TD-4 Super Avante. New Off Road Buggy from Tamiya?

[Bwaaatch]

14 hours ago, Saito2 said:

I've been watching this and I have a sinking feeling you're on the right track. I could be wrong and I hope very much I'm wrong. The strange little fenders and hidden front shocks worry me. I don't see Tamiya creating inboard shocks for Top Cat-esque reasons but rather to mimic a Mini 4wd. Knowing the popularity of Mini 4wd in Japan, this could be another plot to guide youngsters to larger RC versions as they get older. This thinking has already brought us stunning and memorable buggies such as the awesome Neo Falcon and beautiful Aero Avante . Like I said, hope I'm wrong on this.

The Avante name stands for several things, but I think in RC circles it means a beautiful aerodynamic body, high tech materials and construction, and an ambition for success on the track. In Mini 4wd terms, the same is true (and the Avante mk2 represented a significant technological overhaul of that hobby, while numerous special editions come with race-ready tech).

Unfortunately, recent RC Avantes have been embarrassing, as in many people’s eyes they missed the mark on all three of the criteria above.

My point is that there is nothing wrong with being inspired by Mini 4wd, as long as the core ethos is not ditched in the process. We need to get back to a point where Avante means ambition, technology and beauty whenever it breaks cover. RC Avantes have recently fallen short.

Avante = ‘Forward’. Hope we see that reflected here.

Side note, not sure that ‘Being nuts is neat!’ Is that sensitive a statement these days, but you could argue it’s celebrating difference in a positive way. I’m gonna go with that 😁

 

 

[Mad Ax]

If this turns out to be what we think it is, I think Tamiya have done the right thing here.  I think they've floundered for a long time without really giving a clear indication of what they do, and just possibly this is a step in the right direction.

We already know they aren't interested in competing with the likes of Traxxas and Arrma, so this won't be an unbreakable 4S skate-park basher with a generic body and tribal graphic paint scheme.

They've stepped away from off-road racing, and those wheel fenders and body don't belong on a competitive buggy anyway.  I doubt this will even be intended as a club-level racer.

They can't compete on price with upstart and fly-by-night Chinese brands, so this isn't going to be a cheap backyard basher either.  For a while, Tamiya at least had good parts support over cheaper manufacturers but they've shown they can't even do that.  And let's be fair, short production runs and lack of after-sales parts support was worsened by the pandemic but it was a pre-existing problem.

Most other manufacturers - from well-known brands to new arrivals - are offering scale-realistic sand rails and rock buggies.  Tamiya have made no attempt to join them.  It seems the scale-realistic days of the Rough Rider and Wild One are behind them, which is a shame, because I think Tamiya could make a fantastic modern sand rail.

So what do Tamiya do well?  Well, they've been doing quirky space-age buggies since the 80s.  While the Avante was released at a high-tech competition buggy, it also wore the space-age body that looked like it had come straight from a Japanese comic book.  It was aimed at top-level competition but it was too fragile - the simpler, more robust chassis under the Manta Ray became the basis for the Top Force that replaced it.

Could this release be Tamiya putting themselves back in the market where they excelled?  It certainly seems to distance itself from every other buggy niche right now.  The wing slogan seems to suggest it will bear the Avante name, but I think we'll have to wait and see about that.  Like a few others on here, I'm a bit tired of comical buggies, yet-another-TT02 and over-inflated rereleases, I've been primarily a Tamiya fan and around 95% of my collection bears the twin stars, but I don't see me buying much with a Tamiya badge on it unless I get a huge cash windfall.  I think Tamiya need to work out what they are and what their market is because a lot of people are confused by what they're doing.

Time will tell exactly what this buggy is trying to be, and indeed, if it succeeds.  Fingers crossed for more info later this week.

[Wheel_Nut]

The text on the wing probably indicates this takes design cues from the Avante.  However it looks like the motor is positioned laterally on the rear gearbox like a TA-01.

It will be interesting to see if they chose shaft drive or belt drive.   Belt drive probably allows more space for the inboard front suspension.

[SlideWRX]

When the video displays the TD-4 nomeclature, you can look through the body under the cockpit - although I can't see anything of interest.  Can someone color invert the video (black/white) to see any more detail?

[moffman]

Well we will find out on Friday if tamiya is back in the game of what they were so good at back in the day! A good club racer that is equally at home bashing around the garden or out in the street that looks different enough that you give it a second look (hotshot, avante, topforce etc) as much as I love the schumacher laydown I've got and it's a total top performer it just hasn't got what the above mentioned has which is individuality!......and I pray whatever it is it will come in the gorgeous white box??🙏

[rich_f]

16 hours ago, Sir Crashalot said:

Aren't they all touring cars?

 

No - there are plenty of rally cars, some trucks and even a formula E car. So the TA, B, C series certainly isn't limited to touring cars. 

[Blista]

Quote

Coming on the 25th.

Nothing.  Hmmm...  Check with Tamiya.  Coming on the 26th.

I forgot.  You all live in the wrong time zone.

[Fabia130vRS]

48 minutes ago, Blista said:

Nothing.  Hmmm...  Check with Tamiya.  Coming on the 26th.

I forgot.  You all live in the wrong time zone.

Nothing yet.

Found this

 

[Jonathon Gillham]

1 hour ago, Blista said:

Nothing.  Hmmm...  Check with Tamiya.  Coming on the 26th.

I forgot.  You all live in the wrong time zone.

Haha, I was thinking the same thing.  Should get something later tonight.  At least we can read the announcements with a beer in hand, the people in the wrong timezones would be frowned upon for that

[Blista]

24 minutes ago, Jonathon Gillham said:

Haha, I was thinking the same thing.  Should get something later tonight.  At least we can read the announcements with a beer in hand, the people in the wrong timezones would be frowned upon for that

According to the Tamiya website there's going to be two one hour long livestream presentations starting at 10am and 4pm their time (so about 1pm and 7pm here).  Seems like it's going to be a big deal revealing this car.

https://www.tamiya.com/japan/rc/enjoytamiyarc/rclive.html

[berman]

29 minutes ago, Jonathon Gillham said:

Haha, I was thinking the same thing.  Should get something later tonight.  At least we can read the announcements with a beer in hand, the people in the wrong timezones would be frowned upon for that

Oops, were we meant to wait until the reveal to crack one? 🍺

[Wrinkly beetle]

And here it is. The Super Avante.

https://www.tamiya.com/japan/newstopics/2021/0625superavante/index.html

[djmcnz]

Edit: lol ^ snap!

Super Avante...

https://www.tamiya.com/japan/newstopics/2021/0625superavante/index.html

 

[DaveBuildsRC]

Like the body but don’t like the tire covers. Need to see more!

[berman]

Bahahahaha.... 😂😂😂 Solid NO from me...

[djmcnz]

Yeah, looks pretty average to me too.

[berman]

Hopefully a less bloated circus coloured looking body might come on the chassis.

[matisse]

Take away the awful fenders and paint job and add a decent wing and that’s something I’d race at a club for sure. 
It’s not toy spec, and I’m sure the range of hop-ups will be large as always.

It’s not blown me away but I’m at least intrigued by it 

[Morinstal]

What the...., thats not f*c*in super Avante

This is super avante

[Robert5000]

Well, I mean -they have sort of tried, haven't they? 

It comes with ball bearings, adjustable turnbuckles, 2 ball diffs and a driver figure. The colour scheme of the Swedish flag doesn't do it any favours, but at least it's better than the German flag of the Cat XLS. 

So hopefully it won't come pre painted, or an unpainted shell will be offered up quick, because I'm going to be wanting one of those to compare it to the re releases I've got. 

The more I think of it, this could've been a lot worse so I've decided I like it. 

[Cynan]

Can’t say I’m feeling the fenders or the body shell. However it’s about the drive train for me and how it handles. If that’s good can always ditch the fenders and body shell.

[RichieRich]

I kinda like it. Not sure about the fenders though. 

[Cynan]

Gonna have to buy it though because honestly if no one buys it they may never make any more 

[Morinstal]

I dont get it, Avante name should be sacred, like a good movie there is no need for sequel or what, but they just throw it to any buggy they made. Hopefully this one performs better despite its look

[berman]

Just now, Cynan said:

Can’t say I’m feeling the fenders or the body shell. However it’s about the drive train for me and how it handles. If that’s good can always ditch the fenders and body shell.

If they chucked the Nissan Titan or a similar style body on it with some scaleish wheels and tyres, I could be interested...

The chassis has potential to be a nice new 4wd offroader, but this IMO isn't a good start. 🙂