What's the best beginner RC drift car in the UK?
For most UK beginners, the best first RC drift car is a 1:10 rear-wheel-drive (RWD) kit with a steering gyro, such as the Reve D RDX, running a brushless motor and drift tyres. If you only have a desk or kitchen floor, start with a 1/24 car such as the Rhino Racing RTS instead.
Pick by where you'll drive
| Where you'll drive | Best first car | Complete setup at RC Shopper | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desk, kitchen floor, small room | Rhino Racing RTS 1/24 | Desk Drifter | £119 |
| Garage, hall, club night (first car) | Reve D RDX RWD kit | First Slide | £389 |
| Carpet club nights, regular running | Reve D RDX + Team AD carbon conversion | Carpet Weapon | £569 |
| Competition | MST RMX 4 GT | Podium Spec | £949 |
Each setup includes the chassis, electronics, gyro and tyres, priced below buying the parts separately. Add a battery and charger to the 1:10 setups. See all four on the beginner's guide.
Why rear-wheel drive
RWD is what the hobby and competition have settled on, and it's what you'll see at every club night. 4WD touring cars converted for drift still slide, but the technique doesn't transfer. If you'll end up in RWD, start there.
Why the gyro matters
On a RWD drift car, the gyro is not optional. It applies countersteer faster than any thumb can, and every RWD car you see running well has one. Every RC Shopper setup includes one; if you buy a chassis on its own, add a gyro.
Kit or ready-to-run?
If you want to drive this weekend, buy a ready-to-run car. If you want to understand the car, build a kit. Building it once teaches you where every screw lives, which makes trackside repairs far easier, and kits take upgrades more cleanly. Browse RTR cars or chassis kits.
What to avoid
- Toy-grade "drift cars" with no spare parts. When something breaks, the car is finished.
- Spending on the shell before the chassis. You'll hit a wall in the first hour. Spend on the chassis and gyro, save on the body.
- Buying one set of tyres. Tyres change the car more than any setting. Get two drift tyre compounds.
FAQ
What's the cheapest way to start RC drifting? A 1/24 car such as the Rhino Racing RTS. The Desk Drifter setup is £119 complete and drifts on a desk or kitchen floor with the same technique as a full-size RWD car.
Is RWD or 4WD better for beginners? RWD. It's the standard at UK club nights and in competition, and the skills from 4WD drift don't carry over.
Do I need a gyro for RC drifting? On a rear-wheel-drive car, yes. The gyro handles countersteer faster than a person can and is a required part, like the servo.
Should my first drift car be a kit or ready-to-run? Ready-to-run if you want to drive straight away; a kit if you want to learn the car and upgrade it later. Most drifters end up preferring a kit.
What else do I need besides the car? A 2S LiPo battery (a shorty pack suits most drift chassis), a balance charger and a spare set of tyres. The battery and charger carry over to every car you own later.