84000 series

This is the series Tamiya mostly used for limited edition items (models and parts) during the years 2000-2015. By the end of 2016, Tamiya stopped using the series, but surprisingly, this happened to be a brutal decision: several limited edition models currently under production and sale had to be “transfered” to the new 47300 series (seen before). This rush for unknown reasons had a side effect: some models exist under two different references but are strictly identical.

As a side note, the Porsche 934 RSR 40th Anniversary is not the last model of the series: the TFR102 Black Edition is, but it is listed in the TRF kits article.

92000 series

Even though this series is one of the oldest still in activity (it probably started back in 1988), it doesn't look to have been much used by Tamiya. Several models also seem to have been made upon special request of some national distributors: caution though, this is an assumption based on some models, not a confirmed fact.

93000 series

This series is quite old too, and not often used either, despite several recent models. Again, it is hard to determine what makes these models special and why they are numbered in this series.

Last but not least...

Among all the models listed in this article, two of them caught my attention.

The first of them is the Grasshopper II Super G: of course, I knew about its existence but the information I had collected so far was suspiciously blurry about its exact reference. And yet, after more digging, it appeared the kit existed in several versions:

• 58074: normal version not "Super G"
• 49501: Mabuchi 540 motor + yellow rims + yellow friction dampers
• 49501: Mabuchi 540 motor + yellow rims + yellow hydraulic dampers
• 49501: Mabuchi 540 motor + green rims + yellow friction dampers
• 49501: Mabuchi 540 motor + green rims + yellow hydraulic dampers
• 92018: Mabuchi 540 motor + yellow rims + yellow friction dampers (only in Japan)
• 93007 : exact content is not confirmed, presumably, it would be the 92018 japanese version but for export

All these versions were released at about the same period, that is between 1988 and 1990. Anyway, such a “chaos” in the references and contents is exceptional for Tamiya.

The second model that caught my attention is the ultra-rare 92001 kit: I think it is the second limited RC item after the ultra-rare Black Porsche 934 RSR that was released to celebrate the first 100.000 sold units of the first RC model from Tamiya.

The 92001 kit is a special edition of the Road Wizard that was presumably sold only in Japan. The box in Footwork (FW Sports) livery is an over-package containing a standard Road Wizard box with 2 lexan bodies, but the JPS sticker sheet is replaced with a Footwork sticker sheet (Canon and Tamiya Motorsport sticker sheets are still there). The Footwork box also contains one complete Futaba Attack FP-2NBL radio set, one Futaba MC112B electronic speed controller, one white paint spray can for lexan and the Tamiya 5515 pack (quick charger + 1200mah NICD battery pack).

Alright, now the full story about this special model:

Before it became a Formula One team at the beginning of the 90's, Footwork had already been active in the Japanese F2 championship (and later F3000) during the 80's. In 1987, the Footwork car driven by Aguri Suzuki finished second at the All Japan F3000 championship before winning the championship the following year. The limited “FW Sports” Road Wizard edition celebrates one of these results: either the second place of the 1987 championship if the kit was released in 1987 as we believe, or the 1988 championship victory if the assumed released date is incorrect. In both cases, the Road Wizard kit evolutions (Lotus 99T and Williams FW11B) were already released when this special FW Sports edition was released, meaning that Tamiya “recycled” an old kit to make this promotional item.

To better understand this model, you need to remember the context at the end of the 80's: back then, Formula 1 was the ultimate automobile discipline. All over the world, and in Japan probably more than anywhere else, F1 drivers were seen as living heroes. In addition to this, the Japanese manufacturer Honda was involved in F1 as a motorist since 1983, but from 1986 to 1991, Honda motors won every F1 world championship: the F1 craze is at its peak in Japan. In this context, young Footwork team driver Aguri Suzuki finished second of the Japan F3000 championship behind Kazuyoshi Hoshino, the best Japanese driver of all times. Because Kazuyoshi Hoshino's career was ending (he was 40 in 1987), all expectations of the Japanese fans were on the young Aguri Suzuki, even more the following year after he beat legend Kazuyoshi Hoshino and won the Japanese F3000 championship. And because the Japanese F3000 championship was the best cradle you could imagine for a Japanese driver pretending to a seat in Formula 1...

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• 58300 series kits
• 58400 series kits
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• 58600 series kits
• XB Pro series
• Tamiya re-releases