Ruminations on Scale

[Arkay]

[masmojo]

You know I have said what I have said and I guess I COULD be wrong!?

It's happened . . . ONCE! Maybe Twice!?

:laughing-rolling:

[a110alpine]

who will be the first person to pop a 1/43 resin body on one of these.???? . the only reason they are not Astons or Audis is that this company does not want to pay those special fees. this is the future guys. enjoy the hobby the way you like. I do. this forum is comprised for a bunch of dinosaurs. you are on the verge of extinction. don't expect any company to venture into 1/43 slot racing. 70$ for one of these cars.

[HomeRacingWorld]

Boring really. But cute for an RC forum.

Proud Slotasaurus.

[btaylor]

What the He## is that? no wires,no slots, no tape or braid? I think I saw that on an episode of star trek!
I guess I am a Carreraronadon too!
Bob

[richp175]

Back at the end of May there was an invite for views for a visit to Hornby in Margate so I posed the following

From a personal point of view I'd like to raise the question about Scalextric entering the 1/43 scale part of the market. I see the potential of getting into the scale. The majority of the 'hard work' has been done with the Corgi range only a decent chassis would be needed. Scale bodies,scale wheels with a guide flag as opposed to a pin and, I believe, they'd be on to a sure fire hit

The response: Answer: This is not an area that we are currently planning on going into as it is a scale too close to our micro market. The work involved in translating data from a scalecxtric car from a corgi model is actually a far longer process than you would imagine. The outer shape will translate fine but that is where the comparison ends – there would be no cross over in terms of components.

[Arkay]

[Arkay]

As to Scalextric - this is a more than unconvincing excuse.
They have approximately half a century of experience with ALL facets of slotcar racing. From cars via parts to tracks.
Who, if not they, would be able to produce a 43rd scale system that meets the requirements of xmas players as well as serious modellers ?
And isn´t it sad that normal people are able to design chassis, parts and bodies and let them print, even for a more or less acceptable price, but a firm like SCALEXTRIC isn´t ? They shame themselves...

Put a MICRO set and a 43rd sclae set on a table. I´m sure most buyers take the bigger one. There is nothing at all that speaks for MICRO, if one compares it with 43rd scale.

We are discussing in a vicious circle...

The starting point of this discussion was "...scale".

I am curious. How many people here in this 43rd scale forum see themselves as real scale slotracer, for whom detailing and correctness in scale is as important as good handling and good technique ?

Roland

[Arkay]

[LloydL]

[Ember]

Lloyd has it in a nutshell. The hobby/small producers are the way forward at the moment. Band together and produce a base that can work on all levels. Your universal chassis. That is the only way to build to critical mass point when perhaps the major players will take note.

It would be exactly the same if it was 1/32 or 1/64 starting out anew today.

[Arkay]

[masmojo]

The problem with most of the arguments from people like Carrera and Scalextric is they don't hold water, so in the end they are dismissive; it's obvious they have not given it any real thought.

Scalextric, introduced a low cost 1/32 line a couple years ago (Can't remember the name?) If you were concerned about cost or cannibalizing your main, most profitable line why would you do that? Micro Scalextric??? I know we don't get that here, because I think that it's basically AFX right? But in any case my overall impression is that it's not a big seller? A 1/43 alternative would not be a direct competition to your 1/32 line, but WOULD be competition for your main business rival CARRERA!

Carrera, Also afraid of cannibalizing their 1/32 line with a better quality 1/43 car, but they also cite cost issues and price points! Yeah, like the small improvements that would be needed would cost much! And Carrera does things that don't make sense from a cost perspective ALL the time! Weird limited Editions (Goth Bird!????) to LED's in the exhausts of Can Am cars, etc. It would take almost nothing to develop a better non-set car, a Pro car to sell in hobby outlets! To me that's a no brainer for a company that already has the #1 1/43 track system! :|

Actually, the company that could really make hay with a 1/43 car to me is Ninco! They came out with that silly 1/28 scale car a few years ago when they should have come out with a 1/43 car, The idea of 1/43 Ninco Classics? . . . . Wow, that raises goose bumps!! I would be in heaven! And they would finally have something that would not be a head to head competition with Scalextric or Carrera.

What about digital? those guys are always lamenting a LACK of Buy-in! If somebody came out with a high quality digital 1/43 system I would buy it in a heart beat!! :music-rockout: As would others I am sure and other then Carrera there would be NO cross compatibility issues/arguments!!

You know I am not really sure what happened to Kyosho, (other then their track was poorly designed). Again As Roland mentioned they did not bother to consult any experts in that area; I got the impression that there was some 1/32 guys involved, but that's like hiring a horse doctor to operate on your cat! I think more 1/32 guys bought Kyosho's then any other 1/43 car previously though. I know many guys bought at least one and sometimes more. I think they were on the right track and with some minor tweaks were close to pushing the whole thing over the top. :violin:
Another near miss! :roll:

SCX Compact was also very near the mark and at it's height was responsible for bringing a whole lot of guys to the boards; excited guys who were asking all the right questions; the kind of questions we don't get from people who buy GO! :naughty: Their early offerings and the fact that they alienated the hobby trade by selling through Target for the first 2/3 years, limited their traction after Target bailed on them.

Ultimately the Spanish economy and their own financial demons caught up with them, and even though I think the Target contract helped to keep them out of the red for those three years, it seems like management does not have confidence in the line and wants to put their marbles in a new digital system!??? :roll:

So what does all this have to do with anything? Well, it's all one big wheel and every attempt whether it's successful or not, brings us one step closer to success. Go! prepared us for SCX Compact, which in turn set the Stage for D-slot; with every iteration we get better cars! I suspect the next person to throw their towel in the ring will nail it! 8-)

[LloydL]

Johnny, he is 'Pastaga' on the FOLM forum, usually builds in 1/32.

Regards, Lloyd

[masmojo]