Schumacher returns to off-road with all-new CAT

[PeterV]

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Latest from Schumacher (http://www.racing-cars.com), the CAT is back!

Here we have more information on the new CAT SX Competition 4WD Off-Roader that we announced at the recent Nurnberg Toy Fair.

You can now see some of the exceptional details the Schumacher designers have been working on for this new innovative car.

We hope the car will be available for early summer. The large amount of testing that has taken place, shows it will be well worth the wait!!!

We hope to release further body off pictures next week, but for now click on the thumbnails below to view larger images.

Please be aware these are prototype shots and some details are subject to change.

The car will be launched in two formats to enable the customer to choose which battery type they prefer, 4x2 NiMh or Lipo.

K078 - CAT SX 4WD Off-Road (4x2 NiMh)

K079 - CAT SX 4WD Off-Road (Lipo)

[andystoybox]

Now that looks sexy. Almost like a panther waiting to pounce. Any body off shots yet?

[ApriliaRacer]

Even though I run the 501X, I'm buying one just for pure nostolgic reasons. I had one of the very first CATs way back in the 80s...

Just brings back memories....

[Hobson]

A few bits of info from what we know over here in the UK:

The UK price is going to be around £325, which is $650, but it'll probably be closer to $400, and a couple of shops are taking pre-orders with this info:

"We are now accepting pre-orders on this new buggy from Schumacher, the release date & price has not been confirmed yet, but we have been informed that it should be released in May/June & the SRP will be approx £350.

To pre-order a kit from the limited first batch, we will charge you a £25 non refundable deposit, we will be discounting the kit by 5% from the SRP.

The limited information on the spec that we have been given by Schumacher is as follows:

4wd transmission using 3 belts

Changable internal drive ratio's of 2.2:1 / 2.4:1 / 2.6:1

Motor rotates it the same direction as the wheels

Clamp type motor mount

Narrow chassis (approx 100mm wide) with 4/2 saddle pack slots

Carbon fibre chassis & towers

Alloy transmission cases

Rev-lite wheels & Schumacher tyres

Hopefully in the next few weeks we will have more information & photo's of the buggy, as soon as we receive information, we will update this page."

[Joel Novarro]

Here you have it! Schumacher's newest 4wd electric buggy, the CAT SX, definitely looks like a capable machine. Here you see the two versions of the CAT, the 4x2 NiMh and the LiPo/stick pack version.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d156/joelchump/RCCA/Blog%20Entries/Schumacher%20CAT%20SX/01SchumacherCat.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d156/joelchump/RCCA/Blog%20Entries/Schumacher%20CAT%20SX/02SchumacherCat.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d156/joelchump/RCCA/Blog%20Entries/Schumacher%20CAT%20SX/03SchumacherCat.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d156/joelchump/RCCA/Blog%20Entries/Schumacher%20CAT%20SX/04SchumacherCat.jpg

Having reviewed the CAT's onroad cousin in the October 2007 issue, the Mi3, I can definitely see some innovative features carried over from the onroad car. Because I'm a person that likes to share electronics with all my vehicles, I would probably choose the LiPo/Stick pack version of the car so all my onroad packs can drop into the CAT SX and vice versa.

[DCLXVI]

Hmmmm...

So you're allowing the posting of pr0n now :D

[munim]

Still sporting those knobbies since yesteryear I see.

[belila]

Those are Schumacher Mini Spikes. Used on grass surfaces here in Europe. Not Yesteryear at all. They do not work on anything else, mind.

[chilledoutuk]

but they grip grass better than anything i have ever used its like running on carpet with Schumacher mini spikes on my back yard.

[Adam Bailey]

The Schumacher Cat SX has arrived!

The Cat come in 2 formats;

K079 LiPo
K078 NiMh

The kit retails for $499.99 and can be purchased through hobby shops nationwide. If your looking for one have your LHS give us a call and it will ship immediately.

[Sorcerer001]

How have these cars been holding up on US tracks? At least in the pics above, it looks VERY fragile. Those shock towers are way up there, and that wing brace/standoff/mount looks like it'll stress that rear bulkhead heavily. What's Schumacher have against using captured ball ends on their shocks? That may work ok for onroad, but is a constant source of frustration as your cars get a few miles on them on the dirt.
Would there be any way for US kits to either ship without tires (at a slightly reduced cost), or with a set that will work well on our high bite tracks? As nice as those big pins look, and as much as I wish we had tracks that we could use them on, they'd just get thrown away.

[savagekid94]

why do you care....i race off-road and i have never used a pair of kit tires i have a b4 b44 and a xxx-t cr and i have never used any of the kit tires...those actually look kinda useful one of the local loose pack dirt tracks....i think the durability will still be pretty good compared to other four-wheelers...look how bulky the rear end is...it is a TANK.....that is all sitting on aluminium and carbon...i dont know if you have alot of expierence with fourwheelers but having and owned and driven a lot of them they are harder to flip over jumps so i think that the rear end should be alright....but we will see...i wonder how they will be track to track as far as set up....hopefully they will be good....i think i see a new four-wheeler in my future...



regards,
chris

[Adam Bailey]

Chris you are correct,

When Shawn and I received our vehicles our first test for them was 100% torture, I landed the vehicle upside down directly on the shock towers multiple times and I couldn't get them to break no matter how hard I tried.

We run our cars on a 8th scale buggy track cause thats all we have and most of my testing was off a jump that will easily launch your car 20-30 feet in the air.

The only thing I broke on the car all night was one front arm but like every guy at the track said "it doesn't matter what car you had, landing this jump like that would break any car on the market" and I truly believe that because one of my buddies did the same thing right after me with a "insert name here" car.

Durability should not dissuade you from this car, it is just as tough as any other car on the market.

[Sorcerer001]

why do you care....i race off-road and i have never used a pair of kit tires i have a b4 b44 and a xxx-t cr and i have never used any of the kit tires...those actually look kinda useful one of the local loose pack dirt tracks....i think the durability will still be pretty good compared to other four-wheelers...look how bulky the rear end is...it is a TANK.....that is all sitting on aluminium and carbon...i dont know if you have alot of expierence with fourwheelers but having and owned and driven a lot of them they are harder to flip over jumps so i think that the rear end should be alright....but we will see...i wonder how they will be track to track as far as set up....hopefully they will be good....i think i see a new four-wheeler in my future...



regards,
chris

That should've read "Why do you care?". I'd rather see the company omit the tires and drop the kit price by $10 or $15 than to send me something I'll never use (as would be the case with 99% of US drivers). Seems very wasteful, though as you pointed out Schumacher isn't the only one doing it. I haven't raced on a track that required pins that big since the early 80's. That said, I wish we had grass and softer dirt to race on over here.
I love the looks of the car, and I really like the fact that Schumacher is offering a version specifically for those of us that use LiPo. I was simply pointing out that the car appears to have a few weak spots - a couple which I've dealt with on prior Schumacher vehicles.
I'm willing to take what Adam is saying for face value, and I may have to try this thing out. How's parts support these days?

[Adam Bailey]

I'm sitting on 90% of the parts right now with the other 10% getting delivered early next week, parts support from Schuie USA is nothing like you might remember


That should've read "Why do you care?". I'd rather see the company omit the tires and drop the kit price by $10 or $15 than to send me something I'll never use (as would be the case with 99% of US drivers). Seems very wasteful, though as you pointed out Schumacher isn't the only one doing it. I haven't raced on a track that required pins that big since the early 80's. That said, I wish we had grass and softer dirt to race on over here.
I love the looks of the car, and I really like the fact that Schumacher is offering a version specifically for those of us that use LiPo. I was simply pointing out that the car appears to have a few weak spots - a couple which I've dealt with on prior Schumacher vehicles.
I'm willing to take what Adam is saying for face value, and I may have to try this thing out. How's parts support these days?

[z-man280]

It's a shame 10th scale 4wd buggy doesn't get more love. THe CAt looks hot, and reminds me of racing bck i nthe early 90's with mine.


Maybe it's time to give the ole' 4wd buggies another look.

[Adam Bailey]

Obviously for us locally its really building steam, and with the LiPo compatibility I think were going to see a surge very soon!

The 2 biggest "growing" classes here in Tampa are 8th scale electric buggy and 4WD Buggy

It's a shame 10th scale 4wd buggy doesn't get more love. THe CAt looks hot, and reminds me of racing bck i nthe early 90's with mine.


Maybe it's time to give the ole' 4wd buggies another look.

[z-man280]

I agree---


The doors have not been opened, but rather kicked off the hinges with Lipo and BL now. I remember not so in the distant past that the brushless systems were WAY out of reach for the average consumer.

[Adam Bailey]

10000000% correct

Not to say nitro is on it's way out by any means but electric is really making a name for itself again and I think the Cat SX can only help that with optional internal gear ratios and stick pack LiPo compatibility


I know were going to see a lot more starting at I-Hobby but I'm glad we blazed this trail


Off the record this car is a freaking blast to drive, its the smoothest car I have ever touched

[clintscreations]

the SX is smooth quiet and fast.........who ever said that a cat always lands on its feet??? hahahhaaaaa

easy to work on...4 screws the diff is out

so far nothing broken first race with it is a trophey race.....ooohhh yeah

[ApriliaRacer]

Where can I order one of these online here in the USA?

[Adam Bailey]

Here's a couple off the top of my head, I'm not in the office and I honestly dont remember

Stormer Hobby
Speedtech RC


Where can I order one of these online here in the USA?

[hijacker]

What? No chain drive?