Originally Posted by
Woulvesbaine
The xray references come from the concept that that's the buggy AE has been looking at mostly as much as any feature similarities. I hear it a lot locally but have not heard it first hand from anyone from AE.
It's just percolating here, finally.
"Think Xray but with a narrower chassis."
And yes, you're right, the AE b5 series was a very close copy of the bmax 2wd series. AE just made a much better handling car - especially for clay.
That's an astute observation. You must drive a lot of cars.
Most people think that AE magically went from the b4 to a very tidy mid motor layout because they've never seen the yoke 2wd kits.
I don't think anyone will criticize AE too deeply for once again looking at what was good and probably improving upon it in some ways.
I dont have any issue with someone saying it "looks" like an Xray or even thats its alot "like" an
Xray or Bmax4. But saying "copy" insinuates that AE lacks the enginering talent to produce
there own car. If it was just a "copy" Kody could just take one out of the box and duplicate all
the geometry. Considering how much work there puttting into this car its a long way away
from that. Besides there where other companys doing a 3 gear diff, narrow aluminum chassis
wheeler before Xray, theres just happens to be the most popular one right now.
The B5 was as much an outgrowth of the Centro as Bmax. The centro really showed them
they needed a whole new platform. It was also when AE finally said screw it where making 2
kits because there is just to many comprimises with a MM and RM car on the same platform.
Now that people accept that logic it became far easier for AE to build a high and low grip MM
platform.