The micro/mini-craze has taken the RC hobby by storm recently. A couple of years ago, minis were virtually an unknown sector of the hobby. However since the introduction of several popular brands, including the Mini-Z, the mini-market has exploded with an unprecedented amount of growth. Many hobby stores have small tracks devoted to these miniature offspring of their larger brethren, and several hobbyists have adopted the mini genre as their primary interest.

The Kyosho Mini-Z MR-02 is targeted towards the on-road segment of the mini market. Most of the Mini-Z MR-02's are based off of exotic sports cars, while a few others are decked out to look like their full-size racing counterpart. The MR-02 platform features a new ESC that provides braking, and a miniature servo saver to help protect the servo gears in the event of an impact.

Obviously you're wondering what is the benefit of such a small RC car, and why should you even consider adding one to your collection. The best way to find that out is to get up close and personal with one, or in my case two. This is because the Mini-Z MR-02's are the most fun when you race a couple of them together. So follow along with me as I race a couple of Kyosho Mini-Z MR-02's against each other, and see just what makes this segment of the hobby attractive to so many people.

The latest version of Kyosho's popular Mini-Z Racer lineup is the MR-02 chassis. This chassis sports several improvements over the previous versions of Mini-Z racers. For starters, the motor is now mounted more towards the center of the car to help balance the car for better handling. Also Kyosho has added a new ESC that features a good braking system. This translates to much more uniform control when approaching a corner, and will definitely help the car feel much more manageable when it's being driven.

Just like their F1 and Overland series of Mini-Z's, Kyosho now uses a small servo saver in the MR-02 chassis as well. This helps protect the miniature servos gears from damage if a collision with another car or barrier was to occur. The addition of the servo saver definitely increases the durability factor.

The Mini-Z MR-02 cars are well documented with a nice manual. The manual itself covers all aspects of the car, and provides walkthroughs to cover any repair you might have to make later on down the road. It's always nice for a manual to show you how to break the car down, instead of having to figure it out on your own when the time comes. Often, without instructions, you may wind up damaging something else before you fix the original problem.

The only downside I see with the manual is that, due to the fact it contains several languages, it can be hard to follow at times. I'd prefer the manual to be tailored to one specific language, but I know that would create a separate kit for each language. This wouldn't be very cost effective for Kyosho. So I think it would be much easier to read, if each language has its own section in the book, instead of writing out each step in five languages which is the current format.

The Kyosho Mini-Z MR-2 comes with a nice set of additional parts to help you set the vehicle up to suit your tastes. Obviously, you get necessary items to prepare your Mini-Z for action such as the antenna and battery tray covers, but you also get other optional items as well. These items include extra pinion gears, suspension parts and tools.

The MM and the RML chassis layouts differ slightly, and differ somewhat in the flexibility and design. The Ferrari (bottom) uses the RML chassis layout, while the Lamborghini (top) provides a slightly different look with it's MM layout. The main difference between the two, is exactly where the motor lies in relation to the rear axle. In addition the MM chassis does not provide any method to lengthen the wheelbase.

Looking at the car in detail, you see that the rear end is controlled by a single horizontal shock. This shock does not use any oil, which is typical for small scale cars such as the Mini-Z. However Kyosho does offer optional springs to help tailor the rear of the car to suit your tastes. The AAA batteries that supply the power are mounted on the sides, while all the electronics is tucked away inside the center of the chassis itself. This creates a very compact layout, which helps to retain a low center of gravity.

The underside of the car reveals some other important aspects of the Mini-Z. The first thing you're likely to notice is the receiver crystal tucked away in the center of the car. It is recessed to protect it from damage, but can be easily pulled out should the need to switch to a different operating channel occur. Right behind the crystal is the on/off switch. It's recessed as well, which prevents it from accidentally being switched off while you are driving it.

Just behind the on/off switch is a series of holes. These allow you to alter the wheelbase of the car on certain models. You may find you wish to do this to help fit a new body, or to tweak the handling characteristics. Whatever the reason you find, Kyosho has made it a viable option.

If you find yourself changing the wheelbase, you discover that the rear shock mount is not the proper length anymore. Kyosho knew this, and so in the packages of extra items you'll find extra rear shock mounts when applicable. Each shock mount corresponds to a specific wheelbase setting, so that both the top and the bottom of the car's chassis are properly spaced out.

Wheel removal is a simple task using the supplied lug wrench. The wrench fits down into the recessed area in the wheel, and allowing you to easily spin the lug nut off making wheel removal possible. The lugs themselves are plastic but do the job they're required to do extremely well. You can also see the front suspension springs that reside behind the front tire. Kyosho offers optional springs for this location as well, so that you can tailor the front suspension just as you would the rear.

Kyosho knew that when they made the Mini-Z MR-02, many people would want to alter the performance level of the car beyond what the out of the box configuration was. So to help with that, they provided a diverse set of pinion gears along with the model. Swapping the pinion gears is a simple modification. You simply remove the motor cover and pull the motor out. Using the supplied pinion tool, you pry the old pinion off and push the pinion of your choice on in its place. Once you've chosen your pinion, you may be required to switch a plastic motor spacer plate so that the pinion and spur have a proper mesh alignment.

The Mini-Z MR-02 is a RTR model, which means it includes a radio as well. While the radio itself may lack the flash and function of many high-end models, it's a nice well-rounded unit. The AM radio itself is developed by KO Propo, which is a well-known manufacturer of radio equipment. It has a very nice comfortable feel to it, which makes it very easy to use.

The radio offers the basic steering and throttle trim adjustments in the form of analog knobs. It also offers a dual-rate adjustment as well. I'm glad to see dual rate was offered, because with the sharp turning radius these cars offer it can often help to dial some steering out, making it more controllable on certain surfaces.

The steering trim is located right above the steering wheel, which does leave it exposed to an extent. However the throttle and dual-rate adjustment knobs are located behind a removable panel that protects them from accidentally being moved. The on/off switch is plainly indicated, and a power light indicates when the radio has been switched on. For the Mini-Z, I feel the stock radio is more than adequate to handle the task for which it's been chosen.

Depending upon the exact Mini-Z MR-02 you purchase, you may be required to install the rear shock. In my case the Ferrari RML needed this, but the Lamborghini MM came with the shock already installed. So you'll first want to remove the body from the car, and check to see whether you need to install the shock or not.

Installing the shock assembly is an easy task. The shock itself is nearly assembled. You'll just need to find the shock, shock spring, and spring retainer. These parts install as you would typically expect, and a walkthrough is provided in the manual. Then you'll need to find the front mount, and keep it handy, so that you can secure the front of the shock to the car when you reach that step.

Using the proper rear shock mount, remember this is determined by the lower chassis wheelbase setting, you'll attach the shock to the rear of the car. You'll want to use a #1 screwdriver on the three screws that are provided to mount the parts. Two screws secure the mount to the rear of the car, while one screw fastens the bottom of the shock to the rear shock mount.

Now you'll take the front shock mount and install it. With the front mount you only need to use two screws that secure the mount to the car itself. The mount is made to hold the upper end of the shock in place without the need for a screw. Once the front mount is in place the rear shock installation is complete.

You'll also need to install the receiver antenna before you take the Mini-Z MR-02 out for a spin. This is another simple task that should only take a few seconds. The antenna and hardware will be found in their own plastic bag separate from anything else. Using a screw, washer, and a #1 screwdriver, you'll fasten the receiver wire and antenna together at the rear of the car as shown.

At this point, you're almost ready to run. However before you put the body back on the car's chassis, you'll want to install the batteries. Simply place four AAA batteries into the side trays, paying close attention to the diagrams in the trays. If the batteries are incorrectly inserted in the car it will not run. Once the batteries are installed, install the battery retaining clips. These clips prevent the batteries from working their way loose while you're driving the Mini-Z MR-02.

Once the batteries have been installed, you're ready to reinstall the body back onto the chassis. The Mini-Z MR-02 doesn't have a lexan body, nor does it use a mounting system like you may be familiar with. Simply slide the body over the chassis, and pry back the sides slightly. The battery compartments have a recessed pin hole on their sides which the white clips on the inside of the body fit into. Once the body has been installed properly, you shouldn't have any difficulty with it moving around at all.

The supplied radio needs a small amount of prep work as well. First you'll need to insert the antenna into the hole in the top of the radio. Then screw it clockwise to tighten it down. Once that's been completed you'll need to install 8 AA batteries in the battery compartment, and then you'll be ready to drive.

Overall I've never been that interested in the mini scene. In my eyes I just never looked at it the way some do. I guess that has a lot to do with the fact I've never been pushed for space to run my bigger cars and trucks. Additionally since I live in North Carolina, winters are fairly mild and short. So I don't suffer from wintertime withdrawals the way some further north might, causing them to look towards an indoor solution for their hobby fixation.

When it comes to that scenario, the mini and micro cars are definitely up to the task. They require less space to run, and yet still allow you to receive a good dose of radio-controlled fun and excitement. Most of the minis and micros offer the same features as their larger counterparts, which leaves very little difference between them other than their size. So to see how well the Kyosho Mini-Z MR-02 performed in this department, I had to get some driving time in.

The MR-02 is a low-profile street car setup. So it likes a nice and smooth, flat surface. While I could have used the kitchen floor, as many hobbyists may very well do, I decided to shoot for a slightly larger area. I opted for the garage. With all the real vehicles removed, and a nice open area available, the stage was set.

The floor of the garage is cement, but extremely smooth. The first thing I noticed was how easily the cars could get out of shape if you cornered with excessive speed. So some finesse was required while driving. That's not indicative of a shortcoming with the car though, it just shows how much power these MR-02's can transfer to the ground, which reminds me of their full-size counterparts. Besides, wouldn't it get boring if all you had to do was to stab the throttle wide open, and turn every 8-10 feet? I find it's much more fun trying to drive as fast as I can without pushing the envelope too far and ending up spinning out.

Compared to some of the minis I played with in the past, these things are fast. I did try increasing the pinion gear from the stock 6-tooth to a 7-tooth for more top end, but found I like the overall balance provided by the stock pinion instead. A larger pinion would work well in a larger area, but top speed was hard to reach in my scenario due to the smaller running area. The smaller stock pinion gear gave plenty of torque on the bottom end, and enough top end already. This made it the better choice for me at the time. The larger pinion did reduce wheel spin, but at the expense of low-end torque.

While the MR-02's were fun to race around the makeshift track I had created in the garage, the real fun began when you paired them up. Racing these cars against each other was a great amount of fun, and very challenging. You had to work on being very consistent and race the track more so than each other. If you concentrated too much on the other car, you would often find yourself pushing the car a little too hard resulting in a 360°.

There were several white-knuckle moments when both cars would trade a little paint back and forth. Even while brushing each other and fighting for the lead, the cars could be controlled if you kept yourself calm and focused on the task at hand. While that is easier said than done, those moments provided for some exciting racing. So I found that these cars are more than capable racers, if driven well.

Initially I had my doubts about Kyosho's choice of bodies. I thought that they should have looked into lexan instead of the molded plastic they have used for these cars. While lexan bodies would allow for a more customizable approach, I can't question the durability factor of the stock bodies like I thought I'd be able to.

On several occasions the Ferrari and Lamborghini were involved in hard hits that I felt for sure would result in some serious damage. However, after several head-on collisions, side collisions, impacts with the wall, and even a couple with a lawnmower, the Mini-Z's bounced back time and time again without anything more than a small scratch. The only real exception to this was with one impact in particular. This involved the Lamborghini being pushed beyond it's cornering limits, and when that happened it pushed out a little too wide and hit a garage door rail head on at full speed. The hit send shivers down my spine, and I thought for sure the body would have been split in half after the hit. However the only damage was a small chip at the bottom of the front air dam.

I did find that the side mirrors and plastic headlight covers could be knocked off in a hard hit as well. However a little detail trim getting knocked off during some heated jockeying for position was not anything major from my perspective. Anytime this happened, the part was found, and could easily be glued back on.

The cars performance during my time with them was intense and a lot of fun. The Lamborghini performed flawlessly and seemed to be the more neutral handling of the two cars. I attribute this to the motor being a little more centrally located. The Ferrari has its motor slid back a little further, which changed the weight distribution some. I also noticed that the rear shock on the Ferrari seemed to make some slight contact with the inside of the body as it was compressed. This probably hindered the weight transfer slightly as well. Despite this, the Ferrari was still extremely competitive on our course.

When it comes to battery life, the MR-02's provided runtimes around 1.5 to 2 hours for a set of AAA batteries. It's obvious that gearing, driving style, terrain, and even the brand of batteries used, will play a factor in how long a set of batteries will last. However, I found this to acceptable for the performance level I was reaching with the cars.

Initially I didn't expect these MR-02's to provide a whole lot of excitement. However, I can admit when I'm wrong, which I most certainly was. The MR-02's surprised me, tremendously. I definitely didn't anticipate them providing the fun and challenge that they did.

When it comes to upgrades, Kyosho offers a huge list of items available for the MR-02's. However I don't see anything on these cars that would require an immediate upgrade other than investing in some rechargeable batteries, as buying packs of Duracells can get expensive very quickly. I wouldn't really consider rechargeable batteries an upgrade though.

Kyosho has really improved this platform, and has put forth a very well-rounded model. The only real improvement I could see trying to suggest would be a lower overall price. You do get a lot in the box, for the money you spend, however we would all like to save a few more bucks. Plus a lower price would give Kyosho a huge advantage when compared to other minis on the market.

If you're looking for the thrills and excitement of radio-controlled cars, but are destined to stay indoors or in a small area, give the Kyosho Mini-Z MR-02 some serious consideration. They may be small, but the fun definitely exceeds their smaller size!

Kyosho
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Great Planes Model Distributors
P.O. Box 9021
Champaign, IL 61826-9021 USA
Phone: 800-637-7660
Website: www.kyosho.com