It is not decided yet but my club seems to be losing its lease on the sports hall where we race. If that happens and we don't find another place, we might have to move to racing outdoors in which case I would definitely buy one of these to race.
About brand loyalists, I think they can feel the ground shaking under their feet and react in despair. After all they spent all that crazy money only to learn they could have had it all for a fraction of the cost. After all how dare anyone have a top product just like theirs for less? That doesn't compute, you see. Sure, the copy still has some way to go to prove itself, but it'll get there.
But as I said before, Tamiya will surely realise sooner rather than later that this is a great opportunity for them to tap asian markets where people don't have the money to buy the original. I have not seen yet compelling evidence Tamiya is not behind this, but even if they're not, the sooner they realise the potential of having two products targeting two very different markets the more they (and we too) can profit from the situation.
As for the fanatics barking mad right now because they can't get over it, oh well, if Tamiya keeps winning races (which I think they will) they'll be back to Tamiya in no time tails between legs.