Overview

Ready to wreak havoc with FTX's latest addition to the drift RC car market? The FTX Havok 1/14 4WD Drift Roadster is a purpose-built, ready to run RC car designed specifically for on-road drifting enthusiasts and street racing fans. Whether you're looking for a ready to run RC car UK that delivers genuine drifting performance or seeking an entry point into the world of competitive RC drifting, the Havok combines genuine engineering with beginner-friendly features that make it accessible to drivers of all skill levels. This is a machine built for donuts, figure of eights, and opposite lock cornering—the kind of driving that makes RC motoring genuinely fun.

What sets the Havok apart in the competitive ready to run RC drift car market is its intelligent steering gyro system, which actively assists your driving to help make everyone an expert at sideways driving, no matter their experience. The fully proportional throttle and steering servo provide smooth and accurate control that responds perfectly to your inputs, whilst the shaft-driven 4WD drivetrain with front and rear geared differentials ensures consistent power delivery and predictable handling characteristics. This is not a toy—it's a genuine RC drift car that rewards driver skill and precision.

The FTX Havok also delivers genuine street-racing credentials with its LED light strips mounted to either side of the moulded tub chassis, illuminating the ground below for that authentic street race vibe. The moulded front grille and rear light buckets feature additional LED intelligent lighting that brings this scale-styled roadster to life. At just 342mm in length, this compact 1/14 scale drifter is nimble enough to navigate tight indoor spaces and car parks whilst maintaining the performance characteristics that make serious RC drifting possible.

Key Features

• 99% Ready-To-Run Configuration — The Havok arrives almost completely assembled and ready for immediate action, requiring minimal preparation before your first drive. This means you can unbox it, charge the included Li-Ion battery, and start drifting within minutes, making it ideal for buyers who want instant gratification rather than spending hours on assembly.
• Integrated Steering Gyro System — The splashproof speed control features an advanced gyro function that actively stabilises the vehicle during high-speed cornering and drifting, automatically correcting oversteer and understeer tendencies to keep you pointing in the right direction. This feature is transformative for drift driving as it allows less experienced drivers to achieve smooth, controlled drifts that would otherwise require years of practice.
• 2.4GHz Digital Radio System — The included 2.4GHz radio system provides secure, interference-free control with excellent range and responsiveness, ensuring your inputs are transmitted instantly to the vehicle for precise, lag-free handling.
• Fully Proportional Throttle and Steering Control — Rather than simple on-off control, the Havok features fully proportional steering and throttle inputs that respond precisely to how much you move the transmitter sticks. This allows for smooth, modulated power application and steering angle adjustment, which is absolutely essential for controlled drifting.
• RC390 Brushed Motor with Heatsink — The 390-size brushed motor delivers consistent torque and speed whilst the integrated heatsink helps dissipate heat during extended driving sessions, protecting the motor from thermal damage and ensuring reliable performance throughout your play session.
• Front and Rear Geared Differentials — These precision-engineered differentials allow the wheels on each axle to rotate at different speeds during cornering, which is absolutely critical for smooth drifting. Without differentials, the inner wheels would bind up during turns, making controlled drifting nearly impossible.
• Shaft-Driven 4WD Drivetrain — The four-wheel-drive system distributes power to all four wheels simultaneously, providing consistent forward and lateral grip during acceleration and cornering, and enabling the dramatic sideways sliding that defines drift driving.
• Double Wishbone Independent Suspension — Front and rear double wishbone suspension provides excellent geometry control, allowing the chassis to maintain optimal ride height and handling characteristics throughout aggressive manoeuvres.
• Coil Spring Shock Absorbers — The coil-sprung suspension components provide smooth, responsive damping that absorbs bumps and impacts whilst maintaining predictable handling, essential for maintaining control during high-speed drifting runs.
• Low Friction Ball Bearings Throughout — Every rotating component uses precision ball bearings rather than bushings, reducing friction and allowing the vehicle to accelerate more efficiently and coast smoothly, improving both performance and battery runtime.
• Front Universal Driveshafts — These constant-velocity style shafts transmit power to the front wheels whilst accommodating steering angle changes, allowing power delivery even when the wheels are turned at extreme angles.
• Splashproof 2.2kg Rated Steering Servo — The robust steering servo is rated to handle 2.2kg of steering load, meaning it won't struggle during heavy steering inputs and maintains fast, responsive steering even when the wheels encounter resistance. The splashproof construction means occasional water splashes won't damage the electronics.
• Splashproof Speed Controller — The electronic speed control is sealed against water ingress, allowing you to drive through light rain, wet grass, or puddles without fear of electrical damage.
• Moulded Tub Chassis with LED Side Lights — The one-piece tub chassis is rigid and durable, whilst the integrated LED side lights illuminate the ground beneath the vehicle for a genuinely impressive visual effect during evening driving sessions.
• Scale-Styled Roadster Body with Authentic Detail — The bodyshell features a moulded front grille with integrated LED lights and rear tail lights with intelligent lighting patterns, giving the Havok authentic visual appeal and road-going character.
• 7.4V 1500mAh 2S Li-Ion Battery Pack — The included rechargeable lithium-ion battery provides excellent power density and reliability, delivering consistent voltage throughout the charge cycle for responsive, predictable performance.
• USB Charger Included — The included USB charger is portable and beginner-friendly, allowing you to charge the battery from any standard USB power source, whether that's a computer, mobile phone charger, or power bank, making this an ideal ready to run RC car for holidays and travelling.

Technical Performance

The FTX Havok is engineered as a genuine drift platform with serious attention to suspension geometry, drivetrain architecture and electronic responsiveness. The RC390 brushed motor delivers sufficient torque to overcome rolling resistance and initiate slides whilst remaining controllable for less experienced drivers. The 7.4V 2S Li-Ion battery system provides 1500mAh of capacity, offering extended runtime compared to smaller NiMH packs, though runtime will vary depending on driving style—aggressive drifting with constant throttle inputs will consume battery faster than steady cruising. The shaft-driven 4WD system uses front and rear geared differentials to ensure that power is distributed intelligently between the wheels, allowing the Havok to maintain consistent grip during acceleration and initiate controlled slides during cornering. The suspension geometry, featuring double wishbone independent suspension at both axles with coil-sprung shocks, is specifically tuned to provide the chassis angles and anti-roll characteristics necessary for responsive drifting. The low-profile, 342mm-long bodyshell is aerodynamically cleaner than larger 1/10 scale vehicles, reducing drag and improving efficiency. All rotating components use precision ball bearings rather than bushings, significantly reducing mechanical friction and extending runtime. The splashproof ESC and steering servo mean the Havok can handle light rain, morning dew, and wet grass without electrical damage, though full water immersion should always be avoided. Build quality throughout is solid, with moulded plastic chassis components, metal drivetrain components, and properly sealed electronics throughout.

What's in the Box

• FTX Havok 1/14 4WD Drift Roadster vehicle (fully assembled except for minor final assembly)
• 2.4GHz radio control transmitter with receiver
• 7.4V 1500mAh 2S Li-Ion rechargeable battery pack
• USB charging cable for the Li-Ion battery
• User documentation and assembly instructions

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is the FTX Havok 1/14 Drift Roadster suitable for complete beginners? — Yes, absolutely. The Havok is specifically designed for drivers of all skill levels, with a skill rating of Level 1. The integrated steering gyro actively assists your driving, automatically correcting oversteer and understeer to help you maintain control during drifts. The fully proportional throttle and steering control are responsive but forgiving, and the RTR (ready to run) configuration means you can start driving within minutes of opening the box. If you've never driven an RC drift car before, the Havok is an excellent introduction to the sport.
• What battery does the FTX Havok need, and how long does it take to charge? — The Havok is supplied with a 2S 7.4V 1500mAh Li-Ion battery pack and USB charger. The included charger allows you to recharge the battery from any standard USB power source. Exact charge time will depend on your USB power source (a standard 1A USB adapter will charge slower than a high-power charger), but generally expect full charge within 2-3 hours. The 1500mAh capacity should provide 20-30 minutes of driving time depending on your driving style, with aggressive drifting consuming battery faster than gentle cruising.
• Can the Havok drive in wet conditions? — The Havok features splashproof electronics, including a splashproof speed controller and splashproof steering servo, so it can handle light rain, wet grass, and puddles without electrical damage. However, it is water-resistant rather than fully waterproof, so you should avoid full water immersion, deep puddles, or deliberate dunking in water. Essentially, if you're caught in a light rain shower or driving across damp grass, you're fine—but don't intentionally submerge the vehicle.
• How is the Havok different from other ready to run drift cars in the UK market? — The Havok stands out primarily due to its integrated steering gyro system, which is genuinely transformative for drift driving. This active assistance system helps even inexperienced drivers achieve smooth, controlled drifts, whereas most comparable drift cars require significant driver skill to execute consistent sideways runs. The Havok is also one of the few affordable RTR drift cars that includes a proper 2S Li-Ion battery system rather than NiMH batteries, providing better power characteristics and longer runtimes. The sophisticated LED lighting system—including chassis side lights and intelligent LED front grille and rear lights—also sets it apart visually, delivering genuine street-racing credentials that cheaper alternatives cannot match.
• What is the top speed of the Havok, and how fast is it really? — The manufacturer specifications do not publish a specific maximum speed figure for the Havok. However, as a 1/14 scale drift car with a 390-size brushed motor and 2S 7.4V battery, we would expect realistic top speeds in the region of 20-25 mph (32-40 kph) in ideal conditions. It's worth remembering that drift driving isn't about top speed anyway—the Havok is engineered for sliding control and finesse, not straight-line speed.
• What size are the tyres, and can I fit different drift tyres? — The manufacturer specifications do not provide tyre size details. However, the Havok is a 1/14 scale vehicle, so tyres would be proportionally small compared to larger 1/10 scale vehicles. If you wish to upgrade the tyres, FTX supplies dedicated Havok spare parts including tyre and wheel options, which you can source through RC Model Shop.
• Does the Havok require any tools or assembly? — The Havok is 99% ready to run, meaning it arrives fully assembled and ready to use straight out of the box. You may need to charge the battery before your first drive, which is simply a case of plugging the USB charger into a power source and connecting it to the battery. No tools or technical knowledge are required.
• What radio frequency does the Havok use, and will it work alongside other RC cars? — The Havok uses a 2.4GHz digital radio system, which is the modern standard for RC vehicles worldwide. The 2.4GHz frequency is digitally secure and automatically hops between channels to avoid interference, so you can operate multiple 2.4GHz RC cars simultaneously in the same location without signal conflicts. This is a major advantage over older 27MHz and 40MHz systems, which suffered from interference issues if multiple cars operated nearby.
• Is there a yellow version available, and what other colours does FTX offer? — Yes, the Havok is available in both blue and yellow versions. The model numbers are FTX5598BL (blue) and FTX5598YL (yellow), allowing you to choose your preferred colour scheme. FTX also manufactures the Havok Drift Truck variant in the same colours if you prefer a truck-style chassis instead of the sleek roadster design.
• What spare parts are available for the Havok? — FTX manufactures a comprehensive range of spare parts for the Havok, including suspension components, drivetrain parts, body panels, shock absorbers, bearings, and electronics. Should you break or wear out any component through enthusiastic driving, genuine FTX spares are available through RC Model Shop, ensuring you can keep your Havok running indefinitely.

Why Buy from RC Model Shop?

RC Model Shop is a trusted UK RC retailer and authorised dealer for all the brands we stock, including Traxxas, ARRMA, Losi, FTX, Hobbywing, Spektrum and more. Based in Walsall, we have a physical store where customers are welcome to come in, view products and purchase in store. Whether you are a seasoned competitor, a weekend basher, or just discovering the world of RC for the first time, our team of experienced RC enthusiasts is here to help you find the perfect setup and provide ongoing support. Order the FTX HAVOK 1/14 4WD DRIFT ROADSTER CAR - BLUE FTX5598BL today with confidence, knowing you are buying from an authorised retailer with genuine products, expert knowledge and a commitment to customer satisfaction. Shop online or visit us in Walsall — we look forward to helping you get the most out of your RC experience.