Associated 4wd
 

Associated has to be thinking about dipping into the 4wd scene. even though there making tons of loot off of B4 arms for the JConcepts BJ4. the mini truck they have may be testing the water for a 10th scale version or maybe jump straight into 8th scale??? anyone have any suggestions or rumors?

~Zig

No plans...sorry!!!:lol:


Did I just kill this thread???? :)

With all due respect....your comments need to be taken with a grain of salt...

Given your position, you wouldn't be allowed to say anything even if the car was well into the prototype stages....

That being said...this is a discussion that has gone on for years....even DECADES...

Don't hold your breath waiting for a 4WD from AE...if it happens it happens...

The RC18T isn't a sign of testing the 4WD market...it's a sign of PROFIT.....the small cars make great entry-level purchases and are priced low enough that parents all over will put them under the trees at Christmas.

Do you think it's a coincidence that the mini-T launched at Christmas last year..and that the RC18T is here for Christmas this year?

peple gobble the things up like Candy....there was simply too much potential market there for AE to ignore.

4WD buggy on the other hand is a volatile class....it's expensive to enter and run in the class now.

many are now looking at entering directly into 1/8 buggy instead of investing in expensive 4WD electric kits, mod motors, and support equipment...

If AE gets in on the 4WD action I'll take a serious look....but in the meantime I'm more looking and expecting a Yokomo SD 4WD buggy

Well put Windsorguy. ( I think you may have just killed the thread ;-) )
I think that you're right about 1/8th scale plus for indoor racing 4wd is just for the guy's who've got the batteries and don't want to race trucks.
It will be interesting to see where Kyosho goes now that they have Mark Pavidis (spelling?). They are definetly comitted to electric again.

that's funny i seem to remember at one of the chicago hobby shows saying that they would come out with a car if there was an established class for it....than at this year's hobby show, an associated guy said they have no plans in making a 4wd buggy....but that they'll probablly be "bullied" into making one...i guess they really care about what their customers want...they'll probably milk there current cars for another 6 years before they come out with something new....way to go associated :rolleyes:

Hey.

I'm sorry but i tend to agree with AE's policy.

Why spend all this money on r & d, tooling and so for what is a really small section of the market????


Milk the current cars??? HAHAAHAHA Why make a new car, when you already have great vehicles???? The B4 is only just over a year old now!!!!

Glenn

Just by the J Concepts buggy, it's 85% Associated parts anyways.;)

and what size of the market does a 4wd 1/18 scale truck have? yes i know those cars are only a year old,,you missied the point..it's just like a real car...not everybody wants to drive the same car for 6 years...thing improve and change in that time...look at people and touring cars...as for the bj4 yes it does use alot of associated...but people want a car designed by associated

Hey.

I think you have missed the point completely!!!

18th scale is growing at a huge rate, look at mini t sales!!! 18th scale is cheap, and they are aimed primarily at the younger section of this market and the basher side.

A competition 4wd kit would be somewhere close to xxx4 G+ in price say $320 odd. I can almost certainly say that the rc18t will see more than 10:1 compared to a comp 4wd kit.

The competition side of the market is only very small, I am sure AE would have looked into a 4wd and if it was thought to be profitable they would do something about it. Obviously its not!!

On the note of old cars, when did the original XXX design come out for example?? 1999!!! Damn their must be some losi fans out their then!! hahaha Losi evolved their car into the BK2. I am sure AE will do the same if and when the time is right and they feel they have some major improvements over the current design.



end rant!~!!


Glenn

the thing is that associated is a RACING company...it's not like they're duratrax or traxxas...and what about the academy sb pro ? $250 ...it's possible for associated to do a 4wd car...then come out nwith a factory team version later

Yes they can but...

When AE thinks they can make good money on a 4wd 1:10, they'll make one (I hope). A 1:10 scale based on the 18T would be sweet, nitro would be even sweeter.

My thoughts are, that 4 wheel drive class is big enough for AE to make a profit, look at the XXX4. Someone needs to step up and make a car comparable in price to the Losi. Not saying the BJ4 isn't a great car but at $450+, for the weekend worrior, thats a little steep.

Just because 4 wheel dosen't thrive in your neck of the woods, doesn't meen it's dead everywere else.

Tony..if killing this thread was your plan, I think it may have backfired..haha

I think associated will be working on a replacement for the rc10gt before they do anything. And we can all hope losi or associated builds a 1/8 buggy sooner than later, I think 1/8 is the future anyway if not now

I think that LOSI needs to get it in gear and work on a nitro sedan.