If you’ve been around the RC scene for a while, the Schumacher CAT 2000 Buggy is a name that sparks a lot of nostalgia. Released in the late 1990s and early 2000s, this 1/10 scale electric buggy was designed for competitive off-road racing, and even today it’s remembered as a precision machine with a lot of character. In particular, it has its gearboxes sitting on the chassis board at a slight angle (i.e. not in a straight line).
Such arrangement is intentional – it allows the pulleys at the front and the back to sit closer to the center even with the presence of a middle gear.
The Cat XLS Masami doesn’t have such arrangement! In any case, the Schumacher CAT may not compete with modern brushless buggies in outright speed, but it holds its own as a classic precision machine. It’s agile, tunable, and forgiving, making it a joy to drive and a valuable learning platform for hobbyists. For anyone interested in vintage RC buggies or the roots of modern off-road racing, the CAT 2000 remains a must-know icon in the RC world.