RC cars offer automotive fun at a fraction of the size of an actual vehicle. This video shows off the rugged capability of these pint-sized machines by highlighting an off-road event for them.
It's not immediately apparent that these are scale models when the video starts. We initially see a Jeep Commanche crawling over rocks and wood beams. A Traxxas Sport pickup, original Land Rover Range Rover. The trucks and SUVs are covered in dirt and mud in the exact places you'd find the grime on a full-sized vehicle.
The video extensively shows a Lada Niva RC SUV going over various terrain. It even has recovery boards and little pieces of off-road gear on the roof. The driver is adept at controlling the tiny machine. The rig climbs up a narrow path on wood beams.
The Niva also goes over large, loose rocks. This area provides a good look at the suspension articulation and the tires struggling for grip. Unlike an authentic SUV, if this one tips over, you can walk over, pick it up, and do some more off-roading.
After the Niva, some other vehicles get the spotlight. There are a few Land Rover Defenders, and one of them has fake exhaust pipes with smoke coming out of them. Jeep Wranglers are also abundant, including one with an action figure in the driver's seat.
There's a vast breadth of off-road-ready RC vehicles on the market, and they can be expensive. For example, we covered a video of a five-axle low-loader semi-trailer with a price roughly the equivalent of $6,000 (5,512 euros). Some of the rigs in that clip were a bit less expensive, like a Kabolite Liebhe 350 excavator for around $3,450 or a LESU Lieghe loader for about $2,885.
Other options out there include rigs like a three-axle, six-wheeled Unimog. Unfortunately, the maker discontinued this offering.
