Tamiya Wild One Max: £35k Road-Legal RC Car! | Top Gear

This is the kind of car that reminds us all that being childish isn’t a bad thing at all. In a genius tie-up, The Little Car Co - whose usual 75 per cent remakes are of famous classics like the Aston DB5 or Bugatti Type 35 - is building a Wild One you can drive.
You get a spaceframe long and wide enough to take two full-sized adults in proper Cobra Racing bucket seats, a 38bhp electric motor and eight swappable, modular battery packs that make up 14.4kWh of juice. That’s enough for roughly 68 miles of off-road driving or 125 miles on-road if you’re careful.
Brakes are by Brembo, springs are by Eibach, adjustable dampers by Bilstein. Tyres are Maxxis front and rear on 14s, and there’s not much else to it. Although the first 100 Launch Edition cars do get a little plaque and a limited edition Wild One R/C car included in the price. Which is £35,000 (excluding VAT and shipping), by the way, so not beans.
There’ll be a cheaper one later, possibly that you can build yourself, possibly without the road-legal bits (windscreen, lights, wipers, number plates etc), but that’s all yet to be finalised.
And if that sounds expensive, then it probably is, for a toy. But for a little car that makes absolutely everyone grin when they see it, it’s cheap at half the price.
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[@UncleManuel]

I totally lost it at the "hood pin" and "scale" sticker sheet - brilliant! 😂😁🤟

[@yissibiiyte]

A car-sized RC car. What a revolutionary idea

[@LucasPH23]

Amazing 😮

[@howardbrandon11]

"...So that's a full-sized version, of a miniature version, of a full-sized car they already make?"

[@LucasPH23]

@@howardbrandon11 it’ll be worth more if you keep it in the box

[@Jophee]

🤪

[@bDz416]

So a "real" size rc huh !? Guess i'll just call it an EV. 🔋

[@Nickentowd]

Damn, a toy car made into life sized regular car. They actually took Clarkson's idea into reality

[@Nordlicht05]

Look up the life size monster beetle in Japan 😅

[@Kronos0999]

Top gear still can't get rid of Clarkson's name

[@bonovoxel7527]

@@Kronos0999 It never will.

[@roodick85]

The whole time I was yelling Clarkson at my screen lol

[@pimpinkeen19]

Clarkson may and hammond are top gear

[@phil.i.am2]

Wow, who doesn't love Tamiya! Now you can get one you can actually drive 😮 what a brilliant idea. Would like to see it in action next 😈

[@flowstate_link]

Drive it around!!!

[@Jeeplee_rc]

As an rc enthusiast, this is awesome.

[@nateharris1918]

Yes it is! Now who's gonna build a gold pan RC10?

[@jhue73]

@@nateharris1918 that would be more awesome.

[@sizem_re]

they absolutely nailed it, even got the colored wires on the brushless motor 😍

[@mdemers767]

Yeah, but brushless motors didn't exist when The Wild One first came out, only brushed motors, so it ~should~ only have two wires going to it, if one were a true purist.

[@mollyandspike2852]

@@mdemers767 The original motor was the rs540s Don't ask me how I remembered that

[@sizem_re]

@@mdemers767 good point, i guess I won’t buy one after all ;)

[@mdemers767]

@@sizem_re - Good man. ;) My decision not to buy one was based on the batteries not being the size of two telephone poles that I'm forced to sit on. xD

[@yourtubisfilled7164]

It's really awesome imo. Brings back memories of long evenings browsing Tamiya brochures.

[@benjohnson964]

Love Tamiya cars and was thinking just the other day how awesome it’d be to have a full scale Avante.

[@LonerSurfer]

Started Tamiya. Evolved to a Team Associated RC10. And retiring with Axial, Traxxas and even Team Associated (DR10)! I’m at the age where I can afford large scale. Traxxas Unlimited Desert Racer for “go big go fast” and Axial SCX6 Honcho for “go big go slow”

[@Diamondbac]

That already exists in Japan, same as the life size monster beetle.

[@etimon1d]

My first RC car was the Tamiya Grasshopper. It had a mechanical speed controller.

[@yodadarksideGreenHawksRC]

Great rc car fella!! We recently built one on our KZbin channel @ Green Hawks RC..... Lots of running videos to if interested! 👍

[@mister-amazing]

I love that car

[@edstar83]

My first Tamiya was The Hornet.

[@LetsTravelThroughTime]

Yeah that used to burn out so quickly 😂 good times

[@jimcurt99]

I'd say it's brilliant- I don't have the budget to enjoy racing around in real cars, but do enjoy my RC cars... if I could I would get one of these in a heartbeat!!

[@markusjentesart]

The Wild one was one of my favorite Tamiya RCs back then. A life-sized version is just absolutely brilliant!

[@hanscombe72]

Got my first wild one in 1987. Then my second one in 2013. Built a fast attack in 2014. My 15 year old dreams come true.

[@perrsseplaystore6134]

I love it 🤔 just ad range extender 😏 Suzuki Hayabusa engine should be make a trick!

[@foobarf8766]

I had the bear hawk and pro tip if you use 800 grain sand paper on the contacts you could get more current through the speed controller terminals

[@superbrit3845]

Just how cool is this? It needs more power though.

[@DatSun.]

its quite faithful to the original in that regard as well

[@shornoMALONEY]

Yeah seems weird to go for an electric motor with so little power. I know it's light but my bike has more power than that. To get the "scale speed" you'd want similar power to a Caterham, and honestly if you can't kick up dirt with it what's the point? Either a ford/honda ICE engine would drop the cost by ten grand and be way more fun... The car looks soo sick though...

[@DirtyDovi]

The Buggy: ❤ The Price-tag: 😢 In the late 90s', I had a sandrail that looked almost identical.. They're sooo much fun! Mine was VW powered and only cost about $5k vs the $46k they're asking for this one. None the less - Amazing!!

[@paulayala4816]

Tamiya did make one with a frame similar to a Funco SS.

[@TockaMea]

You can get a tesla for this money. I can't believe they can justify the price tag for this car. The 5k for the buggy had a rather complicated vw engine and transmission, not 1 electric motor

[@paulayala4816]

@@TockaMea The VW aircooled 1600cc engine and tranny combo is probably one of the easiest to work on and one of the most reliable combos around. That's why they are still used in a lot of Baja bugs and rails to this date. If you were to blow an engine down in the more remote areas of Baja, chances are good the local junkyard would have several laying around to get you home.

[@deltauljCustoms]

An Avante or Top Force would also be cool 👌

[@foundnotlost]

had the Astute

[@deltauljCustoms]

@@foundnotlost £500 car now

[@afraid2crashrc]

RC is NOT exclusively for children and the Wild One is a hobby grade kit car. Anyone lucky enough to have a Wild One as a child was obviously spoiled rotten. Good for you. The large majority of RC is an ADULT HOBBY. Thanks.

[@JHGC80]

Absolutely brilliant!!! I like the 80's feel

[@ugremlin]

Damn I'd love to get that! Used to love Tamiya cars growing up!

[@BenGoodbrand]

Amazing! One day I'd like to see an RC sized real car

[@tylerseabook9423]

One day? That days this video

[@ianmangham4570]

​@@tylerseabook9423😮 This is a car sized rc car ,Ben wants to see a 1/10 scale real car that a mouse can drive 😅

[@tylerseabook9423]

@@ianmangham4570 already exists

[@stirfryjedi]

​@@tylerseabook9423WHOOSH

[@Scott_A]

Yea, some dude made a working le mans car with functional gearbox and all, not sure what scale but mayb 4ft long, he made the fully functional engine too and it sounds like the real ferrari le mans. Just type working scale ferrari into youtube

[@matthewchandler2647]

I’ve long dreamt of building a life-sized Avante or Hotshot! This is awesome!

[@stephenmanley4097]

That was my first RC car back in the 80's 😃

[@mdemers767]

My first was a Frog.

[@mrcomenttoe2009]

Just looks so beautiful doesn't it a real toy so beautiful so awesome believe it or not this this made me cry

[@charliesschroedinger]

My first R/C was Vanessa's LunchBox. Built it with my father over Christmas vacation and painted it purple and orange. Came out crappy looking but I loved that thing. Except having to pay for replacement parts out of my chore money. 😢

[@dj4monie]

Lunchbox was stupid fun, with a modified 540. It would do a wheelie down the entire street with that much power. Even today with lithium batteries it would be silly fast.

[@charliesschroedinger]

@@dj4monie do they make a modern version of it still??

[@mrcomenttoe2009]

This is awesome we always imagined this when we were a kid I had the champ as a kid and some Team Associated

[@qubahka77]

holy macoronies. i gotta have one. Tamiya has been part of my life since 1984. I never even fathomed that someone would do this. I hope they make a series of the most popular tamiya kits. Imagine an Avante or Grasshopper 1:1... mind exploding stuff. SHEEEES!!!

[@mrcomenttoe2009]

Dad I want one of those now remember going to the Hobby Store and seeing all the little models you wanted damn I want that thing

[@michaeltorpy3366]

Brilliant tom tamiya brings back so many child hood memories probably had 6 or 7 different one's even brought one for my daughter on her 10th birthday but I ended up using it good I chose the one I liked

[@yodadarksideGreenHawksRC]

Great nostalgia associated with those old Tamiyas eh fella? You will probably like our KZbin channel ..... @ Green Hawks RC A proper trip down memory lane! 👍

[@AJ-oj5eu]

Needs a 4 metre tall whippy looking aerial with an orange flag. Perfect

[@CurbSlayers]

I saved my paper route money for MONTHS to buy a Wild One at our local hobby shop when it was released in the 80s. I’d have one of these in a heartbeat!!!!!!! ❤❤❤❤

[@kingmaybus8409]

I won't lie. it's kind of steep on the price, but it's so awesome! For the price of a dream, it's not horrible 😅

[@waynecopus8124]

When they first asked for deposits from potential buyers (and to fund the project) it was advertised between 7 to 10k depending on spec, that actual price is a smack in the face.

[@g00gleisgayerthanaids56]

​@@waynecopus81247-10k was an obvious pipe dream from the get go, did you think that anyone could realistically manufacture and distribute a rail buggy for that cheap? Thats so cheap it stinks like a scam, im impressed they actually built something...

[@zachsheffield1325]

That’s a more realistic mass production price

[@SkylineLofe]

@@waynecopus8124 that might end up being the DIY version price. But also remember that there is a Launch edition, meaning I have a feeling the regular one might not be _as_ expensive as 35k

[@waynecopus8124]

@@SkylineLofe if that's the case I could live with that, I do still feel misled as this price is so far off what was presented at the beginning when I placed my small deposit. Anyway I hope they can cater for actual rc car enthusiasts who don't have money to burn lol

[@donpayne1040]

The drivers of Tamiya car in the adverts were badass

[@tylaranderson8559]

I absolutely love it. If I had that kind of money I would be placing an order now

[@jeffvanhusen9895]

I have been wanting to build a real scale Blackfoot forever and even approached Tamiya but they never got back to me. I absolutely love it!!

[@charliesschroedinger]

An RC10 or Kyosho Burns would be sweet too

[@diecastrendezvousgroupdrg2786]

I own a Tamiya Lunchbox today. I still love it very much.

[@ricklynch]

I had one of these! It was my first rc car! I had loads of fun with it until it was stolen! After seeing this video, I want another one now! LOL

[@peterlarkin762]

Just watched Kidd in a Sweetshop do a tour of the Little Car co factory. Automotive perfection!

[@spdcrzy]

Honestly, with solid state batteries and better motors, I could see a $30K version of this vehicle being a VERY potent alternative to the current side by side options in the market.

[@g00gleisgayerthanaids56]

Rail buggies are still absolutely competitive and way under 30k cost... they can also get way more expensive too, baja ready rigs are easily starting around 60k+. Check craigslist or local marketplace, a vw powered rail buggy can be had for way under the cost of a sxs, adapter plates for the transaxle can be had for a couple hundred bucks so you can bolt on just about any motor you want. My buddy has a ford pinto 2.3 motor bolted on and boosted, his rail pops rideable 12 oclock wheelies, and since its a simple 2wd set up, steering brakes make it insanely manueverable, way more so than either my talon or yxz, which both cant pop a 12 oclock wheelie at all. The biggest difference is suspension, but the vw front end is so damn strong and light that it just floats and is beefy enough to take big hits that will fold modern a arms. My buddies rail (at speed, 30+mph) is almost as smooth as the talon going down the trail. The rail has about 4 inches of suspension travel, and another ~4 inches in psuedo suspension by running big agricultural tires with almost no air pressure. People just dont really seem to know about em.

[@markrogers1786]

Needs a utility bed of some kind. Most side by sides have lots of storage.

[@g00gleisgayerthanaids56]

@@markrogers1786 not the sporty ones... enough room for a medium sized cooler, after that its creative solutions like overhead storage, but you dont want or need all that junk when youre using these things as theyre intended.

[@fastdude2002]

I have a desert rail buggy that is basically the same thing as this but slightly larger and obviously different paint scheme. Mine is powered by a built up air cooled V.W. engine. I only had to pay $6,500.00 for mine 15 years ago. This has given me some ideas for its next paint job…….

[@markrogers1786]

@@g00gleisgayerthanaids56 if you say so. I have a Polaris razor. Plenty of my buddies at the hunting property have cans ams and other “sporty” side by sides. But they all still have plenty of room in the back to bungee tie a whitetail and drag it out of the woods.

[@Rcdude2007]

I was crying because ive always wanted a road legal rc car. My dream came a reality. Thanks top gear!!!!!

[@sharpiefatah3657]

...nissan leaf?

[@Rcdude2007]

Ugly and stupid compared to this

[@ouch74]

Awesome tribute to the Wild One!...but I do have to say if only it had at least double the power, then it would be a handful.

[@devnull128]

I have an original Wild One and a re-release. This thing is freaking awesome

[@waynesworld1655]

Every boy who grew up with tamiya rc’s especially in the 80’s dream buggy

[@johanneshaukanes4531]

I like the huge electric motor behind 3:57

[@JoeTheBlacksmith13]

More of this please! How about the iconic Team Associated RC10 - the most popular RC car ever made…

[@mister-amazing]

Is it really the most popular one? Wouldn't surprise me

[@JoeTheBlacksmith13]

@@mister-amazing in terms of sales, I do believe so. Can’t remember where I read that.

[@jman145]

They need to do the hot shot it would be so cool

[@trekkie1701e]

This with a turbo canam engine would be a riot , looks like theres plenty of space for it.

[@roodick85]

About damn time!! I still have my Grasshopper and still play with it

[@BPlus-oz7cm]

I always loved the fictional drivers names on Tamiya cars. As a kid in the 90's my Tamiya Stadium Blitzer was driven by none other than "Salty Sam Snookums"

[@MrClockworkbanana]

I had the grasshopper 2 in the late 80s loved it

[@hughjaass3787]

I had the yellow one, side kick one. Damn good RV after I assembled it correctly and learned the limitations.

[@pinga858]

They blew it out of the park. I'd slap on one of those long CB/UHF antennas and roll around blasting the Revolt theme all day!

[@xXQuIkSiLvErXx]

OMG this brought back tonnes of memories

[@Skjoldborg8]

Top notch 80’s vibes! 😎🌴🩷

[@hemistormrc]

Brilliant move! Waiting for the kit. 🙌🏼

[@megatryn]

Love this! Now I grew up with the Tamiya Thunder Dragon. I'd happily drive that around daily 😊

[@neoanderson7]

If I had more space and a massive backyard, I would totally pick one up! Compliment my Fast Attack scale version. 👏🏻😎

[@ghost.of.aleksz.salad.]

you cant leave your house? lol

[@spiritsofthedistilledkind3633]

That’s a toy for the garage for sure! When we going to see it in action? Need a part 2 video with some sand dune action!

[@mrcomenttoe2009]

That sounds like a nice range and speed

[@Clynikal]

I’d love to see a wild Willy version

[@RCKickschannel]

Sold, take my money.

[@edwinthomas618]

SO COOL. I would have drooled if it was a Team Associated RC-10😅

[@adamweston4152]

My brother had a holiday buggy with the 540 motor and it was brilliant.

[@johngreat265]

I want one now! But the grasshopper addition

[@odnetnin4720]

I’ve long thought a life size tc3 would be awesome.

[@qleverone]

They have to do a Tamiya Monster Beetle! Not only would I pay to see it done but I'd buy one if I could!

[@russrh]

The motor wires are a nice touch

[@beamsupreme993]

That is sick, I want one. Do a wild Willy next!!

[@paulelverstone8677]

Outstanding. On the understanding that most EV sports hyper cars are just a completely pointless frippery, this strikes a fabulous balance of nostalgia, tech and desire. I want one!.... but just like my Tamiya Fox... :o)

[@gqp4800]

Raced tamiya spec. Class on road 10 years in 90's. Schumacher stock 27 turn motor😊

[@michaelmassart2349]

I hold fond momories of my tamya grasshopper rc as a kid. Would look even cooler irl

[@Ozzypup1]

Man that is so cool. Loved these when I was a kid.😁

[@TEAMCHONMAGE]

Awesome 1/1 wild one !!!!

[@sultankuto8724]

As a lifetime member of the boys club i approve of this awesome rc car, goodwill to all.

[@mikeperrett1539]

That is flipping awesome - I'll put it on the shortlist

[@fidy8dub]

Awesome! That wrap on the door could do with a tidy up though😳

[@motosessions]

@1:30 I was waiting for Steve Brule to come out and talk about the car

[@MrAmps]

Absolute win! I want to build one!

[@mrcomenttoe2009]

This is just so awesome always dreamed of making some of my toys a reality always

[@vijayshan3804]

Want one so much! And a Tamiya Sandscorcher too. If i ever win lotto, I’m coming to you Little Car Company 😊

[@2552legoboy]

all my tamyias broke so quickly when i was a kid. but they were the coolest looking buggies

[@rickrussell]

I love these new 10/1 scale vehicles.

[@SEEYAIAYE]

Great little tribute to the real deal, would be right at home cruising along the beach and sand dunes.

[@johansomeone1948]

Was a Taniya and Kyoshio guy back then, Now onlyTraxxas fits my rc hobby.

[@kraenk12]

Tamiya and Kyosho?

[@nicolasstagg4657]

Great review, I want, I want, I want!!! Totally and utterly fantastic

[@stuartr8356]

I'm in Australia & am 6km from work...would work a treat 9 months of the year even at that price :)

[@effervescentrelief]

That is THE coolest thing I've ever seen. The massive pin clip on the hood was icing on the cake. I would have preferred a gas engine though.

[@Francois_L_7933]

I'd love to drive around in one of these, but sadly I really don't think the province will ever allow such a thing to hit the roads.

[@pbruteforce1]

I love it ❤️ The wild One was one of the cars I was in love with but never got to own when I was a kid I ended up getting a Blackfoot instead but always love the wild one. Got back in the RC's big time a few years ago now our family has a collection of about 60 RCs including a lot of vintage and re-release Tamiyas and kyoshos I think the next one I'm going to buy will be the wild one but probably just the little one 🙂

[@club.mulholland]

I love the premise and the daftness of this - especially as I raced Wild One's in the mid-1980's. So I naturally put my deposit down for this on Day 1 when it was announced. The anticipated price was £6 - 8k and they were due to deliver when my son was 16 in 2022 - how cool would that be to drive to school?! Delays and lack of communication meant I asked for my deposit back about 18 months ago, and the price now - wow - £42,000 incl. VAT. Fun, but at that price... it's a no from me.

[@burgundyexpress]

If that had a V8 I would place my order tomorrow!

[@sceptic33]

i still have my old fast attack vehicle...it's sitting on my desk as i watch this... i'll be buying one of these as soon as my numbers come in...

[@kbhasi]

Whoa. While I never had much interest in playing with R/C toy cars as a child, seeing a company actually produce an officially licensed life-sized drivable replica of a R/C toy dune buggy, all the way down to little details like the look of the wheels, the wires on the motors, and even the fictional sponsor logos, reminded me of when some KZbin users would build life-sized replicas of fictional items from TV programmes and films.

[@Rogge73]

Ohhh!!! Pleeease make Kyosho Scorpion and Tamiya Hornet❤

[@Rek_Rc]

Oh my god, if some company made a life sized version if an arrma felony, it would blow the roof off the car world, especially if they could keep the acceleration of the RC version. They Tamiya is amazing! I want one badly. Also, for a second there i thought top gear was going to start covering RC cars and thought about shutting my channel down hahahahah

[@lukewaring2832]

Mushrooms and man maths in the same enthusiastically video... Epic . You always nail it guys.. 😅

[@IowaBudgetRCBashers]

Absolutely brilliant

[@kevinwilson6645]

So awesome!! Do Optimus Prime next!!

[@matthewmcclelland709]

If you sell them for enough you won't have to make a lot of them..one of my favorite quotes