Spin Cobra

Spin Cobra
No.	Regular releases 19301 (Mechanical) 19450 (Premium) Limited editions 95567 (Mechanical re-issue)
Series	Mechanical Mini 4WD Fully Cowled Mini 4WD (Premium)
Chassis	Mechanical chassis Super-II Chassis (Premium)
Release Date	Regular releases July 10, 1996 (Mechanical) May 27, 2017 (Premium) Limited editions May 16, 2020 (Mechanical re-issue)
In Fictional Media
First Appearance	Bakusou Kyoudai Let's & Go!
Owner	Tokichi Mikuni

The Spin Cobra (Japanese: スピンコブラ, Supin Kobura) is a Mechanical Mini 4WD released by Tamiya on July 10, 1996. It was the first Mini 4WD car in the Mechanical Mini 4WD car lineup. A Premium variant of the car was released as a Fully Cowled Mini 4WD car on May 27, 2017.

It was featured in the manga and anime Bakusou Kyoudai Let's & Go! and Bakusou Kyoudai Let's & Go! WGP as Tokichi Mikuni's second machine, replacing his Spin-Axe in the series.

General info

Compare to the Spin-Axe, the Spin Cobra has some major differences: The inclusion of the triangle side wings on the rear of the front wheel fenders, the removal of the front wheel guards, the change from vertical fins to straight fins as well as the use of the silver-plated chassis. The silver-plated, bellows-shaped bonnet on the front of the original Spin Cobra can be removed, revealing part of the mechanical chassis. The decal design, unlike the Spin-Axe, is mostly symmetrical, with the 'Spin Cobra' decal on the front.

As the bodyshell of the original Spin Cobra was molded in clear plastic, it can be painted in any color. The preferred color is mach blue. It has the yellow and red, thunder-styled body decals. When given modification, it can be attached to any shaft-driven chassis, preferably Super-1 Chassis, Super-II Chassis, VS Chassis, Super TZ, Super TZ-X, Super-FM and AR Chassis.

The Premium variant has the bodyshell molded in metallic blue, and like the Proto-Saber Evolution Premium, the front bonnet is now part of the bodyshell rather than a separate piece and is not removable. The foil sticker set of the Premium variant also includes parts for the bonnet and side wings. Minor design changes has been made in order to make it fit onto the rear-motor chassis.

The Premium variant was equipped with the deep gold, 3-spoke Fully Cowled-type wheels paired with the black treaded radial tires. The Premium variant was equipped with the polycarbonate-mixed ABS chassis.molded in white, with A parts molded in gun metal. It was also equipped with the easy locking gear cover molded in blue.

In the manga and anime

Spoiler alert! This section of the article may contains details concerning the progression of the plot. If you do not want it to be spoiled for you, skip this section!

In the manga, the Spin Cobra was developed alongside Proto-Saber Evolution in order to fight against Ogami's group. However, due to time-constraints, J placed development priority on the Spin Cobra and thus it was the first car to be completed and was given to Tokichi. In the anime, the Spin Cobra was being developed by the Mikuni Group with the help from Dr.Tsuchiya. However, its development was delayed as the chassis was snatched by Tokichi's little sister Chiiko and used to create the Flower-Axe with the bodyshell she made (which was based on Tokichi's Spin-Axe's). Tokichi eventually managed to get back the chassis as soon as the Flower-Axe's bodyshell was destroyed by Beak Spider's wind cutter, thus the development of Spin Cobra was completed.

In both media, the Spin Cobra has the aerodynamic adjustment system on the rear of the front cowls. In the manga, it has the rollers hidden in the side wings as well as the electronic steering system which was controlled by the microchip inside it, while in the anime it has the aluminum honeycamb-like composite bodyshell that can neutralizes the Beak Spider's wind cutter attack. Where the manga version has the mechanical chassis, the anime version has the white, front-motor chassis.

In WGP, it was once converted into the double-motor setup, but was later reverted back to the front-motor setup after the trouble caused by said setup. During the race against Rosso Strada, the Spin Cobra was severely damaged when it was impaled on a statue. While the Spin Cobra was quickly replaced by the Spin-Viper following the race in the manga, the anime has the Spin Cobra repaired and Tokichi enter the race with both machines, temporaily filling a empty grid spot left by Retsu when he was absence due to injury. Following the race, the Spin Cobra was retired from the WGP and reverted into a normal Mini 4WD car, as its techniques were passed onto the Spin-Viper during the race.

Technical info

Variant

Body

Chassis

Wheels

Tires

Motor

Dimensions

Gear

Display model (19301, 95567)

Color: Clear Material: PS

Type: Display model Frame: Silver Plated, PS A parts: Gun Metal, PS

Size: Small Type: Mecahnical (Spin Cobra) Spoke: N/A Fitment: Staggered Color: Silver Plated Material: PS

Size: Small Type: Mechanical Treaded Color: Black Material: Med. Elastomer

N/A

Length: 129 Width: 86 Height: 37

N/A

Premium (19450)

Color: Metallic Blue Material: ABS

Type: Super-II Frame: White, Polycarbonate-mixed ABS A parts: Gun Metal, ABS

Size: Small Type: Fully Cowled-Type Spoke: 3 Fitment: Staggered Color: Deep Gold Material: Polypropylene

Size: Small Type: Treaded Radial Color: Black Material: Med. Elastomer

Standard

Length: 150 Width: 97 Height: 38

4:1

Gallery

Boxarts

Boxart of the display model.

Boxart of the Premium variant.

Trivia

• Despite being made for the rear-motor chassis, the bodyshell of the Premium variant has the cutout lines pre-engraved under its bonnet, allowing racers to modify it for the front-motor chassis.

See also

• Spin-Axe
• Spin-Viper
• Spin-Axe Mk.II
• Spin-Axe Zero

External link

Tamiya Japan

• Spin Cobra on Tamiya Japan (Japanese)
• Spin Cobra Premium on Tamiya Japan
• Spin Cobra (Reissue) on Tamiya Japan

Tamiya America

• Spin Cobra Premium on Tamiya America
• Spin Cobra (Reissue) on Tamiya America