improved realism of the new driver actually conflicts a little with the real vintage look of the whole original car. However I think it's the combination of this with the new fatter tyres that is creating a distraction from the beauty of the body shape and livery of the buggy. If the re-release was sitting with OT-30s on each corner we would be enjoying the new driver figure a lot more. As it is, the all new tyres just make the buggy look a little too modern. Which is why they won't be fitted to my example. :)

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Reading your post of race success...Ironically, back in the days when I had a TURBO (hear me Kyosho ;) )Optima, I actually had nothing but bad experiences with it. It looked awesome and beautifully built but the lower wishbone to upright connection broke on just about every outing causing me to swap it with a friend for the relatively indestructible Hotshot II. Clearly it wasn't a durable basher but a fine tuned race bred buggy, not designed for the sort of use that I was using it for. Not that I was a destroyer of cars, none of my Tamiya's had any crash related failures, perhaps the terrain was just not as forgiving as the typical race tracks.

Did anyone else ever suffer failures at that same point?

Cheers

Nito

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I drove the Optima ( Turbo ) with sucsess back in the late 80`s. (At the local tracks atleast).

Great car both outdoor on dirt tracks and on indoor carpet.

I used to run With a 16x2 Twister motor and 1700mah battery :)

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All these mentions of Turbo Optima get me excited :D I know it is only the Optima that is being re-released just now, but that means spare parts availability to rennovate most of a vintage Turbo Optima, or turn a basic re-re Optima into a Turbo... I just forked out about half my pension on a UK Optima re-re pre-order, some new gold Option House shocks from eBay in the US and am now waiting on Kamtec body and Pargu wheels. I'll post piccies in my 'garage' when its built :wub:

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I had a turbo mid and it was indestructible. I drove it incredibly hard but never raced it. It was a steet and park machine for me.

I have incredible respect for the design and quality of it and would recommend it to anyone. In Australia this Optima will cost a fortune but still will be worth it to me. Anything compared to the Bruiser seems cheap to me ;)

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Reading your post of race success...Ironically, back in the days when I had a TURBO (hear me Kyosho ;) )Optima, I actually had nothing but bad experiences with it. It looked awesome and beautifully built but the lower wishbone to upright connection broke on just about every outing causing me to swap it with a friend for the relatively indestructible Hotshot II. Clearly it wasn't a durable basher but a fine tuned race bred buggy, not designed for the sort of use that I was using it for. Not that I was a destroyer of cars, none of my Tamiya's had any crash related failures, perhaps the terrain was just not as forgiving as the typical race tracks.

Did anyone else ever suffer failures at that same point?

Cheers

Nito

My experience with the stock Optima was similar. Before the Optima I had the Wild Willy and Hornet, and they were fairly reliable. I was SO excited when the Optima came out, it simply was the best looking RC car I'd ever seen. When I finally put it together and ran it the experience was a bit underwhelming to be honest. I didn't race it and drove my fair share on the street (like most kids did I assume). It simply wasn't that fast and seemed to break down quite a bit. I remembered the chain creating quite a bit of drag, the servo saver seemed to be an issue, dog bones coming out easily and the mechanical speed control coming apart. In the end I think I simply ran it 2WD and that helped the speed a little but overall it was a disappointment. The next year I got an RC10 and that thing blew it out of the water! The speed, handling and reliability was incredible. Was easily my favorite car of my childhood.

Having said all that, I could care less today about the reliability problems with the Optima, it's still probably the best looking RC car ever made, can't wait to see it sitting on my shelf after all these years. :)

(Interestingly: I raced a Kyosho 777 1/8 nitro buggy 5 years ago and that thing had several mechanical issues also. Compared to my Losi 8ight, it was fairly high maintenance. Maybe I just have bad luck with Kyosho...)

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Back in the day Tamiyas were more durable because the plastic they used was more flexible (still is to this day). When my Brat would take off down the street due to a radio glitch, it would smack the wall and nothing would happen. When I sold it and got the Scorpion, there were tears and profanity lol. The chassis rails would bend, those caster pivots would snap.

The optima, was optimised ;) for racing, so the parts were stiff. Stiff parts break on impact.

Eg TRF Carbon reinforced parts snap on impact and the same TA/TB parts flex give and last longer

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