nitrosportsandrunner

traxxas has done it again, relaeasing a "new" model with mostly old parts and a few new bits that don't make much sence. (Note the sarcasm?)

Ok, so it is a 1/18 4wd rally car. For some reason, it doesn't use the brushed system from the other rally car, but has a new "LaTrax" waterproof brushed esc. Best part, it comes with a 5 cell NIMh with molex plugs!
It is lipo compatible...and has a "2 stage cutoff....whatever that means.

And this "rally" car has semi-slick tires that will "give a perfect balance of grip and drift"...which means it is not a rally car, as it cant go offroad at all.

Lower power electronics, in a model that will only be driveable on smooth surfaces and wont be that fast. Good thing retail is only $150...

Not even the video for it looks cool...and traxxas usually does a good job of making the models look awesome in their videos.

Maybe traxxas figured they needed a low-budget model to suck in more newbs. But one would be much better off to spend the extra $50 to buy the 1/16 rally over the new 1/18 LaTrax.

This thing has some toy-grade looking parts! And why would this kind of model need to be waterproof? This is for your driveway, or paved surfaces. I cant see it going offroad or threw puddles.


Is traxxas making this...or are they just distributing it? I like how traxxas's own pics of the battery do not match, wrong type of plugs are shown.

info: http://latrax.com/rally18-specs.htm

littlemel

My Feedback: (4)

To me it looks like they are doing some of both(manufacturing and distributing)  The esc looks new, but why they wouldn't use there own connector is beyond me.  I get a meh feeling about this. Maybe at $100 it would be way better.

nitrosportsandrunner

I kinda agree that $100 maybe. $80 even better. It cant be fast with a 6v battery. Those shocks are right off a walmart toy. And the waterproof feature is nearly useless on this kinda model.

It might be pretty quick if you drop in a 7.4v lipo...but one would 1st have to figue out what size lipo can fit.

SyCo_VeNoM

from their site
It will probably cost $199.99 as they only have 1 model...

collector1231

My Feedback: (1)

Wow, what a rip-off!

nitrosportsandrunner

no kidding. even if it ends up being say...$100=$120 in stores, compare it to the Atomik Metal Mulisha cars.
Those are also waterproof, have standard size 7.2v battery, 2.4ghz radio, 4wd, Oil Filled Shocks and have a liscensed body...all for $80. Granted, it does have a 2-in-1 ESC/rx and I doubt it has Low Voltage Cutoff....but still it is better equipped than the LaTrax. Looks better IMO, and is actually setup so that it can drive on packed dirt or very mild offroading (as a rally car should)

If I had to pick between the Atomik and the Latrax, Id pick the Atomik hands down...even if the Latrax were to cost only $100. I just don't see the value in the extra cost....not when it needs sum upgrades out of the box and comes with an odd sized battery!

But traxxas knows...many don't know what we know about RC, and will buy the model. Im not sure if traxxas helps or hurts the hobby. Sure, they have several models that are durable and fairly fast. But they also continue to keep well known flaws (emaxx bulkheads, vxl slider driveshafts) and they have some clearly overpriced models as well. And then there is their decision to put Fancy radios with most of their RTRs, along with a nice price hike. I could care less if my new slash 4x4 could dock with a frickin Iphone. I do want 2.4ghz, but give me manual trims (hate the dang menu button setup) anyday. Keep it simple with an RTR radio, functional and low cost.

Im more irritated tho that they release this kinda mess and don't take a stab at a rock crawler! They have brushed waterproof gear already (something lacking in some RTR crawlers) and Id just like to see what they could do in terms of a rock crawler / scaler. But know, we get the XO1, drag car and now this overpriced 1/18 ONROAD car (not a rally car)

SyCo_VeNoM

take back what I said about $199
just noticed it says $149.99 for it
still a ripoff that's near associated which uses standard 7.2v batteries

SyCo_VeNoM

Last thing needed is a crawler that says CAN GO 95 MPH on it that can't crawl for a damn(as it would probably use the slash 4X4 chassis), go 95 mph, and require 90% of it to be replaced with RPM parts...

nitrosportsandrunner

but that's what is crap syco...they have the money to develop something new and awesome........but they don't. They reuse stuff, and now even worse, pawning off something less than great and slap some traxxas stickers on it.

I think traxxas has the means to be the possibly the greatest rc company. But they seem content to sit on their butts, rely on marketing and reusing tech rather than coming up with something new.
Yes, the XO1 is impressive, yes the drag cars has some good ESC features....but neither of those are for the main stream hobbiest.

but you nailed it syco, they wont make a crawler as it would require making a whole new chassis and driveline...something they haven't done in a long time.

Foxy

Another budget brand. Awesome. This is symptomatic of a rising class of hobbyist lately, which fits into the 'I'm a spoilt kid, I saw a serious RC enthusiast with a cool car, now I want one, but I don't want to pay much and I want it to go 100mph and never break. When it inevitably does, I'll come on a forum, complain that I spent so much money, get ridiculed by serious hobbyists for my outrageous expectations, blame the world, my parents, my dog, anyone except myself, then quit the hobby for good and believe for the rest of my life that RC car guys are just rich geeks, but hey, I made Traxxas their dollar!' category.

Zonked

My Feedback: (6)

Lmao

nitrosportsandrunner

nailed it.
seriously, isn't the ECX boost about $150? That model is 100 times better than this new traxxas release. I could probly name 10-15 models at $150 that would far surpass this thing in value.
Traxxas, using their big name to make money instead of further the hobby.
Seems they haven't learned much from HPI. How many bought that "budget" onroad pan car thing?

I don't have a problem with "budget" minded models or brands (you all know I like redcat) but marketing something worth $60 at $150 because you have the power of the brand name to do it is not right.

Twin_Flyer

My Feedback: (4)

I find it interesting the box states "Powered by Traxxas"...

Sounds like they are simply supplying some of the electronics and selling it.

Bill S.

Zrock

the latrax is a old brand of traxas that is being re released to break the gap in toy grade RC and Hobby grade RC. Their is more to come this is just the first veh to be released.. This is a old school RC for those of you that remember RC 30 years ago. Obviously traxxas has done their research on this and their is a demand for it other wise they would not spend millions in re releasing a old product

Foxy

Firstly, I fail to see any 'retro appeal' in that car pictured above, and I've been in the hobby for 28 years.

Eman77

I personally like some of the re-releases that Tamiya does (using your example). I don't expect them to perform well by today's standards, I get them for the nostalgia of it. Vintage Tamiya has some good character to it, depending on the chassis.

However, I don't 100% see the point of getting a "nostalgic/classic" race-bred vehicle and trying to run it as a racer outside of a vintage class. It's neat to see the old RC10 come up again, but if the RC10 (and all the B2, B3, B4, etc versions that came after it) are improved successions to the previous model, better in all things race-ish, then what's the point of getting one several versions back? It's nostalgic to a point, but it won't race like the modern ones will.

That said, I feel like Tamiya is spending a LOT of effort re-releasing chassis when they could use their might to come up with more new ones.

As for the Traxxas thing in this thread - meh. It's a small scale "rally" car that can only go onroad with no-grip tires. Can't rally.

Eman77

...and those Furbies are evil.

TRUTH!

SyCo_VeNoM

They look even more evil if you skin em, and deshell em
I still have one or 2 sitting around(skinned) from when they 1st came out. Always meant to wire in red LED's behind the eyes.


As for the re-releases of tamiyas, those are entirely different as they don't try and pawn em off as something new, and revolutionary. People that buy em expect clunky old school driving. But on the other hand most those old tamiyas are built well enough to handle brushless power without falling to pieces

turok007

on a side note my kids had a few of them Furbies. and one day while i was in the loft i found one and it started. well i didn't need to think twice. it is still up there in pieces. lol

t-max97

My Feedback: (9)

Hahaha you now it's cheapy when it doesn't even have a traxxas plug on it! Looks pretty crappy to me and way over priced.

nitrosportsandrunner

I can see how the model itself could appeal to some, and I would like to see some models bridge the gap between toy and hobby grade.....but the price of the traxxas doesn't match the bridge!

Id love to see some toy/hobby grade RC's that are 1/10 scale that are built similar to some older tamiyas...with proportional steering and parts support. They don't have to have full proportional throttle, but should use standard size batteries and be capable of at least mild offroading.

If traxxas wanted to offer a re-release that could bridge the gap between toy and hobby...and be priced low enough...they should have brought back something like the spirit car. If priced at $80-$100 it would work and be worth the money IMO.

t-max97

My Feedback: (9)

If it where $75 I can see it appealing to some but at $150? They aren't going to be to successful IMO.

SyCo_VeNoM

I still can't grasp why its called rally with drift tires on it.
Hell for $20 less the recon IMO looks to be a way better buy as it can take standard 7.2V packs, or better yet for $90 less the megatech megapro

Too bad the body isn't bigger coulda slapped it on a RC18, or SC18 and had a decent 1/18th scale rally


wow just found http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...1p?&I=LXDMTP** came out not to long ago (completely missed it) so it has a way better build direct competition for less...

nitrosportsandrunner

agreed, there is plenty of better models for the same money or less.
As I had said earlier, the Atomik rally car is same size, comes RTR with standard battery, has better suspension (oil filled) with better tires, is also waterproof with 2.4ghz and can be had for as low as $80 shipped. It probly was closer to $150 when it 1st came out....but even if the exact same price as the LaTrax I would take the atomik car over it any day....mainly cause of the standard sized battery and abililty to actually drive offroad.

The Pro-pulse cars radio shack had some time ago were a good example of toy/hobby grade models. Especially when the price dropped down to $50. (same as the megatech but sold by radio shack)

I wish radio shack would sell that level of rc again. My local shack does currently have a 4 channel 2.4ghz heli that is $99 and specs out pretty much like a blade heli (single rotor)
But as far as cars/trucks go....no better than what you could get at wally world.

Zrock

yep millinons... its a minimum of 10g just to pull each die out of storage and prep it to run again after this many years hours were spend on each injection die. Then you have packagaging, manuals, transportation, all the reasearch they did to see if the re release is vialble and able to make money, plus all the little things we dont know about..

I like the vintage stuff and i had a blast with the older stuff and actually had way less breakage with it then i do with current products. Once the rest of the line up and i see what is their i will probably get one