Schumacher CAT XLS Masami Project

cat xls

The Schumacher CAT has been around for a long time.  The CAT XLS was a 4WD buggy introduced in 1986 which won a world title in 1987 driven by Masami Hirosaka.  This is a rerelease of that iconic car.  This is a 1/10 scale 4WD buggy with fiberglass chassis plates, belt drive, and four wheel double wishbone suspension.  Camber and toe are adjustable with turnbuckles.  Schumacher invented the ball differential in 1978, and this buggy uses four of them.  If this sounds strange, it is.  Read my build page to find out what they are all used for.  This model also has some of the most beautifully machined aluminum shocks I have ever seen.

Even though this is a vintage replica, the design has been updated to support brushless systems and Li-Po power.  I installed a 17.5T Hobbywing sensored motor powered by a 2s shorty pack.

I finished the model, as close as I could, to box art style.  17.5T is not a very hot brushless motor, so I'm not sure it is any faster than a reasonable brushed motor but it is very quiet and quick.  The spiked tires are quite hard so it slides and understeers a lot on pavement, but corners very well on gravel or grass.  It also jumps completely flat making it look easy.  I really like to drive this model, but it also looks great on my shelf next to other vintage 4WD buggies like the Tamiya Avante and the Kyosho Javelin.

Schumacher offers a wide range of high priced upgrades for this model, most importantly a racing transmission which costs almost as much as the kit.  So far I have resisted and my copy is box stock.

Update:  This model was destroyed in the 2022 fire.  It has not been replaced.

frame
Page 1: Assembly


Page 2: Final Photos

Description
Manufacturer
Model #
CAT XLS Masami Edition
4WD 1/10 Off Road Buggy Kit
Schumacher
K172
Justock 3650SD G2.1 2450kV
17.5T Brushless Sensored Motor
Hobbywing
30408009
25T Black Aluminum Pinion Gear
48p, 1/8" Bore
Robinson
Racing
1325
Justock XR10 G2 Brushless
Electronic Speed Control
Hobbywing
30112000
2 Channel 2.4 GHz DSMR Receiver
Spektrum
SR210
Twister High Torque
Ball Bearing Steering Servo
RC4WDZ-E0035
PS-5 Black Paint Paint
Tamiya 86005
PS-6 Yellow Paint
Tamiya 86006
PS-12 Silver Paint
Tamiya 86012
PS-31 Smoke Paint
Tamiya
86031
PS-60 Mica Red  Paint
Tamiya
86060

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©2019 Eric Albrecht