Kyosho has a long history of producing world-class vehicles, and the mere mention of the name evokes a vision of quality, competition, and innovation. In 1987 the original Ultima 2WD buggy won the IFMAR World Championship in England at the hands of legendary driver (turned Kyosho management) Joel Johnson. Not long thereafter, the Ultima program faded out and the company began to focus more on nitro vehicles. As far back as I can remember (which in this instance refers to the nine years that I've been racing), the 1/10-scale off-road market (especially in the US) has been a two-horse race. If you wanted to race competitively, you had two choices: Team Losi or Associated. Nothing else came close. The 4WD market has since been flooded with numerous offerings from several top-notch companies, which has improved the competition and increased consumer interest in the class. Now Kyosho is set to blow the 2WD scene wide open with the release of their long-anticipated revision of their Worlds-winning Ultima, dubbed the Ultima RB5. Kyosho has always been known for their dedication to excellence, and I‘m chomping at the bit to see what their latest ride is capable of. With their talented group of drivers and recent acquisition of setup phenom Gil Losi Jr., I highly doubt I'll be disappointed.

Features
With numerous world championships under their belt the team over at Kyosho definitely knows what it takes to build a first class contender in any class. They used every last bit of this knowledge to provide the RB5 with innovative (and more importantly usable) tuning options in a high quality package. Aside from bringing a new look to the 1/10-scale electric scene they have included tuning options throughout the car that offer you more variety than the competition, all while keeping your spare parts count to a minimum.

Symmetrical Suspension Arms
Any RC enthusiast knows that suspension arms are one of the most likely parts to break on your car, and nothing is more frustrating than buying pack after pack of arms just to replace the right side that you are continuously sawing off in the chicane. Luckily, Kyosho understands this frustration and designed their arms to be symmetrical, which allows you to use both arms in a replacement parts pack for either side of the car—a much more convenient and cost-effective method than the "directional arm" alternative.

Three Holes to Choose From
You read right. Kyosho has gone with an innovative rear hub design that allows you to raise or lower the rear hub depending on which hole you stick your pin in. This allows you to raise and lower your ride height and change your dogbone angle without upsetting your suspension geometry. The RB5 is also sporting vertical ball studs in the rear hubs, which makes raising or lowering your roll center as easy as including (or removing) a washer.

Flip it Good
Keeping in the spirit of innovation, the RB5 also features variable front hinge pin kick that can be adjusted simply by flipping the front suspension mount. Run it in the stock form for 25-degrees of front kick-up or flip it over for an optional 30-degrees.

Smooth to the Power of "Triple"
Kyosho shocks have always been known to be some of the best in the business, and the shocks on the RB5 are no exception. The "triple shocks" feature a top cap, threaded aluminum body, and a bottom cap housing the O-rings.

Captured Hinge Pins
In recognition of an e-clip's tendency to "go rogue" at a crucial moment in a race, the engineers at Kyosho used a captured hinge pin design throughout the entire buggy. Every hinge pin is captured by some part of the chassis or a small button head screw threaded in behind the pin. This improves reliability and prevents the frustration of a jettisoned e-clip while working in a rush, all while giving the car a clean look.

Instruction and Setup
I must say that the quality and fit of the parts in the RB5 ranks among the best I've ever seen. The instructions are a bit difficult to master and a little less straightforward than that of the competition but they are more than adequate to get the job done. The only thing I would've liked to see would be the addition of tires in the box. I realize it's a competition buggy and that most consumers will buy tires to suit their track but there are a whole slew of new enthusiasts that just need some tires to run while they improve their driving skills.

Testing
I first saw the RB5 in action at Pegasus Hobbies in Montclair, California, and it was obvious that this buggy was a contender. This observation was confirmed last month when Kyosho driver Ryan Lutz piloted his buggy into the A-Main at the ROAR 1/10-scale off-road nationals, while his teammate Joe Pillars dominated the 19-turn Buggy class. I decided that the only way to get a good feel for the buggy would be to run it on a purpose-built track and see how it compared to others I've driven. I decided that Pegasus Hobbies would be the perfect place to try her out, so I packed up the gear and headed for the track. I initially tried the car in stock trim but decided it was a little too soft for my liking. Luckily, Ryan Lutz and Doug "Casper" Nielsen were at the track to give me the setup, which I used to rate the car's abilities on the track.

Acceleration and Speed • As with any competition buggy kit, the RB5 comes sans motor and battery, leaving you to decide how fast you'd like to go. I decided that I wanted this buggy to scream, so I dropped in an LRP Sphere competition brushless speed control, coupled with their very own 5.5 motor. That setup, combined with the Peak Performance 4200 mAh battery, equaled 40 mph on the radar gun and low-end grunt that would impress even the most diehard RC gear head.
Rating: 9/9.5

Braking • This was my first experience with a brushless motor setup, and I must admit that I had no idea what to expect. To my surprise, the buggy felt almost exactly the same as others with my tried and true brushed stuff, and I had no problem grabbing a handful of brakes and pitching her through a corner. The RB5 was predictable under braking and allowed me to set up early going into turns so I could power my way through the exit.
Rating: 9
Low-Speed Handling • The RB5 has a nice, balanced feel during off-power cornering. Its stability and neutrality inspires confidence that allows you to hit consistent lines lap after lap. I personally could've used a little more aggression for transitions on the track, but I'm sure that after some more fine-tuning, I'll achieve the feel I'm looking for. Overall I think the balanced feel of the buggy will be better for the majority of consumers than the feel I'm trying to achieve.
Rating: 8.5

High-Speed Handling • Again, I was impressed by the RB5's balanced feel and its ability to maintain composure while on the edge of disaster. The stability at high speeds may be the best I've ever experienced in a 2WD off-road car, and I was sending it deep into the sweeper on each and every lap. I gave the buggy a 9.5 in this category, only because once again I could have used just a touch more steering.
Rating: 9.5

Rough-Track Handling • The surface at Pegasus Hobbies is relatively smooth on the whole, but it does have a few rough spots caused by 1/8th scale buggies and the occasional monster truck. This was definitely the car's forte as it attacked these sections without reserve. While other drivers were throttling back, I was accelerating through the roughest sections the track had to offer and loved every second of it. I had seen this car on rough tracks, before, and it appeared stable. I must say that after driving it, I understand why.
Rating: 10

Jumping • After making the change to the setup recommended by the Kyosho drivers, the buggy was a blast to power over the jumps. It was superb on both takeoff and landings, and really put the ponies to the ground when accelerating off the down side of a landing. It did get a little sketchy when I over jumped obstacles, but that could be said for any buggy in its class. Not surprisingly, the better I drove it, the better it handled.
Rating: 9

Wrenching
Maintenance • The general layout of the RB5 is quite similar to all of the other 2WD buggies I have worked on. There were no surprises, and I had an easy time making setup changes as well as cleaning the car after some hardcore romps. I must say that the shocks were a pleasure to build, and felt smooth even after I fumbled on the first building attempt. I make a point to mention their high quality to everyone I discuss the buggy with-they're that good.
Rating: 9.5

Wear and Tear • I generally consider myself to be a decent driver, but I must say I put this car through its paces. In an effort to drop the lap times, I sent her tumbling into the wall on more than one occasion, with nothing more than a scratch or two on the wing to show for it. I didn't break a single part throughout testing or during the photo shoot, and was impressed with the quality of the plastics used in this kit. To top it off, there is zero slop anywhere in the suspension after some serious running—an attribute that can be hard to come by, even in a brand new kit at times.
Rating: 10

Tuning • The RB5 offers all the standard tuning adjustments, along with some innovative ideas that sets it apart from the other players in the 1/10-scale 2WD game. The first notable option is the ability to raise or lower the rear hub using hinge pin placement. This allows for modification of the ride height with little to no change to the roll center. The other unique option is the "variable kick" front block. With this feature you have the option of running 25 or 30 degrees of front kick-up simply by flipping over the front arm mount. This means fewer parts in the toolbox, which means more cash in your pocket.
Rating: 10

Conclusion
After driving both Losi and Associated vehicles for years, I thought I had seen it all in the 2WD off-road electric category, but now the RB5 has come along and burst my comfort bubble into a million watery pieces. The car looks good, handles great, and is extremely durable, even with yours truly as the pilot. The 2WD Modified is my absolute favorite class to run, and the addition of a third company will hopefully improve the competition and give birth to a resurgence of electric off-road throughout the world. If you're in the market for a new buggy, or looking for a reason to get back into electric racing, the Kyosho RB5 might just be the best thing since sliced bread.