Large remote control cars can be unwieldy, but have unbeatable advantages when used on unpaved surfaces. If you want to cross terrain at high speed, it’s hard to outrun a larger RTR model. RTR stands for Ready to run, so it’s not a kit, but a complete unbox and ride type package. But there are also vehicles suitable for the racetrack. In this guide we present the most popular RTR models with electric motors with a scale between 1: 6 and 1: 10 from our price comparison. We show what buyers should pay attention to, how the offer is designed and which vehicle types are particularly popular.
1:6 to 1:10 scale RC cars
The widest range of larger RC vehicles are available in 1:10 scale. Here you will mainly find RC models from the buggy, monster truck or off-road vehicle categories. There are also some racing cars and fun vehicles. One of the biggest cars in this category is the Reely Rat Max XL (test report) with LED light bars and a length of 60 centimeters. Monster Trucks and Off-Road Vehicles are similar in size. Strollers are slightly smaller at 45 centimeters. On average, the vehicles weigh about 2 kilograms. 1:10 scale beginner vehicles are available from 40 euros. At the top, the prices go up to 1000 euros.
On a scale of 1: 8, there are only all-wheel drive vehicles with pronounced off-road properties and a length of up to 64 centimeters. Prices vary from 90 to 900 euros. The heaviest all-terrain vehicle of this size weighs just over 6 kilograms. The range of 1:7 and 1:6 scale vehicles is significantly lower and also focuses on the off-road sector.
Great rc cars for mud and snow
Larger vehicles are generally better suited for use in difficult terrain. It is therefore not surprising that there are so many off-road vehicles among the large remote control model cars: from RC buggies and monster trucks to classic off-road vehicles. Another popular type of vehicle is the truggy, a hybrid of truck and buggy.
Due to the larger dimensions and the higher ground clearance, a massive all-terrain vehicle can cross meadows and hills and valleys better. In comparison, a 1:18 or 1:14 scale off-road vehicle gets stuck on the lawn much more often. In principle, the following applies: the larger the vehicle, the better the off-road mobility.
A distinction must be made between an RC car with an off-road vehicle look and a real crawler. An example of a fast speedster for off-road use is the Reely Rat Max XL (test report). The vehicle is very similar to the large V8 sedan in the film madmax. The powerful brushless motor drives the vehicle at over 55 km/h. Thanks to the massive tires and the suspension, it gets along well on meadows, gravel or sand. Only on paved roads the car tends to overturn at high speeds and during heavy steering maneuvers due to the soft suspension. But it is anything but detrimental to pleasure.
Those who do not attach great importance to speed and prefer to drive skillfully through gravel pits and forest floors use the caterpillar. This type of RC model is characterized by particularly pronounced terrain features. This type of RTR model does not go as fast but offers better off-road capabilities. This is ensured by all-wheel drive, huge wheels and pronounced shock absorbers, a differential with locking and portal axles. We show more about the different types of vehicles for off-road use in the RC off-road guide: Crawlers, scalers and remote-controlled off-roaders from 25 euros.
Moisture protection is an important criterion for a remote-controlled off-road vehicle. The chassis is rarely waterproof, as the ABS body can usually be removed in order to connect the battery or access the electronics. However, most large off-roaders provide splash protection for components such as electronic cruise control, engine, slipper clutch, and other sensitive components inside the vehicle. During our tests with the Reely Rat Max XL (test report), a lot of mud and liquid got inside, but it did not damage the vehicle.
High speed: RC racers and dinghies
RC racing cars for on-road use are less in demand in this size, which is reflected in the smaller range. Fast runners are only available up to 1:10 scale. Due to the low ground clearance road chassis and tires, they are mainly suitable for flat asphalt surfaces.
From 50 euros, there are models for beginners which are also suitable for children from 6 years old. However, these belong to the category of toys and are not really fast at a speed of about 20 km/h. From 100 euros you can get a high-speed racing car that can reach speeds of up to 70 km / h. These are definitely not for kids anymore.
So-called dinghies are a special category. These vehicles are especially popular in races where drivers drift around corners of a circuit. The goal of drifting is to let the vehicle slide around the curve. To do this, you purposely let the stern pop so that you can then steer in a controlled manner. Drivers adjust the drift angle by quickly switching between throttle and brake.
RC dinghies are not designed for high speed, but for efficient control of power transmission from the wheels. Most of the time, these use four-wheel drive. A distinction must be made between vehicles with central cardan shaft and motor in the direction of travel and with toothed belt for motor perpendicular to the direction of travel.
Recreational vehicles and remote-controlled utilities
In addition to racing vehicles and off-road cars, there are also fun vehicles for beginners and children aged 3 to 6 in 1:10 scale. These include cars that shoot rubber arrows, vehicles from movies like Transformers and quads with minifigures. 1:10 scale utility vehicles mainly include forklifts and dump trucks. We show you more about remote-controlled construction machinery in the guide RC Utility Vehicles: Remote Control Excavators, Cranes and Tractors from $10.
Equipment and accessories
Before purchasing, you must ensure that a battery is included with the finished model. This cannot be taken for granted in a bigger and better RC car. The same is true for a charger. It looks better with the remote control, which in many cases is part of the delivery. Only devices with a frequency of 2.4 GHz are used here. These offer the advantage of a long range of up to 100 meters, which is not susceptible to interference from other RC vehicles. Another advantage of large, high-quality branded RC cars is the ability to repair them with spare parts.
For driving, remote-controlled speedsters typically use a two-, three-, or four-cell (2S, 3S, 4S) LiPo (lithium polymer) battery with 3.7 volts per cell. Alternatively, Li-Ion (lithium-ion) and in some cases NiMh (nickel metal hydride) batteries are also used. Run time for larger RC cars is usually 12-20 minutes. Practical life is highly dependent on battery capacity and motor performance. The larger the vehicle, the more powerful the engine. This then increases the energy demand.
A brushless electric drive is usually used in an off-road car or a high-quality racing car from around 150 euros. Although they are more expensive than brushed motors, they have a significantly longer lifespan because they operate almost without wear. The power of a brushless motor is given in KV. This shows the speed of the motor at a voltage of 1 volt. It is not uncommon for high priced RC cars to have an aluminum chassis plate for added stability.
Conclusion
Large RC cars can be unwieldy, but they have many advantages. Thanks to the higher ground clearance, they get along better, especially off-road. Plus, the driving experience feels more like a real vehicle. In high-priced RC models, the technical equipment is of higher quality and also allows adjustments such as the exchange of components with spare parts.
The most popular are off-road vehicles such as buggies, monster trucks or 1:10 scale off-road vehicles. A distinction must be made here between vehicles that can roll quickly over meadow or gravel and real crawlers for difficult terrain. All-terrain buggies with brushless electric motors are available for just 100 euros. In the on-road area, the dinghies offer great racing fun on level racing tracks. Although many of the more expensive RC vehicles are not suitable for children, there are also fun inexpensive 1:10 scale vehicles for beginners.
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