Enthusiastic RC car drivers will drool over the HPI Pulse 4.6 Buggy. It's a preassembled nitro RC car, which is ready to run out of the box. Well that is true if we assume you have 10 AA batteries for the remote control and car, a glow plug and, of course, nitro fuel.

Design & Chassis Layout

HPI have pulled all the strings with the four-wheel drive off-road Pulse 4.6 Buggy. The car has plastic casing supplied to cover and protect the mechanics. But once that is removed we can witness how well the car is designed and built. Everything mechanically is machined and put together superbly and the layout of the chassis is very smart. The spoiler also helps make the car look very dramatic whilst also maintaining rear control. Making basic mechanical adjustments and tuning the HPI Pulse 4.6 Buggy is relatively easy due to the clean and simple to understand chassis layout. Replacing parts such as the pull cord is a little fiddly but accomplishable with effort. The reason certain elements are tricky to replace is because of the compactness of components.

Engine & Nitro Fuel

The HPI Pulse 4.6 Buggy has an engine which runs, like its name implies, at a whopping 4.6cc. The nitro fuel needed is 20-25%, which is a little more costly than lower mixes. Coupled with the fact this is a pure powerhouse and operates on four-wheel drive, a full tank can vanish in less than ten minutes. During the engine running-in process we'd recommend that ten full tanks are run through it.

Specs & Build Quality

In terms of technology the HPI Pulse 4.6 Buggy is high spec, incorporating a rugged aluminium chassis, large flywheel openings which allow rocks to exit the chassis, fully adjustable suspension, special fibre brake pads, adjustable steel turnbuckles, easy-access differential cases, extreme steering angles, no e-clips, durable 4-gear differentials and more. The car is built like a rock, we mentioned how well this car is built earlier when viewed aesthetically, but it gets really tested when thrown into walls, trees and off hills. It's built like a rock, with all its parts staying firmly in place. Those who enjoy pulling off tricks with their cars will find the Pulse 4.6’s durability desirable.

Performance

Now let's talk performance. The Pulse 4.6 Buggy has a strangling amount of torque and an utterly amazing suspension system on all four wheels, making steep hills and severely wet terrains a breeze to whizz up and around on. The acceleration is also very impressive, with the car tearing away and reaching top speed in around five seconds. We weren't over encouraged with this car's steering before testing, we had imagined the power of the engine would disadvantage it. But we were wrong and it actually excels in steering terms, which is partly down to the fantastic suspension system. Even on really wet and sticky terrains it makes tight turns look easy and remains firmly adhered to the ground. The HPI Pulse 4.6 Buggy is a consummate performer, with buckets of thrill-seeking performances to be had off-road.

Overall

This is a fantastic nitro RC car. The HPI Pulse 4.6 is all about the high specification and precision engineering that make for excellent performance. Possibly not the most economic to run of RC cars, but the terrific fun to be had makes it easily worth it.