A question: what does Z in MINI-Z stand for?

I’ve just received a question “what does Z in MINI-Z stand for?”

Good question. I’ve never thought about that. So, let’s find that out.

Ishikawa-san, who is a designer of the MINI-Z, tells the story.

An answer from Ishikawa-san

He says, “Z as in ‘from A to Z’ and it also means ultimate.”

What? Let’s get more details.

When Kyosho developed a new 1:28 scale mini RC car in 1999, we wanted the product to be enjoyed by every level of users.

As a beginner, you can start the MINI-Z very easily. It runs very well out of the box with 4 x AAA alkaline batteries, and because of its small size, you can enjoy driving it indoors without caring too much about where to run it. This is the “A” part.

When you get used to driving your MINI-Z, you should be interested in getting more performance out of it and driving in dedicated race tracks for serious racing.

Yes, definitely you can. There are a lot of optional parts available to customize your MINI-Z as you wish, and you can go to race tracks or set up your own race track in your house. You’ll eventually become an expert and go deep into the RC hobby together with your MINI-Z! This is the “Z” part.

18 years back, we hoped the MINI-Z to become an ultimate mini RC car for everybody, and we’ve tried to make it happen since then.

How we call MINI-Z in Japan

By the way, did you know that MINI-Z is pronounced differently in Japan?

MINI-Z is usually pronounced “mini zee” or “mini zed” but in Japan, we pronounce it like “minutes.”

Why? Let’s find it out next time!