Radio Controlled Cars

Guest Post by Robert Lobitz

There are hundreds of types of Radio Controlled or RC cars available and when you take into account purchasing online from manufacturers around the world, your selection is limitless. One of the first considerations is size. These are the mini and micro RC cars that can be found at stores like Big 5, Toys R Us and Target. They are the cheapest way to get started in the hobby and are great for kids and playing inside your home or garage.

The 1/10 Kyosho Fazer (Porsche 911)

Next up in size would be the popular 1:10 scale category. For on-road touring cars, Tamiya is a very popular company and their Expert Built (XB) series is good for beginners. The 1/10 Kyosho Fazer chassis is one of the cheapest and since it is gas powered, it makes for a fairly fast RC car at speeds of 40 mph out of the box. It comes with either an Aston Martin or Porsche 911 body and could cost about $250.

Inside a 1/10 Scale Electric HPI

More advanced hobbyist purchase 1:8, 1:12 or 1:18 scale cars. Some of the more popular brands are Traxxas, Nikko, Losi, Tamiya and HPI. While some like the ease of Ready-to-Run (RTR) RC cars, since you can take them out of the box, charge them and get them going, other hobbyists enjoy purchasing parts and constructing their own custom car. For those more mechanically inclined, aftermarket products can improve speed, power, suspension and people enjoy making their own unique designs.

The Traxxas Ken Block Ford Fiesta 1:16 Scale

RC car enthusiasts debate whether electric or gas powered cars are better. There are fast RC cars in either category such as the Traxxas Ken Block Ford Fiesta (electric) and the Associated Nitro TC3 (modified) that could go up to 50 mph. While the fastest RC cars on record are electric, gas powered cars are the fastest racing cars in lap races lasting 30 to 60 minutes.

The fastest RC gas cars to hit the higher end of the radio controlled car racing circuit and capable of 60 mph and over, include the CEN CT4-S, OFNA OB4 and Traxxas Nitro 4-Tec. The CEN CT4-S is recommended as the best buy in this segment as it can reach 73.4 mph. It has as bigger engine and is cheaper.