ORIGINAL: cummins driver
Honestly, an 1/8th scale buggy with any standard RTR style big block engine is going to be pretty limited to around 45mph IMO.
Also, I have owned 3 buggies (just bought another), and Im 99% sure my jato would rape any of them from a standing start, roll, or any kind of race really. The buggies will jump a lot better and take much more abuse though. A buggy MIGHT get the jato off the line for about 10 feet because of the center differential, but after that, its over. Who races for 10 feet?
The way the Jato is setup with the 2 speed and the high revving small block in a light weight platform just lends itself to being really fast. Its probably the only r/c i have owned that has NEVER felt underpowered in any situation.
And for some reason a lot of people dont like traxxas engines, but my all 4 of them I have had (a 3.3, two 2.5's, and a Pro .15) have all run and tuned great. Really good engines IMO that make a lot of power for their size.
although not a stock engine my ofna 9.5 with the Jammin JPX .21 will eat a jato alive and will top out past 50mph, the car is scary scary fast even more so with the torsen diff, it revvs like the engine isnt attached to something, im starting to think the previous owner modded it. ive had fast cars, but thing is outright over-powered and will accelerate faster than a 1/18 with a 1hp brushless motor and traction compound treated tires.
but again, its not just about speed, at even 50mph the car is out of sight within a few seconds, and things get a little un-nerving at those speeds.