The Original Mini 4WD (Japanese: ミニ四駆, Mini Yonku) series, simply known as Mini 4WD, Comical Mini 4WD and RV Mini 4WD by Shogakukan's magazines, is the first Mini 4WD car line-up introduced by Tamiya on July 13, 1982.
Unlike the rest of the Mini 4WD series, the mini cars in the Original Mini 4WD line-up wasn't designed for racing as they uses the combination of worm gears and spur gears. All the mini cars in this line-up are licensed real-life vehicles. Featuring in this line-up is the long-wheelbase Origin Chassis and Origin-2 Chassis, the short-wheelbase Comical Chassis, the temporary Cruiser Chassis and the final RV Chassis.
The first four of the Origin Chassis vehicles were also released under the name of Sand Scorchers in the United States, distributed by Model Rectifier Corporation (which also distributed early Racing Mini 4WD cars).
List of Mini 4WD cars[]
- Ford Ranger 4x4 Pickup (Origin Chassis) (Released on July 13, 1982)
- Chevrolet Pickup 4x4 (Origin Chassis) (Released on July 13, 1982)
- Toyota Hilux 4x4 (Origin-2 Chassis) (Released on October 14, 1982)
- Nissan Safari (Origin-2 Chassis) (Released on November 16, 1982)
- Range Rover (Origin-2 Chassis) (Released on November 16, 1982)
- Honda City Turbo (Comical Chassis) (Released on February 25, 1984)
- Mitsubishi Pajero Wagon 2000 Turbo XL (Comical Chassis) (Released on March 22, 1984)
- Mercedes-Benz 280 GE (Comical Chassis) (Released on April 18, 1984)
- Mercedes-Benz Unimog (Comical Chassis) (Released on June 4, 1985)
- Wild Willy Jr. (Comical Chassis) (Released on July 11, 1985)
- Suzuki Jimny (Comical Chassis) (Released on August 8, 1985)
- Toyota Land Cruiser (Team ACP) ('89 Paris-Dakar version, '90 Paris-Dakar version) (Crusier Chassis) (Released on July 29, 1989)
- Mitsubishi Pajero Metaltop Wide (RV Chassis) (Released on December 20, 1994)
- Toyota Rav4 (RV Chassis) (Released on December 20, 1994)
- Isuzu MU (RV Chassis) (Released on April 18, 1995)
- Toyota Hilux Surf SSR-G (RV Chassis) (Released on January 23, 1996)
- Toyota Ipsum L-Selection EX (RV Chassis) (Released on July 30, 1996)
- Toyota Land Cruiser Prado RZ (RV Chassis) (Released on August 21, 1996)
- Isuzu VehiCROSS (RV Chassis) (Released in May 1997)
- Toyota Land Cruiser 100 Wagon (RV Chassis) (Released in January 1998)
- Suzuki Jimny Wide (RV Chassis) (Released in July 1998)
- Mitsubishi Pajero V6 3500 (RV Chassis) (Released in September 1999)
Gallery[]
| Mini 4WD series | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Original Mini 4WD ·  · 
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| 1990 |  ·  ·  ·  ·  ·  · 
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| 2000 |  · 
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| 2010 | 
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| 2020 | 
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| Others | EVO Chassis Set · Beginner's Mini 4WD | |