DCM, good point "look & feel", let me (as designer & maker) drop some lines to this. First I go back a bit in history:
2004, Euros in Torino: Jörn Neumann & Peter Pinisch won with Durango, Jukka Steenari 3rd on XXX-4 (he was forced to run the XXX-4, could not race the XX-4). Then the following good cars were available for everyone:
XXX-4, BJ-4 (not Worlds). I run XXX-4 and did not like it. So in autumn 2004 I started to develop the MKI-4.
2005, Worlds in Torino: 1st Ryan Cavalieri with BJ-4 Worlds Prototype, 2nd Neil Cragg with MR-4 BX Prototype, 3rd Ryan Maifiels with BJ-4 Worlds Prototype, 4th Billy Easton with XX-4 WE, 10th Atsushi Hara with Durango. My MKI-4 prototype was OK, better as the driver, 74th
) Soon after the following good cars were available for everyone: BJ-4 Worlds, XX-4 WE (Re-released), XXX-4, MR-4 BX, X-5.
2006: The following good cars are available for everyone: BJ-4 Worlds, XX-4 WE (Re-released), XXX-4, MR-4 BX, X-5, ZX-5, MKI-4 (since Jan 06)
2007:
Now available: BJ-4 Worlds, XX-4 WE (Re-released), XXX-4, MR-4 BX, X-5, ZX-5, TRF 501X, MKI-4 - plenty of good cars to choose from!
Sure - the MKI-4 has a prototype look & feel. Certainly - DCM "all the other offerings have far better quality of look and feel, plus heritage, I know where I would spend my money". This makes that most racers will choose another car than the MKI-4 - although the MKI-4 has some goodies others don't have. Here is why:
The MKI-4 got developed by one man (with lots of helping hands - thanks guys
) with his private money & huuuge efforts (Don't do it - unless You are crazy as me). Since I don't have 50'000 £ and excellent relations to a manufacturer there is no way to build moulds & tools to have the look & feel like Losi or Tamiya or Kyosho.
This makes the MKI-4 an excellent 4 WD race car with prototype look & feel that is produced in small series by an "extraordinary" racer for a bunch of other "extraordinary" racers! Clearly the MKI-4 is not for Mr. Everyone.
Finally: The MKI-4 is the better XX-4 and as good as the best cars available. Those guys who have it are happy with it & don't regret to have bought it (except one guy there in Great Britain
). Hope You can grab a radio linked to a MKI-4 once to try it Yourself!