What are Tamiya doing...?

I don't know if anyone else has discussed this before but what's happened to all Tamiya's 1/24 car releases.
Just looking at the release lists on their web site shows only 1 or 2 NEW 1/24 cars.
Most have been re-releases / re-vamps of old cars (blue Focus and new 206s), not to mention the finished body series. :confused:
Even the 2003 catalogue was full of cars from the last 3 years!!! :screwy:

Just when I thought things were getting good with the release of the Enzo its all come to a stand still.

In the mean time rival companies are releasing cars like the Mazda RX8, new Honda NSX and custom Fast & Frustrated kits..

Have Tamiya lost the 1/24 car plot or are they planning something big for the future??????

Maybe after the superb Enzo (I really must get one of those at some point) they are having to rest and recuperate due to the amazing amount of work that must have gone into producing it.

Maybe they think there is nothing worth modelling after that. :biggrin:

Oh, and by the way, Hi "neighbour"!

Maybe after the superb Enzo (I really must get one of those at some point) they are having to rest and recuperate due to the amazing amount of work that must have gone into producing it.

Maybe they think there is nothing worth modelling after that.
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

I suppose we can expect some curbsides before too long.

Apart from the ENZO, Tamiya have really done nothing to get excited about in quite a while now :uhoh:

I can't even remember the last Tamiya car I bought. I suppose not having anywhere that sells much Tamiya locally doesn't help, though of course there is always mail order. I have a suspicion that one of the last Tamiya models I bought was the 1/12 Caterham a couple of years ago. Now I really ought to make that sometime soon.

nothing new since Enzo.. it's a shame... maybe they will relase Audi TT DMT and Porsche Carrera GT for xmas ! :grinno: :screwy:

I can't even remember the last Tamiya car I bought. I suppose not having anywhere that sells much Tamiya locally doesn't help, though of course there is always mail order. I have a suspicion that one of the last Tamiya models I bought was the 1/12 Caterham a couple of years ago. Now I really ought to make that sometime soon.

Theres a good shop for Tamiya stuff in Carterton near Witney (off the A40) and a great one in Swindon.
PM me for mpre details..

i think that the Enzo had used up a big chunk of their development budget for this year. I think we have to make do with revamps of existing kits this year, until they build up their budget for next year. Well we have the 2003 Peugeot to look forward to next.

nothing new since Enzo.. it's a shame... maybe they will relase Audi TT DMT and Porsche Carrera GT for xmas ! :grinno: :screwy:

I wish for that.

i think that the Enzo had used up a big chunk of their development budget for this year. I think we have to make do with revamps of existing kits this year, until they build up their budget for next year. Well we have the 2003 Peugeot to look forward to next.

That's true. I'm not up on the financial news, but has anyone looked into Tamiya's financial reports over the past few quarters? I haven't, but if they aren't doing too well, high expenses, low revenues, etc, they wouldn't be too keen on making a brand new kit and the cost associated with that until the get things back on the level. Hmmm, I think I'll do some research.

What do you mean? As far back as I can remember, Tamiya have never released a stack of new kits each month so this seems very normal to me- quality not quantity. I would however have expected at least on all new tooling since Enzo's release but as mentioned, i would imagine it sapped quite alot of their budget.

Yeah, I wish that they would put out some more models. I really like the build quality of Tamiya models and I would love to build a e46 M3 or something.

They must be saving money and directing their limited human resources to release the next detailed kit.
Technically, they only have one team to develop car models, so that translates to 2 detailed kits per year. As we know, last years resources were spent for the Enzo and FW24. I don't know their plan for this Christmas, but I'm sure those who are behind such superb kits are working their butt off to finish the design on CAD, and just about to translate it to the mold now.
My wish is the Carrera GT to go with (or against) the Enzo, but we don't know until the fall hobby show.

A Tamiya engineer told me that they want to make at least one 1/20 scale F1 kit per year, but personally, they should skip 2003, because of the lack of strong subject, and release mod. reissue like '03 Impreza WRC and 350Z Nismo.

Perhaps they will re-release some more of their older models.

I'm sure they will release The Enzo Yellow version. they did that on every popular Ferrari

It's been stated before, but I will re-state it anyway.
Tamiya simply doesn't release very many new kits each year.
Across all the plastic kit lines they offer, there are just not ever been very many new releases.

There are a ton of new cars that are just begging to be kitted!

Super cars, sports cars, high end SUV's, Mega-Lux cars...

Huummm...
Something Italian... wearing a bull or a trident perhaps...

:licka:

As long as it's quality over quantity I don't see the problem. Tamiya kits are high quality. Fujimi for example have a larger range, but their quality sucks compared to Tamiya.

we should wait for this
http://www.tamiya.com/japan/chicago2003/index.htm


:smile:

So, the next X-day is Sep. 12th.

since tamiya ain't putting out any new interesting kits, i hope that they would re-issue some of their old classic racers like the Pug 205T16, etc...

Audi TT
Audi TT
Audi TT
Audi TT
Audi TT
Audi TT
Audi TT
Audi TT
Audi TT
Audi TT
Audi TT
Audi TT

Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease......... ..................

I woudn't be hard to do a Evo 7 road car or even a Evo 8 as they have the Evo 7 Rally car as a base.
Bring on the RX-8 That's what I want.

since tamiya ain't putting out any new interesting kits, i hope that they would re-issue some of their old classic racers like the Pug 205T16, etc...
:1:

disappointed with tamiya tho

I do have one small tidbit of Tamiya knowledge. they are opening an official U.S. Tamiya retail store next to there headquarters in California. They will sell all there models, supplies, and also so carry all other after-market stuff made for there kits. and hopefully this will be a trend and other stores will open in other major cities in the USA. for now i guess ill have to fly to CA to check it out. but i hope this means the American market is getting bigger so we might start seeing more kits here from Asian manufacturers!!! cross your fingers. though i will be moving to England in a year or so to finish Racing School...

Maybe after the superb Enzo (I really must get one of those at some point) they are having to rest and recuperate due to the amazing amount of work that must have gone into producing it.

Maybe they think there is nothing worth modelling after that. :biggrin:

Oh, and by the way, Hi "neighbour"!

Something stupid is going on at Tamiya, they releaseed that butt ugly Enzo and blew nearly all their budget for a whole year! Revell are releasing the Enzo aswell but they are also releasing several new models this year. Not reboxed old ones but completely new ones! I don't build many Tamiyas at all, I try to avoid them but it seems they stuffed up this time 'round :nono:



:2cents:

Something stupid is going on at Tamiya, they releaseed that butt ugly Enzo and blew nearly all their budget for a whole year! Revell are releasing the Enzo aswell but they are also releasing several new models this year. Not reboxed old ones but completely new ones! I don't build many Tamiyas at all, I try to avoid them but it seems they stuffed up this time 'round :nono:



:2cents:


Like its been said before, Tamiya is all about quality and not quantity. Revell on the other had is the opposite way. Revell releases a lot of those NASCAR/Stock car kits... which are just the same mold different decals.


I do have one small tidbit of Tamiya knowledge. they are opening an official U.S. Tamiya retail store next to there headquarters in California. They will sell all there models, supplies, and also so carry all other after-market stuff made for there kits. and hopefully this will be a trend and other stores will open in other major cities in the USA. for now i guess ill have to fly to CA to check it out. but i hope this means the American market is getting bigger so we might start seeing more kits here from Asian manufacturers!!! cross your fingers. though i will be moving to England in a year or so to finish Racing School...


Do you think their prices will be the same as in Japan ? Their original prices are around the same as Revell's. Hopefully they only tack on a little surcharge on it and not the high prices we currently pay to get their kits.

i hate to say it but i have a feeling that the kits will at best be a few dollars cheaper then what we pay now. but there are a few of Euro and Asian kits that are not imported to the U.S. that will be availible at this store not to mention the detail kits. But i would not plan on seeing too much of a price cut. Import Tax, store front, etc... cost money but maybe you will save 5-7 bucks each. cant say really but i think its a good move for American modellers cus hopefully it will get more popular and Asian kits will eventually get cheaper.

I do have one small tidbit of Tamiya knowledge. they are opening an official U.S. Tamiya retail store next to there headquarters in California. They will sell all there models, supplies, and also so carry all other after-market stuff made for there kits. and hopefully this will be a trend and other stores will open in other major cities in the USA. for now i guess ill have to fly to CA to check it out. but i hope this means the American market is getting bigger so we might start seeing more kits here from Asian manufacturers!!! cross your fingers. though i will be moving to England in a year or so to finish Racing School...
I don't mean to be an asshole but you talk too much about personal things we couldn't care less about. Your personal goals and future plans belong in the COT forum.

People continue to say Tamiya is about quality over quantity, but I remember 10 years ago when they produced a lot of car kits. It probably has more to do with the dynamics of the market place and expensive license agreements.

I certainly wish Tamiya would create an MB SL55, BMW 7, Ferrari 575, etc.

I don't mean to be an asshole but you talk too much about personal things we couldn't care less about. Your personal goals and future plans belong in the COT forum.

wow, sorry, didnt mean to be personable, ill try to remain more droid-like and lifeless. that 16 word sentence about moving is really cluttering up this forum. ill try and post more redundant newbie type questions instead of imforming people about things relevent to the threads i respond to. life is model, model is life.

Well i'm going with this...........

Like its been said before, Tamiya is all about quality and not quantity. Revell on the other had is the opposite way. Revell releases a lot of those NASCAR/Stock car kits... which are just the same mold different decals.

Later, Mike.

:sunglasse

I don't mean to be an asshole but you talk too much about personal things we couldn't care less about. Your personal goals and future plans belong in the COT forum.

wierd reply tonioseven, i think it's interresting what freakmech had to say. what's the prob. talking about a little personal things? there are some more personal issuis on this section of the forum and i think it only good/nice to know some personal things from members of the 'car modeling' section of AF.
sorry for being OT

:2cents:

I don't really know how much Tamiya wants to release kits after some other company has already released them, but on the Fujimi list are the New Accord Wagon and V35 Skyline Coupe 350GT (and 350GT Nismo).

I would have loved to see Tamiya release V35, but I guess there is still hope (yes, I know Fujimi & Tamiya have both released previous Skylines).

And now I just noticed that there is no point in this post :iceslolan