Tamiya Renault 5 Turbo Rally - M05Ra

As a child I never understood the passion the "old guys" had for old race cars. Their technology and performance had been outdated for decades and the styling was dreadful. Cars back then weren't rolling billboards so there was room for graphics and artistic expression. Now I'm an "old guy" and I love old race cars. These old race cars represented the highest evolution of cars from that period. Sure modern cars can do more with less but they don't make you feel like a kid remembering those old contrived racing scenarios you used to create in your head. You know what I'm talking about, you do the same thing when you're playing Gran Turismo. No? Only me? Well fine. I have recreated "The Most Dangerous Race" 700,000 times with my Hot Wheels cars, Legos, The Game of Life, and anything else with about six cars.

Back on topic. Old racing cars will always be attractive to the adults that loved them as children. This one is no different. Growing up in the United States rally racing was harder to find than pornography. That's why we have more perverts than rally drivers. My only access to the cars was the Tamiya catalogue. I would stare at the static models for hours upon hours. I'd read every letter of every description about the real cars. I would go to the hobby shop and read the sides of the model boxes for more information about these wonderful cars. Then I would imagine, I had no way of actually seeing these cars move so I would make them move in my mind.

This Renault was one of my favorites. I was very young and couldn't understand why people were buying the crappy Le Car when they could get the "Turbo" option. I did not understand homologation (the word or the concept) back then and believed cars simply had one model and a bunch of options, so a Le Car and an R5 Turbo were the same car with different options. I wanted mine in the white, yellow, and black livery that was also on their Formula 1 cars of the time. This one has it. Soon I too will "has" it. Let me make one thing clear, I do not approve of putting this body on a FWD chassis. I do have a lonely M04 though so we'll see what happens, probably anguish considering this car has a 210mm wheelbase. I am also contemplating how one could stuff 31mm tires in the back. My Stratos project took forever for these same reasons and I still don't have the wheel situation sorted. So what, like I don't have 20 unfinished RC projects as it is. Look at these pictures I put up of the old one. Study them so we can complain when Tamiya makes changes for the new one coming out soon.

RC Renault 5 Turbo Rally - M05Ra     Item #84227

A new addition to the M-05Ra chassis R/C series line-up is the Renault 5 Turbo Rally, which was developed based on the popular Renault 5 in order to race in the World Rally Championship.

Specs and Features:

• 1/10 scale R/C assembly kit.
• Kit includes FREE BONUS PARTS (Matte-finished gold-plated wheel x 4pcs.)
• Polycarbonate body.
• Rally-tuned M-05Ra chassis features greater ground clearance and suspension strokes compared to the standard M05 chassis. Rally spec allows you to enjoy driving on both on-road and flat-dirt surfaces.
• Rally block tires included
• Short wheelbase specification (210mm).
• Includes 540 type brushed motor