[PeterV]

More suspension travel than any other buggy

4mm woven carbon fiber shock towers for maximum rigidity, strength and light weight

Blue aluminum hexes and wheel nuts featuring nyloc providing the ultimate in security



Factory Team threaded, hard-coated shocks feature extra large bladders for full volume compensation and 4mm gold shock shafts for durability

Captured outer CVA pins

Wing angle and position is fully adjustable and secure



Unique low-profile elliptical high-flow, two-stage air filter


Anti-foaming fuel tank is easily removed with two clips

Big thanks to frequent tipster Chilly for turning us onto these shots.

Here's AE's official info:
The 1/8th buggy racing world will wonder how they lived without it, the Factory Team RC8!

The highly anticipated Associated Factory Team RC8 will raise the performance bar for 1/8th off-road nitro buggies. The RC8 design utilizes proven engineering yet incorporates design ingenuity and industry leading concepts that will confirm Team Associated’s number one status which it has held for over 40 years.

Strength, durability, nimble handling and maximum corner speeds were the key design elements Area 51 targeted. Drivers will experience unparalleled and effortless “pop” as they launch from the jumps. Landings will be plush beyond belief due to the enhanced suspension that other buggies only dream of.

From the correctly balanced and optimized weight distribution, silky smooth and reliable shocks featuring 4MM gold shafts, innovative clutch design, to the machined chassis, every inch of the RC8 screams performance and durability. From the proven drive train to the ultimately adjustable wing, you will see why the Factory Team RC8 will be the buggy chosen to dominate the competition.

The RC8 drives the common place out of contention and puts winning back into your vocabulary.

You’ve heard from the rest, now take it from the best:

“In testing, it felt unbelievable. It does everything better than my National Champ S3. The RC8 is the best handling 8th scale buggy I’ve driven so far.” —2006 ROAR National Champion Ryan Maifield

“You can push it hard and it stays balanced. The harder I drive it, the faster I can go.” —The KING Richard Saxton

Weighing in at 7.4 lbs.* makes the RC8 one of the lightest buggies in the class
(*weight may vary depending on muffler, engine and electronics)

The 4.30:1 ratio gear boxes produce maximum punch allowing the RC8 to accelerate harder out of the corners and up the biggest jumps

FFC Free Float Caliper brake-system eliminates the possibility of unwanted brake drag while on throttle

Two-piece split-center diff mount allows quick and easy access to the center diff

Newly designed high-torque capacity three-shoe aluminum clutch

Lightened 43-tooth diff ring-gears make for the absolute minimum rotating-mass

Metric hardware throughout

Milled 3mm black hard-coated 7075 aluminum chassis

Factory Team blue titanium turnbuckles




MORE PHOTOS:

[Tamiya4ever]

I must say it looks really nice. Hope that it does well racing and everything. I am sure that there will be RTR and Truggy versions out.

[ministerOFfire]

*thumbs up*

[paperclipracer]

well not to be a fan boy or anything but it seems to me that losi found its match.

Remember the rc10gt what was it 10-15 national wins, could the same be in for the buggy i hope so

[jamesbernatchez]

I was 100% decided to get a Losi 8ight but I gotta say...this looks awesome I think ill have to wait now. Thumbs up to Associated based on looks alone.

[savage100]

It seems it would do good.

[Rsaxton]

Front servo can lay down or stay up right

[chris1]

I like it but i am not to crazy about the cf shock towers

[JBeckton]

Nothing wrong with carbon fiber... alot of people may not realize that they use carbon fiber to make racing drive shafts for 2000 horse power drag cars. You'll have a hard time breaking it.

look how thick the lower arms are on it, very nice!

My only concern is the angle of the shocks, that setup would give it great corner speed but not sure about the rest of the time.

I am 99% sure I will be buying this buggy when it is available.

[associatedude92]

Looks pretty normal to me.

[prodot]

Please!!!! The only thing I can see that separates this buggy from all the other 'Standard' layout designed buggys is a well thought out fuel tank and soon to be snapped shock towers!!!! There looks to be nothing on this buggy that shows a top innovation design or thinking!!! AE have gone for the 'Common' layout design, maybe they were to scared to design something different ' Like the Losi or Team Magic' so they have played it safe!!!! Very Very disappointed!!!! I been reading for weeks about all the hype on the RC8 and couldn't wait to see something special!! What a let down!!!!!!!!!

[JBeckton]

Damn... what do yall expect? it's a race car! That team magic buggy looks like crap. That's a gimmick if I ever saw one. I'de be willing to bet a month's salary that you will never see a team magic buggy winning national events here in the states like Jammin and Losi.

So does it mean that if something is not radically different it's no good? Have you ever stopped to think that the 'standard layout' works? This is not a video game, there are real physics involved here.

It's the subtle changes and tweaks that make them better. Kyosho did not have to radically change thier buggy to win the worlds! The difference in the SP2 and he WC cars are just a matter of putting a few better parts on them.

Who cares if it does not look like some freak science project, it's performance that matters. If Drake was out there winning races with a shoe box with wheels on it most of you would think it's the greatest design to hit the sport. Look at the Jammin, they have not changed anything on it since it came out and Chad Bradley can still win races with it.

[BriS]

Looks tough. I can't wait to see how it does on a track. Any word on when a RC8T will be coming out?

[wishingfortlt1]

nice, im glad i waited for this, i almost got the losi, this bugger looks more "right"

[suckfish]

Well i'm no AE fan, but I like the Graphite radio plate.. not to sure about the front shocks.. I'm sticking with the Dark Side Losi 8

[jacsac]

I'll save judgement for when I am holding one.

[kikcaffine]

that is a gigantic front brake rotor!

[rcfreak9]

i love it. glad to see AE expanding their line of rc. looks better than a losi 8.

and plllllllllllllllllleeeeeeaaaaaaaaasssssssssssseeee eeeee carbon fiber really doesnt break THAT easily!!! unless u guys like throw it off cliffs i dont think ull have much trouble. do u honestly think that AE would come out with a shock tower design that will just snap? i think iv seen enough from AE to know that i can trust their durability.

GOOD JOB AE!!

[rezenclowd3]

By looks alone I do not like it, and what the frell is with the bolt on nose piece?!

[marlin_fan42]

i am glad i waited for this. i was about to buy a losi 8ight, but i think i can wait. that thing looks sweet. i totally agree with jbeckton. if simple works, stick with it. now i just need a price.

[maxxmustang]

hey look! its even fuglier than the M1! notice they wanted to get thier paws in the 8ights buisness? they even put 8 in the name!
AE
though the shock towers are very innovative
hope this isnt a winner

[JBeckton]

Originally Posted by maxxmustang

hey look! its even fuglier than the M1! notice they wanted to get thier paws in the 8ights buisness? they even put 8 in the name!
AE
though the shock towers are very innovative
hope this isnt a winner

Yeah and it has nothing to do with the fact that it's an 8th scale buggy, they just wanted to copy Losi, just like they always have. And RC10 had nothing to do with 10th scale either.

[blktransam]

I like it...but not enough to give up my ***LOSI 8IGHT*** yes carbon fiber driveshafts are nice but I am VERY sure they use a much higher strenth of carbon fiber and glues and what not...dont get me wrong im sure they are fine and will work EVERYTHING breaks if hit the wrong way...

[JBeckton]

Looks like the brake linkage is different... both the front and rear brake linkages are on top of the center diff top plate. seems like a good idea, looks like it makes it easier to align things without worrying about binding linkage

[maxxmustang]

Originally Posted by JBeckton

Yeah and it has nothing to do with the fact that it's an 8th scale buggy, they just wanted to copy Losi, just like they always have. And RC10 had nothing to do with 10th scale either.

point taken