272LikesXRAY T4'19 SPEC
07-06-2018, 01:23 AM
#16
07-06-2018, 04:50 AM
#17
07-06-2018, 06:29 AM
#18
07-14-2018, 12:05 AM
#21
Tech Adept
07-14-2018, 08:26 AM
#22
The trasitional design still seems to hold its own in Mod and outdoor, but in spec classes and high bite tracks such as the carpet tracks in the US, the no shock tower design definitely has an advantage. Given how much market share XRay has lost over the last two years in the US market to Serpent and Awesomatix, amd even to AE if you wanted to go with a traditional design, it’s surprising that they haven’t gone the super LCG route. But why mess with a profit generating design that has very little R&D from year to year, so cost per unit decline, but price goes up 🤔. Eventually though, if they don’t do something, the profit model will collapse, and they will be too far behind to gain that share back. At my small track, it’s already happening. The only one still running XRay is “sponsored” 12 year old, And the occasional out of towner. Every else is Serpent, Awesomatix, and AE.
07-14-2018, 10:07 AM
#23
I've wondered about this as well - Corally did it on the rear back in the day on one of their TC's but it never caught on. Corally did a lot of really cool stuff over the years actually - their 2011 HMX TC still looks sick. Anyway, there still room for improvement with the standard TC design and the advantage the AMX and 4x currently have is getting smaller.
07-15-2018, 11:18 AM
#24
I think it would be difficult with the confined spaces on 1/10TC to do that. I think the way of the future for onroad is no shocks in the traditional sense at all. IE Serpent and Awesomatix.
The trasitional design still seems to hold its own in Mod and outdoor, but in spec classes and high bite tracks such as the carpet tracks in the US, the no shock tower design definitely has an advantage. Given how much market share XRay has lost over the last two years in the US market to Serpent and Awesomatix, amd even to AE if you wanted to go with a traditional design, it’s surprising that they haven’t gone the super LCG route. But why mess with a profit generating design that has very little R&D from year to year, so cost per unit decline, but price goes up ��. Eventually though, if they don’t do something, the profit model will collapse, and they will be too far behind to gain that share back. At my small track, it’s already happening. The only one still running XRay is “sponsored” 12 year old, And the occasional out of towner. Every else is Serpent, Awesomatix, and AE.
On the sales side, while this may be the case at your local track, the US market is one of the only markets where we are having this phenomena and at least here, it is due mostly to our black carpet. The US is nowhere near XRAYs largest market, and while we do have a decent size, it is not anywhere close to the European market, where XRAY still dominates in all aspects of the On-Road game. From a business point of view, XRAY's business may be down on the onroad side in the USA market, but their offroad is way up. Additionally, as a manufacturer, if you are still winning the most important racing series to the industry (ETS) in every category, why would you change the business model? While I don't doubt that down the road, they may very well change the platform, I would not expect there to be a radical change such as what serpent did ( FWIW, I am yet to see any 4x on black carpet and go "that's the car to chase").
At the end of the day, large companies care about 1 title first and foremost, IFMAR titles, and I'd say XRAY is probably on their way to their first title with Bruno driving. After that, you start looking at market sizes and try to get business in large chunks. They are doing well in that regard. Sure the hardcore guys at your local track my be running AMX and other brands vs. XRAY, but that is not indicative of total sales. As succesful as AMX USA has been to this point I'd still venture out to say that for every A800 sold, there is at least 5 T4s in the US Market. And with serpent, the number is probably closer to 20 to 1. With us and gizmo, probably 40 to 1.
07-15-2018, 03:29 PM
#25
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The Xray is solid and understood, the AMX at least to my point of view is hard to judge because the people I know that are running it are fast with any car they have run, so while I am sure it's fast some of that is pilot induced. This conversation helped me decide on my next car. Actually my best TC runs a few years back was a new Xray. I tried the 4X never comfortable. I Like the GZ2 but like the AMX time, learning curve and maintenance concerns turn me away. Question is will I wait for the '19 or get a '18
07-16-2018, 08:48 AM
#26
Current Xray suspension is simple, durable, and fast. Why go to a complicated, fragile design, that "might" only be just as fast?
Would like to see the simple design made even simpler, like an adjustable sway bar design where there is no need to swap out different thickness bars.
Would like to see the simple design made even simpler, like an adjustable sway bar design where there is no need to swap out different thickness bars.
07-16-2018, 09:00 AM
#27
Current Xray suspension is simple, durable, and fast. Why go to a complicated, fragile design, that "might" only be just as fast?
Would like to see the simple design made even simpler, like an adjustable sway bar design where there is no need to swap out different thickness bars.
Would like to see the simple design made even simpler, like an adjustable sway bar design where there is no need to swap out different thickness bars.
something like this , only had to change one side , i used these on my Race Opt prototype took about 10 seconds to swap out
07-16-2018, 09:03 AM
#28
Current Xray suspension is simple, durable, and fast. Why go to a complicated, fragile design, that "might" only be just as fast?
Would like to see the simple design made even simpler, like an adjustable sway bar design where there is no need to swap out different thickness bars.
Would like to see the simple design made even simpler, like an adjustable sway bar design where there is no need to swap out different thickness bars.
07-16-2018, 09:06 AM
#29
I often think that when people only see subtle changes to the Xray car they are put off hoping that there will be something revolutionary. But, I think that you don't need a revolution when you have a fast, durable, easy to work on car. I prefer their approach and would rather see continued refinement rather than a new unproven platform.
But, I'll also say that while I've driven Xray's for a long time I did tinker with an AMX, and I may give the GZ2 a shot when it's in production. It's nice to see what they are and find the strengths in other designs.
But, I'll also say that while I've driven Xray's for a long time I did tinker with an AMX, and I may give the GZ2 a shot when it's in production. It's nice to see what they are and find the strengths in other designs.
07-16-2018, 09:07 AM
#30
I don't think that's what he meaned by adjustable. More like a blade system... Very efficient and tunable but very hard to reproduce... :-(