Video: amazing rotary-engined RC cars

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Puerto Rico isn’t known for its car culture, but may we offer you an insight into a very niche sliver of it: rotary-engined radio-controlled cars.

Instead of being powered by four AA batteries, these custom-built diddy racers have potent little rotary engines stuffed under their plastic bodywork.

Rated at 4.97cc and 1.08bhp, each one is capable of revving to 18,000rpm. And as you can see, they’re stupidly quick. But better than that, they sound like pocket-sized Mazda 787B Le Mans cars. 

It’s safe to say, they’re a long way from the RC cars we used to bash into the skirting boards on Christmas day. For safety, they’re run outside on scaled down quarter mile tracks.

Once the finger throttle is mashed, they're off like a rocket. Wheelie bars are fitted to stop them from doing a backflip or turning into aeroplanes, and on a good run, can cover the strip in just over a second at over 70mph.

Just watch out for your ankles, yo.