Sandbox RC to Grown-Up Desert Racing Reality: Tamiya Wild One Max

Did you spend hours jumping over sandboxes and mounting curbs with your Tamiya RC buggy as a kid? Want to relive that experience with something a little bigger? The Little Car Company will let you do it, bringing a full-size version of the classic Tamiya Wild One to real trails. And on real roads, depending on where you live.

The original Tamiya Wild One — the 58050 — was launched in 1985. The 1/10-scale radio-controlled buggy became an icon. Giving kids of all ages the ability to live out their desert-driving dreams in their backyards and playgrounds. The model was so popular that it was re-released in 2012 to meet the demand for the retro classic.

Tamiya Wild One Max: Little Car, Big Dreams

This is the Bicester, UK-based Little Car Company’s first effort to make a car bigger than the original. But it is far from its first reproduction car.

The Little Car Company is best known for making downsized versions of full-scale cars. It built the 75%-size Bugatti Baby II for that automaker. LCC has also made downsized versions of the Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa and the Aston Martin DB5 Junior.

Little Car Company is launching the Tamiya Wild One Max a little later than expected. Supply chain issues affecting every part of the auto industry take some of the blame. Some of the delay is also an effort to make a better car — The Little Car Company said it has listened to deposit holders and made changes that give the car higher performance and more usability.

This Wild One Can Seat 2

The design has been tweaked from the original Wild One. This one has to fit two people, after all, so the cockpit is wider. The front suspension turrets are shorter, another demand from deposit holders. This increases front visibility and pedestrian safety. There is also a windshield and wiper mechanism on the options list, for foul-weather riding.

The Wild One Max is an electric car, just like the original. It has eight removable batteries for a total capacity of 14.4 KWh. The electric motor delivers a top speed of around 60 mph. The company didn’t say how powerful the motor was, but that top speed and a curb weight of around 1,100 pounds suggest that it’s got plenty of zip.

Automotive-Grade Suspension & Seating

The first 100 cars out of the factory will be the Wild One Max Launch Edition. The cars get Cobra bucket seats with four-point harnesses and a 5.0-inch digital display with marine-grade switchgear.

Brembo disc brakes will be installed at all four corners, while the shocks come from Bilstein and the springs from Eibach. They’re all big-name parts from major automotive brands.

Maxxis off-road tires are fitted on 14-inch wheels front and rear. The front tires are sand tires, while the rears are 29-inch tall and 11-inch wide Maxxis Bighorn rubber.

Total ground clearance is 10.6 inches, so it can easily drive overtop of the original. It has a 34.1-degree approach angle and a 50.8-degree departure angle, excellent figures for clearing obstacles.

Because it said buyers wanted it, The Little Car Company has made a street-legal kit for the EU and UK. There, the car can be used on the road thanks to electric quadricycle regulations. In the U.S., of course, things are more complicated, so your local rules would apply.

We are absolutely thrilled to be one step closer to revealing our Tamiya Wild One MAX Launch Edition. Whilst there have undoubtedly been a few hurdles along the way with industry-wide supply issues, our team have done a tremendous job of bringing an R/C car to life at full size, and I couldn’t be prouder of them.

— Ben Hedley, CEO of The Little Car Company

Little Car Wild One Max Launches Soon

The Little Car Company plans to launch the Tamiya Wild One Max later this year, once durability testing is wrapped up. When that happens, pricing and performance will be confirmed. If you already know you need one, you can put down a £100 deposit right now.

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