If you’ve ever seen the cars at your local big box store or have a 1/10 scale that you’ve used on the weekends, you may be itching to try a 1/8 scale.
But how much difference is there between the 1/10 scale RC vehicles and those 1/8 scale brutes? Keep reading and you’re going to be in for a treat.
The size of a 1/8 RC car is-
| Length | Width | Height | |
| Size in mm | 470-595 mm | 265-422 mm | 100-250 mm |
| Size in inches | 18.5-23.43″ | 10.4-16.6″ | 3.9-9.8″ |
1/8 scale RC car weight ranges from 2.45-4.54 kg or 5.4-10 pounds. The weight depends on the kind of vehicle.
Keep reading to find out the specs for each type.
1/8 Scale RC Dimensions
As you see, the dimensions can vary on 1/8 scale vehicles. There are so many different types of 1/8 scale vehicles, from ultra light on road buggies to heavy nitro truggies, and even specialized ones for rock crawling. Depending on what you are looking for, they all vary by a good amount. We’ll go over an example of each of the various types of 1:8 scale vehicles.
RC Car Scale Definition
Scale means that the size is dependent on the full size version of the vehicle. This is why not all 1/8 scale vehicles are the same size, rather they are 8 times smaller than the vehicle they are replications of. Compact vehicles are, of course, smaller than larger trucks, and therefore they’re 1/8 scale counterpart will be smaller as well.
It is important to always remember that the smaller the number is in the scale version the larger the car or truck will be (i.e. a 1/24 car is much smaller than an 1/8 car).
While the words size and scale are often used interchangeably, size will always give you more precise measurements than asking about scale.
RC Size Definition
In our article, we give you the length, width, height, and wheelbase numbers so that you are able to get a thorough sense of the actual size of the vehicle.
For length, this is from the tip of the nose of the body to the back of the car’s body.
For width, this is from the left of the car to the right of the car at its widest point.
For height, it is from the floor to the highest point of the car body.
Wheelbase measures from the middle of the front wheel to the middle of the back wheel.
With these measurements, you can accurately determine the size of the RC vehicle you’re considering and have a better sense than using “scale”, as scale widely fluctuates according to the body style of the vehicle you’re looking at.
1/8 Scale Short Course Truck Size, Weight
One of the most popular styles of RC vehicles is the ever-increasing short course truck class. Whether you’re out in the yard running through the grass or you’re on your local track, there is always a great variety of this style of racer.
For our example, we’re going to look at the Team Energy V8SC (amazon link)1/8th Scale Brushless Powered Ready to Run Racing Short Course Truck and see how large this truck really is.
- Length – 23.43 inches or 595 mm
- Width – 11.8 inches or 300 mm
- Height – 7.48 inches or 190 mm
- Wheelbase – 12.92 inches or 379 mm
- Weight – 6.7 pounds or 3.04 kg
The Team Energy V8SC 1/8th Scale Brushless Powered Ready to Run Racing Short Course Truck weighs 6.7 pounds, or 3.04 kg, without electronics and 8.82 pounds, or 4 kg, with electronics.
1/8 Scale Truggy Size, Weight
Not quite a truck and not really a buggy, the Truggy is a class all its own. Popular among competitive racers, it’s a brute force on and off the track.
For our example, we’re going to look at the Team Losi Racing (TLR) 1/8 8IGHT-XT/XTE(amazon link) 4WD Nitro/Electric Truggy Race Kit and see how large this truck really is.
- Length – 21.1 inches or 536 mm
- Width – 16.6 inches or 422 mm
- Height – 7.3 inches or 185 mm
- Wheelbase – 14.7 inches or 373 mm
- Weight – 9 pounds or 4.082 kg
1/8 Scale On road Size, Weight
For the style and finesse of on-road racing, you’re going to want a car that is sleek and low to the ground. Hugging the curves without turnover and striving for that lightweight advantage, on-road racing is more popular today than ever.
For our example, we’re going to look at the HB Racing R8 (amazon link) 1/8 Scale On Road Competition Car and see how it stacks up to the off-road vehicles.
- Length – 18.5 inches or 470 mm
- Width – 10.4 inches or 265 mm
- Height – 3.9 inches or 100 mm
- Wheelbase – 11.5 inches or 292mm
- Weight – 5.4 pounds or 2.45 kg
1/8 Scale Monster Truck Size, Weight
Monster trucks are legendary! From the days of Gravedigger, everyone wanted to be able to control one of these brutes and now you can have the 1:8 scale at your fingertips ready for play or serious competition.
We’re using the Redcat 1/8 Earthquake (amazon link) 3.5 4WD Nitro Monster Truck RTR as our example. How do the numbers stack up against these others? Let’s find out.
- Length – 20.1 inches or 510 mm
- Width – 15 inches or 380 mm
- Height – 9.8 inches or 250 mm
- Wheelbase – 12.8 inches or 325 mm
- Weight – 10 pounds or 4.54 kg
1/8 Scale Buggy Size, Weight
Trucks are cool, but buggies are so fun to drive with their slice-through-the-air aerodynamics. These vehicles are super fast, super fun, and super sleek.
We’re using the ARRMA 1/8 Typhon (amazon link) 4X4 V3 3S BLX Brushless Buggy RC Truck RTR as our example. How do the numbers stack up against these others? Let’s find out.
- Length – 20.12 inches or 511 mm
- Width – 12.05 inches or 306 mm
- Height – 7.68 inches or 195 mm
- Wheelbase – 12.91 inches or 328 mm
- Weight – 5.68 pounds or 2.58 kg
1/8 Scale Motorcyle Size, Weight
Lastly, for those that feel like there’s more fun to be had on two wheels instead of four, we have 1:8 scale motorcycles. These are tons of fun, once you get over the learning curve. They can be squirrelly when you’re not well-seasoned!
We’re using the Kyosho Hang On Racer Honda NSR500 Electric 1/8 Motorcycle Kit as our example. How do the numbers stack up against these others? Let’s find out.
- Length – 10.63 inches or 270 mm
- Width – 3.86 inches or 98 mm
- Height – 7.48 inches or 190 mm
- Wheelbase – 7.28 inches or 185 mm
- Weight – 1.65 pounds or 750 grams
How Fast is a 1/8 Scale RC Car?
1/8 scale RC cars can go up to and over 85 MPH with the right pinion, battery (or correct gas if a gas-powered), and spur gear. Proper gearing will always increase the MPH in your car or truck.
What Size is a 1/8 Scale in Inches?
Unfortunately, 1/8 scale is literally a “scaled” model of the original car or truck and therefore you cannot outright answer this question. However, most RC vehicles that are 1:8 scale are around 21 inches in length.
And there you have it! A good primer on both 1:8 scale vehicles and examples of each of the classes. Determining what your use is going to be (competitive? Backyard basher? Asphalt warrior?) is going to be one of the first things you’ll want to know before browsing the different brands and models, but any of these cars listed will be sure to please.
We’re here to give you all the facts you need to truly determine how big is a 1/8 scale RC car.