VehiclesHPI Racing

HPI Racing

HPI Racing is an RC car maker that Tatsuro Watanabe started as Hobby Products International in Southern California in 1986, and whose first car kit was the Super F1.1

VehiclesHistory and background

Founded
1986, in Southern California1
Headquarters
Viborg, Denmark2
Company
Hobby Products International; came under Ripmax ownership in 2016, with Vestergaard Group as major shareholders from 20191
Brands
Maverick, its entry-level brand3

Key models

HPI Racing vehicles

Buggies

2WD and 4WD off-road race buggies

Truggies

Buggy chassis with wider arms and truck tires

Stadium trucks

Short course

Rally

About HPI Racing

What it stands for

HPI says "Excitement is what it is all about" and that its cars and trucks are "renowned for their exceptional durability, innovative designs and high quality."1 It builds for "hobbyists of all ages, from beginners to enthusiasts," and says the Savage "helped define RC bashing."1,4

Known for

HPI credits its RS4 as one of the very first electric touring car racers, the Nitro RS4 with starting the nitro touring car movement, and the Micro RS4 with creating the 1/18 scale car category.1 Its designs were the basis for the HB race cars that won IFMAR world titles in 2006 and 2008.1

Product portfolio

Almost everything comes ready to run, with Flux marking the brushless versions. Monster trucks and crawlers make up the largest shares. Scales run from the 1/18 Venture18 crawlers and Mini-King truck to the 1/8 Savage X and XL monster trucks, Vorza buggies and truggies, and WR8 rally cars. In 1/10, Jumpshot 2WD monster, short course and stadium trucks come in brushed V2 and Flux versions, beside Venture trail trucks, RS4 Sport 3, Sprint 2 and E10 touring and drift cars, and the rear-drive Stage-D10 drift line. Nitro Star engines power the Savage, Vorza and Bullet nitro models. Creator Edition kits come as a built chassis without electronics.6

Timeline

  1. 1986Tatsuro Watanabe starts Hobby Products International in Southern California.1
  2. 1987Its Uno motors win a World Championship title.1
  3. 2002The Savage 21 nitro monster truck.4
  4. 2006The HB Cyclone, from the HB race brand built on HPI designs, wins the IFMAR touring car world title with Andy Moore.1
  5. 2008The HB D8 wins the IFMAR 1/8 buggy world title with Atsushi Hara.1,5
  6. 2016In its 30th anniversary year, HPI and HB part ways and HPI Racing comes under the ownership of Ripmax.1
  7. 2019Ownership changes again, with the Vestergaard Group of Scandinavia as major shareholders.1

Sources

  1. HPI Racing, About HPI Racing.
  2. HPI Racing, Contact.
  3. HPI Racing, The Maverick RC website is LIVE!, 3 March 2017.
  4. HPI Racing, Savage X 4.6 GT-6 (160585).
  5. LiveRC, WORLDS: A list of every former 1/8-scale nitro off-road world champion, 2 October 2016.
  6. HPI Racing, Sport 3 Creator Edition (118000).