Tamiya Wild One remote-controlled car to be turned into a road legal EV

If you were a kid in the 1980s, you probably remember Tamiya’s Wild One – arguably the most recognizable remote-controlled car ever made.

And from 2024 you can get your hands on another one – and you won’t have to beg your mom and dad to buy it for you!

This time, though, it’s not a radio-controlled car that you can drive around the backyard – instead it’s a full-size electric buggy that you can legally drive on UK roads.

It’s produced by British firm The Little Car Company, which – ironically – is better known for selling scaled-down kid-friendly versions of famous classic cars at ridiculously inflated prices.

It has confirmed that 100 ‘high-spec’ Launch Edition Tamiya Wild One Max will be built next year with a price that is currently undisclosed. However, cheaper versions will follow later, likely to be priced under £10,000.

The life-sized creation is officially licensed by Tamiya, the Japanese company that manufactured the original toy in 1985.

Known as one of the iconic radio-controlled models of all time, it was even re-released in 2012 to the excitement of many middle-aged big kids.

The radio-controlled car was in 1/10th scale of what a full-scale version would be. However, this latest iteration is about to flip the script and make it suitable for adults to get behind the wheel.

Plans to make a full-scale version for the road were first revealed in 2021, but The Little Car Company – which is based at Oxfordshire’s Bicester Heritage motoring hub – says the project has been delayed due to problems with the industry-wide supply of parts that have rocked the new car market since the pandemic.

Some customers have already paid a £100 deposit to secure their blown-up remote-controlled cars, with the first 100 versions of the launch edition including a selection of bespoke features.

Power is supplied by eight removable battery packs, with a total capacity of 14.4 kWh and a top speed of approximately 100 km/h.

A poll of depositors in recent months found that 95 percent wanted the car to be road legal rather than restricted to use on private property. And as a result, the first 100 versions can be purchased with a street-legal package that should help you out when you get run over by the slog.

The package allows the Wild One Max to qualify as an L7e four-wheeler – the same as Citroën’s dinky Ami.

While you only need either an ‘AM’ moped license or a full ‘Category B’ license to get behind the wheel of an Ami in the UK (meaning 16 year old can drive it), it’s not yet clear if this will be the case are for the Wild One Max – especially if it can reach speeds of up to 100 km/h.

Launch Edition models are equipped with Cobra bucket seats with four-point harnesses, a five-inch digital screen with ‘marine specification’ switches, Brembo disc brakes all around and premium Bilstein damper suspension combined with Eibach springs.

The cars get 14-inch Maxxis off-road tires front and rear.

Inside, the cockpit has room for two occupants instead of the single-seat layout that the 2021 concept had, which imitated the 1980s toys.

This is a result of feedback from customers who had already made deposits, although single-seat versions could come later.

Customers will also have to pay extra for a feature you’d always expect to come standard on any new vehicle you buy from a showroom: a windshield wiper.

One is specially designed for the car, including a bespoke windshield wiper mechanism.

The Bicester Heritage engineering team has also made some changes to the full-size concept the brand showcased two years ago.

This includes the front gun turrets which have been ‘smoothed’ to not only improve visibility, but also prevent pedestrians from being swept out if there is a small obstacle in the road.

The front suspension has also been upgraded from a trailing arm to a more sophisticated double wishbone for better off-road performance and comfort.

With a length of 3.6 meters and a width of 1.9 meters, the Wild One Max is slightly larger than a Ford Fiesta.

Meanwhile, the curb weight of the vehicle is expected to be around 500kg – that’s less than the original 1959 Mini.

Ben Hedley, chief executive of The Little Car Company, said, “We are absolutely thrilled to be one step closer to unveiling our Tamiya Wild One Max Launch Edition.

“While there have undoubtedly been a few hurdles along the way with supply issues across the industry, our team has done a fantastic job bringing a full size R/C car to life, and I couldn’t be more proud of them.”

He added: ‘By simplifying the design and reducing the weight, this car is a perfect example of the fact that it doesn’t take 500 horsepower to make a fun driver’s car.

“We are incredibly excited to show you the finished car and can’t wait for everyone to experience it for themselves.”

The vehicle will undergo ‘performance and durability testing’ over the summer before being fully unveiled in a few months – with performance figures, range and pricing confirmed.

Production of the Launch Edition will then begin in early 2024.

And don’t worry, the cars come fully built rather than in a box of parts like 1980s toys.

Announcing plans for the scaled-up remote-controlled car in 2021, The Little Car Company said UK prices should start at around £7,200.

However, a spokesman for the company said there is no confirmation for the entry-level version and would not give any indication for the high-spec Launch Edition models.

There will likely be cheaper variants available with one seat and fewer battery packs, meaning less performance and range.

But based on The Little Car Company’s previous creations, expect the 100 higher spec cars to be quite expensive.

For example, the Aston Martin DB5 Junior starts at £39,000 but goes up to £108,000 if you want one of the limited edition 007 models, built in collaboration with Bond producers EON Productions. And his Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa J costs an equally eye-watering £95,000.