The Durga is the latest budget-priced four-wheel-drive buggy from Tamiya. What we have here is the latest 'DB01' chassis - using suspension geometry and drive train parts borrowed from its European Championship winng big-bro, the 501X - this car is starting out with the best genes possible. The sealed drive train should be another big plus for an entry level car of this nature.

The name 'Durga' is borrowed from a multi-handed warrior Goddess from the Hindu faith, Apparently. Whatever the intentions of Tamiya - it's not exactly relevent or 'pretty' - but perhaps that is down to my limited education, who knows.

The Durga comes boxed much like any modern Tamiya – not a patch on the Tamiya of old, and certainly a way off most modern manufacturers, who tend to bag each stage of the build together.  There is non of that here – you’re presented with several large bags filled to the brim with smaller bags containing a bewildering array of parts.

The budget nature of the car is pretty plain to see from the vast swathe of black plastic – with barely a glint from a metal part to be seen on initial inspection of the many ‘baggies’ - it's all good quality stuff though.

The main chassis is the heart of this new car and appears to be some sort of glass filled plastic with a hint of flex – but certainly nothing like that seen on the usual plastic Tamiya buggies (DF03 / Dark Impact, springs to mind).   This feels like a good start – the chassis has fairly high raised sides and reinforcing along the centre belt tunnel to give the stiffness required.

Comparing in the hand it’s stiffer than the flat carbon fibre 501X chassis – in the case of the 501X there’s all the alloy and carbon top decks to stiffen things up immensely, whilst the Durga's belt covers should help stiffen things later.