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What's MINI-Z

Advanced design radio control car sits on the palm of your hand and delivers dynamic performance from four standard AAA-size batteries. Precision high-performance chassis combines with exquisite body designs are the embodiment of Kyosho’s 50 years of experience at the forefront of radio control car development, including multiple world championship winning machines. Since its launch in 1999, the MINI-Z series has sold in excess of 1.5 million models in over 40 countries around the world.

Synchronized High Speed Driving

At first the speed and quickness can be overwhelming. However, the more you drive, the more it feels like you become one with the MINI-Z. The ultimate feeling is for perfect synchronization between the controller and the MINI-Z.

Only requires alkaline batteries.
No assembly required. Just insert 4 x AAA batteries into the chassis and 4 x AAA batteries into the transmitter and you're ready to run.

Small and Fast?
The MINI-Z can reach speeds of up to 17km/h. With the magic of scale speed conversion, feels like you’re travelling at over 450km/h.

Precision Racing Car
Steering control is transmitted to the wheels in under 8/1000 of a second allowing smooth and precise movement during racing.

Drive the MINI-Z in your living room.
With its compact 1/27 scale, you can enjoy driving the MINI-Z inside your own home.

Grip driving plus drifting and jumps.

Enjoy grip driving with MINI-Z RWD and MINI-Z FWD, drift driving with MINI-Z AWD, and jump action with the MINI-Z buggy.

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See grip driving
See drift driving
See jump action

Lets drive MINI-Z!

Practice techniques for MINI-Z driving

Repair & Custom

Remove the detailed scale body to reveal the advanced chassis design. The wheelbase and tread can be adjusted to allow different body styles to be fitted. In the event of crash damage, spare parts are available so you can repair your MINI-Z by yourself. In addition, a huge range of custom tuning parts is available to improve the performance and appearance of your machine. Unlike toy RC cars, the MINI-Z instructions include a detailed exploded view diagram that allows you understand your MINI-Z from the inside out.

High Quality Body

The beauty and strength of MINI-Z bodies comes from the ABS material. Color matched with real cars, the MINI-Z range of bodies sparkle with a high-gloss finish.

Auto Scale Collection body range lets you change the MINI-Z into you favorite car style. See how it looks and drives differently.

Changing the body also means changing the front-rear weight distribution. While this is not obvious to the naked eye, driving characteristics will change. Drive and see the change for yourself. Plain white body shells are also available so you can customize with your original body paint design. The Garage Hero brand features spoilers, wings and other aero parts for those who want to add style to their machines.

Fine Tuning Components

1/27 scale versions of the same mechanisms from real cars such as drive system; suspension and differential gears are incorporated into the MINI-Z. Precision construction of components is down to 1/100mm and realizes smooth movement with minimal loss. Advanced design of drive system components is realized in three types: FWD (front wheel drive), RWD (rear wheel drive) and AWD (all wheel drive).

So many tuning points
MINI-Z RWD example


■Customize from standard specification

●Change pinion gears
Adjust acceleration, maximum speed, running time.

●Change Upper Cover, Tie Rods, Lower Arms
Adjust front tread

■Customize with Optional Parts

●Change Wheels
Adjust rear tread

●Change T-Bar
Adjust wheelbase

●Change Setting Tie Rod
Adjust toe angle of front tire

●Change Front Springs
Change the spring rate on the front suspension.

●Replacing rear damper.
The spring rate of the rear suspension can be changed.

●Add the light unit.
Headlights and tail lamps can light up your MINI-Z

●Add Gyro
Install a gyro to improve cornering and straight line running stability.

●Replace Tires
Change to a different type of tire compound.

●Replace Screws
Lighten the chassis with Titanium screws.

Instructions

Can be fully disassembled! Unlike toy RC cars, the MINI-Z includes a detailed exploded view diagram so you can understand and tune your machine from the inside out. Refer to the instruction manual to disassemble, install new parts, then reassemble and drive your tuned up machine.

Understand

Just like a real car, the more you drive and the more you adjust, the more the MINI-Z teaches the driver about driving technique. Driving characteristics change with adjustments to wheelbase & tread, tire toe-in and camber angles, and variations in oil compounds used in the differential gears. Drive and tune to find the setting characteristics that best suit your driving technique. Use the effect of these setting adjustments to compete at high-level racing events.

〜 Now you’re armed with the knowledge and technique. 〜

RWD Conversation
Driver A: Why do people say driving an RWD car feels lighter?
Driver B: As the front wheels are separate from the drive power of the rear wheels, steering is more responsive to control input from the controller. The front wheels in FWD and AWD models combine both steering and driving.
Driver B: At first it may feel steering control is too sharp, but after you get used to it you will feel you want even more steering response.
Driver A: What should I do then?
Driver B: First you should replace the rear sus plate and see its effect. More flexibility in this component increases front tire grip and realizes greater steering response.
Driver B: Replacement of the front springs is also an option. Changing to softer springs results in the front dipping as you accelerate into corners, resulting in improved steering response.

FWD Conversation
Driver A: How is FWD to drive?
Driver B: Center of gravity is higher but it’s more stable as the front feels like it’s pulling the chassis forward.
Driver A: Do I need to drive it differently compared to a RWD car?
Driver B: Although the limit is lower than RWD, its better to brake and accelerate earlier through corners.
Driver B: When acceleration is off, the machine seems to move more sharply and is harder to control so when you first try to drive it like an RWD car it seems difficult. However, when acceleration is applied the FWD goes through corners smoothly.
Driver A: But when entering a high-speed corner don’t you get inside lift and lose traction?
Driver B: Yes, that's why I replaced the standard gear diff with an optional ball diff. Also, increasing spring tension is also effective.
Driver A: Does it ‘tuck in’?
Driver B: Yes, but I get stability through adding toe-in angle by changing the rear control rod and also using a negative camber by changing the rear knuckle.
Driver B: If I want to increase stability through cornering and straight lines even more, there is always the option of installing a gyro unit that automatically adjusts steering.

AWD Conversation
Driver A: Is it possible to control the car while drift driving?
Driver B: When you first start its likely that you will spin out when you turn the nose of the car, but once you get used to it, you will gain control of the machine.
Driver A: Is there a special setting for drift driving?
Driver B: For basic drift driving, I recommend installing a gyro. It detects the machine’s slide and automatically corrects it with counter steer.
Driver B: Also, you can increase rear grip by increasing rear camber and also improve running stability with rear toe-in. This improves both drift control and the car behaves like a real drift racing machine.

〜 Tuning taught me about the components of the car 〜

The precision construction and function of key components such as suspension, steering and differential can be really understood when disassembling the MINI-Z.