| The beginnings of the remote control car can | | | | gas-powered cars which were sold in the early |
| be traced back to the 1940s, when small, | | | | 1970s. |
| nitromethane-powered engines first entered | | | | |
| the market. At the time, the only way to | | | | During that period, several commercial |
| control an engine-powered model car was with | | | | products were manufactured by small firms in |
| a tether. While these cars were fast, they | | | | the United States. Most of these companies |
| merely ran in a circle from the tether. In | | | | started out as slot car companies, then moved |
| the late 1960s, the first miniaturized solid | | | | into the remote control car field, which was |
| state radio control systems were introduced, | | | | becoming more popular. Early kits were 1/8 |
| allowing model cars to have servo-controlled | | | | scale nitro-powered aluminum flat pan cars |
| steering, throttle, and brake functionality | | | | powered by a .21 or smaller engine, with the |
| that could be remotely controlled from a | | | | bodies made of polycarbonate. |
| transmitter unit. | | | | |
| | | | In 1976, the Japanese firm Tamiya released a |
| Several early commercially viable remote | | | | series of highly detailed but mechanically |
| control cars became available by 1966, | | | | simple electric on-road car models. Although |
| produced by El-Gi (Elettronica Giocattoli), a | | | | more expensive, these kits and radio systems |
| company from Reggio Emilia, Italy. Their | | | | sold quickly. Soon, Tamiya began to produce |
| first remote control car model was a 1:12 | | | | more purpose-built remote-controlled model |
| Ferrari 250LM. This was followed by their | | | | cars, and were the first to release off-road |
| 1:10 Ferrari P4 model, which was first shown | | | | buggies with real suspension systems. This |
| at the Milan Toy Fair in early 1968. Between | | | | allowed remote control cars to be driven |
| the mid to late 1960s, a British company | | | | virtually anywhere, not just on bitumen and |
| called Mardave also began to produce | | | | smooth surfaces. It was this development |
| commercially viable remote control cars. | | | | toward the off-road class that brought about |
| Their first products were nitro- or | | | | much of the hobby's popularity. |