First Impressions: New Bright RC Frenzy 1/10 Brushless Stadium Truck
As a parent, I want to share the passion I have for the R/C hobby with my kids. I also don’t want to spend a decent amount of money on a vehicle that will be repeatedly rammed into a curb and broken within the first five minutes of use. Thankfully, there are some toy-grade radio-controlled vehicles that have begun to incorporate hobby-grade aspects into their models, allowing young drivers a higher-end experience for a reasonable price.
New Bright is one brand who has been gradually adding in hobby-grade assets on their R/C models. Their latest release is the RC Frenzy, a 1/10-scale stadium truck, blends together a polycarbonate body, adjustable shocks, a 2.4GHz radio, and a brushless motor. Yes folks, BRUSHLESS.
What’s Included:
- 1 RC Frenzy 1/10-scale, 2-wheel drive Stadium Truck - $159.99 (Toys R Us)
- 1 pistol-grip controller
- 1 9.6V Li-Ion battery
- 1 9.6V Li-Ion battery charger
- 1 Instruction manual
Unboxing the New Bright RC Frenzy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAceWjzG8x8
Initial thoughts on the New Bright RC Frenzy:
When I hear the word “brushless” my mind immediately equates that to “fast”. And rightfully so, as one of the benefits of a brushless powerplant is the smooth, raw speed that it can generate (when geared correctly). To hold a Toys R Us aisle R/C car up to the same standards as a hobby-shop brushless machine might be a tall order fill, but I had a hope that this machine might come close.
While at a nearby park, I spotted a parking lot that would serve as an excellent testing ground for this machine. If it was as fast as I’d hoped it to be, the sprawling lot would provide plenty of room to roam, slide, and jump.
I gently (but not too gently) tossed the RC Frenzy onto the pavement, watching the suspension compress and rebound as it gladly accepted the task I’d given it. As soon as it settled, I mashed the throttle on my transmitter and waited for the fireworks. While the takeoff takes a bit longer than expected, this truck really picks up speed, and in a hurry. It flew (figuratively) across the parking lot and tore off through the grass, where wheelspin caused the momentum to slow, but not stop. I was able to navigate back onto the pavement and make a handful of end-to-end runs, dipping into some dirt patches and venturing onto the grass.
When Push Comes to Shove
The soft rubber tires provide plenty of grip, and the foam inserts are just firm enough to prevent sloppy handling performance. The only steering issue that came into focus was a terrible case of understeer (or “push”, if you’re a stock car aficionado). The treads on the rear tires are knobby and feature fantastic grip. The front tires utilize a grooved pattern, with fins or bands of raised rubber appearing in a measured pattern across the tire surface. The lack of “knobbies” is what I feel causes this understeer condition, which can pose a challenge when a split-second turn needs to be made.
Rough and Tumble
Not only did my parking lot run allow me to test out the speed and handling, but it also presented opportunities to test the impact-resistance of the front bumper. In other words, I flipped it a few times. No matter how spectacular the crash was, the New Bright RC Frenzy came out of it intact and looking great (with a few additional mud and dirt decals to boot).
While this vehicle does have a few quirks, there’s no denying how fun it is to hold wide open and drive. Next up, I’ll put this into the hands of some younger drivers to see what they think and how they react to having control of a powerful brushless motor at their fingertips.
If you're interested in learning more, get additional details about the RC Frenzy stadium truck on New Bright's website.
Where to buy the New Bright RC Frenzy:
- Target - $149.99
- Amazon (rebranded as the Beast) - $171.99
