Tamiya’s latest hobby-show preview has something for several corners of the Mini 4WD world: a famous buggy reborn in pocket size, an unusually comprehensive upgrade pack, a sheep driving a tiny pickup and a tool designed to stop builders from mangling screws with whatever tool that happens to be in arms reach.
The products were officially revealed on September 14 for display at October’s All Japan Model & Hobby Show. None were listed by Tamiya USA when this article was prepared, so American release dates and availability remain uncertain.
The Neo-VQS Advanced Pack Is a Racing Lesson in a Box
The most useful announcement for newer racers is the Neo-VQS Advanced Pack, Item 18106.
Tamiya starts with the compact VZ chassis and adds a Light-Dash motor, 3.7:1 gearing, a hollow propeller shaft and upgraded carbon-reinforced gears. Those parts improve speed and drivetrain efficiency, but the more interesting additions are the components intended to keep that speed under control.
The pack includes FRP front plates, a rear brake stay, brake sponge, six low-friction rollers, side mass dampers and super-hard tires. The brake slows the car as its underside approaches a ramp; the mass dampers move on landing to help reduce bouncing. Super-hard tires provide less grip than soft tires, which can improve cornering consistency and reduce the chance of the car grabbing the track too aggressively.
In other words, Tamiya has included both the “go faster” parts and the “please remain inside the building” parts.
For beginners, the real value is educational. Build the car in stages and test after each change. That turns the kit into a practical course in gearing, braking, roller placement and landing control instead of one large pile of blue hardware.
18106 Tamiya Neo-VQS Advanced Pack Mini 4WD
Where to Buy: www.HobbyTown.com
The Hornet Returns as a VZ-Chassis Mini 4WD
The Hornet Jr., Item 18107, translates Tamiya’s celebrated 1984 RC buggy into Mini 4WD form.
The body retains familiar Hornet features including the nose, fog lights, driver, rear wing and molded suspension details. Underneath sits the modern VZ chassis with a 4.2:1 gear ratio and large-diameter slick tires.
That combination is significant. The Hornet body supplies the nostalgia, but the compact VZ chassis gives builders a current racing platform with removable bumpers and broad parts support.
This should appeal to RC fans who remember the original as well as builders who simply want something different from the usual aerodynamic racer. It may look ready for a dirt jump, but those slick tires suggest that its natural habitat remains a smooth plastic track.
18107 Tamiya The Hornet Jr. Mini 4WD
Where to Buy: www.HobbyTown.com
The 2027 Zodiac Kit Is Shear Delight
The limited Mini 4WD New Year’s Edition “Year of the Sheep 2027”, Item 95721, is based on the K4 Gambol.
Its transparent body reveals a preassembled and painted sheep driver. Red and white FM-A chassis components create a traditional celebratory color scheme, while the stickers combine a yarn-themed title with a sunrise over Mount Fuji.
The FM-A places its motor at the front. This shifts weight toward the nose, which can help stability on tracks with frequent elevation changes. The kit also includes sturdy glass-fiber-reinforced wheels and torque-oriented 5:1 gearing.
Competitive racers probably won't abandon their tuned machines for livestock-based motorsport, but collectors and custom builders should find plenty to like. The clear K4 body alone creates useful painting and detailing possibilities.
95721 Tamiya Tamiya Year of the Sheep 2027
Where to Buy: www.HobbyTown.com
A Proper Cutter for 2mm Screws
The new Mini 4WD 2mm Screw Cutter, Item 74168, may be the least glamorous reveal but the one that spends the most time on serious builder's workbenches.
The compact tool accepts Mini 4WD screws through its front face. Its hardened stainless-steel cutting mechanism is designed to leave a flatter end with less thread damage than pliers or conventional cutters.
That matters whenever an oversized screw protrudes beneath a plate, interferes with another component or threatens to turn routine maintenance into tiny threaded acupuncture.
74168 Tamiya Mini 4WD 2mm Screw Cutter
Where to Buy: www.HobbyTown.com
Japan Cup Tokyo 2 Is Cancelled
Tamiya has cancelled the September 19–20 Japan Cup Tokyo 2 events because of the approaching Typhoon No. 25.
The cancellation covers both Saturday’s Tokyo 2D program and Sunday’s Japan Cup event at Shinagawa Seaside Forest. Tamiya says the possibility of a replacement event remains undecided.
Anyone who planned to attend should monitor the official page rather than travelling to the venue. Safety is considerably more important than lap time, even when the weather appears determined to demonstrate its own downforce package,