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Looks like Japanese vendors are accepting preorders for the TOMS rere haven't seen an official release from Kyosho yet though.

https://www.super-rc.co.jp/rc/product/view?id=109167

Kyosho made it official!

INTRODUCING THE TURBO OPTIMA MID SPECIAL!
The legendary highest SPEC of the Optima Mid series is back! Well... it will be, very soon!
In the meantime, enjoy this first look at the final product
Full product specifications will be revealed soon, so stay tuned!
Item No. 30623

The 6 cell saddle pack slots don't seem to be made to actually fit cells.
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Frankentruck wrote: ↑Fri Apr 25, 2025 8:55 am The 6 cell saddle pack slots don't seem to be made to actually fit cells.
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1000016103.png

That is kinda funny, right? I suppose you could cut them if needed but it's an odd choice for sure.

RogueIV wrote: ↑Fri Apr 25, 2025 9:16 am

Frankentruck wrote: ↑Fri Apr 25, 2025 8:55 am The 6 cell saddle pack slots don't seem to be made to actually fit cells.
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1000016103.png

That is kinda funny, right? I suppose you could cut them if needed but it's an odd choice for sure.

I feel like the slots were added by someone that saw them in pictures of old RCs but didn't know what they were actually for.

Yay! I'm definitely getting one of these. I actually like the optima mid line up more than the yokomo 870's.

What are the differences between this and the previous Optima releases? I confess to getting lost with all of the Turbo, Mid, Pro, Special, SE, etc. lingo. I get Mid, that one was easy, but the others seem redundant.


Is this the last and best before Kyosho went to the Lazer?

1911Colt wrote: ↑Fri Apr 25, 2025 3:22 pm What are the differences between this and the previous Optima releases? I confess to getting lost with all of the Turbo, Mid, Pro, Special, SE, etc. lingo. I get Mid, that one was easy, but the others seem redundant.


Is this the last and best before Kyosho went to the Lazer?

This is the long wheelbase version. I probably won't be getting this as I have a ExoDesign chassis set on the way but I may be buying the body and undertray for it.

Not the last before the lazer, but the best one imo. There were originally six mid kit releases, three short wheelbase and three long. They got it right by re-releasing the first one (optima mid, swb) and now the best full option one (turbo optima mid special -TOMS, lwb). My only gripe with their rere stuff is their new ball diffs, I don't like them and will stick to the gear diffs.

1911Colt wrote: ↑Fri Apr 25, 2025 3:22 pm What are the differences between this and the previous Optima releases? I confess to getting lost with all of the Turbo, Mid, Pro, Special, SE, etc. lingo. I get Mid, that one was easy, but the others seem redundant.

Is this the last and best before Kyosho went to the Lazer?

In original release order:
1. Optima mid and Turbo Optima Mid.
Released together, the Mid was the more basic version with dogbones all round, no turnbuckles thinner non countersunk chassis, but with mechanical speed controller and motor. Turbo had no motor or speed control, but came with front UJs, turnbuckles, sway bars and thicker bronze anodised countersunk chassis. Both short wheelbase with gold shocks and gear diffs.

2. Optima Mid SE.
Short wheelbase, platinum shocks instead of golds, Front UJs, sway bars and countersunk chassis like the Turbo, but with no turnbuckles, a motor and speed control like the standard Mid. Came with ball diffs as standard.

3. Turbo Optima Mid Special. (TOMS)
Made on the release of the long wheelbase conversion. Long wheelbase carbon/glass fibre saddle pack chassis, ball diffs, sway bars, gold shocks. Came with a second set of wheels and tyres. Came part assembled and had a small production run, so few made that most people didn't know they existed until vintage collecting took off.

4. Optima Mid Custom and Optima Mid Custom Special.
Released around the same time, both long wheelbase. The Custom was a base model, had dogbones all round, plastic shocks, a body similar to the TOMS but modified for clearance over the included speed control and motor. The Custom Special had no motor or speed control, but included gold shocks, front UJs, turnbuckles. Both had gear diffs. Both originally came with an alloy saddle pack chassis, later replaced with a fibreglass version.

After that came the Lazer range, the first buggies since the early years not designed by Akira Kogawa as he had moved to HPI.

The TOMS has always been the most prized and most expensive model for collectors because of its rarity value, while the rerelease version is just their 'standard' long wheelbase Mid release.

Frankentruck wrote: ↑Fri Apr 25, 2025 8:55 am The 6 cell saddle pack slots don't seem to be made to actually fit cells.

I guess there's going to be a tiny minority who are going to break down a battery pack to make saddles. it doesn't even come with battery straps. Also the body has been modified to fit modern battery packs, so I expect wider and taller sidepods for clearance.

terry.sc wrote: ↑Tue Apr 29, 2025 8:02 am

Frankentruck wrote: ↑Fri Apr 25, 2025 8:55 am The 6 cell saddle pack slots don't seem to be made to actually fit cells.

I guess there's going to be a tiny minority who are going to break down a battery pack to make saddles. it doesn't even come with battery straps. Also the body has been modified to fit modern battery packs, so I expect wider and taller sidepods for clearance.

But why include non-functional saddle pack slots that look poorly thought out? All the holes and features that overlap with them make it apparent there isn't room for them. To me, it's got that 'designed by committee' look. Maybe there's a clever scheme to sell proper lower chassis plates as an upgrade.

There's two target markets for the re-release cars. There's us old timers who were around back in the day and would want it to be as original as possible. But there's the much bigger market of people who have only been into the hobby for a few years and get a nostalgia kick for the old cars but have no intention of ever owning a car you can't buy in a shop. Look at how many "vintage rc" youtubers went wild over the 4wd RC10 even though you've been able to put one together a Ten4 yourself for the last 10 years, then discovered it was an old school style build that didn't drop together like a Tamiya. They are going wild over the TOMS, even though all the factors that makes an original TOMS a special kit (limited numbers, rare upgrades, extra tyres) are missing.

Supplying it with no holes in the chassis they will complain it doesn't look the same, add proper saddle pack slots and they are going to complain they can't fit their lipos in there. having battery mounts protrude into the battery slots is what Kyosho did with the seventh slot in the Lazer, and you were expected to file the nubs away if you wanted to use it. Same here, if someone wants to use a nimh saddle pack you could just cut off the lipo battery mounts and file the slots to shape.