Outdoors

XRC Brawler is designed to go where other RC models fear to tread

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The XRC Brawler is presently on Kickstarter
Xtreme RC
All of the XRC Brawler's 6-mm aluminum chassis parts can be removed and replaced if damaged
Xtreme RC
The XRC Brawler, with a dog for scale
Xtreme RC
The XRC Brawler has two LED light bars (and headlights), to help its optional camera image its surroundings in the dark
Xtreme RC
The XRC Brawler is presently on Kickstarter
Xtreme RC
Tensioners keep the XRC Brawler's tracks taut at all times
Xtreme RC
Rear fan exhaust ports help keep the XRC Brawler's electronics cool
Xtreme RC
The XRC Brawler has 70 mm of suspension travel
Xtreme RC
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Just like their full-size counterparts, radio-controlled tracked model vehicles are capable of traversing terrain that would stop wheeled models in their ... well, in their tracks. One of the latest, the XRC Brawler, is claimed to be "the highest performing one-fifth scale RC tank on the market."

Currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign, the Brawler was designed by British startup Xtreme RC.

It features a full 7075-T6 aluminum alloy chassis, and two Hobbywing motors (one per gearbox) which take the 20-kg (44-lb) vehicle up to 40 mph (64 km/h) "in a matter of seconds." Power is provided by a bank of 12 rechargeable lithium-polymer cells. These, along with the motors and other electronics, are cooled by two 40-mm fans which draw air in through vents in the front and out through exhaust ports in the rear. There's currently no word on battery life.

All of the XRC Brawler's 6-mm aluminum chassis parts can be removed and replaced if damaged
Xtreme RC

The rest of the chassis is sealed via custom gaskets, making the Brawler waterproof and thus amphibious. In fact, because it's buoyant, it actually floats on the surface of the water. By spinning its treads kind of like a paddle wheeler, it can make its way across bodies of water.

Seventy millimeters of suspension travel are provided by six springs and six dampers (three per side). A metal bumper and aluminum bash plates help the vehicle's nose cone shrug off front impacts – in the event of a particularly hard impact, that replaceable nose cone serves as a crumple zone, protecting the main chassis from damage.

Tensioners keep the XRC Brawler's tracks taut at all times
Xtreme RC

According to Xtreme RC, one of the big problems with existing RC tanks is the fact that the treads will often come off under hard acceleration or when taking sharp corners. This reportedly doesn't happen on the Brawler, thanks to a custom-designed track system along with tensioners which keep the tracks taut even when the suspension is compressed.

Perhaps a bit surprisingly, the vehicle doesn't come standard with a built-in camera, although it does have a compartment and a lens hole to accommodate one that will be available as an optional extra. It additionally has two LED light bars, to help that camera image its surroundings in the dark.

Assuming the XRC Brawler reaches production, a pledge of £373 (about US$503) will get you one of your own – that's approximately 25 percent off the estimated retail price. You can see the vehicle in action, in the video below.

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Sources: Kickstarter, Xtreme RC

View gallery - 7 images
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8 comments
paul314
At 50 mph you're going to need more than just a chin plate when you run into a tree or a rock. And of course if you run into a person you're going to need a really good lawyer.
Tristan P
Looks like great fun, but that video is pretty bad. Poorly shot (the shaky footage was making me feel sick - couldn't watch it all) and the grading makes it blend in with the grass. Plus there's big spot on the top right of the sensor which is very distracting. They really should have involved an experienced filmmaker. Anyway, good luck to them.
guzmanchinky
I still think the Traxxas Summit trucks are more fun, with locking differentials and a fantastic suspension setup. But this tank would be more fun if you could battle other tanks!
Spud Murphy
The pledges on the kickstarter page make no sense, there's a bunch of pledge levels, each one saving you more, supposedly, but each one only gives you on vehicle, regardless of how much you pledge. Can anyone make sense of their pledges, looks like a copy/paste error when setting up their pledges.
michael_dowling
Wonder what happens if it flips over,which is quite likely,given the high profile.
1stClassOPP
What are the chances of making something like that a bit bigger to fit an adult? It looks like it could be a lot of fun
ljaques
Too bad they didn't have one actually =running= to make that video. It would have been much more dramatic than the air gun in the background, or was that a hair dryer? Looks like a whole lot of fun, but the prices are screwed up on the Kickmeinthehead site. One BRC Brawler for either 343, 746, or 1120 pounds Sterling, or only $2,160 for the merch pack with one Brawler, one hoodie, and one tee. WTeverlovingH? Only $5.1k of the $12k goal has been collected so far, with 51 days left. ChaCHING for the lose!
ljaques
@1stClassOPP Try the RipSaw for the full size $300k+ monster which likely inspired this model. Try the TracFab or Der Zeisel wheelchair for a single seat. Or spend six digits for a MilREM THeMIS remote tracked base from Estonia for the real thing. (The Traxxas Slash looks like fun, at half the price.)