Traxxas 2021 Corvette Stingray 4-Tec 3.0 Review

With all the size elements of the actual mid-engine supercar in 1/10 scale, we have the 2021 Corvette Stingray in R/C form. We discuss the scale Corvette body, this new vehicle, and the upgraded 4-Tec 3.0 chassis that supports it. Is the new Corvette Stingray really that awesome? Let's investigate.

With a top speed of nearly 200 mph and close to 500 horsepower, the new 2021 Corvette Stingray is an incredible vehicle. An officially licensed scale version is now available for a fraction of the price for you R/C enthusiasts. The R/C version is ready to fly and has four pre-painted body colors. The body is painted and detailed straight out of the box, and the electronics are pre-assembled.

What do you need to get on the road?

To drive the automobile, you'll need the following:

1. Four AA batteries are required for the accompanying TQ transmitter.
2. The car itself needs a battery pack that is compatible with 2S LiPo or nickel metal hydride.
3. A suitable Traxxas charger is required.

Lexan Body with Hard Plastic Accessories

The primary material used to construct this body is Lexan, which is then painted, detailed, and finished with complex plastic scale details. An excellent illustration of these elements is the headlight and front grille area. The headlights are ready for you to install your LED lights or purchase the Traxxas LED light kit separately, even though they are omitted.

Scale Detail

This car's scale detail is what makes it so amazing.

• The reflecting decals on the plastic side mirrors are a great touch.
• There are blacked-out windows.
• The front windshield has realistic wipers.
• The enormous scale bolt-on side intakes are also quite noticeable and look fantastic on this body.

Visible Engine Bay

The engine bay, which is fully shown for everyone to see, is the next significant element of this body and possibly the most impressive. You can see the scale accessories and decals that show off the 16-valve V8 engine, even though it's simply clear Lexan and not glass. The engine bay's underside is also visible. Although the underside is shut off, you can still access it to change the engine's specifics.

Realistic Finishes

Down the back, we're following the racing stripes. The Corvette Stingray's rear end is finished with more realistic elements, such as our sleek taillights and a hard plastic spoiler. Like the headlights, they are prepared for LEDs, but those will have to be bought separately.

Quick-Release Body System

The revolutionary Traxxas quick-release body system is one of this body's most awesome R/C features. This technique fastens the body to the chassis using concealed clips below.

This little but crucial element removes the visible body clips that typically rest on the body. The absence of obvious body clips gives the Stingray the crisp, lifelike appearance it merits. The speed at which this quick-release system can be used is its second component.

Clipless Body

If we turn the car around, one clip is visible in the front bumper and another in the back. You reach underneath, pinch each clip, and lift when you're ready to remove the body. To install the body, you position it, press down, and clip it in. It isn't easy to express how incredible and practical this system is, and it's by far the quickest to use of all the clipless systems we tested.

4-Tec 3.0 Chassis

Let's now examine the new 4-Tec 3.0 chassis, which lacks conventional body mounts but otherwise appears like a typical 4WD touring car. Instead, the rear mount floats behind the shock tower, and our front clipless system is integrated into the front bumper mount.

4-Tec 3.0 Parts

The rest of the setup is quite typical. It has oil-filled shocks, independent front and rear suspension, front and rear gear differentials, and a low center of gravity mid-motor arrangement. A steel center driveshaft is another feature.

At high RPM driving, the drive shaft is supported by bearings to run true and straight. The 4-Tec 3.0 employs single-piece steel driveshafts at each corner for the remaining driveshafts.

4-Tec 3.0 Electronics

We have the Traxxas 2075 waterproof steering servo for the electronics, which has a good feature called an adjustable servo saver. Additionally, we have a watertight receiver enclosure that protects our mini receiver. The bundled ESC is the XL-5 brushed ESC, which uses the Traxxas ID battery connector and has a maximum LiPo limit of 2S. A Traxxas 12T 550-sized motor that uses an easily accessible fixed mesh system provides the motor power.

4 -Tec 3.0 Gears

The spur gear cover is easily removed by removing the four screws keeping it in place, which releases the motor. This fixed-gear mesh system can accept a pinion gear range of 17T to 27T and is only compatible with the 72T spur gear that is provided.

The car comes with an 18T pinion gear that is perfect for daily driving.

How fast does the Traxxas Corvette go?

We used our fully charged Traxxas 2S LiPo to test the gearing using the SkyRC GPS speed meter. After a few passes, while driving back and forth on the open road, we reached a high speed of 22 mph.

For added speed, Traxxas has a second pinion gear. Although it is a more significant 22T, this gearing is solely used for testing high speeds and is too tall for daily driving. To test it out, we put the 22T pinion on the vehicle, charged the batteries, and gave it another go. This time, we were able to reach 28 mph.

Traxxas 4-Tec 2.0 vs 4-Tec 3.0

Although the automobile is built to sustain much higher straight-line speeds, it can only drive so fast without the use of more potent brushless electronics. Here, the older 4-Tec 2.0 and the 3.0 are contrasted. The 3.0 is obviously much longer than the 2.0. The interior design and components, however, are nearly the same.

Touring Car Comparison

We have another comparison here. A genuine competitive touring vehicle is on the right, a Fazer Mk2 touring car is in the middle, and our Corvette is on the left. The shorter length of the Fazer Mk2 compared to the 4-Tec 3.0 is also not surprising. Unexpectedly, however, the touring car is somewhat shorter than the Fazer Mk2.

4 -Tec 3.0 Wheelbase

Cars with shorter wheelbases typically have higher nimbleness and steering agility. As a result, they excel in situations with sharp turns, such as a racetrack. On the other hand, automobiles with a longer wheelbase are excellent for speed runs since they are typically more comfortable and stable, especially at higher speeds.

Corvette Tires

Traxxas went ahead and fitted the Stingray with brand-new tires and wheels to further support this. Compared to the original tire—or any other touring car tire, for that matter—they have a bigger diameter.

Therefore, the tires are wider by 4 mm on each side, in addition to being longer and taller in diameter. A wider tire improves stability and broadens the car's stance. Consequently, the 4-Tec 3.0 is wider and longer than the 2.0.

Corvette Wheels

The lower size of aftermarket tires may be a problem for certain people, even though they will fit the Stingray's unique tires. Using a shorter tire is similar to gearing down on the motor pinion, other than the apparent aesthetic difference. In actuality, the smaller tire generates higher initial torque but less top speed. To combat this, you might use smaller tires and gear up on the pinion.

It's something to keep in mind if you wish to replace the factory tires; it's not a problem.

Great for new and experienced R/C fans.

Thus, the 4-Tec 3.0 uses an extended chassis. With its metal driveshaft, large tires, and wheels, it's ready for huge power enjoyment. The bundled electronics are excellent for someone new to R/C. However, for those who want to go all out, the car is equipped with brushless electronics and ready to go.

I wonder if Traxxas will eventually release a VXL version.

Summary

We had a terrific time in the parking lot with the Corvette Stingray. Our lot racing was fantastic, and the steering was incredibly accurate and sharp. Try going up and down a private road if you're sick of crashing around—we did!

After all of our driving, the car and body were in perfect condition, with no parts breaking. There is some redness on the body from the few curbs we hit, but it is not really noticeable.

Dust entering the engine bay is the worst thing we can say about the vehicle. To seal that up, I would apply a tiny bead of silicone around the edge. However, use caution because the silicone may potentially pull up the paint if or when the engine bay is removed.

The Corvette Stingray is a fantastic little car with a great body fastening system. Adding a powerful brushless system to the car and seeing how fast it can go would be amazing, but that could be for another time.