by DaveKennedy » Fri Jun 07, 2019 8:09 am
So for what it's worth... (and forgive this unsolicited bit of market blah, blah)
The MGB you have shown there looks really, really nice. Would I ever suggest this as a mold for a company that mainly targets sales in the US? Of course not.
This car appeals to a VERY small percentage of the slot market which already is a very small market. It makes no, and I mean no sense to make that car unless there are plans to market it to the MGB clubs here (or maybe this has already been worked out?) beyond that how could this car make any sense for a smaller company that needs to have triples and home runs (in baseball terms). I see the MGB as a very high risk mold suggestion. However if the molds are already done (and readying this I assume they are) then roll out a series of limited edition cars that the strong Pioneer collector market (and I see quite a bit of brand loyalty there in that market) then why not do a few and see how it goes? I mean... the expensive part is done, right?
By way of comparison... sales of Mini/MINI models is much slower than I'd have thought would be the case. MINI/Mini owners are maybe the most brand loyal car owners and yet, despite showing new cars and sets and RC (with my previous job) and ads run in the only MINI magazine in the US... crickets...
I'd suggest a Pinto or Gremlin (which a Gremlin is honestly something I've given serious consideration to) before a UK brand of classic/modern sports car.
US styles of cars sell by a factor more than a non-US car... so generally I'd see the strength in the mainstream Muscle Cars/Trans Am cars.
I don't see the point of the Legends as that's a market that's hard to reach because, while there are TONS of small tracks around the US that "might" have classes of Legends or similar cars, I don't see a way to market to them without having a traveling roadshow to demo the cars and do sales. I'd see MUCH more potential for a line of vintage street rods like from Happy Days or American Graffiti. Classic, skinny tires cars, white walls... Moon caps... Big Caddy engines... Flathead Fords (I'd give me left..) oh yeah, classic hotrods... forgive me I just had a moment.