The Little Car Company has announced the first details of its much-awaited Tamiya Wild One MAX, a full-scale — and road-legal — replica of the Tamiya Wild One radio-controlled car from 1985. The company plans to unveil this vehicle to the public this summer with a limited-run Launch Edition.
The OG Tamiya Wild One
The Tamiya Wild One is a classic Baja-style buggy with an electric motor driving the rear wheels. Its rugged construction, including a bathtub chassis and fully independent coil springs over oil-filled damper suspension, means it’s able to take tough terrain in its stride while also being quick and controllable on the road. The ‘almost’ unbreakable construction has ensured it’s remained a fan favourite since its introduction in 1985.
Ostensibly a 1/10 scale model, it’s 437mm long, with enough room inside for batteries, motors, and any radio equipment hobbyists will want to include. An enclosed gearbox has differential gears for smooth cornering, while the driveshafts feature dog bone-type joints and dust cover to keep everything free from debris.
Such was the model’s popularity, Tamiya reintroduced an updated version in 2012.
The Tamiya Wild One MAX
The Tamiya Wild One MAX will be much the same but significantly larger. Power will be provided by eight removable battery packs with a total capacity of 14.4kWh, feeding energy to an electric motor able to accelerate the buggy to 60mph.
Upscaling the model to 3.6 metres in length has seen the Little Car Company make some minor changes, including widening the cockpit to seat two occupants comfortably and smoothing the front suspension turrets for better visibility and pedestrian safety.
That’s not compromised its off-road abilities; ground clearance of 270mm — 33mm more than a Ford Ranger pickup truck — and approach and departure angles of 34.1 and 50.8 degrees are exceptional. A set of 14-inch Maxxis off-road tyres will grip most surfaces, while Bilstein dampers with Eibach springs will keep the tyres in contact with whatever surface you’re tackling.
If the going gets really tough, an optional windscreen and wiper mechanism has been developed to keep your view clear.
Occupants will be kept in place in a set of Cobra bucket seats with four-point harnesses behind a waterproof 5.0-inch digital display.
A Road Legal Radio-Controlled Car
Given the interest shown by 95% of deposit holders, the company also made the vehicle road-legal in the UK and EU under L7e quadricycle regulations.
Not familiar with L7e quadricycle legislation and the associated Framework Directive 2002/24/EC? Don’t worry. It’s the same category as the Renault Twizy sits in and allows for vehicles weighing less than 450kg — not including the batteries — and producing less than 15kW (about 20hp) of power. You’ll need a full driving licence to take it on the road, but once you do, you’ll be legal everywhere, including motorways.
Pricing and Availability
Production is slated to begin in early 2024. The Launch Edition
will be limited to 100 units, with other versions with different performance characteristics expected to be launched later.
The final performance figures, range, and pricing, will be confirmed after performance and durability testing, which is scheduled to take place over the spring and summer, ahead of the public unveiling.
“We are absolutely thrilled to be one step closer to revealing our Tamiya Wild One MAX Launch Edition,” exclaimed Ben Hedley, CEO of The Little Car Company. “Whilst there have undoubtedly been a few hurdles along the way with industry-wide supply issues, our team have done a tremendous job of bringing an R/C car to life at full size, and I couldn’t be prouder of them.
“I want to thank all our Tamiya deposit holder community, who have provided us with some invaluable contributions and suggestions for how we can make the Wild One MAX the best possible vehicle. We have listened to every single one of them since the first unveiling and have taken their ideas on board. Their feedback has helped us develop a new type of vehicle which illustrates that electric cars can be fun without having to rely on brain-scrambling acceleration. By simplifying the design and reducing weight, this car is a perfect example of not requiring 500 horsepower to make an enjoyable driver’s car. We are incredibly excited to show you the finished car and can’t wait for everyone to experience it for themselves.”
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