The road to realizing a dream is often filled with challenges, twists & turns, revelations & victories. Such was the literal truth in the pursuit of the ultimate racing machine, fuelled by passion and vision… a dream realized as the new RX8. With a full stable of nearly every imaginable RC car in the XRAY line-up, the center stage held an empty spot for a new flagship to showcase XRAY ideals, philosophy, and commitment to racing perfection. 

Martin Hudy XRAY
RX8 Platform Designer

With countless wins in multiple classes at local, regional, national, and international levels, XRAY RX8 is designed for highest competition racing and ready to win.

All of the refinements from the last year – based on our own experiences and feedback from drivers all around the world – were incorporated into the new RX8. New ideas and prototypes were long-term tested by the factory team worldwide to ensure the improvements would work well in all track conditions and tracks in Europe, America, and Asia.

Designed, developed, and fully manufactured in-house at the XRAY factory in Slovakia, Europe, using the most high-tech German & Swiss machines and premium European materials, crafted with XRAY's legendary attention to detail by our artistic production specialists. The RX8 is truly a masterpiece.

Read my exclusive story about the making of the XRAY RX8 here for an insider’s view of our daily work as RC car designers and what we have all done to make the RX8 platform a reality.

Martin Hudy
XRAY RX8 Platform Designer

Smooth flowing lines, distinctive design touches, all sculpted in a lightweight platform – an expression of power, dramatic styling, superior technology, pure luxury and performance.

With XRAY's uncompromising design philosophy bringing everything together to make the best nitro on-road car, the RX8 has the unique XRAY character, borne of precision craftsmanship and highest attention to detail. For drivers with an irrepressible drive to win, the RX8 is the answer.

• All-new chassis  features: repositioned holes for engine mounts to allow better gear mesh adjustment; front & rear machined openings for graphite stiffeners and additional weights
• All-new redesigned and lowered aluminum 2-speed bulkheads decrease the CG of the rotation parts, as well as allowing quicker and easier adjustment of gear mesh
• All-new fuel tank & mounting system allows height adjustment of the fuel tank depending on the receiver battery size. If larger LiPo or LiFe batteries are used, the included shims and bushings allows vertical repositioning of the fuel tank
• All-new aluminum front lower suspension mounts allow mounting of composite bushings into the holders to increase the lifespan of suspension pins
• All-new front upper arms made from softer material give improved forward traction and steering
• All-new front steel extensions for shocks on lower suspension arms give improved durability
• All-new front shock tower has been improved for better durability
• All-new smaller flywheel improves engine bottom power performance and acceleration
• All-new improved brake material for smoother, more consistent and better brake feel
• All-new softer brake springs for higher-precision braking and improved brake feel
• All-new steel shim for 2-speed shaft gives improved durability and more consistent operation of the alu drive flange with 1-way bearing
• All-new graphite composite 2-speed gears give improved durability

All-new chassis features repositioned holes for engine mounts which are further back and allow improved gear mesh adjustment. The chassis also features machined openings in front & rear for optional graphite stiffeners and additional weights to adjust the weight balance.

Overall, the chassis is very narrow to increase chassis flex and generate more traction and steering. The narrow chassis also prevents chassis contact in corners and helps to eliminate the feel of the car ‘stopping‘ in mid-corner. 

The chassis features cut outs for all bulkheads, front lower arm mounts, radio plate mounts, and front shaft holder as well as rear layshaft bulkheads for perfect fitment and to ensure that all parts will always mount into the same precise position.

The outer edges of the chassis have been beveled and screw holes have been countersunk to provide a smooth lower surface.

The lightweight chassis is CNC-machined from 5mm premium Swiss 7075 T6 aluminum and is strategically machined in low-stress areas to make it as light as possible without affecting strength or rigidity. 

All-new aluminum rear 2-speed shaft bulkheads are redesigned and lowered to decrease the CG of the rotating parts. The new design of the bulkheads allows for easier gear mesh adjustment.

The left aluminum 2-speed bulkhead is redesigned and made smaller in bearing area to create more space between the engine block and bulkhead; no more engine block modification needed.

The 2-speed bulkheads are separated from the rear bulkheads to give proper flex which translates into maximum traction. 

The bulkheads are CNC-machined from premium Swiss 7075 T6 aluminum to ensure the lightest & strongest support framework. 

All-new fuel tank allows for improved fuel movement for more stable & consistent engine operation mainly at lower fuel levels. The all-new original XRAY fuel tank uses the well-proven leak-free, super-durable cap from the NT1.

The 125cc fuel tank with hypertonic tank lid and internal stone-type filter is positioned in the center of the car and sits as low as possible.

The internal baffles inside the fuel tank ensure that fuel will always be in the area around the fuel line intake so even in long, fast corners the fuel will be constantly supplied to the engine. 

The fuel tank mounting has been re-designed with the fuel tank being mounted atop the radio plate for easier insertion & removal from the car. Cleaning and maintenance around the fuel tank and radio plate is now much easier. The fuel tank is mounted on aluminum fuel tank posts with rubber grommets and secured by micro clips. 

The receiver battery pack is located beneath the fuel tank to help create the lowest CG possible.

With the all-new fuel tank design, the mounting was redesigned to allow the fuel tank to sit lower in the radio plate to lower the weight as much as possible. The fuel is placed right above the low-profile LiPo battery. If larger LiPo or LiFe batteries are used, the included shims and bushings allow vertical repositioning of the fuel tank. 

All-new front suspension holders have been redesigned to allow for composite bushing inside of the holders. Now the suspension pins are mounted in composite bushings – not directly in the aluminum holders – which eliminates wear on the pin and suspension mounts.

The front & rear suspension holders are fully independent from the bulkheads, mounted directly to the chassis to increase traction and make the car easier to drive.

All suspension mounts are CNC-machined from premium Swiss 7075 T6 aluminum to provide the lightest & strongest support framework for the car. 

All-new front upper arms are made from softer material for improved steering and increased forward traction.

Suspension arms are one of the most important parts of any RC model car, as they directly influence the handling and racing characteristics of the car. The RX8 suspension arms are the result of long-term testing of different designs and layouts. Length, thickness, flexibility, geometry of suspension points, and materials used… all these concepts and details have been thoroughly reviewed to create optimal suspension arms.

The exclusive composite mixture used for suspension arms is a perfect balance between reliability and performance. The suspension arm itself is rigid enough to provide a responsive feel, yet soft enough to provide extreme durability.

All-new front suspension extensions are made from steel for improved durability. Both front & rear extensions are laser cut and additionally black coated, and feature optimized shock mounting positions.

All-new front shock tower was redesigned and strengthened for better durability, and are made from thicker 3mm graphite material. Both front & rear shock towers have optimized shock mounting positions.  

All-new flywheel is almost 3mm smaller in diameter and lighter which improves the engine bottom power and acceleration.

The XCA (XRAY Centrifugal-Axial) clutch features clutchbell, clutch nut, flywheel nut and thrustbearing collar made from exclusive HUDY Spring Steel™. The hardcoated  flywheel, clutch disc, 2-speed gear adapter and spring cup are made from premium Swiss 7075 T6 

All-new brake material was developed to improve the braking characteristics of the car. Thanks to the new brake material, the brake works now smoother, more consistently, and gives better brake feeling.

All-new softer brake springs allow for more precise braking and improved brake feeling.

The laser-cut, precision flat-ground ventilated steel brake disk features extra-deep machined grooves to make it very light, and the split design allows maximum heat absorption. The ventilation holes are by design outside of the brake pad area to ensure maximum contact of the pads with the disk. Precision hand-grinding on flat grinding machine allows true, wobble-free rotation.

Brake inputs are transferred precisely to the brakes thanks to the ball-raced, super-smooth brake cam. The alu brake cam is machined from hardcoated, black anodized 7075 T6 aluminum for better durability.

All-new 2-speed shaft shim is made from steel instead of aluminum for improved durability and more consistent work of the alu drive flange with 1-way bearing. The all-new clutch carrier is machined from a softer material for improved and more consistent clutch engagement.

The 2-speed transmission features smaller & lighter parts: carrier for the 2-speed gear, alu drive flange with the 1-way bearing, and gears from the well-proven NT1. All this combines to give better bottom-end power and acceleration.

The 2-speed transmission parts are installed on a precision-manufactured, super-smooth lightweight hollow middle layshaft made from tough HUDY shaft steel for 2-speed, which is additionally heat treated for extra strength and long life.

The 2-speed gear adapter is CNC-machined from Swiss 7075 T6 for precision fitment of the 1-way bearing, and allows for super-precise and wobble-free installation of spur gears. The high-quality 1-way bearing is hand-ground before installation for maximum running precision and strength. The 2-speed adapter is manufactured from hardened steel.

The small 2-speed allows the use of smaller spur gears from the well-proven NT1, allowing fast acceleration and low rotating mass.

The spur gears are made from graphite material for improved durability. The special graphite material is also very light which helps to decrease the weight of rotating parts for improved acceleration.

The spur gears are molded with a special technique allowing the gears to be absolutely true, thus improving the drivetrain efficiency. Each gear is stamped with a tooth number for easy identification.

The most significant change to the latest RX8 platform was the aluminum backbone. The main frame and backbone of the car consist of high-precision aluminum bulkheads and aluminum suspension holders that are mounted to the aluminum chassis.

All bulkhead parts are CNC-machined from premium Swiss 7075 T6 aluminum and have been designed to provide the lightest and strongest possible support framework for the car with maximum flex characteristics for increased traction.

The bulkheads are anodized in a distinctive orange color. XRAY’s legendary attention to detail is noticeable in all the precisely chamfered edges. (Color may vary slightly between products.)

The aluminum bulkheads provide optimal stiffness & flex characteristics for better steering characteristics, even with hard spec tires.

The super-lightweight Swiss 7075 T6 aluminum bulkheads have a very clean and lightweight design to give the lowest weight and CG, making the RX8 easy to service while still giving easy access to all parts. 

The rear upper clamps – made from Swiss 7075 T6 aluminum – hold the rear shock tower and graphite upper arm holders. 

The front upper clamps – made from super-lightweight Swiss 7075 T6 aluminum – hold the front shock tower and front upper arm mount, allowing super-easy access to the front 1-way axle.

Each upper front arm holder is mounted to the front upper clamp via a single screw, and to the radio plate with two screws. This way, the front suspension has optimized flex for improved in-corner steering and better steering response. One of the 2 mounting screws of the radio plate may be removed for even more flex, as part of the Multi-Flex™ system. 

The holder works as a belt tensioner for the front & side belts. CNC-machined from premium Swiss 7075 T6 aluminum, the smart design also allows for quick & easy front belt changes. 

The radio plate is CNC-machined from 2.5mm graphite material and the design allows for easy removal of the entire radio plate (with all electronics) for quick & easy servicing and cleaning.

The flex of the radio plate is adjusted independently from the chassis flex, giving more fine tuning options. Using bushings in the rear, the radio plate can be mounted to the mounts with either fixed position or with flex; the fixed setting is recommended for high-traction conditions, while the flex setting is recommended for low-traction tracks.

A very useful feature is the front Multi-Flex™ adjustment via radio plate bushing in the servo saver area. When the bushing is used, the setting has a fixed position; when the bushing is removed, the screw is directly mounted on the servo saver post and the whole front suspension has increased flex. The fixed setting is recommended when there is already abundant in-corner steering, while the flex setting is recommended for increased in-corner steering.

Made from Swiss 7075 T6 aluminum, these lightweight mounts give improved flex characteristics and durability.

Engine mounts are mounted to the chassis the same distance from the center of the chassis and close together for equal & improved flex characteristics.

The quick-set engine mounts are CNC-machined from premium high-strength aircraft aluminum. The engine mount has a fixed position for super-easy engine installation and gear mesh adjustment.

Rear upper arm holders are machined from very strong 3.5mm graphite material for optimized flex characteristics of the rear suspension. Both rear and front mounts are mounted on the rear upper clamps. The positions of eccentric bushings were designed to achieve geometry for maximum traction & steering.

The centralized servo saver is ball-raced to ensure super-precise, smooth operation, and the adjustable spring preload tension allows for fine tuning. The servo saver also features easily-adjustable Ackermann positions which greatly influence the steering characteristics, allowing the RX8 to be adjusted for driving styles and track conditions.

Pivot pins for rear upper & lower and front lower suspension arms are designed to fit aluminum suspension mounts. Rear upper pivot pins feature a machined groove that allows better fixing by setscrew, helping to prevent pins from coming out during operation.

To guarantee maximum reliability, all turnbuckles are manufactured from special HUDY Spring Steel™ material for turnbuckles for maximum core strength. 

Shock bodies are CNC-machined from premium Swiss 7075 T6 aluminum and hardened to ensure maximum lifespan. External fine threading allows for quick & easy ride height adjustment. The shocks feature low-profile membranes for super-smooth, precise damping.

The set of pistons includes 2- and 3-hole pistons with 1.0, 1.1, and 1.2mm diameter holes. The pistons are precision molded from special Delrin™ material to ensure perfect roundness for extra-smooth dampening, while maintaining maximum stiffness and durability.

The RX8 comes equipped with C7.5 front springs to provide maximum stability and steering, and C5.6 rear springs to provide maximum traction & cornering speed. 

The RX8 springs, like all the other XRAY springs, are manually measured, selected and matched into pairs to guarantee precisely equal length and damping characteristics.

The RX8 includes both wire & blade-style front anti-roll bars for freedom of choice based on track conditions.

The wire anti-roll bar is used to increase steering response on small, technical tracks. The wire anti-roll bar is mounted to the bulkheads from the outside to allow quick & easy changes and adjustment. The wire roll bar turns in ball-bearings for maximum precision and freedom of movement. Anti-roll bar height can be quickly & easily adjusted.

The blade anti-roll bar is used for improved cornering speed on larger, open tracks. The front blade-style anti-roll bar is fully-adjustable, and is fully independent from downstop adjustment. The hand-ground front anti-roll bar blades — manufactured from HUDY Spring Steel™ for long lifespan — are easily adjusted using a 1.5mm hex wrench.

The rear 2.8mm anti-roll bar helps to reduce rear chassis roll. The roll bar turns in ball-bearings for maximum precision and freedom of movement. For fine precision tuning, optional wires of different thickness are available. Anti-roll bar height is adjustable via a screw… quick & easy.

The adjustable side-belt tensioner is captured on a graphite plate, mounted to the side of the radio plate mount. The smart design allows the side-belt tensioner to be easily adjusted, or easily removed for engine removal.

Rear upper clamps feature integrated belt-tension adjustment using adjustable bearing eccentric holders, eliminating the need for a separate belt tensioner. All ball-bearings turn in composite hubs to reduce friction and improve drivetrain efficiency. 

The RX8 is luxury model racing car and as such features only the most premium materials: premium woven graphite - exclusive top-secret HUDY Spring Steel™ - high grade Swiss 7075 T6 - high-tensile heat-treated steel and aircraft aluminum - and XRAY's self-developed and formulated composite compounds. All is premium and unique on the RX8.

The RX8 features a smooth & efficient on-road drivetrain with intelligent design & construction of all drivetrain parts for super-smooth and low-friction operation. From the small lightweight axles, through the efficient ratios and lightweight pulleys, to the high-speed lightly-oiled bearings and lightweight drivetrain parts, all parts are specifically designed for maximum efficiency & durability.

The tiny drive shafts are manufactured from HUDY Spring Steel™, the most effective drive shaft material by the industry leader HUDY. Self-developed HUDY Spring Steel™ ensures the longest drive shaft life, maximum strength, and lowest weight.

The front of RX8 is driven by CVD driveshafts, while standard dogbones are used in the rear.

Hardened with a proprietary process, the drive shafts provide unbeatable lifetime and reliability. 

The front 1-way and rear solid axle are small and light, ensuring super-low rotating mass and lowest CG. The super-lightweight front 1-way bearing is inserted directly in the axle, and the axle body is machined from Swiss 7075 T6 aluminum.

The rear composite lightweight axle pulley is mounted on a 1-piece solid HUDY Spring Steel™ axle. All outdrives are manufactured from HUDY Spring Steel™ and are specially ground for maximum precision. All pulleys have self-cleaning holes.

The RX8 includes pinion gears specially designed for 1/8 on-road cars; but using the same pitch as NT1 for more smooth and improved transmission efficiency.

The pinions are machined from tough 7075 T6 aluminum and specially hardcoated for superior strength, light weight, and high durability. Created on a special gear machine, all pinions feature ultra-precise tooth shaping and ultra-true running for vibration-free operation.

Fine internal threading allows easy installation on XCA clutch bells (standard or lightweight versions), and each pinion is fine etched with the tooth number for quick & easy identification.

The RX8 features the most advanced, race-engineered suspension geometry for nitro on-road car racing and is designed to provide responsive racing characteristics under all racing conditions.

Over the years XRAY has successfully gained and utilized extensive suspension geometry knowledge and self-developed suspension stiffness technology, which have been used with great success in electric & nitro cars, both on- and off-road. The ultra-lightweight suspension parts are molded from special composite materials that make the parts very light yet very durable to withstand the rigors of high-performance racing.

The design of the RX8 features I.S.S. (Integrated Suspension Settings™). All adjustment possibilities are completely integrated, allowing complete set-up changes without changing or replacing any parts. The use of square eccentric bushings in the front bulkheads, as well as in the rear bulkheads for upper & lower suspension, allows for complete geometry adjustment. Roll centers are adjustable in the standard upper & lower positions, as well as in inner and outer positions. High-tensile steel suspension pivot pins are polished for smooth suspension action.

Front steering block and rear uprights feature concentric and eccentric bushings which allow roll center adjustment as well as positive caster adjustment in front. The eccentric bushings in the rear upright also allow independent wheelbase adjustment. The height of front and rear axles can be easily adjusted with eccentric bushings.

Wheelbase can be easily adjusted using clips on the front suspension. Moving the arms towards the front or rear can also be used to fine-tune weight balance.

Wheel offset is easily adjustable by 0.5–2.5mm using included shims. This affects steering adjustment (when adjusted at the front) and also rear traction characteristics (when adjusted at the rear).

FRONT - Less offset at the front gives more in-corner steering and improved steering response. Recommended for small technical tracks.

More offset at the front gives more stability and makes the car easier to drive on large tracks or under high-grip conditions.

REAR - Less offset at the rear gives more in-corner steering, but less rear traction and stability. Therefore it is recommended to use less offset on small technical tracks or under high-traction conditions.

More offset at the rear makes the car more stable and improves cornering speed.

The tiny, tough steering blocks are molded from a special composite mixture for maximum strength. Thanks to perfect molding, bearings fit into the steering blocks without any extra play for maximum stability and steering.

The included 0° kingpin steering blocks allow the mounting of optional graphite aerodynamic disks which improve both low & high-speed steering, and improve stability in high-speed corners.

The steering block extension is mounted to the steering block, and features 3 different Ackermann positions. The kit includes 2mm bump steer shims for optimized bump steer characteristics; bump steer can be easily changed by adding or removing shims.

The extensions for steering blocks are made from Swiss 7075 T6 aluminum for increased durability and unmatched lifespan.

The small, compact rear uprights are very strong due to the special composite mixture used. Thanks to perfect molding, bearings fit into the rear uprights without any extra play, giving maximum stability and handling.

The rear uprights allow mounting of optional graphite aerodynamic disks which improve, improve rear traction, and improve stability in high-speed corners.

The rear uprights feature two easily-adjustable upper roll center positions which are used for traction adjustment. The uprights also feature two body mount adjustment positions depending on the type of body used. Also included are shorter and longer pivot ball joints for optimum set-up adjustment.

The RX8 pivot ball suspension contains precision pivot balls which are specially hardened for enhanced lifespan and to withstand hard crashes. A total of eight (8) pivot balls are included and are captured by strong M10 composite nuts to minimize weight and give smooth suspension movement.

Standard pivot balls are made from steel for maximum durability and lifespan. For those who are focused on minimizing unsprung weight, optional lightweight aluminum and titanium pivot balls are available.

HUDY Exclusive Silicone Oils are manufactured in Europe and each batch is laboratory tested and calibrated to ensure the highest possible consistency and quality from batch to batch. Based on the industry-standard cSt rating, the new line of oils will be easy to identify, adjust, and feel.

When following any set-up sheets by XRAY or XRAY team drivers, you can be sure that the oils you will get for your car are exactly same as those used by the factory racing team, thus ensuring very exacting set-ups and handling.

HUDY Chem Series.

The RX8 is fully ball-bearing equipped and features high-speed, blue-sealed ball-bearings throughout the drivetrain for maximum drivetrain efficiency. The high-tolerance, high-performance bearings are degreased and lightly oiled with Aero Shell Fluid 12™ for maximum smoothness and long life. The main ball-bearings are oversized with extra-strong bearing frames to ensure smooth, efficient running even under extreme conditions.

Front body posts are machined from premium Swiss 7075 T6 aluminum and are additionally lightened for minimal weight. 

The rear body mount holder allows the mounting of all popular racing bodies and meets all EFRA rules. The reinforced body mount is reliable and durable to withstand hard crashes. 

The receiver battery pack can be easily removed from below the fuel tank by a quick access composite cover at the bottom of the chassis. Optional graphite cover contains a special CNC-machined pocket in which the batteries are placed, allowing the batteries to sit as low as possible.

The main feature of the graphite cover is its integrated Multi-Flex Technology™ functionality to additionally reinforce the chassis in the vertical plane.

The optional graphite cover is also recommended for use with a LiPo receiver pack. An optional brass battery holder adds weight to the bottom of the car.

Multi-Flex Technology™ allows the mounting of the optional brass or graphite battery holders either affixed directly to the chassis or mounted independently from the chassis.

The compact, lightweight radio case features a clean design and layout. The radio case is attached to the side of the radio plate and will accommodate any standard-size receiver as well as an optional on/off switch with water-resistant rubber cover.

The chassis design focuses on balanced weight distribution and weight transfer. The chassis features pre-drilled holes for additional weights for optimum car balancing. Centerline holes are pre-drilled for easy balancing with the HUDY Chassis Balancing Tool #107880.

The RX8 features fully-adjustable front and rear suspension geometry: caster, camber, toe, ride height, droop, track-width, Ackermann, roll centers and weight balance. For quick & easy adjustment, we recommend using set-up tools and accessories from HUDY, the world leader of RC tools.

XRAY Instruction Manuals have become the industry standard, and are simply the best manuals you will ever get with an RC model car. Whether you are a first-time builder or an experienced racer, all instructions are straight-forward and easy to understand. The full-color Instruction Manual contains large 3D illustrations that show all assembly details in the easiest and most comprehensive manner.

Owning an XRAY model racing car is an experience unto itself. Not only will you own the most premium luxury model racing car in the world, but you will also become a member of the prestigious family of XRAY owners with direct support and service from the XRAY factory. XRAY brings you the most up-to-date RC Web site on the Internet, with daily racing news and the latest product developments. If you have any questions, problems or comments, you can ask the XRAY Support Team or any XRAY Factory Team Driver on the XRAY support forum. You can even upload your own set-up sheets or download from the thousands of different set-up sheets available from around the world at the exclusive XRAY Virtual Set-up Sheet Database. And that is only the start of the VIP treatment you get by joining Team XRAY.