🏎️ Scale (1:10, 1:8, 1:5)
The size ratio between the model and a real full-size vehicle — 1:10 scale means the model is one-tenth the size of the real thing. Smaller numbers (1:5) mean bigger models.
What it actually does
Scale is the model's size relative to the real vehicle. 1/10 means one tenth the size of the full-size original. It is the number that decides what parts fit, what class you can race in, and how the model behaves — bigger scales carry more weight and handle rough ground better.
In practice
Common scales are 1/24 and 1/18 (small, indoor-friendly), 1/10 (the mainstream, with the widest parts and class support), 1/8 (large, fast, common in racing), and 1/5 (very large, often petrol-powered). Scale is nominal rather than exact — two 1/10 cars from different makers are not necessarily the same size.
Worth knowing
Parts availability follows popularity, not size. 1/10 is by far the easiest scale to get spares for, which matters more than it sounds when you break something on a Sunday.