it does look like a solution looking for a problem...... saddles will do everything that will, and more.

To be honest it looks good but it's nothing revolutionary. They've taken designs from everyone a put it in one kit. I wouldn't be bending over backwards to get one unless I was changing from a C4.1.

They should have gone for the b44.2 battery clip in stead of the thumbscrews. What the hell is going on with the battery.

Doe esc & rx placement look tight fit ? Compare c4.2 which seem loads space

I currently own c4.2 & I personally sticking with c4.2 as it decent car to suit my driving

There seems to be no battery adjustment. im not sure if there was any in the centro, however in the RB6 it's a tuning aid I use frequently.

And yes it does seem a tight squeeze!

On C4.2 there is lipo adjustment such as forward or rear position also stubby lipo fitment too
Then again I don't know about B5M

According to Ryan Cavalieri via FB the screws are metric.

If so... FINALLY! :)

The B5 seems to take a lot of design features from current cars (of their own and competitors). Imo, they don't have to feel ashamed in doing so though: Many brands have taken inspiration and/or copied design features from AE for years, and from there on other brands have set new standards with certain design features. Instead of stubbornly creating something completely different with a questionmark whether it will work better, they take their turn getting an up to date platform out there based on innovations that were made by other companies.

It seems the task was to get a truly up to date car, and the photos posted so far promise that the car will do a good job at that. The future will show if AE will try to regain the dominant market position again with innovative designs that push the boundaries - If you ask me they will, one does not release two dedicated kits at once if you don't have high ambitions :)

it still has ball diffs :thumbdown:

Where are you guys looking at the rear motor car!?, I can't seem to find any body off pics of that one, think my eyes must be painted on ! :confused:

http://www.teamassociated.com/AREA51/B5

Or just click on the B5/rear motor car/left on the announcement page

Yeah, that's come as a bit of a surprise. One rumour I'd heard a while back was the rear car would have a ball diff and the mid a gear diff. I don't know why this was but in any case it's proved to be wrong.

Looks like on the Mid car there's about 5mm of room forward of that pack ! and I suppose a stubbie cell could be mounted fore or aft giving you more weight options. On the diff front I would sooner have the ball diff in the kit. As a gear diff is cheaper to buy.

Fair play to AE at least it turns out both cars are genuinely new chassis and there wasn't just a hopped up b4.2/c4.2 underneath (as some thought from the first 'body on' shots). Clearly they've borrowed some design ideas from similar cars but not nessecarily a bad thing.

Factory Team version of the M would be good.

Any speculation as to price - will it be sensible I wonder.
Hopefully closer to £200 than the £300 mark?

£280

$260 at tower and around mid March they say

You can't tell 100% without having one in front of you to look at but all the geometry and component placement on the M looks identical to the Centro to me which is a good thing. It also makes sense to have a ball diff on both cars, the only situation where you'd want a geared diff in a 2wd IMO is when you would be running one of the front motor spazzy 2wd's.
I'm interested to see if the alloy chassis on the M is flat and the kickup is built into a plastic part, or if the chassis is bent up like the C4. If it's flat it'd be perfect for plopping on the front of a B44 and making a front motor car.

I know they aren't the Factory Team kits, but does anyone else think they look a bit 'RTR' with all the plastic?

They are factory team cars it just seems the costs need cutting to make them a good price
And all the r and d needs paying for

They are not factory team cars. FT kits will be released later on, which is a traditional policy with AE, but not one that I like. Racers will always want the factory version with the aluminum and titanium parts, IMHO there is no need for these 'team' versions. Nobody wants a tuned-down competition car for bashing nowadays. :thumbdown: