Revell owner Quantum acquires Carrera

[mattb]

Agree Harry. Keep the track above all else, probably for the financial part, the 1/43 stuff. 1/32 cars and 1/43 cars. The 1/24 cars and the digital probably need to become extinct. It may be hard to get an accurate picture just from reading forums , but I see about 1 in 10-15 slotters are digital the rest seem to be plain old analog..

[RvE]

Wow, that is interesting, but as a ardent purchaser of both the 1/32 and 1/24 cars, I am worried if they will continue with all of their products. I am always amazed at the scale accuracy and detail and robustness of the 1/24 cars, and love to race them on carrera home tracks. Such mergers often result in cut backs and drive for additional profits. I hope that does not happen. RvE

[slothead]

From comments on HRW I thought Carrera digital had become the go-to version. Yes, most of us old timers are just fine with analogue racing, but it seemed to me someone new who started out with digital would be bored with analogue.

If Carrera were to drop its digital line would that likely mean digital failed? After becoming acquainted with how digital enhanced model railroading I thought over time it would be as extensive with slot cars. Of course, a major difference is model railroading has national and international organizations that put standards in place to unify things.

[mattb]

If digital fades away, I think a lot of digital users would switch to analog. But....there is probably enough stuff in the pipeline to support digital for years to come.

Model RR'ing has a big advantage over the slot car hobby. RR'ing has a national association that supports all RR'ing and they have universal standards for digital and a fan base probably 50-100 times bigger than slotters. Like all hobbies, their numbers are also falling.

[Dangermouse]

"Supposedly the 1/24 product line was a (Stadlbauer) family favorite, and that's the reason it has survived this long."

Oh well perhaps the fact the family are staying on as advisers might have some influence on 1/24 cars still being made. If not it was fun to have the opportunity to purchase them while I could.

Really we have to be amazed that any company keeps making all the cars they do. We are lucky to have such a wide range of choices in reasonably accurate high detail replicas of historic and modern race cars. If it all comes to an end well I am sure I have enough cars to keep me amused for quite a few years to come.

[bdsharp]

I don't have much of anything invested in any scale, but I've always been surprised that 143 isn't more popular than it is. Seems like a good compromise; the cars aren't tiny, but layouts can be held to a reasonable size. Lack of detail and realism is what holds them back. But you can't just blame the size; some HO cars have more. As long as they have eyes in the windshields, they won't be taken very seriously.

[DaveKennedy]

[DaveKennedy]

[BARC 1]

143 is their money maker, so I doubt they drop it.

A quick look on the 143 board and you will see a lot of fine detail modeling in this scale. Almost all of it in Europe.

Here is a GT 40 I did



Also did a Lotus 30. These cars run well, do not have magnets and have characteristics similiar to 132 cars. Lots of scratchbuilding is a requirement though.

[slothead]

Anyone know if the Carrera #76 Ford Torino Talladega is still being released this month?


I've been waiting for this since it was announced.

[Wobble]

[Czar]

Carrera is in financial trouble? Oh my! Who would have guessed?

[BARC 1]

Not sure this is is really a case of financial trouble. This is more of the classic generational development of wealth. One generation builds, one generation manages and grows and the next generation harvests,and disperses everything built and managed before them.

The builders work for passion of the product, the managers work for growth and passion for the wealth and the third generation, typically removed from the passion of the product, dissillionsed with the passion for wealth, spends on the passion of life. :D

[b.yingling]

[Dangermouse]

Post on an overseas forum talking about the company that has acquired Carrera seemed to indicate their track record was in growing businesses they acquire not carving them up for a quick profit. The Carrera parent company owns some big brand names in Europe beyond slot cars. Perhaps there is hope they will continue as normal and not chop and change things too much.