Where are the 1/43's?

[Esses]

Just been looking at the minicar prototypes. They look great but where, oh where is the Brock 28C XU-1 in 1/43? Biante have already made the LJ XU-1 in red & white ( I have a white one), so where is the Track version?
Also, where is the 1/43 2002 Bathurst Brock Commodore? Or did I miss it while away on Hols & preoccupied by bushfires?

[admin]

Steve there are about 8 43rds in the system, Brock/Baird car should be "In Transit" along with Rick Kelly and Skaife/Richards.

Costing is the problem with 43rd race cars, but now the dollar is improving slightly, these will commence in about April.

We will have a news item about a huge 43rd promotion, after I have discussed a few concerns with the engineers in China and Germany next week.

I assumed you were talking about Aussie cars..we have about 300 different Minichamps, IXO, Vitesse, Autoart and Kyosho 1:43rds currently being produced.

[7Litre]

Dear Admin,
I have to tatally agree with Steve, I feel that 43rds are the forgotten scale. The last excuse we heard on the slow releases was licencing and now it's engineering. Why can't we have a model produced in 43rd when it's already been appproved and licensed in 18th and or 64th?

Ozzie cars for Australia Day.

[admin]

7Litre, I don't make excuses, but I don't know how much time you've got, but if you go back thru ALL the threads, I have never attributed less (there are quite a few...not none) 1:43rds to the licensing. It is purely price, as I have also said on numerous occassions.
My costings, plus manufacturers license fee, plus driver fee would made it necessary to charge about $58.00 for a 1:43rd race car.
Whilst I am conviced that our product is more accurate and technically more detailed and correct than others, when they are dearer, people don't seem to care about the quality.
So, I took the option to back off.
To turn an XY road car, into say a Moffat car, is around US$12,000.
Thats about A$20,000, so we do 5000 cars its an extra S4.00 per car, plus Allan's fee.
Add the retailler mark up and extra GST and its about $60.00 retail.
I asked on one thread, "would you pay $60.00 for Aussie racing 43rds" and 8 people said yes. Only 4992 to go to make it work!!
Not as easy as that, but read what I said in the last thread..it will happen.

[7Litre]

Dear Admin,
Im Sorry, but I didn't meen to come across so picky, but as 1:43 scale goes it become hell of a drought at this end of the farm. Can't wait for the drought to break.
I totally love the quality and detail of Biante that's why keep collecting your products. I go to my Local Biante retailer weekly in anticipation of some inside news and we discuss the possiblities of models being produced and get frustrated about the ones still on Production planned list.
To finally bury the hatchet could Production Planned Models be posted when the mould has been made. That way collectors could have a hope that particular model would be released within say ie: 6weeks no longer.
Costings are a perculiar thing and if something is of good as quality as the price then it deserves to be sold at the price given it. I had no quarms in paying $68 for the Brock Tassie Targa Coupe because I wanted it and I knew the quality was going to be good.

Just a quick question to be answered please. When Licensing a particular model ie: Brock's XU1 can you or can you not cover all scales in the one deal?

Regards 7Litre.....

[admin]

I have spent my Australia Day, working on a production schedule for a complete range of 43rds..quite appropriate really I suppose.
With "Production Planned", we have gone as far as I am prepared to as far as showing where we are up to with the models release timing.
I have lost track almost of the models under development in each scale and when they get to a stage, I will (do) list them as production planned.
As far as the licenses go, we do get all scales done at the same time.
One 1:43rd that been a long time coming but is now scheduled is the Option 97 Cobra. Production starts March 8.

[Esses]

Thanks for the reply, Admin. I couldn't get through last night at all, something to do with the bushfires, I presume(?).
Yes, $58-00 is a lot to pay for a 1/43, but have you noted the prices that the Trax Brock/Bond XU-1 Twinsets are fetching? For an inferior model, at that! Yes, I would pay for a model I really wanted,ie:28C or No.1 from '73.
Purely for information (having been "self-employed" for over 15 years & knowing all about unpaid overtime) I spent my Aust. Day alternating between our roof (39 degrees) & calming down 2 little boys by constantly reassuring them that the fires were a long way away, & the black, burnt leaves dropping in our yard meant nothing.
The older boy (4yo) is drawing pictures of mountains & fires, with our house at the edge. Both he & his 2yo brother have converted their toy garages into fire stations, complete with helicopters & every red matchbox car in their vast collection, fire engine or not, & are busily putting out imaginary fires for hours on end!
I'm not complaining at all, as we still have a house & home & so many don't, but I am very worried. Particularly when the 4yo catches me taking a photo of my collection for inventory purposes & asks if I'm worried about the fires "burning them"? Wow!