Amewi RC Model Making: Precision and Fun at Spielwarenmesse 2017

RC vehicles that can reach speeds of up to 100 km/h and are almost indestructible - these are available from AMEWI RC Modellbau. Our presenter wanted to know exactly - so a crash test was carried out at the stand at the toy fair. The RC car was smashed into the wall at full speed - is it still running?

RC model making from beginner to expert level

Felix Rother: Hello Mr. Caldr: Here I am in the world of model making, I've already established that. But what is so special here? You have very small models, very large ones. I would say we start with the small ones. Christian Caldr: The special thing is, we have vehicles from the beginner range right up to the expert range. In the beginner range, we make sure that we have vehicles that are robust, fast and always on trend. In this vehicle, for example, we have replaceable batteries. We have fully proportional steering, which means that the throttle function is proportional, but also the steering, which no one else on the market has. Felix Rother: So it's really like driving a real car? Is that what you mean by proportion? Christian Caldr: Exactly. You even have a fully-fledged RC car. I have the first and only toy car on the market with full spare parts and a fully available spare parts store. Felix Rother: We are already very robust on the road with a model like this anyway. If something breaks, is one order enough to put it back together again? Christian Caldr: Then you get everything as a spare part. However, I spent over 3 hours trying to break the prototype and after 3 hours of massive kicking, kicking through the area, this is just what broke (points to a bent car tire). So I can also show and demonstrate it. If you just throw it against the wall.

AMEWI RC: Model car crash test at the Spielwarenmesse

Felix Rother: Oh dear. Christian Caldr: And now go on it uncut, here's the lever out, I can simply click it back in. Felix Rother: I was just going to say that it looked broken, but now it's fine again and all the wheels are turning. Can you prove this to me for the car with battery? I would like to test it. Christian Caldr: Then let's go back to the car, we can try that out. Felix Rother: We'll have to throw it against the wall again to make sure it's realistic. Christian Caldr: Yes. You have to be able to convince yourself. Felix Rother: If I'm not too greedy now. Christian Caldr: No problem (throws the car against the wall again). Felix Rother: Okay. And that's still driving now? Christian Caldr: It's still driving now. Felix Rother: I'll give it a try. Step on the gas, steer, oh, it's even fast! It's faster than I thought! Is there a reverse gear? Christian Caldr: There's reverse gear too. 20 kilometers per hour or so.

Crawler series - full metal RC cars weighing more than 10 kg

Christian Caldr: We actually have a lot. It starts with full metal crawlers, for example, which we have at the front of the stand. We can go there sometime. Felix Rother: They are definitely bigger. Christian Caldr: We have the high-end class in the scaler sector here, for example. Here we have a Tatra, which is equipped with original axles, individual suspension, 2-speed manual gearbox. Felix Rother: That's how you know it from the garage, isn't it? These are classic axles. Christian Caldr: That's the scaler high-end range for the big kid in the man. Felix Rother: Okay. Christian Caldr: With our crawler series, the vehicles are all made of full metal, very high quality even the gears are helical geared, as you would normally only see with higher quality components in the vehicle sector. Felix Rother: If you say it's all made of metal, then it's probably quite heavy, can I lift it up? Christian Caldr: It's very heavy. Felix Rother: How many kilos are we talking about here? Christian Caldr: It's over 10 kilos.

Full play and driving fun, even off-road in mud and on inclines

Felix Rother: Yes, so for a model car - which it is in the end anyway - it's quite a weight. Who are you addressing with this, who is a fan of such a large off-road vehicle? Christian Caldr: There is a very large crawler and scaler scene in Europe. These are all people for whom normal remote-controlled cars are simply too grueling. You have true-to-life off-road fans, for example Land Rover drivers, the Fandub drivers, who want models that they can drive. Felix Rother: You can really dig through the dirt with them, can't you? Christian Caldr: Mud, sludge, very steep inclines. Vehicles are just as capable of climbing as the originals, sometimes even better. Felix Rother: In other words, the terrain that you have built here with these structures would do nothing to such a car. Christian Caldr: Is drivable without any problems, but also inclines of 45° degrees upwards. Felix Rother: Okay, this is a real off-road car. Christian Caldr: Exactly. Felix Rother: Of course, there are not only these specialty products, but there are also classic remote-controlled cars, of which I see a lot over there. Christian Caldr: Yes the typical RC model builder. Felix Rother: Yes. We'll have a look at that too. That's probably where you come from, isn't it? Christian Caldr: I also originally come from RC car racing. I started out as a small child with small model kits and the products are constantly being developed further. Back then I would have been happy to have had a car like today, especially with what is currently available in the combos. Felix Rother: What is so special? What has developed so rapidly? Christian Caldr: I offer beginners very good technology, really well thought-out complete packages. You get cars that you can have a lot of fun with straight from the kit. Durable, high-quality material and the cars are also fast.

RC car racing even without model building knowledge

Felix Rother: If I now need something bigger instead of the small model from the beginning, can I come here and start building immediately without any major background knowledge? Christian Caldr: Exactly, you can get started straight away. The cars are already screwed together. I can take the car out of the kit and charge the battery. The chargers, which fully charge the battery within an hour, are included. Felix Rother: So I don't need to know how to assemble this car because it's already in the box and I just put the battery in? Christian Caldr: Exactly. Felix Rother: Very nice. Christian Caldr: And I get a car that is of a very high material level. With our own RMX series from AMEWI, I have vehicles that are generally very well thought out. I can upgrade all the vehicles into competition cars. No other entry-level vehicle offers that.

Felix Rother: That means I have an entry-level model that doesn't have to be replaced as soon as I do more, but can be tuned. Christian Caldr: Exactly. The car always grows with me. Felix Rother: Very nice. Christian Caldr: As an example, the RCMT in a normal version, here it comes for beginners with a two-cell drive. At 45 km/h, it is suitable for children, but when this child grows up and gets older, becomes more experienced in driving, I can put all the technical differentials, drive and motor into this car and have a car that drives a whopping 100 kilometers per hour in the extreme version. That's the maximum performance that's possible, but the car simply grows with me. Felix Rother: Very nice. These are real racing cars. Christian Caldr: Proper racing cars from beginner to professional. Felix Rother: Very nice. Then thank you very much for giving me an insight into the inner workings and good luck! Christian Caldr: Thank you too! Thank you very much.

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