What vehicle is Tamiya?

[Saito2 6686]

Epitomize. Here's question that you could ask 50 people and possibly get 50 different answers. Then again, you might get some duplicate answers too. If you had to pick just one, what vehicle epitomizes Tamiya? The most Tamiya of all the Tamiya range if you will. Its not an easy question for me to adequately answer but fortunately, there is no wrong answer. On some level, it could be an SRB or 3-speed, both showing off one of Tamiya's known passions for scale realism. On another level it could be the Frog, Grasshopper or Hornet, any three of which a layman would probably identify as an RC buggy. Who else but Tamiya could come up with a truck as inventive as the Clod Buster in its era? Perhaps the Avante, flawed from a performance standpoint but with such style, grace and engineering, few care nowadays. If I was forced to pick one, I'd say the Lunch Box. Its durable, easy to assemble, unique (not only being a van but a small one at that from an era where bigger meant everything). It wheelies, but not constantly. Its fun and not serious. It creatively reuses parts from other kits. Not too silly like a comical and certainly not too precise. A nicely detailed hardbody shows off some of what Tamiya can do as well. Its just Tamiya for me.

[Bash 356]

I'd agree with the lunchbox being a very good candidate. This same topic came up un UltimateRC years ago for a logo for the tamiya-specific part of the forum and they decided on the Monster Beetle IIRC. Personally I think that the Hornet or Grasshopper are slightly more iconic and come to mind when the word "Tamiya" is mentioned. 

[Saito2 6686]

18 minutes ago, Bash said:

This same topic came up un UltimateRC years ago for a logo for the tamiya-specific part of the forum and they decided on the Monster Beetle IIRC

I almost went with the Monster Beetle as its my favorite Tamiya and features the somewhat iconic ORV chassis, but in the end, the simple (and more bulletproof, aside form body mounts, lol) Lunch Box got my vote.

[Bash 356]

People break body mounts on them? I've heard of it being an issue, but I've only ever broken one when attempting a backflip off a half-pipe at a skate park where the truck went about 6 feet in the air and landed flat on it's lid. I'm honestly surprised that was the only thing that broke, I've done far worse with much more modern designs with less severe impacts.

[Killajb 1546]

I'd say the Grasshopper or Lunchbox.  Overall (to me) Tamiya is known for bringing fun-to-drive scale looking vehicles to the masses.  

[Re-Bugged 10152]

It would appear I need a Lunchbox now then to a proper Tamiya enthusiast 😉

I’ve never owned one but is instantly recognisable as Tamiya for sure.

The first thing that always springs to my mind at the first mention of Tamiya would have to be the Super Champ, now more affectionately know as the Fighting Buggy.

‘Fighting Buggy’ sounds a little bit bolshy for a Tamiya though, it’s probably more ‘Slightly Abusive Buggy’ than Fighting compared to more modern offerings.

But still a Legend none the less 😁

[87lc2 2666]

For me it's the Grasshopper.  When I think Tamiya I see the Grasshopper box art in my head.  Tie for second would be the Blackfoot & Clodbuster.  Maybe it's just because growing up those were the three my father had and I always admired.  He also had (still has it actually) a King Tiger, but for some reason it just doesnt scream Tamiya to me like the others.  

[El Gecko 1344]

Any of the cars that came with the iconic 5 spoke, 3-piece buggy wheels.

[Blista 1519]

My first thought is what is Tamiya versus what was Tamiya.  Years ago I would have run through the list of Grasshopper, Hornet, Lunchbox, etc.  What is Tamiya today though?  It's definitely not modern buggies, monster trucks or scale off-road trucks.  The scale big rigs and tanks are a bit niche.  Touring cars abound although there's nothing I'd class as quintessential (and if I said Tamiya is a TT02 it might be accurate but far too depressing for me to admit).  Same with m-chassis cars, especially without the Mini Cooper.  I think it comes down to a re-release buggy.  I'd pick the Hornet.  It looks more like a buggy instead of the specialized modern racers from other brands.  It's cheap and cheerful, just don't ask too much of it.  It's old and behind the times in many regards.  But it endures and is iconic.

[Jonathon Gillham 4606]

My first thought was the Monster Beetle as that was the one that everyone wanted but no one had back in the 80s. But the Hornet was the one that everyone had, so that is probably the one.

However, @Blista is onto something here. While the TT02 is everywhere I also can't agree that that is Tamiya because they are not very good. There is a much better solution though - TA07. It is unique in the TC market because it is a crossover between club racer and carpark basher (ie doesn't fit a category), the single belt is unique (yes it was done many years ago but no one else offers it) and it is a very capable car. Back in the 90s the TA01 and TA02 were the stock class chassis that everyone ran, and they were the cars that really invented TC racing,  so the TA07 is the spiritual successor to them.

Much happier with TA07 than TT02

[Blista 1519]

That's where I ran into a problem @Jonathon Gillham since much like the TA07 there's also the M07 which takes the m-chassis category into a new era.  But are they both popular enough to be considered encapsulating Tamiya or are they a niche product?  I'd bet TT02 and M05 chassis outsell them by huge margins and if you put a TA07 next to a TT02, and an M07 next to an M05, you might think they're from different companies.

[Juggular 4964]

Pick one out of some 600 kits?  

The first thing that comes to mind is Wild Willy (both 1 and 2).  Some may say, "you can't be serious!"  Yes, that's the point. You can't be serious with Wild Willy 1 or 2.  You can't really upgrade motors because you'll do an instant backflip. You can't climb an incline, because it will flip again.  You can't go fast nor can you corner hard because it's unstable.  But it's fun.  The wheelie pedigree started in 1982, it continues to this day with the comical series (broadly including Konghead series too).  I'd say 38 years of doing things that no other RC makers do, kinda epitomizes Tamiya.   

 

[TurnipJF 9192]

For me, although Tamiya make some very capable racers under their TRF brand, as well as good club cars in the TA, TB  and M-chassis ranges, they are most recognised for making models that are too good to be mere toys, but not quite capable enough to be considered racers. So for a modern yet quintessentially Tamiya offering, I would put forward the GF-01, G6-01 or something of that ilk. 

[Lee76 638]

2 hours ago, Jonathon Gillham said:

My first thought was the Monster Beetle as that was the one that everyone wanted but no one had back in the 80s. But the Hornet was the one that everyone had, so that is probably the one.

This was almost word for word what I’d have written... it’s a hard pick between those two for me.. It was after exposure to those that I took note of Tamiya RC and then started coveting the Avante..

Shout out though to the static tank kits.. you could tell the tamiya kits a mile off in the shop with distinctive box art, It was these that I could buy as a kid and what first drew me into the hobby shops and to the display cases in war museums.

 

[yogi-bear 2321]

it's the 80s, I had the 85 catalogue, and there were many RC cars to drool over. For me: the Hotshot.

[TwistedxSlayer 1290]

Tamiya to me isn't a vehicle.

 

Its static models and hand drawn box art.

[Gruntfuggly 562]

Sand Scorcher.

[Mad Ax 9325]

My first instinct was to say "Grasshopper", because to me it represents the biggest part of the Tamiya RC industry that's still going today: simple, easy, recognisable and fun.  For the same reason, I get behind the Lunchbox and Monster Beetle.  However, to pick something so basic as a Grasshopper IMO does a great disservice to Tamiya's ingenuity that appeared in more complex models and completely overlooks the top-level racing heritage that they have only recently moved away from.

I was racking my brains wondering if there was something else from that era that better represented what Tamiya did back then and would continue doing into the future, and then I saw @yogi-bear's suggestion: the Hotshot.

Yes - of course!  It's almost as recognisable as a Sand Scorcher, Lunchbox or Monster Beetle, it gave us the 4wd buggy platform that exists in much the same form to this day, it was successful in racing (with some modifications, of course), it had plenty of scale-realistic features which were a mark of Tamiyas of the time, it had the same experimental engineering that would continue in Tamiya's line-up until the 4wd buggy formula matured and of course it had the flaws that are present in every Tamiya even to this day.

A friend of mine, big Tamiya collector and former member here, once said of Tamiya: "Every Tamiya is flawed, but the flaws are part of what makes them fun".

[moffman 5752]

Your right is saying 50 different people 50 different answers! And I suppose it's the nostalgia thing for a lot of people? What car/buggy/truck etc springs to mind when you see the tamiya stars and for me it has to be my first tamiya love the Ford ranger! Don't get me wrong all the above is tamiya aswell but the moment I read the topic the Ford ranger instantly appeared in the part of my brain dedicated to tamiya!.............oh hang on a minute the avante has just turned up aswell🙄

[Wooders28 4723]

Wow, urm.......

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Probably the Hornet (Grasshopper chassis), that's the car that sparked it all for me.

[Albert Attaboy 141]

Sonic Fighter

[ACCEL 2014]

11 hours ago, Re-Bugged said:

It would appear I need a Lunchbox now then to a proper

If it comes with a sandwich, chips, milk and cookies? i'm in!

[ACCEL 2014]

4 hours ago, Mad Ax said:

"Every Tamiya is flawed, but the flaws are part of what makes them fun".

heck man made them and designed them what to expect?

can you say Ford Pinto?

[taffer 948]

The chassis that says Tamiya?

TT-01

Manufactured for years, comes in multiple forms, mostly plastic, cheap, hundreds of different models using body swaps, superceded by TT-02 but keeps going......never had one! 😂

 

[Dakratfink 967]

I never owned a Tamiya during my first go round in the back in the 80’s Dad and I raced a kyosho Optima mod and then a YZ10 . I always had my eyes on the Lunchboxes and Clods Blackfoots ( Blackfeet? ) at my local club.

I got my first Tamiya this year when I built a M-06 chassis Miata. I’ve since gotten a Midnight Pumpkin off eBay and a vintage Hornet. I also built a G06 King yellow.

Consensus above seems to be the Lunchbox is one of the most iconic, and the Kong head  is the essence of a modern  Tamiya chassis that embodies the classic “fun” aspect of Tamiya. 
I own the alternative body styles of both ( midnight Pumpkin and King Yellow) so I guess I’m doing something right. 
seriously though, these are among some of the most fun RCs I’ve ever built and owned.