Released in 85 the Hotshot was Tamiya's first four-wheel-drive off-road buggy. It featured four-wheel independent double-wishbone suspension, a unique mono-spring suspension that used only two springs for the entire four wheels. For its time, the car was light, rugged and upgradeable. In the years that followed, parts of the Hotshot were evolved and reused in several other 4WD buggy models, including the Hotshot II, which was identical aside from simpler direct rear suspension, the Boomerang and Tamiya's 10th Anniversary car, the mighty Bigwig.
In 2007, Hotshot was re-released. Electronic Speed Controller is included instead of mechanical speed controller; body has a metal patch to function as a heatsink to dissipate heat from ESC; dog-bone shafts are simplified, hexa bolt and hexa cup universal for connecting front and rear gear boxes are discarded and simpler dog-bone shaft is adapted. Because of ESC, original heatsinks for resistors for the mechanical speed controller are no longer necessary, but included as dummies as they are unique to Hotshot.
You will not be surprised to hear that the re-release is not considered to be anywhere near as valuable to collectors due to the nostalgia value of the older technology in the original kit, along with a number of negative changes such as the removal of real world racing brands from the decal sheet and a less impressive kit box.
