Hot Bodies D4 review

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Can you give us a little background on Hot Bodies – where they started, when they became a part of HPI?
Hot Bodies was originally started as a option brand – doing ‘hot’ bodyshells, gradually moving onto option parts. Hotbodies was started by Tatsuro Watanabe who also owns HPI as a side project. Hot Bodies officially became part of HPI around 18 months ago.

What is the relationship between Hot Bodies and HPI, is it right to assume Hot Bodies is the more race-oriented of the two?
HPI do more of the RTR / Fun vehicles. Hot Bodies now the racing arm.

HPI used to compete at a high level with their own series of touring cars – was there a reason to move the touring and competition based line up to Hot Bodies, perhaps an image problem?
No image problem but rather than two brands clashing we made the split.

How long was the Cyclone D4 in prototype / test form before taking the 2006 Worlds Warm-up in Japan?
We knew about it around Nurnberg Toy Fair 2006.

Until a virtually finished and complete car was shown at the 2007 Nurnburg toy fair, and on oOple.com (thanks Adam), there was absolutely no information or revealing spy shots of the car. Where did you test and develop the car before this time?
Mostly in Japan, especially as the World Championships are there this year – Tatsuro wanted to equal the success we achieved in the touring class.

Who were the main designers involved in the project, was there a leading influence to get the project off the ground in the first place? Also where was the design work done, all in Japan or spread around the various divisions of HPI / Hot Bodies?
Fujiwara-san is the main designer of the car in Japan. Atsushi Hara was one of the racers that tested and helped develop the car along with Daisuke Yoshioka. There are designers in all three main divisions (Japan, Europe & USA) but Japan was chosen for this project.

Damage Report:
John raced the car on some of the most punishing tracks around - and knowing John, met with every lump of concrete or miscelanious hard protruding track marker possible. Sorry John!.

The damage was few and far between - this is a strong car. But some are worth mentioning. The rear hub was first to break, but this was purely because we raised the ball stud without using a longer item - not enough remained in the hub so the first impact broke it. No problem there.

The front shock tower is, like on many other 4WD cars, right in the firing line during a crash. During the first race we cracked it - no real surprise here and not really a design problem. It could be stronger but then something else might break (such as the gearbox top it's mounted to). Unless you have a really major crash, the shock towers on the D4 are more than capable of finishing a race meeting when cracked.