Tamiya Turns The Hornet RC Buggy Into A Mini 4WD Kit For December 2026
Tamiya will release the Hornet Jr. (VZ chassis) Mini 4WD kit on Saturday, December 12, 2026, priced at 1,540 yen including tax.
1 source 2m ago
Reporting from 1 source: Dengeki Hobby Web.
Why it matters
Tamiya is moving a 1984 RC buggy name onto the VZ chassis, a short-wheelbase, lightweight platform built for modification, which puts the Hornet in front of Mini 4WD builders rather than RC racers.
Key Facts
- Tamiya will release the Hornet Jr. (VZ chassis) Mini 4WD kit on Saturday, December 12, 2026.
- The Hornet Jr. is 1/32 scale and measures about 158mm long, 98mm wide, and 50mm tall when assembled.
- The VZ chassis has a 4.2:1 gear ratio, and the chassis body and gear cover parts are black ABS resin.
- The kit includes a motor and builds snap-fit without adhesive, with two AA batteries required separately.
The kit adapts the Hornet, the RC buggy from 1984, at 1/32 scale, keeping the single-seater buggy form with front strut suspension, fog lamps, and a cockpit driver. The VZ chassis uses black ABS resin for the body and gear cover parts, with a 4.2:1 gear ratio.
The kit measures about 158mm long, 98mm wide, and 50mm tall once assembled, and builds snap-fit with no adhesive. A motor is included, and the large-diameter slick tires come in black. Orange and yellow markings on the black body are done with stickers, and the front strut suspension, fog lamps, and nose are reproduced after the RC Hornet.
Tamiya lists the VZ chassis parts, including the chassis body and the gear cover, in black ABS resin. The gear ratio is 4.2:1. Two AA batteries for running are sold separately. The package photo and the assembled photo show a painted build.
Written with AI by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited. See our editorial policy.
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Sources
- Dengeki Hobby Web 傑作RCバギー「ホーネット」がVZシャーシ採用のミニ四駆に！タミヤ「ホーネットJr.」が2026年12月12日（土）発売予定!!