Is This RC?

Is This RC?

We all know Hot Wheels, and it probably goes without saying that we all love us some Hot Wheels. Heck, one of the best things about having a 4-year old son is that I can buy bushels of these cool 1/64-scale cars without anyone thinking anything of it. Just like dad, he has an affinity for the off-road trucks and hot rods–with a couple cop cars thrown in for good measure. In the same way that we’re all familiar with Hot Wheels, I’m sure everyone knows Hot Wheels is owned by the toy giant Mattel. Mattel has offered RC cars before which have all been marketed as toys. Toy-grade RC is nothing new and it’s no surprise Mattel would be in that space.

Not everything, however, Mattel offers is so clearly a toy. Case in point: check out this pint-sized racer known as RC Nitro Speeders. They should be available this fall and they’ll set dad’s like me back about $21 per vehicle.

This little car is certainly RC, but how close to hobby grade does it get? It has fully proportional steering and throttle. Is it possibly a good introduction into our hobby? Maybe cars like this are just what we think of as RC really needs.

Bottom line question: what are our thoughts on the line between toy-grade and hobby-grade RC getting continually blurred?

 

 

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Updated: August 16, 2011 — 11:38 AM
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