A Modern Companion for the Emperor

Builders who like the Emperor’s history but prefer modern chassis performance should look at the Zenperor 3 Polycarbonate Body Special.

Released in August as a 40th-anniversary special-project kit, the Zenperor 3 is inspired by the customized machines associated with Mini 4WD personality Yasuyuki “Mae-chan” Maeda. It uses a lightweight clear polycarbonate body mounted on a dark-blue VZ chassis.

The kit also includes super-hard, small-diameter low-profile tires, a 3.5:1 gear ratio and removable bumper sections that give builders considerably more setup freedom than the vintage Type 3 offers.

The Zenperor 3 creates a great old-versus-new pairing (to the original Emperor). One shows how Mini 4WD racing developed its personality; the other shows what decades of chassis development can do with that personality.

95189 Tamiya Zenperor 3 Special 40th Anniversary
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Anniversary Motors Bring Sensible Speed

Tamiya also released commemorative versions of its Atomic-Tuned 2 motors on August 29.

The 40th Anniversary Atomic-Tuned 2 Motor PRO is intended for double-shaft MA, MS and ME chassis cars. Its black endbell and black-and-gold label provide the anniversary appearance, while its performance remains focused on a usable balance of speed and torque.

That balance makes the Atomic-Tuned 2 particularly useful for newer racers. A faster motor is not automatically a faster race car if the machine launches itself out of the lane every time it sees a corner.

Speed is exciting. Finishing the lap is also surprisingly helpful.

95189 Tamiya Atomic-Tuned 2 PRO 40th Anniversary Motor
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Lightweight Rollers Return

The 13-12mm Lightweight Double Aluminum Roller Set joined the August 29 releases.

Designed primarily for front roller installations, the set uses 520 ball bearings and includes the necessary spacers and mounting hardware. Its two-stage profile helps guide the car while the lightweight aluminum construction reduces unnecessary mass.

Tamiya also has a new 13mm blue plastic ball-bearing roller scheduled for September 12. Its enlarged plastic section keeps weight down, while an aluminum bearing retainer helps prevent the bearing from being knocked loose during harder impacts.

These two releases set up an interesting question for intermediate builders: when is an aluminum roller actually better than a plastic one? That comparison deserves track testing, because “shiny” remains scientifically distinct from “faster.”

95379 Tamiya LW Double Aluminum Rollers 13/12mm
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15551 Tamiya 13mm Plastic Ball Bearing Rollers
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