ARRMA Limitless 120 vs Traxxas XO-1: Breaking Down the New 1/7 8S Street Speed Beast

Line up a few RC cars on the shelf and most of them feel tame. The ARRMA Limitless 120 RTR? Not even close — this is the one that makes your palms sweat before you even squeeze the trigger. For years, the Limitless platform was only for hardcore builders piecing every component together. Now ARRMA has dropped a ready-to-run version that shoots for triple digits straight from the box. The big debate: can this 1/7 scale missile really challenge the legendary Traxxas XO-1?

Numbers on a spec sheet don’t mean much until the car flashes past in a blur. The question is whether the Limitless 120 delivers that heart-pounding rush — and whether it makes speed running something more RC fans can actually try, instead of just watching online.

Limitless 120 at a Glance

The official name is a mouthful — ARRMA 1/7 LIMITLESS 8S AVC 4X4 RTR Brushless Street Speed — but the car itself speaks a simple language: speed. Out of the box it comes with an 8S brushless system, AVC stability control, and an aero shell that looks more like a Le Mans prototype than a toy.

Compared with the V1 and V2 rollers, this RTR trims away the setup headaches. The motor and ESC are factory-installed, the drivetrain runs diffs instead of a fixed spool, and the updated center shaft setup keeps things tighter at high RPM. It means you can do more than one pass — you can actually drive it like a high-powered street machine, if the road is smooth enough.

Still, this isn’t a backyard basher. With speeds brushing 120 mph, the Limitless RTR demands respect. Every shim, every aero cut, and every battery choice can make or break the run.

ARRMA Limitless 120 vs Traxxas XO-1

The first comparison is obvious: the Traxxas XO-1. For a decade, it set the standard for RTR “supercar” performance, breaking 100 mph when most RCs couldn’t get near it. Now the ARRMA Limitless 8S steps into the same fight, claiming 120 mph potential.

On paper, ARRMA looks stronger with an 8S layout. In practice, both cars face the same reality: they’re only as good as the packs you feed them.

The Real Bottleneck – Batteries

Talk to seasoned speed-runners and you’ll hear it quick: the packs decide the run. A car like the ARRMA Limitless 120 asks for brutal current delivery — full throttle for 6–10 seconds straight. If the voltage sags, you don’t just lose speed, you risk a brown-out or a thermal cut.

That’s why so many record chasers trust CNHL soft pack LiPos. Compared to hardcase packs, soft packs cut weight and lower internal resistance. On the road that translates into smaller voltage drops when you pin it, steadier pull, and a cleaner top end. At 100+ mph, that small edge feels like unlocking another gear.

Want the packs trusted by speed-run veterans? Check our CNHL Limitless 120 battery collection .

Why Upgrade to QS8?

The stock EC5/IC5 connectors are fine for bashing under 100 mph. But once you chase 120 mph+, they turn into the choke point. Running EC5 at those loads is like forcing a firehose through a garden hose nozzle — amps turn into heat instead of speed.

QS8 connectors fix that. Bigger contact surfaces, less resistance, lower temps. Every amp from your LiPo actually reaches the ESC and motor. That’s why many speed-run drivers see QS8 as a rite of passage: once you’re serious about triple digits, it’s no longer optional.

Limitless 120 vs XO-1 Revisited

The Traxxas XO-1 built the reputation of RTR speed. The ARRMA Limitless 120 RTR brings a more modern drivetrain and an 8S system to the fight. One has history, the other has headroom. Which one wins depends less on branding, and more on whether your packs can hold voltage to the finish.

Curious which LiPos deliver? Explore our CNHL Limitless 120 battery collection .

Frequently Asked Questions