THUNDER TIGER >>> Thunder Tiger has been around the R/C vehicle scene for some time, although they are very active in other areas of the radio-controlled world as well. They were showing off a ton of products at the show this year, including cars, trucks, buggies, motorcycles, helicopters, aircraft and more. They even had a 1/10th-scale 2WD nitro car, the Uno, available with a variety of sports coupe bodies. Elsewhere in the nitro arena, they were showing a 1/8th-scale buggy, the EB4 S2 Pro; a 1/8th-scale 4WD rally car, the EB4 S2 Rally; the SSK 4WD monster truck; and the TS-4N Version 2 1/10th-sale nitro sedan.

			The TS-4N Version 2 1/10th-scale nitro touring car from Thunder Tiger is available in both a regular and sport version, both as ready-to-run kits. The standard version features a 2-speed transmission, while both include a Pro-12 BXS pull-start engine, a full radio system and painted body, and a durable triple belt 4WD drivetrain. Thunder Tiger also offers full lines of option parts for the cars, both for looks and for handling.

You can visit Thunger Tiger on the web at www.thundertiger.com.

TRAXXAS >>> Traxxas is undoubtedly one of the biggest success stories in the history of the R/C world, as the company grew from an entry-level manufacturer to one of the industry powerhouses in a matter of a few years after the introduction of the T-Maxx monster truck. Not only did the T-Maxx bring success to Traxxas, it also spawned a host of companies that thrived off of hop-ups and option parts for it, and eventually created an entire sub-industry as many of the other major players in the marketplace tried to clone the T-Maxx as best they could.

Still, the T-Maxx -- and its electric counterpart, the E-Maxx -- remain the kings of the truck world, as no other company has begun to enjoy the kind of market share that these trucks have. With thousands upon thousands of hop-ups to choose from, the average Joe can't go wrong when he buys a Maxx ready-to-run kit from his local hobby shop. Last year, Traxxas introduced a "new" T-Maxx, although it really amounted to a new engine and other running changes in the product. With an even faster engine and more durability than ever before, the T-Maxx continues to roll on as a huge force in the industry.

Traxxas was displaying a number of products at its booth, but most were centered around the Maxx in its various incarnations: the T-Maxx, the E-Maxx and the newer Sportmaxx, a 2WD version of the nitro truck. Others may remember, though, that Traxxas had many other products before the Maxxes took over, and the company certainly hasn't forgotten its roots. Traxxas still offers a wide array of nitro and electic vehicles for onroad and off, as well as a few boats and other R/C accessories. I didn't have a chance to grab many pictures from their booth, but rest assured, it was your standard overflow of Maxx madness! Be sure to check out Traxxas' website for a complete listing of their products.

			Tired of bashing with your T-Maxx? Check out Traxxas' Monster Buggy, a 1/6th-scale 2WD buggy equipped with a 23cc, 2-cycle Zenoah racing engine. This buggy looks like a ton of fun, and will get you about 45 minutes on a tank of fuel while hitting up to 40MPH out of the box. Definitely something different!

You can visit Traxxas on the web at www.traxxas.com.

XRAY >>> Sharing booth space with Serpent and Hudy, XRay provided one of the coolest things we saw at the show: the brand new XRay M18, a 1/18th scale 4WD shaft-drive micro car, unveiled for the first time at the Hobby Expo. Imagine the coolness of one of HPI's Micros, crossed with the slick design of Associated's TC3, and this is what you end up with! For those of you who have never dabbled in 1/18th-scale (micro) cars, you have no excuse not to do so now. The M18 is just as articulated as a 1/10th-scale car, and is purpose-built for racing. Where do I sign up?

If you thought that XRay's cool-factor ended with the M18, you're wrong! They also were showing off a 1/12th-scale version of the XRay T1 Evo 2 touring car, similar to the one that Yokomo released last year. With competing platforms now available, I can see this class starting to take off, or at the very least working as an exhibition class at larger events. XRay's 1/12th touring car -- dubbed the T1M -- uses full-scale touring wheels, and shares a common design with the full-scale T1 Evo 2. As you can see from the pictures, there are already SSG (Silver Surface Graphite) versions of both cars, although they will likely come as option parts when the cars become available. In addition to both of these new designs, XRay of course had its T1 Evo 2 car, as well as the budget-conscious T1 Raycer on display.

			Here it is, the brand new XRay M18. One look at the car and you can see that XRay has redefined performance in the micro class. This is the standard-equipped car that, although still a prototype, will likely be closest to what ends up being shipped, although this is a dummy chassis without the battery slots. The M18 should be ready for shipment before the 2003 Holiday season.

			Another version of the car, with a different prototype chassis and other bits. Here you can the car in its 6-cell configuration, with the motor pod moved into a vertical position rather than the standard horizontal position (as seen in the previous photo).

			The trick version of the M18, complete with its very own SSG chassis. The chassis cut shown here, with 8 cell slots, is the most likely true candidate for release. If an SSG chassis is offered at all, it will probably be an option.

			XRay's T1M, a 1/12th-scale version of the T1 chassis. To be released before Christmas of 2003, the T1M has all of the same race-proven features as the T1 Evo 2, just in a smaller package. If you're interested in a direct comparison, XRay has a side-by-side picture of the T1 and T1M on their website.

			Some more views of XRay's T1M, this time dressed up with an SSG chassis. The released car will have a standard black chassis, although it wouldn't be surprising to see this as an option. As it stands, this is a well-designed and excellent looking car, with performance that should echo the T1 on the track.

You can visit XRay on the web at www.teamxray.com.

XXX MAIN >>> There is no other company in the industry quite like XXX Main, and they continue to explore the boundaries of R/C as time goes on. With everything from mostly-naked women to some of the coolest paint masks and stickers that we have ever seen, there is a little bit of everything from XXX Main. If you've never seen one of their videos, make sure to check it out sometime, and don't forget to stop and wonder why you never thought of a way to build an R/C company based on your girlfriend! In all seriousness, XXX Main has some excellent products, and they were showing them all off at the show. Their internal and external graphics are popular everywhere, and they are continually adding new designs to the mix. They also of course offer their popular video series in both DVD and VHS, and it's something that every R/C fan should see at least once!

			With a well-decorated booth, XXX Main showed off just about all of its products, including the graphics seen here on their demo truck. Also visible is the XXX Main Chassis Setup Guide, which is an indispensable tool for any serious racer's pit box.

You can visit XXX Main on the web at www.xxxmain.com.