Right now, short course trucks are all the rage in radio control.  I’m not exactly sure why - maybe it’s the realistic looks of them.  Short course trucks don’t typically have the wide, opened-wheeled characteristic look of RC trucks, which certainly adds to the appeal of realism.  While HPI started the short course idea with their Baja 5T, it was Traxxas that really brought it into the mainstream with their Slash.

So what is a short course truck?  Generally, it’s a 2WD electric chassis with a 540-sized brushed motor. Pretty basic for starters, but many bashers and racers will add brushless power, and Traxxas just introduced a 4WD Slash, so we could see other RC manufacturers follow suit.

The HPI Blitz is a ready-to-run truck based on the E-Firestorm, which is a proven platform. It features a brushless-ready transmission with all-metal gears and a sealed differential.  Steel dogbones bring the power to the wheels, and adjustable oil-filled shocks and multiple mounting points allow fine tuning of the truck’s suspension. The stock truck is powered by the inexpensive 15-turn HPI Firebolt 540-type brushed motor, which provides surprisingly good performance.  No, it will not compete against brushless trucks, but it provides enough performance to keep most drivers satisfied.

The quality of the vehicle is excellent.  Plastic parts are cleanly finished, and trademark HPI engineered durability is evident in the Baja-inspired swiveling bumpers, and stiff plastic tub chassis.  The front and rear suspension units and gearbox are quickly and easily removed with just a few screws.  It’s clear that HPI designed the Blitz to be very easiy to work on either at home or trackside.  HPI is known to use high quality plastics and the Blitz is no exception and the ATTK-10 body is very nicely finished in either black or orange primary colors.  The Blitz is only available as an RTR at this time, though many HPI option parts are available.

The radio gear is the HPI AM 27MHz system, which works perfectly fine with no glitching.  An FM system would have been better, but HPI likely assumed most serious drivers will upgrade the radio system anyway, and this system keeps the price of the RTR package reasonable.  The radio gear consists of the HPI TF-1 two-channel transmitter, SC-15 speed controller, and RF-6 receiver.   Some notes on this radio gear to keep in mind - first, HPI does not recommend using a 7-cell battery pack with it and there is no reverse-lockout for racing.  Not a big deal, but I really would have liked to use a 7-cell pack with the Blitz, as I feel it would improve performance substantially.

Performance is very good - quick handling with fantastic traction thanks to the Maxxis-licensed Trepador tires. The steering is fairly precise, but could be improved.  The truck is surprisingly lightweight, which translates into a vehicle that can tackle more than appears possible.  After several battery packs through the truck in hard terrain, there were no signs of breakage, leaks, or any other issues.  The metal-gear

Top speed is about 20mph, which is quite fast for a truck with a stock 540-type motor.  In sharp turns on tarmac, the Blitz will drift out of turns nicely, thanks to its light weight and great low-end power.  It accelerates out of turns quickly and reaches its top speed within a very short space.  For short course track racing, the Firebolt provides plenty of power for even seasoned drivers.  Bashers might want a bit more power, however, especially if you’re planning on running on tarmac often.

Now that Traxxas, HPI, Team Associated, Losi, and Kyosho all have short course trucks, there are plenty of options out there, but HPI’s pedigree of high performance, durability, and track proven designs should place the Blitz at the top of your list of short course trucks.

:: RCDriver.com video showing the HPI Blitz in action ::

Related Links:

• HPI Racing
• HPI Blitz Forum