found this bit on a tamiya website
Great Vigor Model Company - Here's an interesting footnote on R/C racing for the 80's. Great Vigor Model Company produced only one car; the Beagle 4WD buggy. What's interesting about the Beagle is that - with the exception of the lexan body - the entire chassis was a knock off of the Kyosho Optima. Right down to the last screw!
In fact, some hobby shops stocked Great Vigor replacement parts for their Kyosho customers because the parts were half the price or less. Even today, if you're buying a Kyosho car; check carefully, you may be purchasing a Great Vigor car with a Kyosho body on it!
It seems that Great Vigor is still operating and production R/C equipment but they lack a distribution network (at least a visible one anyhow) in North America.