If you read this website you probably have/had boxes of model cars when you were younger. A lucky few even had radio controlled cars to terrorise the family pooch and ramp over crude obstacles in the backyard. If you did, you may have dreamed about being behind the wheel as you flew over mounds of sand and other model cars. Now the Little Car Company is making this dream a reality with the Wild One Max.

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Bringing toys to life

The Wild One Max is based on one of the best-selling RC cars of all time, the Tamiya Wild One. The Little Car Company is developing the Wild One Max for release in 2022 under licence from Tamiya. The original toy is 1/10th scale but the Wild One Max will be a 8/10th scale, which means it is big enough to drive yourself – cool. 

The rear-wheel drive, off-road electric buggy will measure 3,5 m long,1,8 wide and weigh around 250 kg. The best part is that you get to assemble these models at home. Little Car Company will deliver a massive kit to your house that includes every part required to make the full-size car, even the sticker kit is included.

Electric power

The base Wild One Max comes with a top speed of 48 km/h and peak power output of 4 kW. It has a range of up to 40 km, depending on terrain and driving style; so we are guessing a lot less for most of us. If those numbers aren’t up to your speed then you can upgrade to add several modular PowerPacks. There are also multiple driving modes including novice, eco and race, which offer different top speeds, throttle mappings and power outputs according to driver skill level.

Check out this Spanish-built track toy that looks like it could be loads of fun to drive.

The Wild One Max is based around a spaceframe chassis with four-wheel coilover suspension. Power is sent to 15-inch off-road tyres on lightweight wheels. The buggy’s braking system includes Brembo disc brakes on each corner that produce regenerative braking to maximise battery range.

Upgrades

There are several ways to upgrade your Wild One Max including a four-point racing harness, high performance brakes and suspension. Several upgrade packs are available such as the tarmac pack with road-biased tyres and mudguards and three road legal packs so you can drive your real-life toy on the roads. These add necessary items such as brake lights, indicators, reflectors and rear-view mirrors.

“As a child of the ’80s, developing an almost full-size Tamiya model, which you can actually drive, is a dream come true. We are honoured to be working with the Tamiya team on the project to bring one of their most iconic models to life for a new generation. Because it is still early days in the project, we have the opportunity to include the feedback and feature suggestions from the legions of Tamiya fans out there. We can’t wait to get these on, and off, the road in 2022!” Ben Hedley, CEO, The Little Car Company.