User:Donnie Park/Kyosho Ultima

Kyosho Ultima (京商 アルティマ) (catalogue number: 3115) was a 1:10 radio-controlled electric off-road buggy manufactured by Kyosho, introduced in 1987, it was the first of a series of Ultima family of 2WD buggies is marketed for the purpose of racing that replaced the Scorpion.

The Ultima first appeared in the 1986 JMRCA All-Japan Off-Road 2WD Championship as a prototype form driven by Akira Kogawa, its designer. but was introduced in 1987.

In the inaugural 2WD class of the 1987 IFMAR 1:10 Electric Off-Road World Championship, a trio of Ultimas led by Joel Johnson took in all available podium places, defeating six RC10s in the process.

The Ultima was superseded by the Turbo Ultima, based on Johnson's car, in 1988.

Ultima
The Ultima was introduced in 1987

The production version was sold with a mechanical speed controller and a Mabuchi RS-540S.

with an alloy formed chassis, gear type differential, coil spring over oil filled dampers, dogbone drive-shafts, plastic ring type bearings, front anti roll bar,

Joel Johnson's Ultima
As Joel Johnson was not officially a Kyosho factory driver, his Ultima was different to the others, especially podium finishers, Kyosho employee Katsunori Kondo and Kris Moore, whose car had technical similarity to the production original. Johnson's Ultima used a Composite Craft carbon flat chassis with longitudinally mounted batteries, unlike the transverse mounted battery pack of the production version, this is to prevent oversteering that plagued the production version.

Kondo and Moore's car used an Option House chassis and top plate

none of their cars used the production body as Johnson, who was given his car months before, used a body from a Tomahawk and Kondo's from a Optima Pro.

Whilst its option part catalog advertise that Johnson used its Option House wheels and tires, the car in fact used its low profile rear tires with its rear wheels from the Turbo Optima and stock Ultima front tires with its front wheels from a Scorpion.

During the A-mains, Johnson, who started from 3rd, easily won the first leg and

In the second leg, as his teammate Kris Moore broke his shock absorbers whilst leading, Johnson struck from behind, launching Johnson's car into the spectators. Johnson eventually finished 5th, 13 seconds behind Mike Christensen, the leader.

In the final leg, race leader Moore dropped back after crashing, allowed Johnson to regain the lead until he clipped the inside ledge, rolling his car over but eventually fought his way back from 9th to 2nd place behind Kondo.