Red RC » Mugen

August 17, 2026

Mugen Seiki 1:10 Touring Car Program – Statement

Following speculation on the future of Mugen Seiki’s 1:10 Electric Touring Car Program following the mid season departure of star driver Ronald Volker last week to RC Maker and designer Robert Piesch at the end of the 2025 season, the Japanese manufacturer has issued a statement to clarify it has no intentions of ‘discontinuing or downsizing’ the project. On the Mugen Seiki Europe Facebook page they posted, ‘Following the recent announcement regarding Ronald Völker’s departure, we have received a number of questions and speculations concerning the future of Mugen Seiki’s 1/10 touring car program. We would therefore like to make our position clear: Mugen Seiki has absolutely no intention of discontinuing or downsizing its 1/10 touring car program. Team changes among professional drivers are a common occurrence in this sport and are not unusual. The MTC3 platform continues to be developed by the team, and our commitment to the project remains unchanged. While we wish Ronald every success in the next chapter of his career, we will remain fully committed to the continued development and success of the MTC3 platform. We sincerely appreciate the continued support and trust of our customers, partners, and racing community.

Source: Mugen Seiki Europe [Facebook]

August 11, 2026

Volker departs Mugen Seiki

Ronald Volker has announced his departure from Mugen Seiki, the 2016 World Champion having represented the Japanese manufacturer for almost 6-years and brought their Touring Car program to the fore on the international stage. Joining them in October 2020 after a long stint with Yokomo, Volker had worked very closely with fellow German Robert Pietsch on the project, Pietsch announcing his departure from Mugen Seiki at the end of 2025 after 16-years desiging their onroad cars including the MTC platform. He subsequently joined the Infinity design team for the 2026 season. Volker, who earlier this year took his 100th ETS win with the MTC3, announced the news of his departure on Facebook ending the post by stating, ‘it is time to take on a new adventure ahead.’ With the World Championships, which should have been staged earlier this year in China, now 3-months away it will be interesting to see which brand the popular and hugely experienced touring car veteran will represent at Huge RC in Thailand.

Read Ronald’s departure announcement here

July 27, 2026

Mugen Seiki MRX/MTX Update Shock Shafts

Reigning 1:8 Onroad World Champion manufacturer Mugen Seiki has announced the release of an updated shock shaft for its MRX platform, the new shafts also suitable for their MTX 1:10 Nitro Touring Car platform. Offered as both as part of a full shock set or just a pair of shafts, the new shock shaft has been updated from a nut-fastened design to an SiG2x6 screw fastening design.

View full Shock Set here

July 13, 2026

Kilic wins Italian Nationals Round 3 from Polito

Mugen Seiki’s Burak Kilic became the third different winner in as many rounds of the highly competitive AMSCI 1:8 Nitro Buggy Italian National Championship, the Turkish driver winning Round 3 at the NitroBuggy track in Genzone just ahead of Round 2 winner Mattia Polito. In qualifying it was Kilic who took the TQ honours, the championship regular topping two of the four rounds. Fastest in Q3, Kyosho’s Marco Baruffolo would secure 2nd at his home track ahead of reigning Champion & Round 1 winner Davide Ongaro with Polito ending up 4th. In the 45-minute final after plenty of closing racing it was Kilic’s Nova Engines powered MBX-8R that came out the winner just 6/10ths of a second ahead of a hard charging Polito who set the fastest lap of the race with his Sworkz. Baruffolo completed the podium with Ongaro’s Team Associated finishing 4th on the same lap from P11 on the grid after problems in his Semi. With one round remaining in the championship, it is Polito who leads the standings from Ongaro with Kilic moving up into 3rd. The fourth & final round doesn’t take place until November.

Image: Nova Engines [Facebook]

July 6, 2026

Kurzbuch wins Dutch ENS Encounter

Mugen Seiki’s Simon Kurzbuch has won the second round of the Euro Nitro Series, the Swiss driver getting the better of Round 1 winner Dario Balestri at the Rucphen track in the Netherlands. As at the season opening in Germany, it was Kurzbuch who secured the overall TQ honours as he took his Ielasi Tuned powered MRX-7 to the fastest time in 2 of the 4 rounds. Fastest in Q1, it was the Infinity of multiple World Champion Balestri who lined up P2, ahead of ARC’s Silvio Hächler and Dutch Serpent Jesse Keller who posted a TQ run in Q3. In the 45-minute main, the two World Champions would pull clear of the field and battle it out from the front for the win. While Balestri set the fastest lap of the race and led a number ocassions at the end it was Kurzbuch who took the win by 6.4-seconds over the Italian. While Hächler strong qualifying came to nothing in the final as he suffered an engine failure, it would be Infinity’s Francesco Tironi from P7 in the grid who completed the podium ahead of the Serpent of Marco Weigerding. In 1:10 200mm reigning World Champion Jilles Groskamp took the home win to make it two from two having won the season opener. The infinity driver was joined on the podium by team-mate Carmine Raiola and French Capricorn driver Quentin Leroux while having qualified P2 reigning champion Jakub Rozycki finished P4 for Capricorn ahead of Melvin Diekmann.

Image: Ielasi Tuned [Facebook]

July 3, 2026

Mugen Seiki MBX8R ECO +4mm Chassis

Having previously released the option of a +4mm chassis for its latest Nitro Buggy, Mugen Seiki is now offering the option for their electric MBX8R ECO buggy. The longer chassis enhances stability and makes handling easier compared to the standard chassis. It also provides smoother steering response off-power. Switching to the +4mm chassis requires the Mugen Seiki’s 119mm Center Drive Shaft.

Source: Mugen Seiki [mugenseiki.com]

May 7, 2026

Baird wins Irish Championship opener

Mugen Seiki driver Bradley Baird got his RCCAOI 1:8 Nitro Buggy Irish National Championship title defence off to a perfect start taking the win at the NIMCC hosted season opener. Round 1 of the 5 round new look championship took drivers to Ballymena in Northern Ireland and on the astro track it was Baird who dominated a rain effected qualifying. Topping all 5 rounds he would secured the TQ ahead of Dylan McBurney and Alan Scroggie. In the 45-minute final, Baird continued his form to win ahead of Andrew McClean, who started 4th, with McBurney completing the podium. Round 2 of the championship will see racers compete on dirt at the RCNI track in Bandbridge on June 20/21.

Source: RCCAOI [rccaoi.com]

April 16, 2026

Thurston opens BRCA title defence with Halifax win

While unpredictable weather greeted racers for the opening round of the BRCA British National 1:8 Onroad Championship at Halifax, it was business as usual for the Mugen Seiki of reigning Champion Alex Thurston who took the win. Qualifying for the opening race of the 8 round championship would see Thurston secure the TQ by some margin ahead of Michael Lee and Richard Boult as 2025 season opening race winner Tim Wood found himself down in P18. With a damp track for the start of the half final, it would dry out allowing Thurston to take a convincing win over the Shepherd pairing of 5th place qualifier David Spashett and Andrew Hastings. Next up in the championship is the Brooklands track which hosts a double header on May 3-4.

Image: Alex Thurston [Facebook]