Hasbro's Nitro XRC -- nitro RC for kids

C'mon, everyone enjoyed seeing a Hasbro box on Chrismahannakwanzika morning; that usually meant you were in for some sort of top notch toy that'd long since purloined your fantasies. Although more commonly linked to their lineup of childhood gadgets, Hasbro is branching out and aiming to deliver a "radio controlled experience" with their new Nitro XRC lineup. Rather than relying on those dreadfully expensive, long charging, short-lived battery packs to get your ride movin', the Nitro XRC vehicles will be powered by nitro fuel -- the same fuel that powers professional racing R/C vehicles. With the ability to reach speeds of 25mph, Hasbro is being careful to market these speedsters to those 16 years and up; while you can find these in hobby huts and mass merchants, they'll be MIA from typical toy stores. Two models are currently being prepped for release, the Nitro XRC Ricochet and the Nitro XRC Revolution MT; the dirt starts flyin' when they drop this fall for $179.99 and $129.99, respectively.

[Automotive Engineer @ Jul 13th 2006 4:49AM]

Firstly, what has taken them so long?

Secondly, 25 mph is not that fast for an RC car, especially not one aimed at 16+ year olds.

[Ben @ Jul 13th 2006 4:54AM]

Is that cheap or expensive?!

[Textbook Case @ Jul 13th 2006 5:05AM]

These shouldn't be aimed at kids themselves at all, but at their shins. They love it.

[Anuj @ Jul 13th 2006 6:40AM]

cool ill love this

[Jeff @ Jul 13th 2006 7:38AM]

No one will ever have lunch with a... nitro burning funny car!

[Harry K @ Jul 13th 2006 8:14AM]

not a bad Idea since both losi and associated start at 350 for their rtr nitro trucks....but these things prolly aren't worth it in the end...I mean with regular rc cars replacement parts are a big deal I can't see hasbro having a line of replacement parts available for some reason but whatever

[J. Neutron @ Jul 13th 2006 8:53AM]

If you don't have the ability to operate a real nitro car, you shouldn't get a nitro car at all. These will last a very short time in the hands of the inexperienced. And they are slow.

[TheCount @ Jul 13th 2006 9:35AM]

Inexperienced? Just read the manual. Running a nitro car isn't rocket science. Most of the RTR kits don't need much done to them after the initial break in short of changing air filters and after-run maitenance.

Plus, for around 180-200, you can get a "real" nitro from a company that will readily have replacement parts if you break something (which you will, eventually), I don't know if Hasbro will do the same.

[Gustad Mody @ Jul 13th 2006 9:38AM]

you pro's keep saying it's slow... but for those of us who know nothing about building and working with nitro cars, its pretty awsome!

[Chris @ Jul 13th 2006 9:45AM]

I'd be tempted to pour a little excess nitro on top of it, light it, and drive the flaming dooms-device into my neighbors dry lawn. Attached would be a brick saying, "Keep your damn maggots out of my yard!"

But seriously, neat-o.

[Jordan @ Jul 13th 2006 9:51AM]

J. Neutron - all the reason more to buy a $129 Hasbro to learn on rather than a $500 Revo to learn on. 25mph is decent to learn on. I sense a hint of elitism in the R/C car world.. ;)

[Matt M @ Jul 13th 2006 11:32AM]

you can get a RTR RC10GT truck these days for kinda on the cheap (read $225-300) and it has parts that can be replaced readily from your local hobby shop. Methinks the parts on these might not be as easily found and in the end will wind up costing you more. I'll stick with the tried and true nitro cars from Losi, and Team Associated which are much faster anyway!

[Matt Y @ Jul 13th 2006 12:35PM]

Why is everyone assuming that Hasbro won't want to make money on replacement parts? That seems VERY unlikely to me.

[SHAUN707 @ Jul 13th 2006 3:42PM]

ahaha!!! thats weak, those my electric truck goes 25MPH, ha and thats nitro my nitro car goes about 60MPH, wow. .. they should just stop now...

[Matt @ Jul 13th 2006 3:47PM]

25 mph is slooow. I was 11 when I got the Nitro 4-tec from Traxxas. YAY! It shifts at 38 MPH and won't stop until 51 MPH.

Speed is an issue here, but reliability is in question also.

[Chris @ Jul 13th 2006 5:23PM]

If I were to make a guess... replacement parts won't be too big of a problem. Hasbro knows that the real R/C cars can take a beating with all of their high speed. Which is why they kept the speed down. I'd also make a bet that the suspension is almost non-existent, so these will be pretty much road-only. And there won't be any of the intricate parts that make real R/C cars what they are. It'll be like a tank, bulky parts, and very simple assembly.

But for those who are new to the hobby, this is a better way to get them involved. Parents are hard to convince that spending $250 for a product that is actually good from a company they've never heard of since they've never entered a hobby store before is going to be any better than something that's close to $100 and is from a company they've been buying from for years.

[Alex @ Jul 13th 2006 8:40PM]

I used to have a Ricochet when I was a kid. The thing freakin' owned. I think I may get myself a nitro-powered Ricochet, haha. Long charging + short life = teh suck

[Alex @ Jul 17th 2006 11:01AM]

wow, i guess a good idea but come on. nitro cars should be left to the people who know how to make them, like traxxas and other hobby brands. For the person that goes to walmart to get a nitro rc isnt gunna know what to do with is and how to tune and what not. their plastic anyway, and you can learn on a t-maxx and once you have learned, you dont have to upgrade

[Ben Gribbin @ Jul 19th 2006 2:57AM]

Dont buy one of these, it may be tempting, but look at the spares available, and you'll see that there is alot to be desired. After that inevitable first crash it may be near impossible to repair the car.

Instead, go to your Local Hobby Store, and they'll sort you out with a great car, amazin spares, and excellent service, I reccomend a RC10 GT

oh and visit my rc forum at http://www.tyrc.co.uk/forum, if you want more advice, just post, and the members will be happy to help!

[Darkeena @ Jul 20th 2006 6:19PM]

Actually, these cars will have parts available at your local HobbyTown USA store. You will also be able to get the nitro gas at HobbyTown USA too. I know this because I work there.

The Breaking in process is supposed to be easier than normal. Also they say the tuning is minimal.

[Evan @ Jul 21st 2006 1:33PM]

Easier than normal? There is no such thing as "easier than normal" unless the process is already done for you. All nitro engines operate around the same principle, and use identicle methods of sealing the compression at TDC. If you want the engine to last, you must break it in properly, and that is by no means easy to the inexperienced. How many Hasbro owners will know that the engine must reach 200F during breakin, and must be preheated before the initial startup to expand the sleeve's pinch at TDC, and avoid piston warpage due to the lack of temper present in the alloy when it comes off the production line? Most of them will discard the instructions, then proceed to start the car up, and drive it. Then they will come back and complain to their parents about how slow the car is (at the rich break in settings).

Initial tuning will be far from minimal, as the needle settings used during breakin differ vastly than those that give you optimal performance. If the poor owner can get past that stage (doubtfull considering the majority of owners will be kids with no mechanical experience) then tuning from day to day should be minimal, if they can identify the difference between rich and lean.

It is just that kind of marketing bullshit that will attract so many kids with no idea what they are getting into, who will actually think it is "easy". I could care less whether Hasbro's vehicles went under, but this will bring a bad rep upon ALL nitro vehicles. Not exactly what us enthusiasts want.

[Jeremy @ Jul 30th 2006 2:41PM]

I saw these in person at a hobby convention. I'll some it up in one word "Lame".

[nick m @ Aug 6th 2006 8:42PM]

i agree this will do to nitro what the nylint "rc rockcrawler" did for rock crawling atact STUPID RICH
SPOILED NOOBBY KIDS

[Interested! @ Aug 16th 2006 6:07PM]

I think that this is a great way to get people into the sport of "real" nitro RC cars. Hard break-in? Not if they use a nickel plated cylinder liner instead of a hard chrome plated liner. Tuning headaches? Not if they keep nitro percentage low along with low compression and mild port timing. The engines are going to be made by Shuwa Industries, who owns Toki engines. Toki makes engines for HPI, Fantom, etc. So the engine should not be as troublesome as some would think. A large company like Hasbro would not make an investment in nitro RC unless they thoroughly tested the concept. 25mph may not seem like a lot to the "RC Elitists" out there, but to a 16 year old kid who's used to Nikko RC's - these trucks will be WILD!!! I will be buying a Revolution MT and it will be run side by side with my Traxxas T-Maxx and Revo trucks. Maybe I could cram a Traxxas 3.3 in it along with a decent radio system but the engine would cost as much as the whole truck! Still looks like it would be fun to modify and surprise the hell out of everyone. Not every kid can have daddy buy them a $500 Revo or Savage. $129.99 is a lot more reasonable. Maybe I'll buy two.

[paul @ Nov 14th 2008 12:05AM]

im 17 and i got a T-maxx it breaks all the time becouse i do stupid things with it and its a good truck 125$ crappy truck will not last long in the hands of a kid like me or any kid

[TheJANG @ Sep 6th 2006 7:26PM]

I think the trucks themselves will be a decent value. The Ricochet, if it's durable enough will be the greatest skate park RC ever, though I bet most owners would be ashamed to drive such an odd-looking thing anywhere else. The Revolution MT looks good on the surface. For $130 RTR, I think you will get what you pay for. I do agree though that these things are going to take a hit from newcomers who have never so much as touched a screwdriver in their lives, who will either fail to get them running or try to drive them through concrete walls and moving 18-wheel rigs. I do like the Hobbytown link, though. That'll get some Nitro XRC owners to see what "real" hobby-level RCs look like, and maybe they'll truly join the hobby. I'll be watching the forums at http://www.nitroxrcworld.com/ to see whether these things work out or flop!

[jay @ Sep 8th 2006 12:03PM]

awsome

[jay @ Sep 8th 2006 12:03PM]

Come on people give the thing a chance its not even out yet,and the people who are bitchin are the people who are into more expensive/raceing/speed department.For a mainstream company to produce nitro trucks i think that its great,because even if this first batch of nitros does ok then other companys might jump on the bandwagon and have for mass mainstream produced nitro cars/trucks who nows they might start sellin super chargers and nitrous kits for them lol...unlikely.Anyway if it does poorly then they might come out with a beefed up version or different engine/components.Hopefuly it will do what RTR's did and make a huge jump in the RC world.Kids learn with these things and then move on,or moderate/experienced adults might buy them just to goof around and not care what breaks because they are so cheap...i for one hope they do great and if not give them time to do great

[Alex Mojica @ Dec 20th 2006 9:40PM]

this is absolutely ridiculous!
i am a user of team associated rc10gt.
(a real nitro r/c)
these things are not ment to be used as toys, they are very complicated, and more sophisticated than you think.
i bet that 1/2 of you dont even know how one of these things work.
i mean, how often do you find a 16 year old going into a toys r us or some other type of toy store looking to buy an r/c?!
not very often!
with these things being put into this kind of production, it will create bad quality! parts will break, and you will not be able to replace them. with the real thing, there are HUNDREDS of parts you can buy for a single car, upgrades, replacements, etc.
this toy will end up being bought by those parents who spoil their children. and those children will most likely be 12 and under.
and honestly, how many of you know how deadly nitro fuel is? its not going to be very safe having a jug of this stuff sitting around with little ones in the house.
this in the long run will WASTE YOUR TIME AND MONEY
you will end up sending this back to be repaired, costing you more and more money, because trust me, at 25 mph, things can and will break especially if they are not of a higher quality.
also, i believe this could create a very bad out look on the r/c community. our hobby will start being looked upon as a childish hobby! this is not a good thing considering that over 95% of us are adults who spend alot of time with these. and most of them are going over 40 mph. yes that may not sound safe, but that is because it is adults dealing with these not children.

to wrap this up, i would like for all of you to do the nitro and hobbyist community a favor and DO NOT BUY THIS!
instead, look into the real deal.
some companies are, traxxas, team associated, ofna, and HPI.
if you took the time to read my rant, then i thank you greatly. and if you are a serious nitro hobbyist, and understand what i am saying, i also thank you.


thank you,
Alex Mojica

[corey @ Nov 14th 2008 12:07AM]

i am 17 ive had a nitro truck for a couple years and you spend more time fixing and tuning then driving. and some young kid who walks into toys r us is not going to know how or what to do when this pice of crap truck brakes if you really want one buy a real one

[jon @ Mar 14th 2007 5:30PM]

do not buy associated rc! thet have old style dogbones that drive the rear wheels and are hard to replace!!! try a real rc traxxas dUorarrax p.s. our local hobbytown WILLNOT CARRY ANY HASBRO FLORENCE AL. STORE SAYTHEY ARE JUNK!!!!!!

[emaxx @ Sep 6th 2008 11:34PM]

well guys i have the revolution and the ricochet. The ricochet is faster than the revolution in just about every way but they both only go about 25mph or so. the then again they only have a .12 motor in them that is just about the smallest you can go. my emaxx will speed right past them both. but i have gone top speed in the mt and crashed into a curb to see if any thing breaks and nothing did. i ajusted the disk brake on the mt so it would work and stop the rc instead of slowing it down. by doing that and going to full excel i think i took off a couple of teeth on the flywheel. but other than they they are both alright ohh and the part i like most about the ricochet is that fact that it can drive upside down and has a reverse the mt doesn't. they are both 199.99 + 24.99 for batts+ 13.99 for fuel.

[lol @ Dec 12th 2008 6:31PM]

Wow, I am very shocked and surprised at the reactions and posts of alot of our supposably hard core RC racing/bashing family. What's up with that? Did I miss something here? Am I the only person who didn't grow up with easy access to a hobby store? My first "RC" had a wire from the remote to the car for crying out loud, lol. You might be right on the performance or parts availability not being in the same league as a hobby quality truck but give me a break guys, this is a great way to reach out to a new generation that like me didn't have the access, or the funds for that matter, to buy a high quality RC first time out but was fascinated enough to buy a few different "cheap", mainstream available RC and really get hooked. My first true hobby quality RC was an original RC10 Gold tub dating from the early 80's that I purchased used at a flee market in 1990 and last drove 3 days ago. This does prove the point that the hobby quality RC's are a worth wild investment but come on guys, there not the end all and be all. I think this is a big jump for the RC world and will help attract a new generation of everyday kids to our sport with a great way for them to test the waters before hopefully choosing to move up to a tougher, faster, more agile Hobby quality RC's, GREAT JOB HASBRO!!!!!
Oh and just for good measures since I'm sure some of the haters (people who's parents bought them a complicated and expensive high end RC for there first because it would be the shinniest, coolest one one the block) will probably comment on my post and find something "wrong" with something I said.....I have 20ish Hobby Quality RC's right now that I have collected over the years, most of which are electric with speeds up to 68 mph on my Mini Baja to 81mph on my '90 RC10 team car and 73 on my nitro Jato. Point being that I have 5 cars that will go over 50 mph and I have been very competative at every track I go to but when it comes right down to it two of my favorite RC's for messing around with and killing time are my old 9.6v fasttraxx I bought for $10 from a rich kid about 15 years ago and my bladerunner 2 RC heli that I recieved for x-mas last year and can be purchased at your local radioshack for about $40. (I've sinced moved to nitro Heli's) So anyone who is looking for a really cheap way to test the waters of nitro RC's or any RC's for that matter, unless you live close to a hobby shop (hopefully one who takes trade in's and sell used RC's) or know someone selling a known brand with spare parts then this Hasbro RC might be a good ticket for you. It's cheap, sure to be build tough and a great way to see how you feel about the sport without jumping in with both feet and suddenly realizing your over your head.

Good luck and when your ready to move up to something more check this out. http://www.horizonhobby.com/


Everyday RC fan

[morin_22 @ Mar 7th 2009 12:00AM]

it was great while it lasted ( 2 months) now the adapter on the crank for the remote starter is shot and guess what no parts are out there

[steve @ Mar 7th 2009 8:44PM]

It was great while it lasted (2 months). The adapter on the engine crank for the remote starter rod got chewed by the roll pin and guess what? no replacement parts except for tires and glow plugs. Also one of the plastic teeth in the starter tool clutch assembly gear broke and the springs (X3) in that clutch kept slipping out of the housing (after 6 runs). The throttle in the remote control assembly was poorly soldered and had to bo re-soldered (after 2 runs). Bottom line is , you get what you pay for. I might as well throw my money out the window.

[Ty jato 3.3 @ Jul 11th 2009 7:57PM]

I bought one of these trucks for my 5 year old son its not too fast for him, I figure if a kid can drive it, who cares how fast it goes, he doesnt open it up much anyways and he uses the brakes well. The only complaint I have with the truck is that it doesnt steer sharp enough and the shocks suck!! (just springs) I switched em out for nitro rustler oil-filled shocks and its WAY better, also it takes ALOT of the impact so it will last longer than stock. Weve had Absolutely NO PROBLEMS with it yet and we both drive it!!! I even bought another one and transformed a LOSI LXT into a nitro sand truck, using the engine and drivetrain out of the REVOLUTION MT!!!!!!!! Im pretty impressed with the truck so far for the price, and I drive a 3.3 JATO along with a 2.5R rustler and savage X 4.6!!!!!!!

Please dont diss this truck, weve used it in snow, sand, mud, water, and on pavement and grass!!!!