• Long-Legged Beauty
The 8ight-T 2.0's A-arms are about 16 mm longer than its predecessor's, which increases stability, and makes room for longer travel shocks among other benefits.

• Nice Rear End
The rear shocks have been moved up and out to allow for 20 mm longer shocks, which give longer stroke for more stability. The camber links now have four positions, allowing you more tuning options for track conditions.

• Gothic Towers
New shock towers are delightfully machined; they look killer, reduce weight and add rigidity.

1. New chassis has been machined to be lighter, and stretched 14 mm for more stability. It also has what they call "Tuned Flex Technology," which allows the chassis to laterally flex, giving it active motion where it's needed.

2. Steering geometry has been changed to a more powerful and quicker design. The Ackermann brace now has a pressed-steel bushing for smoother operation.

3. Dogbones and outdrives are extra heavy duty to handle the rigors of racing, and the rear CVD driveshaft has a cool "grease booty" to keep it clean and lubed.

4. 50T center spur gear gives a wider power band across the range. It works the engine and clutch less, too!

5. Revised radio tray design optimizes servo placement for reduced stress. The compartments are a little roomier for electronics as well.

Testing
Testing was done at the world-famous Revelation Raceway where the pros go to practice! The track had a new layout for the Jimmy Babcock Racing League. Dirt conditions were spotty, with some wet and dry areas around the track. It was a flowing layout with big launcher jumps. As usual there was a slight coating of loose dirt to challenge your exit speeds, and as usual, it was typical paradise weather here in sunny Southern California.

Acceleration and Speed • Acceleration was quick and smooth thanks in part to the new 50T spur gear, and ultra efficient drive train the 2.0 has. Of course, the GRP .21 Buggy Sport-Line engine has a lot to do with this category, and it did not disappoint. Overall the 2.0 was quick and fast with a broad and robust feel to it. In other words...it's dialed!
Rating: 10/10

Braking • The 8ight-T 2.0 has the usual 1/8-scale brake setup with center-mounted front and rear disc brakes. The rotors are vented fiber-resin that is progressive and fade resistant. They performed splendidly once they were adjusted to my liking; they felt a little soft out of the box, but once I adjusted them, they worked like I wanted, and needed no adjustments for the rest of the testing.
Rating: 10

Low-Speed • The suspension felt agile at low speeds and rolled through bumps evenly. The increased length of the chassis and A-arms defiantly make the truggy stable even at low speeds, and the trademark Losi quick low speed turning is still prevalent with the new geometry.
Rating: 9

High-Speed Handling • Again the new geometry plays a big roll in how the 2.0 feels. Fully punched, the 2.0 is stable, planted, and in control anywhere on the track. It likes to hunker down and rail around the track like nobody's business. It seems to me that the 2.0 has a lower-slung chassis profile than normal, which keeps the CG low and in control. It rolls through high speed corners with ease—like the feel of a gas truck, if you remember those. At speed, the 8ight-T 2.0 was a little loose in the rear coming out of corners on its first outing on the track, but adjusting the rear sway bar helped control this. The stock tires added to this, but really, for a stock tire they felt darn good.
Rating: 9

Rough-Track Handling • Now this is where the 2.0 shines! The new geometry (longer A-arms, chassis and shocks), really keep this puppy going in the direction you want. It is incredibly stable and nimble in the rough. It hugs the ground, and goes where it's pointed with not much deviation from the planned trajectory. Words can't describe it, but the Losi 8ight-T just seems to walk effortlessly through the twisted layouts the track designers come up with!
Rating: 9.5

Jumping • I'm either getting better at large jumps, or the 8ight-T has a computer chip built in. The 2.0 is almost intuitive in the air—this thing loves to be in it! The 2.0 is so stable and so controllable above the track it's scary; it felt like Adam Drake was jumping for me. If you liked the original 8ight-T, then you'll love the 2.0 even better when it comes time for jumps.
Rating: 10

Wrenching
Maintenance • Wrenching on the 2.0 is simple and easy: Everything has been well thought out, and most everything is accessible. For instance, with four screws, the radio try is off and ready to work on. I do have one complaint, and I've said this many times: Why use SAE screws when the rest of the world—and RC for that matter—uses metric? I'm as American as the next guy, but metric is so much better to work with. Even NASA is switching over.

Maintenance on the Losi 8ight-T 2.0 is low. All parts and components are well designed, and hold up well to the rigors of racing. I raced the original Losi 8ight-T all last year and had to work on it seriously only a few times other than general cleaning and maintenance, so I imagine the 2.0 will last the long haul as well.
Rating: 8 / 9

Wear and Tear • Losi uses quality material with robust design so you can expect wear and tear to be equal to the abuse you put your truggy through. Based on my experience from a whole season on the first generation 8ight-T, I would anticipate very little problems with the 2.0 other than normal things like wearing out your chassis or A-arms. During testing I did yank out one of the shock shafts from its eyelet after tagging a pipe at speed, but after some investigation it looks like the plastic eyelet got overheated during assembly and weakened the threads. I don't see this as an ongoing issue, but I do need to tell you this: Other than the mentioned incident, the 2.0 held together well with hardly any of the screws coming loose, or parts showing wear.
Rating: 9

Tuning • As you would expect of any top shelf racer, the Losi 8ight-T 2.0 is loaded with tuning features, plus they designed some other inherent features, like the chassis tuned to automatically be in harmony with track conditions. Losi also includes extra spring sets, drag-links and sway-bars, as well as extra shock pistons and clutch springs to help even further with your tuning needs. The 8ight-T 2.0 responds well to tuning input, and whether you're a racer or beginner, the 2.0 can be adapted to your driving style or track conditions with ease.
Rating: 10

Conclusion
I was awed with the first Losi 8ight-T, and I'm even more overcome with 2.0. For an "out of the box" setup vehicle, I was impressed at how well the Losi gang nailed it. The 8ight-T 2.0 has a great "base" setup that requires only mild tweaking to get you where you want to be. Remarkably Losi was able to improve on an already innovative truggy with many new features. To me, the new 2.0 has the same scalpel-sharp drivability as the 8ight-T, but this puppy is more user-friendly. I felt the original required a more "pro" attitude to make it go fast, so whether you're a seasoned pro or you're just getting into truggy racing, I think you'll like the 2.0. The Losi 8ight-T 2.0 does everything well. It looks like something out of the new Star Trek movie, and you can't argue with its success. If you ask me, Losi hit another home run.