At the 1989 IFMAR 1/10 Off-Road World Championships in Sydney, Australia, a secret weapon was unleashed that would change RC racing forever. At the hands of the legendary Masami Hirosaka, Team Associated debuted the prototype RC10 "Stealth" car, a radical evolution of the dominant RC10 platform. Its most groundbreaking feature was the revolutionary Stealth® 3-gear transmission, a compact and efficient unit that offered smoother power delivery than the standard 6-gear setup.
This innovative transmission, combined with a narrowed, lightweight chassis and other prototype modifications, gave Masami the edge he needed. Driving with his signature smooth and aggressive style, he piloted the "secret weapon" to a decisive victory, securing another of his record-breaking 14 IFMAR World Championship titles.
The impact of this win was immediate and lasting. The success of the Stealth car set a new benchmark for 2WD off-road buggy design, and its transmission became the foundation for countless future Team Associated vehicles. The 1989 Worlds in Australia remains an iconic moment where a legendary driver and revolutionary technology combined to reshape the sport.