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Short answer: Tomica Premium Unlimited’s RC Buggy Grasshopper is a miniature tribute to Tamiya’s famous 1984 radio-controlled buggy. It is a display diecast, not an RC vehicle, and its appeal comes from the collaboration between two Japanese hobby traditions.
This is a researched guide based on Lamley Group’s 9 June 2025 feature and Takara Tomy’s official Tomica/Tamiya product page. The story is evergreen: the release is dated, and the article does not present it as a new launch.
What is the Grasshopper?
Tamiya introduced the Grasshopper RC buggy in 1984 as an accessible entry point to radio control. Lamley’s feature describes its Baja-inspired shape, durable construction and endurance-focused motor and battery combination. Takara Tomy’s official page lists the Tomica Premium Unlimited RC Buggy Grasshopper as a 2025 release.
What does Tomica reproduce?
- Scale and role: a small display miniature rather than a functioning radio-controlled model.
- Packaging idea: the collaboration uses a shrunken Tamiya-style box concept, a major part of the collectable story.
- Body: the open buggy silhouette and white Tamiya-inspired livery are the visual anchors.
- Collector question: do not expect working suspension, an opening motor or an RC transmitter; those belong to the full-size hobby product, not the Tomica miniature.
Why this collaboration matters
Most 1:64 collections organise cars by manufacturer, race series or film licence. Grasshopper sits outside those categories: it represents an RC icon and its packaging heritage. That makes it useful for collectors who want a display piece with a clear object history, even if they do not collect conventional road cars.
Retros link and a clearly different alternative
The exact Grasshopper release was not verified in Retros’ current catalogue. A different Tomica Premium model, the Tomica Premium Ferrari F355, was listed by Retros as a factory-sealed mini car when checked on 14 November 2026. It is not the Tamiya collaboration; it is simply a related Tomica Premium alternative. The full Retros mini-cars collection is the safer place to check current stock.
Sources
Read the original Lamley Group feature for the Grasshopper’s hobby background and the Takara Tomy collaboration page for the official Tomica/Tamiya line-up. This article paraphrases those sources and does not claim personal ownership or testing.
Image note: the featured image is an AI-generated editorial illustration based on verified product descriptions. It is not an exact product photograph or reproduction of the original packaging; details may differ.
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