A True Small-"Scaler" From RC4WD - 1/18 Gelande II
Over the years, I’ve settled into a nice spot within the R/C hobby. After discovering the scale/trail “genre” of vehicle, my interest and appreciation for highly-detailed, true-to-life vehicles has only grown. There isn’t much that could widen my already wide grin when looking at a well-built scale radio-controlled rig. In fact, that enthusiasm may be matched by my love for small-scale R/C vehicles. You can probably imagine my reaction to RC4WD’s latest creation, the 1/18 Gelande II. Pure. Joy.
More than a Mini
Taking their popular 1/10 Gelande scale truck and “shrinking it down” to a smaller size may be one way of looking at this new vehicle, but you’d be doing both the rig and the engineers behind it a major disservice. From bumper to bumper, everything on this mini machine has been rethought and re-imagined. From the 1/24-scale cast transmission and axles, the 4-link suspension, the wheels, the tires, and even the bumpers, this little beauty might be mistaken for a rolling work of art rather than a high-end hobby object.
Much of RC4WD’s appeal stems from the fact that they craft amazing vehicles. At any scale, their trail rigs look like miniature versions of 1:1 off-road trucks. The electronics have been tucked away from plain view and the basic elements such as the steering servo, motor, and radio system have been applied in such a way as to not stick out “like a sore thumb”, even when viewing this vehicle from multiple angles. This appeal flows into the 1/18 Gelande II as well, giving fans of this brand something to clamor over.
Attention to Detail
From the exterior, the Gelande II features a Defender D90 body made of molded, hard plastic, which helps amp up the level of detail and interest that this vehicle brings. There are sprinkles of other fine scale details throughout this vehicles as well, such as side mirrors, clear windows, detailed grille-work, clear headlight, taillight, and turn-signal lenses, and door handles. These small visual treats are hard to find on some 1/1-0-scale vehicles, let-alone a 1/18 scale rig.
Trail-ready Performance in a Unsuspecting Package
While this small-scale trail rig looks impressive, does it have the performance to match it’s visual appeal? From what I’ve read and seen about this vehicle, it’s no slouch when it comes to trail-riding. Powered by a 7.4V 2S LiPo battery (at 850mAh), this 4-wheel drive machine (with a new steel shaft design) appears to have the mechanics in place to get you to where you want to go. Also on the power side, this rig utilizes a “micro motor”. I’m looking into the exact specs on this powerplant, but from the few videos that I’ve seen of this rig in action, it appears to be quite capable of handling just about anything you’d expect a 1/18 off-road vehicle to, and then some.
RC4WD Gelande II 1/18 Features:
- Custom Designed for True to Scale Looks
- Realistic Aluminum Ladder Frame Chassis
- R5 1/24 Mini Cast Transmission
- 1/24 Cast Front and Rear Axle Set
- 4 Links Front and 4 Links Rear Suspension
- Stamped Steel 1.0" Stock Beadlock Wheel
- Dirt Grabber 1.0" All Terrain Tire
- 9G Analog Metal Gear Micro Servo
- Dual Spring Oil Filled Shock Absorbers
Carrying a price-tag of $199.99, the Gelande II is positioned to be a upper-level off-road vehicle that’s perfect for those that love attention to detail as well as a vehicle that can be easily packed up and taken just about anywhere. Learn more about the 1/18 Gelande II RTR at RCW4D.com.
Image credit: RCCar.Zone
