polycarbonate plastic including a direct replacement whose tooling was made from an original styrene body. The Blackfoot today Tamiya has marketed several updated version of the Blackfoot. The Super Blackfoot was based on the same basic space frame chassis, with the most important improvements being a better gearbox and double wishbone rear suspension with dogbone driveshafts instead of the original's vulnerable and quickly wearing ORV-type gearbox, trailing arm suspension and hex type drive shafts and sockets. The body was basically the same as that of the Blackfoot, but with a different grill design and new decals. Later, the Super Blackfoot was replaced by the King Blackfoot, this time with an improved front suspension with longer suspension arms. The styrene body for the King Blackfoot was still clearly derived from a Ford design, but no longer identified as being a Ford by Tamiya and a totally new development. Tamiya currently (2005) markets a completely updated model called the "Blackfoot Xtreme." The "Xtreme" has a totally different chassis design than previous versions, but retains the body of the King Blackfoot, just mildly modified with a hood scoop, a modernized grill and new decals. The BX is the final incarnation of the Blackfoot name. The "Xtreme" can even be modified for 4WD with the addition of a front gearbox and a second motor. As a matter of fact, Tamiya markets the 4WD "Wild Dagger", 4WD "Twin Detonator", and the 4WD "Double Blaze" all based on the same basic chassis as the "Xtreme". The original Blackfoot is out of production, but its parts and aftermarket accessories remain popular with collectors. As for the aftermarket manufacturers, Robinson, Parma and Pro-Line are still in business producing R/C parts; MRP is focused on the production of R/C powerboats and Thorp, who had changed their focus to the production of emergency medical equipment, appear to be out of business. In 1987 Tamiya released a WILD Mini 4WD version of the Blackfoot, called "Blackfoot Jr." It was the second model in the WILD Mini 4WD series. It has long since been discontinued. In 2012 Tamiya Released a new version of the Blackfoot called the Blackfoot III, it shares no parts with the older "ORV" chassis but the body is an original reproduction with some updates. In May 2016 Tamiya announced they will Re-Release the original 1986 Blackfoot with some minor changes to the body and drivetrain. External links Official