Vanguard Sonic

* Original
* Premium

The **Vanguard Sonic** (Japanese: バンガードソニック, *Bangādo Sonikku*) is a Fully Cowled Mini 4WD car released by Tamiya on September 20, 1995.

It was featured in the manga and anime *Bakusou Kyoudai Let's & Go!* as Retsu Seiba's third machine, replacing his Sonic Saber in the series.

## General info

The Vanguard Sonic has the redesigned bodyshell that is drastically different from the Sonic Saber. All four wheels now has its own individual fenders, and part of the front fenders can be removed. It has the V-shaped bonnet on the center top of the bodyshell.

Compared to the Victory Magnum, the Vanguard Sonic has the smooth-edged body designs and has the large rear spoiler with winglets. It also has the 'Retsu' emblem on the bonnet, with the 'V Sonic' decal on top of it.

All models were equipped with the small-diameter 3-spoke Fully Cowled-type wheels. All but the Premium variant comes with the high-profile slick tires.

### Original and Premium variants

Both the original model and the Premium variant retains the racing white body color (pure white on Premium variant) with the same smooth stripe body decals that has red and green highlights as its predecessor has. The Premium variant also has the choice to use the newer headlamp decals on top of the original headlamp decals.

The original Vanguard Sonic was equipped with the neon-yellow wheels and has the V-machine-type side guard, while the Premium variant has the black, carbon-mixed polymide nylon wheels with the treaded radial tires. The chassis frame, A parts and the side guard of the original model were molded in gray, green and gray respectively, while the Premium variant has black carbon-mixed nylon chassis frame and red A parts.

Only the Premium variant comes with the standard motor.

### Limited Special

The limited edition model has the green plated bodyshell, with the chassis frame and side guard molded in white and the A parts molded in smoke clear. It doesn't comes with a standard motor.

## In media

### *Bakusou Kyoudai Let's & Go!*

The Vanguard Sonic was one of the V-machines that are made by Professor Tsuchiya. It was made shortly before the Seiba brothers lost their Sabers in a race against J and his Proto-Saber JB. Like its predecessor, it was a cornering-focused machine.

In both media, Retsu was very reluctant to use it initially, to the point that in the manga, Go and Him tries to return the V-machines to Professor Tsuchiya.

In the manga, the Seiba brothers were forced to enter the summer cup race by Toukichi. During the race, both the V-machines are slower due to lack to maintenances made by The Seiba Brothers, and were blown off of the circuit by the Proto-Saber's air cannon. As both machines are about to fall onto the sea, it reminds the Seiba brothers of how their Sabers met their demise and decided to save the V-machines in a selfless act. Having no choice but to use the V-machines, the Seiba brothers maintains the machines and resume the race.

In the anime, Retsu tries to return the machine but was convinced by Professor Tsuchiya to keep The Vanguard Sonic like Sonic Saber. During the Toukichi Cup, Retsu, much like Go, uses the badly-aged Torque-Tuned Motor that was used in Sonic Saber's debut race until it stops working, and swap it with a new motor to continue the race. After seeing how fast Go's Cyclone Magnum is. Retsu, being impatient, heavily modifies his Vanguard Sonic so he can catch up with Go's Cyclone Magnum, but as Go pointed out, the modified machine has departed from its usually cornering specialty as it mimics other Fully-Cowled cars' special techniques. (Which also includes: Neo-Tridagger's Wall Running, Spin Cobra's Thunder Drift, And Victory Magnum's Magnum Tornado, the one that knocked Retsu out cold when Vanguard Sonic flew from the track and hit him right on the forehead.)

The Vanguard Sonic was eventually replaced by the Hurricane Sonic later in the series; In the manga, Retsu made the Hurricane Sonic from scratch after seeing how fast the WGP participants' cars are, while in the anime, Retsu made the Hurricane Sonic with Tesshin-Sensei and (Ironically) Professor Oogami's help. In both cases, what happened to the Vanguard Sonic is unknown. (Possibly Hurricane Sonic was made from Vanguard Sonic)

## Gallery

### Boxarts

Boxart of the Vanguard Sonic.Boxart of the Premium variant.
### Car views

Front view (Premium variant)Rear view (Premium variant)Side view (Premium variant)
### Images

The Sonic Mini 4WD cars.Vanguard Sonic Premium and Victory Magnum Premium.
## Trivia

* The Premium variant of Vanguard Sonic, along with the Premium variant of Victory Magnum, are the only ones with the carbon-mixed nylon chassis frame equipped by default in the standard lineup.

## See also

* Sonic Saber
* Hurricane Sonic
* Buster-Sonic
* Blitzer-Sonic
* RodeoSonic
* Great BlastSonic
* Cosmosonic

## External links

### Tamiya Japan

* Vanguard Sonic at Tamiya Japan (Japanese)
* Vanguard Sonic Premium at Tamiya Japan

### Tamiya America

* Vanguard Sonic at Tamiya America
* Vanguard Sonic Premium at Tamiya America