Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia XB

JANG's Impressions

When I saw the Transsyberia S first show up at a Hong Kong-based eBay Store, I hadn't read any mention of it on the 'Web, and I was anxious to find out what chassis was underneath the nicely-detailed body. The form factor looked like an XC would be appropriate, right? Nope, try DF01, the same tub-based 4WD tub chassis first released over 17 years earlier as the Manta Ray buggy! I suppose this is actually more appropriate, as the DF01 has 4-wheel independent suspension with fairly sort arms, just like the real-world Cayenne.

One of the immediate draws of this model is that it's a contemporary off-road vehicle with a fair amount of scale realism. The body is polycarbonate and details like lights and emblems are all decals, but Tamiya went beyond their common fare of offering a molded spoiler and side mirrors, adding a molded ABS snorkel and low-profile roof lite rack (though the lights are, again, decal-detailed). In addition, separate molded polycarbonate components are included (and detailed & installed in the XB) to fill out the front and rear body overhangs, completing the lower bumper sections with a bit of extra 3-dimensional flare.

Under the body, you'll find a classic Manta Ray style tub with the trademark high-mounted offset center driveshaft that looks almost hair-thin. Narrower TA01/02 suspension arms and dogbones are used to keep the wheels under the fenders. Also, shorter, wider shock towers are used than on the original buggies, keeping a low profile and standing the shocks up at a gentler angle. Tamiya includes plastic oil-filled shocks that work quite well, but are a bit overdampened for off-road use. I think the spring rate is reasonable, but the oil is too thick. Spring preload is adjustable, as are the steering linkages. Wheels are 26mm and the tires are medium-profile treaded scale all-terrain style with fairly stiff sidewalls and no inserts.

Electronics are standard XB fare for their day, featuring the basic, but effective TEU101-BK forward/reverse ESC, ADSpec 27mhz radio system with TRU-02 receiver (with integrated BEC to power the cheap ESC), a standard steering servo and Johnson 540 "silver can" motor.

Performance of the Cayenne S is modest with the stock setup; I'd estimate top speed in the range of 12-15mph (didn't test it precisely). Steering is sharp and on low-traction or bumpy surfaces, there's a tiny bit of rear-induced oversteer. The ride is very firm and sure-footed on pavement, but a bit bumpy off-road. The tires don't have the best grip, but the 4WD and good weight balance helped the vehicle handle various terrain surfaces better than expected.

Video

This was the very first video featured at Ultimate Tamiya!

Tips

• The shocks are definitely too stiff by default. If building the kit or rebuilding shocks on the XB, try some really lightweight oil like 15wt.
• For rally-style driving on fairly even surfaces, remove the screw-tightened preload collars from the shocks altogether for a lower stance.
• In the video you can see a brief sequence of driving through water. This was done at a very low speed and with care. Be advised, the XB electronics are not at all waterproof.

Photo gallery samples

Visit the full Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia gallery >

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