The Biante name

[V8SS]

I was reading an old copy of HSV Excelerate magazine on the weekend and it had an article on Trevor & Bev and how they started up their business. It got me thinking about the name "Biante" and was wondering if Admin or anyone else can tell me how they came up with the name and if it has any meaning. Just curious.

[Donny05]

B and T ....... become Biante ......... which the B stands for Bev and T for Trevor.

:D

[KiwiRallyFan]

Great question V8SS....I have also been wondering where the name Biante came from.

Also, I don't really know much about the company, just what I have read on the web-site and through this forum.

Does anyone feel like sharing some history (or interesting little facts) ???

Like V8SS, I'm really just curious. :)

[pdg666]

Here you go Guys and Girls, This should be what you are all after and it should save trevor and bev some time.
Cheers
Paul

The Biante story began in 1990 when Trevor Young became bored of the retired life after selling his successful building business in his home town of Perth and bought into his local model shop.

Already a model collector for 45 years and with an estimated 20,000 models filling his garage at home Trevor approached David King, part owner with his father of the shop where Trevor bought his models, with a proposal to buy a share of the business. His approach was initially rejected but when King’s father suffered a stroke he sought out Trevor and asked if he was still interested.

He was and soon became part owner of this successful model shop in central Perth. Quickly he discovered, however that supply was a problem and he couldn’t satisfy the demand from collectors with the limited and unreliable supply he had from his existing model suppliers.

Out of frustration he went on a shopping spree to America, England, China and Japan and returned with deals to distribute three high quality brands. With a guarantee of supply Trevor could offer model shops around the country a high quality product and they signed on to handle his brands. BIANTE was born.

Trevor’s wife Bev the “B� in “B and T� ran Biante out of the couple’s six car garage at home while Trevor, Biante’s “T� worked in the shop. The garage quickly became too small as the business began to expand, and after a series of moves into progressively larger premises, they now operate from two adjacent 1,000 square metre warehouses in the Perth suburb of Belmont.

With the big 1:18th scale becoming so popular, Trevor is now pushing the boundaries of model making with even greater detail in almost every model he produces. Even he admits he doesn’t know where it will end.

“There’s not much we can’t make now“, He says “We were the first to produce a car with four opening doors in 1:18th scale and we were the first to have a full engine instead of a flat panel that sat in the engine bay�. “We now have brake rotors that turn with the wheels while the calipers stay still, and while the steering is basic it works quite well�.

“The level of detail is frightening if you go back to Dinky models which everyone loved, you’ll find they had 9 pieces, our latest model of Craig Lowndes Falcon Supercar has more than 200�.

The thing that won’t change he says is the use of diecast, the Zinc for which comes from mines in Western Australia. “People want to feel something substantial when they pick a model up which only comes with diecast, and you can’t get the same detail with plastic�.

While Trevor’s collection of models continues to grow, his collection of “Real� Cars is also growing. Already in his stable are two XC Cobra Falcon Coupe’s, a low mileage A9X Torana, a L34 Torana, and a E49 Charger which is being restored. His everyday driver is a HSV Clubsport R8 that’s sports some special touches, like race paint and a race car rear wing, courteous of HRT. And due any day now is a new Monaro which will actually be the first coupe to come off the production line. And like everyone who ordered a new Monaro before the Coupe was officially launched, Trevor received a complimentary model of the car from Holden, made by Biante of course.

[KiwiRallyFan]

Thanks pdg666....that's great info.

And 20,000 models...gee have I got some collecting to do!

To B and T, keep up the good work, you produce some terrific products.

[Grubby]

With 20,000 models did Trevor & Bev fit any 1:1 cars in that 6 car garage ?

[frosty]

Welcome back, Paul....

[zeitgeist]

Thanks for the info. Being in the U.S., I had never heard the word "Biante" spoken before I rang a shop for my first order.

Guessing, I said "Bee-ahn-tee". The shopkeeper didn't react to it so that's how I kept pronouncing it. Thanks for setting me straight!

BC

[V8SS]

Don't worry Zeitgeist, I hear it called By-an-tee over here in NZ.

[jager]

I thought they called it Baaaaaaa.....nte in N.Z !

[BATHURSTFAN]

I've always pronounced it the same as Zeitgeist. "Bee-ahn-tee"

[terrine]

but, how do you pronounce zeitgeist?

zeet-geest,zite-giste,zit-guest....

r/peter
now your answer must be 500 words or less;)

[Three_o_seven]

I'd guess it to be 'zeet guy st' or close.......whats the winner get?:p

Jeremy

[zeitgeist]

Isn't knowing one is right satisfaction enough? :)

For the record, both 'ei' combinations are pronounced 'i' or 'eye'.

I should add that that's how we say it in the U.S. However you would say the word 'light' is how you would say both 'zeit' and 'geist'.

BC

[Mark Wicks]

Any pictures of The Trev Young Collection to drool over?

Are those 20,000+ models on display in the garage, or just stacked up in the garage??

[BATHURSTFAN]

I believe ZEITGEIST translates from German "Spirit Of The Times".