Comical Buggy future

[jlcox7 16]

Found myself really loving the comical buggies this year - i have one of each right now. Just wondering, how you guys feel about them , and what (if any ) are you hoping they may introduce next? 

I hope they put out 1 or 2 a year , there are so many they can make . Let me know, and if anyone has any info from inside, please post it - thanks and have a good day!

 

[toyolien 4662]

I like them too. I personally would love to see a comical sand scorcher with some padla trak rear tires!

[Saito2 6678]

They're cute but they do nothing for me personally. I love the Wild Willy and the Lunch Box, but that's where my interest stops. I hope they keep making them though because a lot of folks seem to like them. I like the more classic looking buggies so a Fox would be cool. Since 4wd is now in the cards with the release of the comical Avante, how about a Hot Shot or Boomerang? Inside info from Tamiya isn't something that truly exist unfortunately.

[E28_M5 94]

I’ve just finished a comical Frog for, ahem, my daughter who loves all things pink. Really pleased with how it turned out, and it’s the first modern Tamiya I have built (after an original MB, a re-re Hornet and a CW01 Unimog). The difference in materials and the way it goes together is noticeable. 
All I would say is that I thought it would be a bit closer in speed to my Hornet. Both are standard apart from ball races throughout, and the Hornet is a fair bit faster. I guess it’s a bit lighter but even so... I have a new Flysky GT3C transmitter so need to make sure I’m not somehow holding it back on a setting on that. 
Otherwise I really like the way it goes and handles - lots of fun.

Can anyone comment on the speed out of the box with theirs? I may have to pop a Sport-Tuned motor in there earlier than I thought, and then use the end point adjustment to bring the speed back down for the kids.

Anyway, pics:

 

[Lee76 638]

I’m with Saito2 on this one, I wouldn’t buy one, unless I was retired and had an endless amount of hobby money   Unfortunately walk in model shops with the classic displays of built tamiya models and rows of boxes on shelves are a thing of the past round here, even the model hobby shop just keeps them ‘out back’  But if there was a shop where I could see some and especially if my 4yr old was with me and liked them it might be different. But when I’m browsing the web sites they don’t scream buy me like all the re-releases. 

[E28_M5 94]

Should have said I’m using 3300 Nimh batteries. 

[Lee76 638]

49 minutes ago, E28_M5 said:

I’ve just finished a comical Frog for, ahem, my daughter

Yeah, you should see my ‘sons’ new monster beetle...

[thegorf 39]

45 minutes ago, E28_M5 said:

Should have said I’m using 3300 Nimh batteries. 

I don't think there's anything amiss with your Frog from a speed perspective, I recall watching a couple of vids of a comical Hornet and comical GH, both stock with silver cans, and thinking they looked particularly glacial...still bought a smile to my face watching them though, wheeling, tumbling etc etc!

[SuperChamp82 743]

Agree the Comical Series isn’t for most but what about the Avante ?

Its the first one to catch my eye ... 😇

[Bash 356]

While I like the look of them, I have zero desire to own one. Constant wheelies just don't do it for me as a driving characteristic and they look pretty tippy as well. I'd rather have a lunchbox for less money to have the same experience.  

[lsear2905 1279]

I'm really trying to limit myself to one of each type of chassis (WR02, GF01, G601 etc etc) but the Comical Avante is tempting - I really like my Dump-Truck but feel like the lighter lexan body (and those new tyres) would be far better suited to my little track.

[DeadMeat666 1675]

I feel like they were made for kids, and specifically for parents to build for their kids, as a strategy to 'introduce' the next generation to Tamiya RC. For that reason I find that whole product line somewhat contrived.

I think the mistake they made was the pricing; WAY too much for what these buggies can do, almost like paying a luxury tax for the brand, which is disappointing.

In a way, it's like when Porsche created and sold the Cayenne; it was completely pandering to the masses and had nothing to do with the brand's sporting history, but like the Cayenne, if the comical buggies bring in more revenue to allow Tamiya to release (or re-release!) more of the serious and beautiful kits that us old-timers want, then it's all good.

[Lee76 638]

3 hours ago, DeadMeat666 said:

 

I feel like they were made for kids, and specifically for parents to build for their kids, as a strategy to 'introduce' the next generation to Tamiya RC. For that reason I find that whole product line somewhat contrived

 

Agreed, marketing for kids needs to hit the kids first and have them pulling mum and dad to see something in a proper shop, if they got the price cheap enough to have these in supermarkets they’d sell a heap and then encourage new people to investigate the brand. This kind of says to me you need to know what you’re looking at to find it.. so the market is still limited to us old folks browsing the web. A pop up shop in the park with some demo models racing about.. that’s how to promote something and have kids nagging their parents

[SuperChamp82 743]

I may not buy a Comical buggy - noting the Avante is actually tempting ... - but it won’t be price vs capability that puts me off them 

If you economically escalate any of the old school kits that first drew us to the hobby the current batch are incredibly good value 

Also not sure about supermarket sales - noting the way they operate leaves suppliers with next to nothing and a devalued brand ?

Pop up shops in parks @Lee76 ?

Now that’s an epic idea worthy of Tamiya at their 70s / 80s best !

Get it right on social media - with video game / Red Bull sports cross selling - and I doubt Tamiya  could make them fast enough 😂

Which as @DeadMeat666 says then secures (and subsidises) legacy Tamiya  for the rest of us 😇

[Lee76 638]

1 minute ago, SuperChamp82 said:

Get it right on social media - with video game / Red Bull sports cross selling - and I doubt Tamiya  could make them fast enough 😂

Tamiya should totally rip off the micro machine game

 

5 minutes ago, SuperChamp82 said:

Also not sure about supermarket sales - noting the way they operate leaves suppliers with next to nothing and a devalued brand ?

Not sure about that, I can buy cheap lego sets in the supermarket, wouldn’t say its devalued their brand any, you still need to go to a specialist dealer to trade your house for a lego star destroyer...

Now there’s a thought Lego Tamiya sets... be honest, who wouldn’t buy their favourite Tamiya in lego form?

 

 

[GTodd 1344]

There were a couple hotshot Lego mocs made. I'll see if I can find one.

[GTodd 1344]

Check out this showroom

https://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.asp?cid=125575&id=10614