Team HB have confirmed the addition of former Xray driver Teemu Leino to its ranks to join other new signing Shin Adachi alongside Atsushi Hara, Andy Moore, Ty Tessmann and Jesse Robbers. Teemu is a multiple world class race winner, with previous wins at the LRP Race, TITC, IIC and the European Championships. Plus multiple podiums at the European Championships and a 3rd place finish at the World Championships. Teemu will be a valuable addition to the World Championship Winning Team HB. Here are a few words from Teemu Leino:

I choose HB as they have the best cars for my racing classes. Also the HB Team always prepare well for big races like the World Championships, which are on this year. The HB Team also has some of my good friends so I should have fun at the tracks.

Source: HB [hotbodiesonline.com]

The toy fair may not yet have even started and we have already been around the HB HPI Racing stand to get the lowdown on their new products for 2012. One surprise product on the booth was an all new 1/10th 200mm platform. Having previously been in this market with the R40, which won the ROAR nationals in the hands of Atsushi Hara, this as yet unnamed prototype has been constructed from prototype material in order to show it here and looks like a fairly solid car with a conventional layout and configuration. With the World Championships in Thailand in November the company expects to have the car ready in time to challenge for the win with a car driven by Atsushi Hara on his home track RC Addict.

Also on display is the HB CR8 1/8th scale buggy with the composite chassis that we showed you early last year and which has been extensively tested in the meantime in the build up to its expected mid summer release. The car will have an offset rear gearbox to get the engine as close to centre as possible and has an all new suspension geometry compared to its World Championship winning stable mate the D8.

HPI were showing off their new gasoline 2-stroke engine with outer dimensions only slightly larger than a big block nitro car engine. This size will allow it to fit in RC cars where gasoline engines never could before. The benefit of this system is more runtime, cheaper fuel costs, easier to start and with cleaner running. On the stand the engine was displayed mounted in a Savage XL, Super 5SCm Apache C1 and a HB D8T.

Other new items making their debut was the HB TCX Hara edition, a car which we have seen in action at the Euro Touring Series in the hands of Andy Moore and which includes a new narrower chassis, new top deck, rear gear differential and longer aluminium steering arms to increase steering lock. Other improvements include steel rear driveshafts, new servo mounts
incorporating LiPo stop, new front hubs & rear upright from TC-FD and new aluminium upper shock mounts.

HB and HPI were also showing a competition rock crawler which for the show has been completely made from rapid prototype material and which is expected to be released this summer. There are also new Plazmo Pro range of competition LiPos in 6500mAh 95C stick version and 5600mAh 95C saddle pack version.

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Having recently announced his departure from Kyosho, Team HB have today announced the addition of Shin Adachi to it’s ranks. Shin has been racing R/C cars since he was 3 years old and has amassed an impressive list of achievements throughout his career. He will be a valued addition to the World Championship Winning Team HB and joins the likes of Atsushi Hara, Andy Moore, Ty Tessmann & Jesse Robbers. Shin Adachi had this to say:

I am very happy and excited to join Team HB. As a team driver on this world top team, I’m confident and cannot wait to go to the races coming up this year. As I will also be a part of R&D, I would like to provide everything that I have learned and experienced from my long team professional R/C racing experience to the team. I’m very confident that the team will be even stronger with my addition. Please stay tuned for both myself and Team HB in this 2012 race season!

Source: Hot Bodies [hpiracing.com]

Hot Bodies’ new prototype Gridlock tire utilizes design features creating a tire that will be easier to drive while also providing a linear amount of steering gain throughout the steering travel. The Gridlock tire will make the car more stable and easier to drive on track conditions where the dirt is hard packed with some sharp edged bumps. Another condition the Gridlock tire performs great in is where the track might be a little too dusty for the Megabite tire but not loamy enough for the Megagrid tire. Hot Bodies Tires are known for their long life with low tread wear, the Gridlock tire’s tread wear life will be greater than that of the Megabite tire providing the consumer with a tire that performs very well and also has a long life.

Source: Hot Bodies [hotbodiesonline.com]

Exotek have released this ultra narrow TCX-XS liPo chassis. This extra soft chassis is aggressively shaped for extra flex over the stock TCX chassis and uses US made bi-directional layup carbon fiber for maximum flex traits. The rear section has added cut outs for greater flex at the motor mount for increased rear end stability allowing you to drive into corners harder and power out faster. Great chassis to have to extend tire wear and generate maximum grip for controlled tire races. Also for the TCX is this extra soft top plate, which has been aggressively shaped for extra flex over the stock TCX top plate and uses US made bi-directional layup carbon fiber for maximum flex traits. Greater overall flex for increased rear end stability allowing you to drive into corners harder and power out faster. Great tuning aid to have to extend tire wear and generate maximum grip for controlled tire races.

Source: Exotek [exotekracing.com]

Pro-Line have released updated 2012 versions of their Bulldog body for the Hot Bodies D8 and D8T developd by Ty Tessmann. Ty personally spent hours refining the design for 2012 to create even more stability with enhanced steering to gain an advantage on the track. The windshield is steeper to create more down force over the front wheels and the roof ridges have been raised to channel the air flow over the middle of the body for increased high-speed stability. The rear of the roof has been lowered and fins have been added to achieve maximum engine head cooling and stable air flow over the body. The fins also add rigidity to the body to increase aerodynamic efficiency. Additionally on the truggy shell the hood has been raised slightly to allow more clearance for a longer shock setup and the headlights and grill have been redesigned.

Source: Pro-Line [prolineracing.com]

Continuing their line of driveline components, Tekno RC have released these complete drive shafts for the Hot Bodies D8/Ve8 and HPI Vorza/D8s vehicles. The Tekno RC M8 drive shafts will get you to the finish line without ejecting a drive pin or breaking a shaft and they include their legendary stub axles with retainer rings and all new drive shaft/barrel design. A hardened steel construction and black oxidized finish provide supreme durability and 3 pairs of drive pin holes means you can rebuild and reuse the stub axles. These drive shafts are .5mm longer than the Hot Bodies WCE shafts (1.5mm longer than stock) and allow full droop in the front and rear without interference.

Source: Tekno RC [teknorc.com]

Keep your pit area at home or at the track tidy and clean with this 75cm x 50cm HPI/HB protective rubber pit mat. The Pit Mat is perfect for working on any RC vehicle. Separate parts areas let you organize any screws or washers you remove, allowing you to find them quickly and easily as you assemble your car or truck. It protects your table, desk or worktop from scratches, and helps prevent losing essential small parts from your kit. It also rolls up for easy storage and transport. Also available in a small 15cm x 10cm size for working on engines, motors or other smaller items.

Source: HPI [hpieurope.com]

Hot Bodies have released this set of longer durable steel outdrive cups to fit the front diff or spool on the HB TCX. These new parts allow racers to use the 44mm driveshaft instead of the 46mm driveshaft.

Source: Hot Bodies [hbeurope.com]

Spec-R release new option parts for Xray’s T3 2011 Spec chassis and Hot Bodies TCX touring car. Made for the T3 are 7075 upper bulkhead parts machined from 7075 aluminium. Coming black anodised the parts feature an additional bracket with three location holes for the upper camber links to move them away from their kit position on the shock towers. Designed for the Hot Bodies TCX are lightweight Delrin front spool outdrive adapters that feature large outdrive saver rings and that are a direct replacement for the stock parts.

Source: Spec-R [spec-r.com]