RC Drift industry mainstay Max Speed Technology (MST) has been around for a few years now and have made their name synonymous with quality. Their commitment in the RC Drift segment has made them a favorite among enthusiasts so that anytime news drops about a new MST kit it’s always worth a look. Despite having just invested in a mid motor RWD myself I was intrigued enough with the RMX 2.0 to pick up this new model that was making quite a ruckus on the internets. It is an S model kit which in the hierarchy of MST models is the entry-level option. I usually skip these and opt for the higher option kits, but as one wasn’t available at this time and I just could not wait so I ordered one up. 175 bucks will get this mostly plastic kit shipped to your door which makes it a compelling competitor to the entry level favorite 3 Racing Sakura D4. Yea it’s a little bit more expensive than that, but given the performance differences out of the box I have no problem encouraging people to drop the extra dollars on the MST.
The RMX 2.0 is a revision of the original RMX car which was a rear motor car convertible between 2 and 4 wheel drive. A safer bet at the time considering RWD was basically still in its infancy. The 2.0 version is also a convertible chassis but in a different way. In fact, the 2.0 is an entirely different animal altogether.
I’m not going to be doing comparisons with the original RMX because I have never owned or driven one. But I can tell you that anytime a car is designed with duality in mind as major as drivetrain conversions there are compromises. The 2.0 version is built from the ground up and intended from the start to be a RWD car. You won’t find any weird blank spots in the front of the car where you could stuff a one-way or front diff. No the 2.0 is a pure 2wd to the bone, and it shows in its performance. The gained real estate in the front of the car is used for the RMX2s modular steering rack. This new rack gives you multiple Ackermann options as well as an adjustable steering bellcrank that lets you have a choice of servo positions in the chassis. Engineering on the latest RWD drifters is finally at a maturity level that gives the beginning drifter a leg up on all those who toiled with set up the past. These new cars come out of the box with everything MSTs engineers have learned about RWD over the last few years. The result is a car that behaves and drives like you would expect it to. As with any RWD the RMX2 has extreme steering throw, but none of the ill side effects drifters have fought for years. The shocks just seem to be just enough out of the way eliminating the need for an inboard shock setup to get full throw. No interaction with the lower suspension arms because Y arms and C-hub delete are standard fare. The knuckles have steering stops that stop the knuckle at just enough throw so you aren’t wanting to cut them off as soon as you drive it the first time. Everything on the front of this car is just done right.
The rear of the car is equally impressive. I was quite shocked when I read that MSTs latest 2 wheelers were coming with diffs installed instead of the obligatory rear spool which has kind of defined an RC drift car for years. But having been made a believer by the one in my FMX-d I had no qualms about building this one and putting it in the car. MST has never been afraid to go against the grain in trying new things, err is that old things? Anywho moving on, suffice to say I won’t be stuffing this diff with JB Weld. Tire choice is obviously still very important (especially because this kit doesn’t come with wheels or tires) but the combination of the rear diff, suspension setup, motor position, and weight bias give this car way more rear traction than you ever thought a RWD drifter could have. The result is a bit of understeer if you try and turn with the front wheels first, but is easily tuned out or nullified with a little mental gymnastics. This is easily the best RWD I have ever driven on concrete.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the biggest feature that the RMX2 has to offer, and that is the high CG motor mount. Now I know some of you racer types 
might be scratching your head at this but stay with me here. There is a method to this madness that I’m not going to fully explain here. If you would like to know more about this phenomenon known as weight shift or weight transfer. I’ve already covered this ground over on BigSquidRC. You can read more about that here. What’s the big deal? Well the RMX 2.0 is one of the first (maybe the first) kits to come with a high CG motor mount as stock equipment. Not sure if you’re going to dig it? Easy, convert it back to a low CG Rear Motor car.
The RMX features 2 motor positions stock and 3 if you are running the optional motor mount like I am here. You can run a low CG rear motor setup similar to the original RMX (really the only thing it has in common) or a high CG configuration that allows the chassis to roll giving you scale realistic looks while driving as well as better traction. The RMX’s motor position also lends itself to this function. Its rotational torque helps drive the tires into the track surface creating additional traction with no weight penalty. More traction from more engineering. WIN WIN.
So whats it like to drive?
I’m glad you asked. I have to admit I was a little nervous the first time I dropped it on the floor. I had bad memories of my first drive with my first rear motor RWD. It’s discouraging to spend hours building a car and just have it drive horribly right from the start. I’m happy to report that the RMX had no such tendencies. Without touching a thing on the gyro I was quickly at ease with the RMX.
I would liken driving the RMX 2.0 to slipping into a great fitting pair of well broken-in shoes. It just feels right from the get go.
The stock front end alignment with its massive toe-out looks a little unorthodox, but it doesn’t make the car drive weird at all. Comparing it to my FMX-d I immediately knew I could drive the car more aggressively. This was one of my early turn-offs to RWD was that you felt like you spent more time balancing on a knife edge trying not to fall off then you did squeezing a bunch of trigger and grinning widely and you car slips into a drift. The RMX while still not as fast as my CS cars is still a hoot to drive. You can toss it heftily into a corner and most of the time things work out fine. Even on my clubs extremely slick drift surface, the car was pretty easy to handle as long as you didn’t overdrive it. Another difference from my FMX is the amount of forward bite this car lays down. I think the whole reverse motor direction concept does work, though some of the additional grip can be attributed to the rear weight bias. In a long drift applying more power will actually help pull you out of a drift versus just spinning you out in all but the most extreme situations. The feather-lite suspension has to play a role in this as well. The weight shifting as the car goes through turns is apparent, and you can see the rear end squat when you apply power. Working in concert with all of this is the differential. I don’t know if I will ever go back to a solid spool, it just drives too well the way it is.
It really is a fascinating car to watch go around the track as well. The suspension is the lightest I’ve ever driven on any car, and droop settings? Nope. It’s all part of the handling concept. I love that when this car is on the stand it looks like my real car does with the suspension completely unloaded.
I feel like the RMX2 is where scale aesthetics meet handling and performance.
The car is beautiful with the shell off of it, but even when it is completely hidden by the body the chassis still has something visual to offer as the weight shift dynamics are fully on display as the car is in motion.
If you can’t already tell I am enamored with this car. My FMX has been collecting dust since the first time I drove it. The S version plastic fantastic is indeed fantastic. It is rigid with super high-quality injection molding. MST is putting out upgrades for this chassis almost weekly with the VIP due out by the end of the year. The low cost to entry with this car make it a low-risk purchase and if you don’t like it will be easy to unload used because they are selling like wildfire. Do yourself a favor, if you have been thinking of trying rear wheel drive pick one of these up. you can thank me later.
Thanks for stopping by today, and please check back for more Drift Itch.
until next time
-Evol
Want to find out more about this car? You can check it out on MSTs website here.
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