TOPIC:

I must admit that before the "Buggy Champ" I believed the names of the Tamiya models were uniform around the world. I had no idea that the "Rough Rider" originally was named "Buggy Champ" in Japan, or that the "Super Champ" was the "Fighting Buggy" over there in the land of the sun. Although I always wondered about the markings on the inside of those models bodies.

How about you? Was this common knowledge, that I just didn't happend to know? Are there any other models that have different names?

The re-released "Fox" was called "Nova Fox", the "Supershot" became the "Super Hotshot" and the "Mountaineer" was changed to "Mountain Rider". Are these original japanese names as well, or are there other reasons for these name changes, like TM or (c) issues?

Just wondering......

Tom

I thought that the buggy champ & fighting buggy are the re-releases ?

I guess that's one vote for "not common knowledge"


Me too, up until the discussion at the time of the Rough Rider re-release (ditto for the Super Champ) - but if the box said Rough Rider or Super Champ, magazine adverts & reviews of the time said Rough Rider or Super Champ, everyone I knew that knew of the cars said Rough Rider or Super Champ, and Tamiyas own RC Guide Books, Catalogues and promotional videos said Rough Rider or Super Champ - how would I know any different?

Calling them Buggy Champ and Fighting Buggy now, and saying that's what they were named in Japan originally just feels like retroactive continuity to me - it may be correct, but is completely contrary to my experience.

Actually I have only read on various forums that the "Rough Rider" was named "Buggy Champ" in Japan, but I have not seen any hard evidence that it is true.

It might have something to do with my "poor" japanese skills

Inside the old bodies it's written "Racing Buggy" (or "Racing Bugy" on the very first batches), but not "Buggy Champ" or "B. Champ" or anything that could support the claim. If true there should be loads of vintage boxes and manuals out there with the name "Buggy Champ" printed, or at least boxes with japanese writing only, that could be translated in to "Buggy Champ". I don't say they don't exist, but I have yet to see any.

The "Super Champ" is a different matter, as the writing inside the vintage bodies says "F. Buggy", something that could refer to "Fighting Buggy". But yet again, I have not seen any boxes or printed material that says anything else than "Super Champ".

I have also seen claims that the "Frog" was called "Mighty Frog" in Japan....