Upcoming Tamiya Mini 4WD Releases: What Is Listed for 2027
A handful of Tamiya Mini 4WD items appeared on Tamiya's overseas listings in July 2026 without yet being published by Tamiya Japan, one of them carrying a 2027 date and the rest carrying no date at all. That gap is normal — overseas distributors often list ahead of the Japanese catalogue — but it means everything below should be read as announced rather than confirmed. This is a snapshot taken on 6 September 2026 of what is currently visible, with an explicit note on how solid each item is. For the method of tracking releases yourself rather than relying on a snapshot, see the guide to tracking new Tamiya releases.
How to read this list
Every item here appeared on Tamiya's overseas listings with an item number. None of them has a product page on tamiya.com, in either the Japanese or English catalogue, and none has an image on Tamiya's own content network — we checked each one directly. That is not evidence they are cancelled; it is what an item looks like before Tamiya Japan publishes it. It does mean two things in practice: prices and release dates quoted anywhere for these are not coming from Tamiya, and specifications may change between listing and release.
So there are no prices or dates below. Where a description exists it is from the listing itself, and where something is an inference it is labelled as one.
The Hornet Jr. returns on the VZ chassis (18107)
The most interesting item on the list. The Hornet Jr. is item 18002 in the original Racing Mini 4WD series — released in May 1986 on the Type-1 chassis, and, despite being series No.2, the first Racing Mini 4WD to actually reach shops, a month ahead of the No.1 Hotshot Jr. CoroCoro's machine catalogue attributes that to manufacturing timing.
Bringing the name back on the VZ chassis would put a 1986 shape on a current, compact, short-wheelbase platform with a 3.5:1 ratio and modern roller provision — though the listing is a title and an item number, and how closely the body follows the 18002 original is one of the things not yet published — which is to say, a car you could genuinely race rather than shelf. The timing is not accidental either, landing as it does off the back of Racing Mini 4WD's 40th anniversary year; the 2026 anniversary releases cover the rest of that programme. What the VZ does and does not fit is in the VZ compatibility guide.
Neo-VQS Advanced Pack (18106)
Also on the VZ chassis, and listed as regular production rather than a limited edition — which, if it holds, makes it easier to get hold of than most of this list. Advanced Pack kits generally bundle upgrade parts that would otherwise be bought separately; the base kit versus premium kit comparison covers how those packagings differ and when the bundle is actually the cheaper route.
Year of the Sheep 2027 (95721)
Tamiya releases a zodiac Mini 4WD each year around the new year, and the 2027 edition is listed on the FM-A chassis. Its predecessor, the Year of the Horse 2026 (95694), gives a good idea of the pattern: a Super-II chassis in white, a vividly coloured open-top body, metallic gold accents, and a pre-painted and assembled driver figure matching the zodiac animal — a white horse for 2026. These are annual collectibles first and racers second, and they tend to disappear quickly after the new year.
Parts and tools
Four smaller items round out the list. The 2 mm Screw Cutter (74168) is listed by name only; going by that name it cuts 2 mm screws to length, but no description or image has been published and the tool has not been seen. G11 (10328) is a light brown spur gear for single-shaft chassis, sold in packs of ten. 10329 carries the same gear part number on Tamiya USA’s listing but in orange, and is generally read as the double-shaft MS/MA spur gear (G20) rather than another colour of G11 — that reading is an inference, not the listing. Both are spares rather than upgrades; the gear set compatibility guide covers which gears belong to which chassis family. LF Plastic Double Rollers (95722) are a two-stage 19-19 mm low-friction roller in black.
What is scheduled for the rest of 2026
For context, these are dated releases rather than pipeline listings — Tamiya Japan has published a date for each. September 2026 brings 13 mm ball-bearing plastic rollers in blue (15551) and the Dash-1 Emperor silver plated body set (95712) with matching red spike tyres and silver plated wheels (95713) around the 12th, then a Super FM fluorescent chassis set in orange and yellow (95710) and a black lock nut set (95719) around the 19th; a green lock nut set (95424) is on the same month's list. October adds a large-diameter tyre and wheel set for the EZ chassis in wide tread (15552) around the 10th, 19 mm aluminium five-spoke rollers with plastic rings in red (95396) and a Super FM fluorescent chassis in pink and green (95711) around the 24th, and an HG maintenance base (95514) with a low-friction hi-mount tube stabiliser in white (95718) around the 31st. Two red roller re-issues — HG lightweight 19 mm ball-race rollers, ringless (95404) and lightweight double aluminium rollers at 13-12 mm (95423) — appear on both the September and October lists, so treat the month as unsettled.
Two patterns are worth noticing. Tamiya has been working through the roller range in a single colour at a time, so if you want a matched set, buying within a colour wave is easier than catching up later. And the Super FM fluorescent chassis sets keep coming, which suggests that platform is getting more attention than its age would imply.
Frequently asked questions
Are these 2027 items confirmed by Tamiya?
Not yet. They appear on overseas listings with item numbers, but none has a product page in Tamiya's Japanese or English catalogue and none has an image on Tamiya's own content network as of 6 September 2026. Treat them as announced, not confirmed.
When will the Hornet Jr. VZ be released, and what will it cost?
Neither is known. Any price or date currently circulating for item 18107 is not coming from Tamiya, because Tamiya has not published the item. Waiting for the Japanese catalogue listing is the only reliable way to find out.
Is the Year of the Sheep 2027 kit worth buying to race?
The zodiac kits are collectibles first. They are perfectly raceable — the 2027 edition is listed on the FM-A chassis, a competitive platform — but they are bought mostly for the annual set, and they sell out quickly after the new year.
Why do overseas listings appear before Tamiya Japan publishes an item?
Distributors receive product information ahead of the public catalogue in order to plan stock, so listings often surface first. It is a normal part of the release cycle rather than a leak, but it does mean specifications and timing can still change.