Should be interesting i wonder how much if any performance advantage this will have over the M03.

I'm all for another mini chassis as long as there isen't a HUGE diffrence between the two.

With that said i think it would be cool if Tamiya came out with a new M-chassis based on a short wheelbase FF01

OK I have been watching everyones post, and I just have to ask. Whats the purpose of this car? Is it meant to be legal in the same class as the M chassis? It might succeed at that in a club level but never at TCS. Is HPI intending to have their own series? Something like HPICS which I think they have every right to do and should.

Dont get me wrong. I like the car, but if its supposed to be raced against M chassis, isnt one of the biggest rules that you have to have an M. TCS is just one race. Club Mini racing happens somewhere every weekend.

I guess we will see where this goes. Perhaps this will become the new mini.

One of our tracks plans to run these with the Tamiya M cars. I don't see anything wrong with it if the new HPI car can be handicapped with a more strict weight limit or slower motor. I have an M03 myself but I want to get the new HPI M car too.

Yeah, there is definitely a place for this. I'm sure a lot of club racers will be all over it.. I will try one. See how it compares to my other minis of present and past.

should be fun.

Im not saying theres no place for it. Im just trying to figure out what that place is. I love the design. But I think it will run all over a mini.

I wonder is the battery compartment (more-so the battery-strap) is LiPo friendly. (i.e. bullet plug friendly for Orion hard-case type LiPo's)

hope so.

Like he said. I bought my M03L over five years ago and it isn't obsolete yet; I raced it on Saturday. I bought an XRay T1R at about the same time and, well, let's just say it has been several years since I've seen one of those at the track.

This isn't gonna hurt the TAMIYA following at all, rest assured. TAMIYA fans are 'loyal' for a lack of a better term. This will just bring 'more mini fans' in general.

As far as a 'controlled chassis'. I like to think of it as the 'limited adjustability' of the M03 is what makes it so appealing. This HPI chassis looks to have that same 'limitied adjustability' aspect to it. I saw the opportunity for competition in the mini class once Tamiya released the M03R (with adjustable camber, roll-center via the new rear uprights, and new front knuckles). That platform threw the whole 'control chassis' rite out the window.


$0.02

Any word on a potential release date for this car?

I keep searching, but information seems very scarce--which it may not actually be, since it has already been circulating in magazines!

for those of you fortunate enough to receive mags published in your native language about this car: what's the info?

I read in another forum that there has already been a list of bodies planned to be released with the car, and that one of them is the new fiat 500.

I havent been excited about any particular new release in a while, but this thing looks amazing!

I was actually speaking to HPI earlier this month in regards to the discontinuation of their Mini Cooper body. I was told lack of sales were the reason. Finally the conversation steered to the release of their own FWD mini to compete with the Tamiya chassis. I asked the gentleman on the phone why would HPI discontinue their Cooper body when they plan to release their own mini chassis. I kinda stumped him on that one. The car would hopefully be out in time for the holiday shopping season.

Maybe but there are a lot of factors that may or may not make it faster. On our little 60' by 60' track the M03s compete just fine with the 4wd minis.

Any new info on these?

Ask and you shall receive!

http://www.rc-japan.de/BigPics/rcm1208_7.jpg

http://www.rc-japan.de/BigPics/rcm1208_8.jpg

http://www.rc-japan.de/BigPics/rcm1208_9.jpg

Looks like it will be offered in 210mm and 225mm format. Interesting suspension layout too.

Are those brake calipers? The little gold things on the hubs?

Yes. I'm sure the calipers and rotors are non-functional and for looks only.