Well here’s an exciting new kit! Tamiya’s Dune Beetle Cross is practically a greatest hits of what fans appreciate from the brand. There’s plenty of clever design that looks like a treat to assemble, including the trailing rear arm setup that first arrived with the BBX. The officially-licensed VW Beetle body appears perfectly scaled and is loaded with detail, including the signature exposed flat-four of a Baja bug and a complete roll cage with interior and two figures. And while this is an all-new buggy, it still rings the vintage bell hard, evoking the original Sand Scorcher and greats like the Monster Beetle and Stadium Blitzer.
The rear view shows off the detailed engine, and you can see the roll cage bars through the rear window. The tires and wheels appear to be shared with the BBX.
This underside look reveals Tamiya’s latest spin on Beetle-style front trailing arms. If you prefer to build for pure performance, optional parts for a conventional double A-arm setup will also be included. The detailing on the battery door evokes the belly pan of an actual VW Beetle.
The full-caged chassis looks fantastic, as do the pilot and navigator figures. Note the wheel wells molded into the chassis, with pass-throughs for the rear shocks.
Here’s a closer look at the engine. According to Tamiya’s Fred Medel, the stinger pipe is made of nylon and designed to flex and return to shape – just in case you were worried about it being easy to break.
• 1/9 scale R/C model assembly kit. Length: 454mm, width: 204mm (with front double trailing arms)/225mm (with front double wishbone arms), height: 180mm. Wheelbase: 283mm.
• The newly designed 1.0mm thick polycarbonate body recreates a race-oriented Beetle which features bulging front and rear fenders and removed rear engine hood.
• The roll cage ensures chassis rigidity and protects driver figures.
• Light pods, front and taillights are realistically recreated. Light cases molded in black are included for attachment of separately sold LED lights.
• Seated driver and co-driver figures with full-face helmets and dedicated arm parts are included.
• Original design livery stickers included.
• Driver and co-driver (and their name stickers) are female.
• Features realistic depictions of details such as window net, fire extinguisher, stick shift, steering wheel, air cleaner, pulley, muffler and exhaust pipes for extra realism.
• Required to complete: 2-channel radio, steering servo (standard or low profile compatible), ESC, 540-size motor (Brushless motors recommended) 7.2-7.4-volt battery with compatible charger, and Tamiya PS and acrylic paints.
BB-02 chassis
• The rear-wheel drive BB-02 chassis has floor pan design motifs with front and rear tire housings to protect the model from dust.
• The R/C equipment box is positioned under driver and co-driver figures.
• Features a lengthwise battery pack with the motor at the rear for optimum balance.
• The sealed gearbox has a built-in ball differential, and drive shafts have joint boots for reliable off-road performance.
• 4-wheel independent suspension uses front double trailing arms or double wishbone arms, and rear trailing arms. (*Front double wishbone and rear trailing arms are from Item 58719 1/10 R/C BBX (BB-01).)
• Front double trailing arms: Common suspension on full-size vehicles / longer arms and increased stroke / stable, straight-line performance / suited to flat dirt surfaces.
• Front double wishbone arms: Common on unlimited class vehicles / long arms give superlative ground-hugging / stable jumps / suited to off-road courses.
• Adaptive dampers limit oil leakage. As the piston moves the oil seal changes shape and air passes through the hole, reducing oil leakage.
• Full Ball Bearings included with hex screw hardware.
• The battery pack can be installed from the bottom of the chassis by opening its hatch.
• Hex hub wheels are paired with front rib pattern tires for directional stability and rear square spike tires for high grip. (*Hex hub wheel shape is the same as that of Item 58719 1/10 R/C BBX (BB-01), and tires are from Item 58719 1/10 R/C BBX (BB-01).)
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