The HPI Savage is back, again... again?

[Nick]

Bit slow with the news on this one which probably shows how eagerly excited we are on the new HPI Savage...

 

 

 

They have been slowly revealing it on social media, with the latest being this:

 

 

 

No other info yet but looks like TVPs are still a "feature". 

View full news article

[tomr]

A couple more pics 

 

 

 

[Alex97]

I think they could have fitted a few more pre loaders on the shocks 😂

[PraetoR]

I like the styling. It's butch as all hell, which it should be! Curved lines are for "sexy" cars... a Savage should have the subtlety of a sledgehammer!

EDIT: The newer photos showed up after I posted: Unfortunately, the colours and the "graffiti" paint look naff! Gunmetal, please!

 

I see it has large wheel nuts; has that fixed one of the weak points from before? Some folks on this forum were complaining about them.

 

I REALLY want HPI to succeed. Here's hoping they've built a Savage for 2021 and not 2001. HPI need to start bringing it to the likes of Arrma & Traxarse.

Edited September 19, 2021 by PraetoR

[Ross9999992]

90’s Volvo inspired shell - nitro fuel tank still straddling the tvp - still the shoddy looking anodised aluminium hinge pin holders and only 4 shocks.

 

This is the “new” savage you say?

[Kpowell911]

44 minutes ago, Ross9999992 said:

90’s Volvo inspired shell - nitro fuel tank still straddling the tvp - still the shoddy looking anodised aluminium hinge pin holders and only 4 shocks.

 

This is the “new” savage you say?

4 shocks is fine, 8 was always stupid. But being plastic and non threaded in 2021 is criminal. 
 

Ive posted my thoughts in a status….

 

Honestly, HPI are one of the cornerstones of RC to me, I hold them in such a high regard. But that period has finished in my opinion, theyre a shadow of their former selves. This doesnt convince me. I dont think they are financially capable of putting in the research & development to build a capable competitor to Arrma and Traxxas in 2021. But looking at the above it wont be much different to the ageing nigh on 2 decades old Savage. That will be fine, if its priced accordingly, but its probably going to be priced at £500+ for the Flux, which isnt going to do it any favours. I can already see the prehistoric clip loaded plastic bodied shocks, I bet its still got rear tie rods and non captured hinge pins. It still looks a pig to work on. However, it does look like it has proper 17mm hexes?

 

Badge it as Maverick, price it like a Corally and I think itll have some legs?

Edited September 19, 2021 by Kpowell911

[Nitroholic]

Suspension, TVP's, diff housings and underpinnings all look pretty much unchanged. Even down to the bendy bumper mounts... which isa good news for new owners and existing owners, as I bet 95% of whats there is the good old Savage

 

The exterior has been revamped, and the shell is...well...I don;t like it..... but on a Savage, the shell is a temporary thing. They chunked up the bumpers themselves, which I like. SO nice to see proper 17mm hexes. The old ones were total junk. Tiny little nut with a big washer that never tightened properly, and never held the wheels solidly. I like the wheels too.

The E version also has been made a lot neater inside, with covers over hte servo and radio box at the front, and neat mesh covered plastic battery trays.  It looks very tidy inside, which I like..,...as long as it's not just a bunch of crud-traps

 

'only' 4 shocks.... well...4 shocks work fine. My old soldier Savage still has the original 8 shock layout, but the bigger bore 4 shocks work better.  It also still has the stamped out ally hinge pin holders because...well...they haven't changed much underneath at all. Chunkier CNC parts would look nice...but..well...I never actually had issues with the part in question failing, so whilst I agree it looks cheap with just flat anodised ally...it wouldn't affect the trucks performance. At least they aren't that sickly pinkish purple colour.....

[Kpowell911]

8 minutes ago, Nitroholic said:

Suspension, TVP's, diff housings and underpinnings all look pretty much unchanged. Even down to the bendy bumper mounts... which isa good news for new owners and existing owners, as I bet 95% of whats there is the good old Savage

 

The exterior has been revamped, and the shell is...well...I don;t like it..... but on a Savage, the shell is a temporary thing. They chunked up the bumpers themselves, which I like. SO nice to see proper 17mm hexes. The old ones were total junk. Tiny little nut with a big washer that never tightened properly, and never held the wheels solidly. I like the wheels too.

The E version also has been made a lot neater inside, with covers over hte servo and radio box at the front, and neat mesh covered plastic battery trays.  It looks very tidy inside, which I like..,...as long as it's not just a bunch of crud-traps

 

'only' 4 shocks.... well...4 shocks work fine. My old soldier Savage still has the original 8 shock layout, but the bigger bore 4 shocks work better.  It also still has the stamped out ally hinge pin holders because...well...they haven't changed much underneath at all. Chunkier CNC parts would look nice...but..well...I never actually had issues with the part in question failing, so whilst I agree it looks cheap with just flat anodised ally...it wouldn't affect the trucks performance. At least they aren't that sickly pinkish purple colour.....

Bendy bumper mounts is dissapointing, just allows the hingepins to slide out, I wonder if theres tie rods on the rear hubs still?

[Ross9999992]

They don’t particularly look like big bore shocks though 🙂

 

But I was more just poking holes in the “new” but not new savage tbh. Those hinge pin holders made me flash back to the old purple ones as well which made me instantly not like them because well we all have nightmares about that purple right?

 

The electric version does actually look tidy under the shell but it’s just a plastic coating…other than the hexes nothing seems new 🙂

Edited September 19, 2021 by Ross9999992

[Ross9999992]

7 minutes ago, Kpowell911 said:

Bendy bumper mounts is dissapointing

Nah you need a bit of flex and that is a good place for it (better that than kinking yet another tvp). Nothing flexes in the direction that allows the pins to fall out as long as the 2 screws are in the front of the bumper 👍🏻

Edited September 19, 2021 by Ross9999992
Grammar

[tomr]

Not enough has been changed to replace my Flux HP with this new one but at least there’ll be plenty of spare parts about.

[Nitroholic]

I'm willing to bet the old tie rod setup is still there, as it allows easier mouldings and means front and rear parts are the same. Even though I always run tie rod delets, as it's a part that does fail, and just makes for a weak point that needn't be there.

As KPowell pointed out,.... the bendy bumper mounts hold in the hinge pins! I still have cable ties on mine stopping them spreading. The screws were OK...it was the silly clip holding the other end in I used to lose.

 

But..well..I never kinked a TVP asfter I fitted the fatter IRC chassis plates.

 

[Alex97]

It won't be proper return unless this guy makes an appearance. 

[Kpowell911]

43 minutes ago, Ross9999992 said:

Nah you need a bit of flex and that is a good place for it (better that than kinking yet another tvp). Nothing flexes in the direction that allows the pins to fall out as long as the 2 screws are in the front of the bumper 👍🏻

I dont mean bendy as in flex to stop them breaking. They twist side to side and the hinge pins slide out….. you have to zip tie them together OR buy the anti roll bar kit and run part of it

[Ross9999992]

Ahh yeah, I had forgotten the need for the cable tie tbh but hey ho 2p mod ☺️

[Kpowell911]

53 minutes ago, Ross9999992 said:

Ahh yeah, I had forgotten the need for the cable tie tbh but hey ho 2p mod ☺️

Its not really ideal though is it? Its been a known issue for 20 years and it appears its still in the newest incarnation? It doesnt inspire confidence in the “new” RC? 

[Nick]

I think this boils down to the price, it will have to undercut Traxxas and ARRMA to be desirable unless you're a HPI fanboy wanting some nostalgia. 

 

Disappointed really, imagine the hype this thread would get if HPI actually went back to the drawing board and launched a new MT. They missed out on a big comeback here.

[tomr]

2 hours ago, Nitroholic said:

I'm willing to bet the old tie rod setup is still there, as it allows easier mouldings and means front and rear parts are the same. Even though I always run tie rod delets, as it's a part that does fail, and just makes for a weak point that needn't be there.

As KPowell pointed out,.... the bendy bumper mounts hold in the hinge pins! I still have cable ties on mine stopping them spreading. The screws were OK...it was the silly clip holding the other end in I used to lose.

 

But..well..I never kinked a TVP asfter I fitted the fatter IRC chassis plates.

 

What tie rod deletes are you running?  Is it a kit?
That’s something I’d like to get rid off from mine. 
You can see on the pic that the new one is still using tie rods 

 

Just found alloy rear hubs to delete the tie rods 👍

Edited September 19, 2021 by tomr

[Tug]

1 hour ago, tomr said:

What tie rod deletes are you running?  Is it a kit?
That’s something I’d like to get rid off from mine. 
You can see on the pic that the new one is still using tie rods 

 

Just found alloy rear hubs to delete the tie rods 👍

 

They're a must! Integy make so much garbage, but these are awesome. 

[martin34]

I have a 2350 flux in the shed

[Nitroholic]

@tomr yup...both mine are running Integy tie rod deletes. 

 

Integy don;t actually make stuff, they have it made or buy it in and rebadge it...so a lot of their stuff is cheap cheese alloy .... but the alloy quality doesn't matter here, as plastic would actually be strong enough. What matters is that the setup uses a single block that just joins the upper and lower arms...rather than using dummy steerable upright with a tie rod to lock it in place.

 

Don;t know if they are still in production though. ~The last set I got I had to buy in purple and deanodise...

[locky]

I've used these aluminium rear c-hubs without issues, also found on ebay from various suppliers...https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32948880270.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.1eb67bbdLG0ByD&algo_pvid=3875c3ac-e374-4c1b-b5c6-c5a0099e53d8&algo_exp_id=3875c3ac-e374-4c1b-b5c6-c5a0099e53d8-1&pdp_ext_f={"sku_id"%3A"66262418964"}

 

The new Savage will probably appeal to those with nostalgia but I cant see it being a big hit with newcomers. unless it is priced accordingly.

[Kpowell911]

55 minutes ago, martin34 said:

I have a 2350 flux in the shed

That was probably the Ultimate one

[Hell horn.]

That is one ugly as **** car. My god I can't even look at it with out my eyes bleeding. 

[BashingBrian]

Plastic fantastic.. I'll pass 😉