Redcat RDS Competition Drift Car

Redcat is releasing a competition spec rear wheel drive drift car, the Redcat RDS. The RDS is ready to run and includes all the necessary radio gear and electronics to get you on the track quickly.  As most drift competitors already own several battery packs, the RDS does not include a battery or charger.  It will accept a competition style 2S shorty LiPo pack, LCG 2S shorty pack, or a standard sized 2S stick pack. Redcat engineered the RDS, from the ground up, for a specific purpose, to compete.  The lead engineer on the project, Shane Mikula, is a seasoned drifter who owns and operates a competition drift track/hobby shop.  Mikula’s track, named TandemRC, is one of the top drift tracks in the US. Mikula has been at the centre of the drift scene for many years, getting direct feedback from fellow drifters. Through his own experience and others’, he’s definitely learned a thing or two about what competitive drifters are looking for in a competent car.  Using this knowledge, the Redcat engineering team has developed a highly competitive rear wheel drive drift car that excels on surfaces which are found on many prepared RC drift tracks, such as carpet, p-tile, and polished concrete.

The RDS can also be used on unpolished concrete and asphalt, though you may not get to experience its full capabilities on these rougher surfaces.  The RDS is ready to run and includes a 2.4GHz radio system, 540 3300kv brushless motor, 60A brushless ESC, coreless digital Hexfly Drift-Spec steering servo and a drift specific gyro. Gyros are a necessity on rear wheel drive drift cars as they allow the driver to achieve true-to-scale door to door drift action.  The included Hexfly GX-1 gyro automatically countersteers the car, enabling it to maintain a smooth arc through drifts.  The amount of automatic countersteer can be fine tuned by adjusting the amount of gain on the gyro. Competitive drifting is based on line, angle, and style.  How close someone is to the ideal line, having maximum angle throughout the run, moving through the course quickly and having minimal corrections after committing to an angle are what judges look for.  While this is mostly achieved by skill, it is also necessary to have a predictable drift car that is adjustable to your driving style. The RDS excels in this area with its lightweight carbon fiber based chassis and adjustability.

Everything on the RDS is adjustable to suit the driver’s needs, including camber, caster, toe, ackerman, roll center and center of gravity.  The motor plate can be mounted in three different positions, altering the car’s chassis roll and weight bias. This can be used to adjust the amount of traction and chassis roll the RDS has on different surfaces.  Being able to fine tune ackerman is important in drifting as it directly affects corner speed.  Redcat has made it easy to fine tune ackerman with multiple steering link positions and a sliding ackerman plate.  The RDS is loaded with tuning capabilities that will suit even the most advanced drivers.  The included RDS body looks amazing and is ready to accept an LED light kit. LED light kits are sold separately.  The RDS has front and rear light buckets that will accept four LED lights in the rear and two up front.  Whether it’s day or night, the RDS looks trick. While the RDS is an advanced competition spec drift car, it is also a perfect choice for beginners and is already set up out of the box for polished concrete and p-tile surfaces.  This means someone learning to drift can open up the RDS and start practicing with the factory settings.  Redcat is releasing several how-to videos that include beginner drifting, advanced drift techniques, initial vehicle setup, advanced chassis tuning and understanding how drift competitions work.  These videos are full of Mikula’s shared knowledge of drifting to help drifters of any skill set become more confident and competitive.

SPECIFICATIONS:
RDS: Fully Assembled with Electronics and Radio Gear
Electronics: 540 3300kv Brushless Motor / 60A Brushless ESC / GX-1 Drift Gyro
Steering Servo: Hexfly Coreless Drift-Spec Digital Servo.
Radio: 2.4GHz radio system
Chassis: Carbon Fiber Upper and Lower Deck
Drive System: 2-Wheel-Drive,
Transmission: Single-Speed with 3 Motor Positions For Adjusting CG & Weight Bias
Length: 445mm Stock
Wheelbase: 253mm – 261mm Adjustable, Stock is 257mm
Suspension: 4 Coil Over Shocks / Sliding Adjustable Ackerman
Wheels: 6-Spoke Rims with Scale Wheel Nut Covers
Tires: HDPE Drift Tires

Source: Redcat Racing [redcatracing.com]