If you were involved in competitive on-road RC racing at any point in the past four decades, you know the name Serpent. That iconic hissing snake logo, the distinctive magenta-and-black color scheme, the precision engineering—Serpent wasn’t just another RC car manufacturer. It was the brand for serious racers.
But like any great drama, the Serpent story has its share of triumphs, near-death experiences, and plot twists. Today, I want to take you on a journey through the rise, fall, and remarkable rebirth of one of RC racing’s most legendary names.
The Birth of a Legend
Every great story starts with two passionate people tinkering in a garage. For Serpent, that garage was in the Netherlands, and the people were Ron Ton and Pieter Bervoets.
The year was 1972. Ton and Bervoets were both competitive RC racers who shared a frustration: the cars they could buy weren’t good enough to win. So they did what any self-respecting racer would do—they built their own. Starting with a modified Kyosho Dash 1 chassis, the duo began experimenting with designs that would eventually change the sport.
By 1977, they had developed their first prototype under a new name: Serpent. The name itself was a clever combination of its founders—Ser from Bervoets and pent from Ton. It was perfect: sleek, dangerous, and memorable.
The proof came quickly. In 1979, both Ton and Bervoets won separate EFRA 1:8 European titles with their Mk. III Pro car. This wasn’t beginner’s luck—this was dominance. In 1980, they officially founded Serpent Model Racing Cars as a brand under the company Berton BV.
The Golden Era: Innovation and Domination
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Serpent established itself as the manufacturer to beat. The company wasn’t just building cars—they were inventing the future of RC racing.
Consider their innovation record:
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Full suspension systems before they were standard
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Real, working shock absorbers
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Two-speed gearboxes that changed the game
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Four-wheel-drive systems that dominated competition
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The Centax clutch, which became an industry standard
But perhaps their most lasting contribution was creating the 235mm class for 1:10 scale cars, and later championing the 200mm category that became a global standard.
The highlight came during the IFMAR World Championship for 1:10 Scale 235mm IC On-Road cars in Apeldoorn, Netherlands. Serpent’s Impact cars didn’t just win—they annihilated the competition, dominating the top 10 positions in both Class 1 and Class 2. If you wanted to win at the highest level, you brought a Serpent.
By 2009, the trophy case was staggering: seven IFMAR World Championships, thirty-three EFRA European titles, five JMRCA Japanese national titles, eight ROAR US national titles, and three Winternats victories. This wasn’t just success—it was total supremacy.
Changing of the Guard
As the 1990s progressed, the founding partnership began to shift. In 1997, Ron Ton sold his shares to Pieter Bervoets, ending nearly two decades of partnership. Ton, who had designed the cars and created the legendary Centax clutch, moved on to other projects, including virtual racing simulation software.
Then in 2005, Bervoets made his own exit, selling the company to Ronald Baar and Michael Salven—the works championship-winning driver and designer who had been with Serpent for over 15 years.
The new ownership brought changes. The classic magenta color scheme gave way to orange—a nod to the company’s Dutch heritage. The logo was modernized. But the hissing snake symbol remained untouched. Some things were too sacred to change.
The Fall: Bankruptcy and Uncertainty
Then came 2008.
The global financial crisis was hammering businesses everywhere, and Serpent was no exception. Manufacturing costs in Europe had become unsustainable. The strong Euro against a weak dollar was crushing margins. The RC market was getting tougher.
In 2008, the Dutch company filed for bankruptcy.
For fans of the brand, it felt like the end. Rumors spread like wildfire across RC forums. Was Serpent dead? Would the snake finally stop hissing?
The company was forced to release statements countering unfounded reports of their demise that had sprung up online. It was a desperate moment for a brand that had dominated for nearly three decades.
The Pivot: Asia, Rebirth, and Reinvention
But here’s where the story takes its most interesting turn. Rather than dying, Serpent adapted.
The brand and remaining stock were sold to longtime distributor World Model in Hong Kong. Michael Salven and Ronald Baar founded a new company, VectorRC BV, to handle development and worldwide marketing.
The company’s statement at the time was defiant: “Serpent continues, and stronger as before.” They explained that due to high manufacturing costs in Europe, margins had become too small to continue operating in Holland. Almost all major RC brands had their manufacturing in Asia already. Serpent had started this shift years earlier with models made by expert manufacturers in Taiwan, and later with electric touring cars.
In other words: we’re not dying—we’re evolving.
The strategy worked. In 2011, VectorRC teamed up with two new partners in China and created Serpent Ltd Hong Kong. By moving production to Asia, Serpent could maintain quality while controlling costs. The result? The product line exploded from a handful of models to over 30 different cars.
Serpent Today: Still Striking
Fast forward to today, and Serpent remains a force in competitive RC racing. The current lineup includes cars that represent almost 40 years of race and development experience combined.
Modern Serpents feature hollow-type suspension arms, sophisticated flex control systems, and aero-optimized bumpers with removable inserts to adjust steering characteristics. These aren’t just toys—they’re precision racing instruments.
The design team, led by Michael Salven and multiple US champion Billy Easton, uses state-of-the-art 3D CAD software. The famous Heemstede race track in the Netherlands remains the testing ground. The Dutch soul of the company survived, even as manufacturing moved east.
Lessons from the Serpent Saga
What can we learn from Serpent’s journey?
First, dominance is never permanent. Serpent sat atop the RC world for years, but economic forces don’t care about trophy cases. The company that ignored the shift to Asian manufacturing did so at its peril.
Second, survival requires hard choices. Bankruptcy is terrifying, but for Serpent, it became a catalyst for necessary change. Sometimes you have to tear things down to rebuild stronger.
Third, brand matters. Through all the ownership changes, bankruptcies, and relocations, the hissing snake never changed. That symbol represented something—quality, performance, racing heritage—and protecting it meant protecting the company’s future.
Fourth, racers build the best cars. From Ton and Bervoets tinkering in the 1970s to Salven testing at Heemstede today, Serpent has always been run by people who actually race. That connection to the track shows in every product.
The Road Ahead
Ron Ton passed away in 2016, but his legacy lives on in every Serpent car that takes to the track. Pieter Bervoets continues his work in RC simulation. Michael Salven and Ronald Baar carry the torch, now joined by partners in China who helped the brand survive and thrive.
The RC world has changed dramatically since 1980. Electric power has challenged nitro. Ready-to-run cars have invaded the market. Asian competitors have raised the bar. Through it all, Serpent has adapted without losing its soul.
Today, when you see that hissing snake on a podium car at a world championship, you’re not just seeing a logo. You’re seeing nearly 50 years of racing history. You’re seeing the vision of two Dutch racers who refused to accept that the cars they could buy were good enough. You’re seeing a company that died and was reborn through sheer determination.
The snake is still striking. And if history is any guide, it will be for years to come.