Originally Posted by
BRSracing
The market and the rc scene has changed too much since the ten year old B4 platform. Today AE is competing with more than just a couple other companies. Not saying i am 100% on but from what i am seeing and hearing i feel pretty confident something new is in the works.
What is there left to prove? This stuff is like computers - the wheel never stops turning for development. However, it's also about profits and winning.
They won the worlds against all of the publicly available specialty cars. Kody is a DAMN sharp engineer for 1/10th scale, and that laydown car was spectacular.
Basic business 101 says that you want to turn a profit before you spend tons of cash to build a new model. AE is not being beat at a high level because of the car - the factory won't let that happen. That doesn't mean turning out new publicly available cars, it means turning out custom needed parts to make sure they win. CNCing a few delrin parts for your factory drivers is cheap compared to making molds and making it publicly available.
The b5m is not being beat because it's an inferior car. They get beat by better drivers and cars on par with them.
Yokomo, Losi, Xray, HB etc can turn out a new car every month - they won't beat AE because their car is better, they can win if their car is on par AND their drivers are better.
This hobby is STILL 90% driver, and 10% car. Hell, we saw what many called an inferior car the 22 2.0 was win SEVERAL times because their top drivers are DAMN fast.
For some reason though, at the lower level that you and I are at, racers are convinced the car somehow holds them back, and we need the newest and greatest car and parts to win. It's consumerism being 100% effective in the market.
AE is doing it right - new car when it's absolutely needed (switch to mid motor..) and then refining from there. I think they're doing is better also because they recognized the HUGE 17.5 market in the USA, and turned out the Lite car.
Look at brands like Xray - smart guys, but completely missed the ball on a capable car for 17.5 market. (no smaller spur gears..). Look at yokomo - they've actually gone backwards in a sorts. Dropped a new car with the motor very far forward, only to develop a 3 gear a full year AFTER AE made one for their drivers on dirt surfaces.
Bottomline - is there a specific need for a "b6"? Sure, there always will be when the next generation of refined mid motor cars make the B5m behind - but that time isn't now.