mmm looks like 130 will just take us through to the cars from the next Bond Movie... Cant see it stopping at 130 now.
As a self-confessed car centric this is an interesting list and I will end up buying most of them even if there are two w115 Mercs in there they are different models. The Lincoln, Dodge Ram, Plymouth and 1960 Ford Station Wagon are going to be in high demand on the secondary market.
Thinking again about the list Dalko's guesses were pretty much spot-on about what IXO could re-tread from their existing ranges. Although it is missing many wishes it is probably the best we could have expected.
Thinking again about the list Dalko's guesses were pretty much spot-on about what IXO could re-tread from their existing ranges. Although it is missing many wishes it is probably the best we could have expected.
I presume having modelled the Bondola and maybe modelling the milk float, IXO may be getting more adventurous? If so, given time, perhaps we will see some of the more outlandish/ imaginative suggestions?
After seeing the potential line-up for the next 20 models ,I'm still uncertain whether to continue or not.Has it officially been confirmed yet,whether these models will be issued fortnightly or monthly after Oct 5th yet?
This just goes to show how varied are our likes and dislikes... MoveCarFan thinks the London Taxi is bland - I think it is an iconic car and had almost bought one released in another partwork. Now I am glad I didn't, because I'd rather have one with a Bond connection.
As to whether to continue with the subscription - will have to sleep on it...
This just goes to show how varied are our likes and dislikes... MoveCarFan thinks the London Taxi is bland - I think it is an iconic car and had almost bought one released in another partwork. Now I am glad I didn't, because I'd rather have one with a Bond connection.
As to whether to continue with the subscription - will have to sleep on it...
I suppose because I see these taxis around most days I'm a little indifferent, but yes, I can see to others especially outside the UK they'd be of interest. I think a lot depends on the presentation with a number of these (if the list does actually come into being of course) - a decent diorama can make a heck of a difference as to whether the model is striking or not. One example is the OHMSS Beetle, a heavily modelled car but with skis and snowy sloping road it's suddenly very eye-catching.
Jag, if the list was absolutely definite, how many of them would you buy?
The Bel Air could be the Louisiana State trooper (I hope so).
Two of the /8 Mercedes seem (minimum) one too much, the black TLD Lada wasn't on top of the list either. Not keen on the London Taxi and the Morris Minor, but there are several interesting choices like the Plymouth taxi (though I would have preferred the Silver Wraith from FRWL instead - well, still some nice cars left for the extension to 150).
I wonder if Ixo will really change their Lincoln to a '64 or if they will simply sell the existing '67 as a Thunderball car. The '64 not only has a completely different front end (protruding grille center and bumper which continues back to the wheel opening) but the side line is different too. The '67, being a few inches longer, has a smoother Coke-bottle shape where the '64 has a hump in the rear door. And Ixo's '67 has the standard large rear window while the TB car has a small one which is more common on the Lehmann-Petersons, and a vinyl roof.
Looking forward to most of the cars but have decided to definately cancel my subscription and cherry-pick the rest. Not convinced that we will see better dioramas and figures again.
I cuncur with the above statements about the FX4. It's a iconic car, but bearing in mind the fact that this isn't the "iconic car collection" but the JBCC, it's presence is dubious if you ask me. Same goes for Loque's black Mercedes. We only see him drive up to the ski resort and make a telephone call, and that's it. However, (just thought about this while typing) It would literally shoot up the ladder towards the best of the series if they make it with the right rear door open and Eric Kriegler in it with the rifle! We all know 98% sure that it won't happen, but just think of how brilliant that would be!
As for the rest, I'm quite pleased. Most of the cars played a moderate role in it's movie, and for the Morris: It's a cute little car, and if done by IXO a great one as well. The Istanbul taxi as also a bit... "vague" to take a spot above the largely requested Rolls Royce, but I guess I can live with that
I was really hoping for the Bel Air, either as a taxi or police car, so to get either one of those, as wéll as the Ford Wagon is just great! I know I sound like a "it's american so it's good" - kind of guy, but it's just the fact that we all heard the story's of D110 of what could have been issued that i'm very pleased with this balanced expansion.
Just watched DAF on tv this afternoon,could any tell me what the car was that Wint&Kidd put Bond into the boot of?Looked a nice car,perhaps would have (might)make a good model.
That would be a 1970(?) Ford Thunderbird coupe. I can remember suggesting that car in paticular either here or on another forum, with the boot (trunk) open and Bond in it. It is as you said, a really nice car. A friend of the family used to have one, you could drive over a tree and don't feel anything... B-)
A fine looking list of 19 cars plus the blunderbird. Some real gems as we expected and some also ran too. But what is interesting is the door is open for another extention beyond the release of bond 23. The fx4 is iconic but also becoming rarirty in it's own right being superseded by the updated LTI and eurotaxi. I am pleased the taxi is included it compliments the yellow cab featured earlier in the collection.
This just goes to show how varied are our likes and dislikes... MoveCarFan thinks the London Taxi is bland - I think it is an iconic car and had almost bought one released in another partwork. Now I am glad I didn't, because I'd rather have one with a Bond connection.
As to whether to continue with the subscription - will have to sleep on it...
I suppose because I see these taxis around most days I'm a little indifferent, but yes, I can see to others especially outside the UK they'd be of interest. I think a lot depends on the presentation with a number of these (if the list does actually come into being of course) - a decent diorama can make a heck of a difference as to whether the model is striking or not. One example is the OHMSS Beetle, a heavily modelled car but with skis and snowy sloping road it's suddenly very eye-catching.
Jag, if the list was absolutely definite, how many of them would you buy?
Even when I was living in the UK, I still enjoyed looking at the cabs! And now that they are being replaced by the newer model and becoming rare I guess makes them even more special. But I guess I would want one regardless if I could see them most days or not at all - it's their iconic value that matters. You can see them in so many British movies! Of course, a nice diorama could enhance the appeal a lot.
As to how many I would buy, it's not an easy question to answer. As a subscriber you are force-fed whatever is published, but if I become a cherry-picker then I will be very picky indeed. I would probably be interested in 5-10 from the list, but then again it would also depend who manufactures them (hope it will be all Ixo) and what they look like. I would certainly wait to see pictures here before deciding what to go for. Still undecided whether to cancel my subscription. I most likely will, but as I have a few weeks to decide I will watch the discussion here as well.
In New Zealand today, we received Numbers 83 (Peugeot 504) and 84 (Dragon Tank).
These were being "spoken about" on this thread in December 2009 and January 2010 as being the latest arrivals !
I got to drive a Pug 504 for a week, many years ago - what a heavy, underpowered, lump but it was built like a brick outhouse. Someone backed into it in a supermarket car park and didn't even scratch it, they broke a piece of their bumper off and left an indicator hanging in the breeze. We just smiled and drove away !
It will be interesting to see if we get a correct (marked Dr. No) Ford Anglia in a couple of months
As an extreme car-centric, I have to say I like this list for the most part on a personal level. I've NO doubt that Ixo will modify the '67 Lincoln Continental Lehmann-Peterson into a '65, for what that's worth. Even in their cheapest partworks, they usually do make efforts to radically change the grille. What we might see, in a worst case scenario, is the wheelbase remaining the same and alterations to the car's body not being QUITE sufficient enough, but I can't seem them NOT changing the grille.
I am surprised they didn't go with the Mercedes-Benz 180D over the Mercedes-Benz 220S, although I would've been fine with both cars, to be honest. Ixo can quite easily make the 220S out of their gorgeous "Adenauer" limousine (one of my favorite Ixo M-B models), which is basically the same fore of the A-pillar.
The Plymouth Savoy is going to be a big seller. Not only as a Bond Collection car, but as part of Ixo's PremiumX Series: MANY police departments in the late '50's used Savoys because they were the lowest trim level, but they still had good engines. They were particularly popular in CA and I believe both the LAPD and the SFPD used them, so that's going to be a big market. The NYPD used some on a trial basis, but the big market on the East Coast was the New York State Troopers, which is another "must-have" for many police collectors. Still, if they get the precinct correct for an NYPD car (I think the 9th had a few), they could have a VERY nice model on their hands.
The Mercedes-Benz from TMWTGG I think will get a positive reaction in the UK, Australia, and NZ because it's right-hand drive. Face it: who makes a really nice M-B in right-hand drive? It's like trying to find a Jaguar XKE in left-hand drive: big market, but one that has up until now been ignored.
I absolutely can't wait for the VAZ-2106 St. Petersburg Militsia and have a feeling this will be a big seller in Russia.
The Austin A55 Cambridge? I guess Fabbri read my post. I'm REALLY looking forward to that car.
As for the Austin FX4, Ixo has already done a mould for this and supposedly they made the car too old (it was supposed to represent an early 1980's FX4, but wound up looking more like a 1970's FX4). Since the movie model was 1975, that's one way of correcting your mistake!
The 450SEL, I think, will be a good model. All they have to do is alter the 280SE's mould (which was a VERY good M-B mould by Ixo) and there you have it. Plus it's the first REAL S-Class. That's something I think the M-B collectors will gravitate to (if you don't believe me, look at the Minichamps 450SEL that shot up in price and which frankly not even Minichamps expected to sell as well as it did).
The VAZ-2121L will certainly be fun! I'd like to see Ixo's oversized mirrors on this (they have them, but haven't released them) as well as the new front bumper.
The VAZ-2105 is a true headscratcher. Coming from a guy who is next to in love with old East Bloc cars, that's not exactly praise. I'd much rather have seen an UAZ-469B/UAZ-3151 (and Ixo does have the moulds), but I guess this will do. Also, I think I know why they did this car: if you go back to the Nuremburg Toy Fair photos, you'll see that the USSR AvtoLegende VAZ-2105 prototype was VERY dark blue and had no license plates. When the car was released in red, everyone was sort of surprised since they expected THIS car. Since Ixo undoubtedly made a ton of paint in this color and has yet to apply it to anything, I'm wondering if this was almost a "model of opportunity." It'll make a nice addition to a Czechoslovakian diorama, especially since it has the correct level of trim for an exported car, but is a bit obscure for this series.
The Mercedes-Benz 200D? You're wondering why? Because Ixo already did a mould for it, that's why. And did a great job on it. I guess one could say "they pulled a ZIL-117, but the car appeared on-screen longer". My guess is they probably figured that with a more detailed Bond version, they could use the 200D from the Mercedes-Benz Partwork distributed in Spain and Portugal as an upmarket version (since they were popular in black in real life).
The OP Scaldia-Volga M24 makes me wonder. They probably will add the correct bumpers, but what I'm really wondering is if they "accidentally" tampo-print "Волга" instead of "Volga" on there. Because if they do, you get former Soviet states buying 'em up, since that was a pretty iconic car in the Soviet Union (or at the very least, one that you generally saw every day and was put into every facet of public service). Ixo seems very close to its former East Bloc hobbyists and has on numerous occassions bent over backwards to accomodate them.
The Dodge M43 Ambulance? All right, I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that this becomes one of the most popular 1/43 models in the series. If they DON'T have any signs of the laser, there's never really been a 1/43 Dodge M43 Ambulance, despite the truck's popularity. This is a model where if they execute it well enough, I can see selling on the same levels as the La Salle and possibly the Country Squire on the secondary market.
The Bel Air will almost certainly be the Louisiana State Police car. It won't be Sheriff Pepper's car, since that was a 4-door Impala (and I even double-checked on IMCDB). The livery is correct, so I imagine that one will sell nicely in the US.
The Dodge Ram Pickup is going to be a surprise moneymaker. Mark my words. If I had a dollar for every model railroad enthusiast absolutely SICK of just-pre-WWII and just-post-WWII pickups that I've met, I'd be in a condition to afford this entire collection from 1-130. They want a "classic" pickup, but a more modern pickup, too, and the Ram fits RIGHT in. If Ixo markets the C-10 as a pickup in PremiumX and the Ram alongside it, you'll make a lot of model railroaders happy.
And they're FINALLY doing the Chevrolet 1-Ton. FINALLY. I think we all wanted this truck, and even if Ixo leaves out the figures, I think we can probably make our own. This model will be exponentially better than Corgi if Ixo does it...I expect correct dual stacks, better-looking wheels, and an overall "model" finish rather than a "toy finish" which is what we got with the Corgi. Ixo will also probably rework this as the Chevrolet 1-Ton Panel Van or GMC C-30 (most likely the latter) for the PremiumX range, as believe it or not, they were not very popular trucks in pickup truck configuration (I know I read a review of the real one ages ago in some period magazine calling it "poorly marketed" [they also extended this to the 1-Ton Panel Van, although their predictions for that vehicle were wrong, whereas the GMC version would have sold much better and involved only rebadging).
TB's Morris Minor 1000 Convertible comes as a bit of a surprise. Unless Ixo was planning on releasing this mould, I don't believe they actually have it. Then again, they may not ultimately compete against Corgi Vanguards with this model, but rather Oxford Diecast, who they generally compete against in the UK. Oxford HAS released a 1/76 scale Morris Minor 1000 Convertible (which unfortunately doesn't look all that great, even for its scale), so I'm forced to wonder if Ixo is removing the ace from their sleeve.
The Ford Ranch Wagon? Oh boy, that's gonna sell just like the Country Squire. You wouldn't believe the market for Ford wagons in the US, and I count myself a proud member of the 1/43 Ford Station Wagon Fan Club. I'm wondering if they release this as the four door model or the two door model. If the latter, it would sell better and make an excellent, downscaled stablemate for the Country Squire.
And the Wales & Edwards Rangemaster Milk Float? Well, we all asked for it! And now it looks like we're getting it. Believe it or not, I actually can see Ixo making this in multiple dairy liveries and selling it in the UK. I know they want to compete against Oxford Diecast, and Oxford Diecast has done their rather pedestrian Bedford Milk Float. So, to recap the list with models that are either complete borrowings from Ixo moulds (one asterisk...and this includes police cars, taxis, and the like with just a lightbar attached) or partial borrowings (two asterisks)...
1965 Ford Thunderbird TB (Re-used UH mould)
1968 Mercedes Benz (W115) TMWTGG** (NOTE: The actual body is a completely re-used car, but the insides will have to be completely re-done)
VAZ 2106 Zhiguli – militsia police car GE*
1974 Mercedes Benz 450 SEL FYEO** (Minor tweaks to get it from 280SE to 450SEL)
1975 Austin FX4 OP*
1959 Austin A55 Cambridge Dr. No*
1956 Mercedes Benz 220 S GF** (Modified from the "Adenauer" limousine)
1964 Lincoln Continental Stretched Limo TB** (Modified from the '67 version)
1986 Lada Niva VAZ-2121L TWINE*
Lada VAZ-2105 TLD*
1968 Mercedes Benz 200D FYEO*
Volga M-24 OP*
Dodge M-43 Ambulance – the laser carrying vehicle GF** (Heavily modified, but they do have a starting point)
1959 Plymouth Savoy – (Istanbul taxi) FRWL
1973 Chevrolet Bel Air LALD** (Again, this one will deviate more than just slightly, but they have all the necessary parts)
1986 Dodge Ram LTK
1961 Chevrolet 30 Series 1-Ton truck FRWL
1964 Morris Minor Convertible Thunderball
1960 Ford Ranch Wagon FRWL
1986 Wales & Edward Rangemaster TLD
Discounting the Turkey Bird, that's 7 re-used moulds and 6 partially re-used moulds for a total of 13 cars we've partially seen outside the collection. Add on the Turkey Bird, and you have 14. That gives us 6 brand-new moulds: the '59 Plymouth Savoy, the '86 Dodge Ram (to be fair, everyone wanted that one), the '61 Chevy "One-Tonner" (much like the Ram), the Morris Minor 1000 Convertible, the '60 Ford Ranch Wagon, and the '86 Wales & Edwards Rangemaster (again, to be fair, everyone wanted this one). My guess is that of those six, Ixo was probably already preparing the Savoy and the Minor 1000; the former because I KNOW they want to do late '50's-early '60's American cars. I also bet they welcomed the Ranch Wagon with open arms.
So, my personal take on it? What will I, Mr. Car-Centric-Personfied, be purchasing? Well, I'll put it on a rating scale...
One-Star Importance (These models I can live without, but MIGHT buy):
-The Morris Minor 1000 Convertible, probably. Not because I disagree with the concept, but because I just never really liked the Morris Minor. And it should go without saying the Turkey Bird.
-Also, believe it or not, the Dodge Ram. Why? Just not my segment of collecting. I'll bet it's an awesome model, but just not one I'm interested in.
Two-Star Importance: Stuff I WILL buy, but put on display near the back of my layout/in the middle of traffic.
-The Mercedes-Benz 220S. I was SO convinced that nobody would make a Mercedes-Benz 220S that I went out and bought the Minichamps version. Of course, that's just me.
-The Mercedes-Benz 450SEL. I LOVE this car, but again, it just doesn't fit too well with what I have. In a case like this, I'd make an exception, though, simply because I think that highly of the model.
-1973 Chevy Bel Air Louisiana State Police. My layout's American police cars are virtually all from New York, Connecticut, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, or Kentucky.
Three-Star Importance: Will be near the front of my layout and/or involved in my own little dioramas.
-Austin FX4 Taxi. No question this one replaces the outdated Corgi version from the 1980's dropping a passenger off at a station.
-1986 Wales & Edward Rangemaster. But ONLY because I have, as of right now, ELEVEN milk floats. Granted, they don't just sit around and I actually have a milk bottling plant on my layout (which is now redone), but I have a feeling this winds up sitting with the rest of the milk floats (everything from Bedfords to Divcos).
-1965 Lincoln Continental Lehmann-Peterson Limo. A period-perfect no-brainer as a ride for one of my Tammany Hall-like city councilmen.
Four-Star Importance: Will be part of significant dioramas and highly visible.
-VAZ-2106 Zhiguli Militsia GAI St. Petersburg. Probably rear-ending the Bauer Models post-Soviet VAZ-2106 GAI Moscow car I have or possibly pulling over an old lady for speeding (in my parallel universe, there's a Russian Nationalist movement, remember?).
-VAZ-2105 Lada Zhiguli TLD. Considering the Czechoslovakian portion of my layout largely consists of a traffic jam (I've since literally split virtually the entire East Bloc layout off!) caused by an auto accident, I can just see painting a figure for this car, unscrewing the bottom, and having the guy either putting his feet up on the steering wheel or alternately blaring his horn.
-1959 Austin A55 Cambridge DN. Will have the honor of being part of my "parade of taxis" in front of the Near Side station.
-1959 Plymouth Savoy – (Istanbul taxi) FRWL. Ditto.
Five Stars: These cars get their own dioramas designed by yours truly.
-1968 Mercedes Benz (W115) TMWTGG. I've been absolutely dying for a RHD Mercedes-Benz for a specific purpose: the car belonging to the owner of my layout's brewery! Yes, a Holden HT Brougham held its own, but I'd like to display that car elsewhere. With this, I can now get the German car (implying German origin/German-style beer) with probably Code 3'd Australian license plates (NSW, maybe?), since the brewery is Australian-owned.
-1986 Lada Niva VAZ-2121L TWINE. I realize that the KGB didn't mark up Lada Nivas as Atomic Energy Anti-Terrorist Division, but face it: when you have a URANIUM MINE on your East Bloc layout, this car is practically screaming for its own diorama.
-Volga M-24 OP. No matter what, I'm going to make sure this is a Soviet staff car with correct plates. I currently have a GAZ-11-73 from USSR AvtoLegende in this role passing through a military checkpoint with some poor Soviet Junior Lieutenant saluting as if his life depends on it and think the big, black GAZ-24, especially if they add a flag, will be MUCH more imposing than the outdated (1940's vintage) GAZ-11-73.
-Dodge M-43 Ambulance – the laser carrying vehicle GF. Since I have no doubts that this won't REALLY be carrying a laser at this point, I'm in quite a need of medical vehicles on my NATO Base. I have some wonderfully painted Revell figures of a wounded soldier on a litter that would absolutely look great with this truck and can literally envision the diorama.
-1961 Chevrolet 30 Series 1-Ton truck FRWL. Faux-Yugoslavian, so will be absolutely perfect off-loading cargo at a railway depot that services the East Bloc nations. Although Yugoslavia was of course not part of the East Bloc, it was an observer state in the Comecon. I even know which rail car I'm going to use.
-1960 Ford Ranch Wagon FRWL. Of course the Ford Country Squire wound up being the four-wheeled mascot for Jack's Firearms & Ammunition. So I still need a nice, big, American wagon for the father and son on my layout going fishing (you don't store your rods and reels in a sedan...). A two-door wagon would make this especially good when you consider it was designed with utility in mind rather than as a family car.
To respond to maz, I'm not sure how well they do with this or how long it lasts. Their list is one heck of a list for car-centrics if Ixo does it. On the other hand, they seem to have saved a few cars for Bond 23 (the obvious selections for car-centrics with broader reach of the UAZ-469B/UAZ-3151, 1961 Chevrolet Impala, Lincoln Mk. VII Coupe, and AMC Matador Thai Police Car would seem to indicate they're holding back). As for the "no Rolls-Royces" thing, Ixo likes to do things one way: its own way. If RR said "okay, you can make our cars, but you can't make our logo or sell any of these outside of the James Bond Car Collection", then Ixo would not like that, to put it mildly.
D110 - when I googled (images) 'VAZ 2106 Zhiguli – militsia police car GE' it came up with almost a complete page of photos from your table-top collections!!!!
I am aware of this. Also try "Militsia car." One of my photos literally shows up third (albeit wrongly...it shows a VAI checkpoint, and the VAI were not technically Militsia)! And seventh (with not a single Militsia car in sight). And eighth (Russian DPS Militsia, so that counts). "USSR AvtoLegende" yields two of the top three pictures. "La Salle/Miller Hearse" yields the fourth photo. The REALLY surprising one is if you type in "Barry Goldwater car". He's president in my alt. universe, remember? First picture on page four. What makes that so remarkable is that Goldwater, whatever you wish to say about his politics, was a true automotive enthusiast. He was always on the cutting edge on automotive designs, had his own LHD Jaguar made for him, got one of the first Corvette Stingrays...and yet I'm on top of page four with my Goldwater limo. Wow. Another one I was shocked at: Century Dragon Models I have the second and third pics. That's a pretty big company, too! And yet, the only thing in front of me isn't even car-related!!! "Atlas DDR" also yields the first picture on page 2. I'm also sixth and seventh with "Radon Moskvitch", which is pretty amazing.
I tend to agree that this proposed set of 20 appears largely geared towards the 'car-centric' camp when seen in a non-descriptive list. I class myself as 60% car-centric and 40% Bond-centric so I feel I can see things from both points of view which (I think) might be the most common stance here, around 50-50. I've identified 7 out of the 20 that I'll be going for without seeing them first, some for the car, some for the movie. If that's an average take-up, it means Fabbri & IXO are going to have to work VERY hard on figures and dioramas to keep the Bond fans on board until they reach the safety zone of the more commercial Bond 23 offerings. As I said before, a bland model (from the Bond fan point of view) can be made very special and desirable with the right presentation. I think ideas like having Roger Moore kicking that Merc off the cliff, for instance, should be thought about very seriously.
ok maybe its a message to fabrii.I m gonna stop at 110.I wont be able to display them othewise
I think the remaining models will have to be different from what w eve had before before people will collect them.The collection is getting well out of control for me now.I want to show and enjoy them in a display.I dread to think of all the models in cardboard boxes collecting dust in a loft.I shall continue to lurk and pop in to see you all.The cash i save will go towards a holiday in Hawaii next year.my wife is very pleased.
Well as a non-subscriber I was expecting to be buying only a few of these but in the end as a car centric collector if they are well made I guess I will be buying pretty well all of them, and some like the Ranch Wagon twice. If the T Bird is actually corrected and preview models are not as it will be shipped then I will even buy that. I am not buying a Yat Ming Mustang at £11 to correct a £7.99 model.
I think ideas like having Roger Moore kicking that Merc off the cliff, for instance, should be thought about very seriously.
From the impression this list gives off, for one, and for another that I'm really starting to doubt if Fabbri can so much as even use likenesses of people (to say nothing of figures), I think the days of figures and anything more than "Daniel Craig Dioramas" are probably gone. Granted, they COULD do much better efforts on the dioramas without figures and just say "supply your own," but at this point, I'm not expecting figures or likenesses.
And that's one of the problems. As FACT has pointed out numerous times in a bit of a roundabout way (i.e. "I wish they would release the production numbers."), we have no idea what the average take-up is or what Fabbri's subscriber list looks like at this period in time. We do know, however, that the dealers buying in bulk from the distributors are making a killing on the secondary market, for the most part. It's a strange marketing strategy, to say the least, as I mentioned previously, but if they're making enough of a killing, then actually, yes, Fabbri CAN financially afford to basically ignore its subscribers. Is that morally right? No. But money talks, and Fabbri is listening. As james john Smythe and said quite a bit and I've reiterated quite a bit, Fabbri is a profit-driven company. If they make a profit, then that's what they care most about.
Well as a non-subscriber I was expecting to be buying only a few of these but in the end as a car centric collector if they are well made I guess I will be buying pretty well all of them, and some like the Ranch Wagon twice.
Ditto here! I plan on making a New York State Police Savoy and probably getting a second Ranch Wagon to weather. Also, it depends on the model's details, but I could be willing to get multiple OP Volgas and using them for ICV Models' resin-based add-on kits (since the interior will in all likelihood be pre-painted...I figure a taxi, a late '70's Militsia GAI car, and a KGB GAZ-24-24 in its 2nd Gen. Configuration would all make good subjects). I'd also likely get a second VAZ-2106 and make that into a late Soviet era Militsia GAI car. I'll probably get another VAZ-2105, strip the plates off, and rebadge it as a Canadian Lada Signet. And for the '65 Lincoln Continental Lehmann-Peterson Limo (of all things), there is THIS particular car that was actually quite important to ZIL's development of the ZIL-114 (the longer version of the ZIL-117)...
Given the recent co-operation between Ixo and Hornby (Corgi Vanguards) on the current "Colin McRae Collection" where Ixo supplied three of the Vanguards branded rally car models (Citroen Xsara, Skoda Fabia & Ford Focus), it's possible that Ixo are thinking of a reverse situation where Corgi will make the Morris Minor Drophead for them.
The Corgi mould is a bit old, though, having first appeared in the late-1980s in the Corgi Classics range and then being freshened up for the Vanguards range in 2001 (which largely corrected the poor frontal treatment it originally had been given). It remains a "previous generation" mould, though.
And that's one of the problems. As FACT has pointed out numerous times in a bit of a roundabout way (i.e. "I wish they would release the production numbers."), we have no idea what the average take-up is or what Fabbri's subscriber list looks like at this period in time. We do know, however, that the dealers buying in bulk from the distributors are making a killing on the secondary market, for the most part. It's a strange marketing strategy, to say the least, as I mentioned previously, but if they're making enough of a killing, then actually, yes, Fabbri CAN financially afford to basically ignore its subscribers. Is that morally right? No. But money talks, and Fabbri is listening. As james john Smythe and said quite a bit and I've reiterated quite a bit, Fabbri is a profit-driven company. If they make a profit, then that's what they care most about.
It makes you wonder then, if the extension isn't being aimed almost purely at the car-centrics and the whole 'Bond' theme is now just a bit of a tenuous link between new releases. I suppose the producers could simply be taking an attitude of 'we don't care who buys these things, or for what reason, as long as they sell' but I would have thought keeping the Bond guys on board would be fairly important if they want subscribers to stay on for the Bond 23 models and maybe beyond. If you take the idea to its logical conclusion, it would be really weird if you end up with a state of affairs where the bulk of the consumers buying a James Bond partwork aren't primarily interested in James Bond!
Further to that, there would probably be a good response to a generalised 'Cars of the World' partwork that could take over where this one (eventually) leaves off - vehicles of any and all eras with dioramas; it could go on forever!
Given the recent co-operation between Ixo and Hornby (Corgi Vanguards) on the current "Colin McRae Collection" where Ixo supplied three of the Vanguards branded rally car models (Citroen Xsara, Skoda Fabia & Ford Focus), it's possible that Ixo are thinking of a reverse situation where Corgi will make the Morris Minor Drophead for them.
The Corgi mould is a bit old, though, having first appeared in the late-1980s in the Corgi Classics range and then being freshened up for the Vanguards range in 2001 (which largely corrected the poor frontal treatment it originally had been given). It remains a "previous generation" mould, though.
That's really interesting - I wonder if we might see the OHMSS Ford Escort supplied by Vanguards, then?
It would open up a few more model opportunities using Vanguards moulds - the Dr. No PA Cresta/ Velox comes to mind straight away.
Given the recent co-operation between Ixo and Hornby (Corgi Vanguards) on the current "Colin McRae Collection" where Ixo supplied three of the Vanguards branded rally car models (Citroen Xsara, Skoda Fabia & Ford Focus), it's possible that Ixo are thinking of a reverse situation where Corgi will make the Morris Minor Drophead for them.
The Corgi mould is a bit old, though, having first appeared in the late-1980s in the Corgi Classics range and then being freshened up for the Vanguards range in 2001 (which largely corrected the poor frontal treatment it originally had been given). It remains a "previous generation" mould, though.
Very interesting. I was aware that Ixo and Corgi stayed away from competing with one another, but was not aware of collaboration. I'm wondering if Ixo decides to "redo" the mould in anticipation of a Vanguards re-issue of the Morris Minor (since moulds do get old, of course...as Ixo themselves well know after having infamously destroyed their first Lada mould by overusing it and severely damaging their GAZ-M21 Volga and Mercedes-Benz W111 moulds due to "too many variants with too little maintenance"). I know Ixo wants to compete in the worst way with Oxford Diecast, and of course, so does Corgi Vanguards. This is highly plausible.
the Dr. No PA Cresta/ Velox comes to mind straight away.
Especially when you consider that not counting the sequin headlights and the all-silver hubcaps, Vanguards' PA Velox was the literal exact same car that Professor Dent drove in DN...
It makes you wonder then, if the extension isn't being aimed almost purely at the car-centrics and the whole 'Bond' theme is now just a bit of a tenuous link between new releases.
Basically, that's pretty much what it is or seems to be: let Ixo release their (very nice but not necessarily relevant) moulds in the best possible setting with a lot of publicity whilst Fabbri collects the fees from the sales of the magazines that they publish with the cars.
I suppose the producers could simply be taking an attitude of 'we don't care who buys these things, or for what reason, as long as they sell' but I would have thought keeping the Bond guys on board would be fairly important if they want subscribers to stay on for the Bond 23 models and maybe beyond. If you take the idea to its logical conclusion, it would be really weird if you have a state of affairs where the bulk of the consumers buying a James Bond partwork aren't primarily interested in James Bond!
With regard to the first part, I would think even the car-centrics would stay on until Bond 23, which I've heard from pretty much everywhere (including the dealer I know by first and last name whom I DO inherently trust AND the Fabbri employee who seems to have somewhat reliable but at the same time outdated info). I don't think it goes beyond Bond 23, though. This approach does have its limitations.
However, with regard to the last part of the last sentence here only, I think you're reading it wrong: being a Bond-fan and being an extreme car-centric are not mutually exclusive. If they were, then I wouldn't be posting here.
Besides, you're also going for the "casual Bond fan" audience. Why else explain the car's exact role in the film (no matter how obvious or on the flipside, NOT obvious) in the magazine as opposed to just showing the car off with some photos? And why bother with the bits of trivia and behind the scenes stuff in the magazines that most Bond fans already know? I mean, one of this collection's biggest fans is my Dad.
Dad's a Bond fan and has seen every film in the theater (cinema). But with that said, he's not really interested in the backstories, is one of the guys who ranks Lazenby as dead last, liked DAF, thinks that literary Bond and Cinematic Bond are so completely different that they're impossible to reconcile, refers to some henchmen as "that one guy", and he actually likes the bits of trivia about the films one finds in the magazines (which I give him). And he, being more car-centric than even me (if I quoted him via phone on some of the more Bond centric releases, I KNOW he'd ripped apart), usually just skips over the parts about the cars because he knows about said cars or doesn't care. Besides, he remembers most of the cars, including even the most insignificant background vehicles, anyway.
I think Fabbri realized that the demographic into which my Dad falls existed and that people were buying up the more detailed cars; suddenly, THIS became their target demographic, since they realized that so long as they paid good attention to car detail (and not counting the Turkey-Bird, I have a feeling they will), they were getting *big* sales from dealers on the secondary market for certain models. The list as I read it here sounds like a veritable want-list of some guy who likes both the offbeat (East Bloc) and the underrepresented (like the Dodge Ram) and thinks about "If I ran Ixo for a day and were putting the James Bond Car Collection together...". Just my two cents.
Comments
As a self-confessed car centric this is an interesting list and I will end up buying most of them even if there are two w115 Mercs in there they are different models. The Lincoln, Dodge Ram, Plymouth and 1960 Ford Station Wagon are going to be in high demand on the secondary market.
I presume having modelled the Bondola and maybe modelling the milk float, IXO may be getting more adventurous? If so, given time, perhaps we will see some of the more outlandish/ imaginative suggestions?
As to whether to continue with the subscription - will have to sleep on it...
I suppose because I see these taxis around most days I'm a little indifferent, but yes, I can see to others especially outside the UK they'd be of interest. I think a lot depends on the presentation with a number of these (if the list does actually come into being of course) - a decent diorama can make a heck of a difference as to whether the model is striking or not. One example is the OHMSS Beetle, a heavily modelled car but with skis and snowy sloping road it's suddenly very eye-catching.
Jag, if the list was absolutely definite, how many of them would you buy?
Click on image to enlarge.
Two of the /8 Mercedes seem (minimum) one too much, the black TLD Lada wasn't on top of the list either. Not keen on the London Taxi and the Morris Minor, but there are several interesting choices like the Plymouth taxi (though I would have preferred the Silver Wraith from FRWL instead - well, still some nice cars left for the extension to 150).
I wonder if Ixo will really change their Lincoln to a '64 or if they will simply sell the existing '67 as a Thunderball car. The '64 not only has a completely different front end (protruding grille center and bumper which continues back to the wheel opening) but the side line is different too. The '67, being a few inches longer, has a smoother Coke-bottle shape where the '64 has a hump in the rear door. And Ixo's '67 has the standard large rear window while the TB car has a small one which is more common on the Lehmann-Petersons, and a vinyl roof.
Looking forward to most of the cars but have decided to definately cancel my subscription and cherry-pick the rest. Not convinced that we will see better dioramas and figures again.
As for the rest, I'm quite pleased. Most of the cars played a moderate role in it's movie, and for the Morris: It's a cute little car, and if done by IXO a great one as well. The Istanbul taxi as also a bit... "vague" to take a spot above the largely requested Rolls Royce, but I guess I can live with that
I was really hoping for the Bel Air, either as a taxi or police car, so to get either one of those, as wéll as the Ford Wagon is just great! I know I sound like a "it's american so it's good" - kind of guy, but it's just the fact that we all heard the story's of D110 of what could have been issued that i'm very pleased with this balanced expansion.
Unfortunately, there are no RR's mentioned at all on this list, which is a bit of a disappointment.
Hopefully, the standard of diorama provided will start to improve with these 20 issues.
Even when I was living in the UK, I still enjoyed looking at the cabs! And now that they are being replaced by the newer model and becoming rare I guess makes them even more special. But I guess I would want one regardless if I could see them most days or not at all - it's their iconic value that matters. You can see them in so many British movies! Of course, a nice diorama could enhance the appeal a lot.
As to how many I would buy, it's not an easy question to answer. As a subscriber you are force-fed whatever is published, but if I become a cherry-picker then I will be very picky indeed. I would probably be interested in 5-10 from the list, but then again it would also depend who manufactures them (hope it will be all Ixo) and what they look like. I would certainly wait to see pictures here before deciding what to go for. Still undecided whether to cancel my subscription. I most likely will, but as I have a few weeks to decide I will watch the discussion here as well.
These were being "spoken about" on this thread in December 2009 and January 2010 as being the latest arrivals !
I got to drive a Pug 504 for a week, many years ago - what a heavy, underpowered, lump but it was built like a brick outhouse. Someone backed into it in a supermarket car park and didn't even scratch it, they broke a piece of their bumper off and left an indicator hanging in the breeze. We just smiled and drove away !
It will be interesting to see if we get a correct (marked Dr. No) Ford Anglia in a couple of months
I am surprised they didn't go with the Mercedes-Benz 180D over the Mercedes-Benz 220S, although I would've been fine with both cars, to be honest. Ixo can quite easily make the 220S out of their gorgeous "Adenauer" limousine (one of my favorite Ixo M-B models), which is basically the same fore of the A-pillar.
The Plymouth Savoy is going to be a big seller. Not only as a Bond Collection car, but as part of Ixo's PremiumX Series: MANY police departments in the late '50's used Savoys because they were the lowest trim level, but they still had good engines. They were particularly popular in CA and I believe both the LAPD and the SFPD used them, so that's going to be a big market. The NYPD used some on a trial basis, but the big market on the East Coast was the New York State Troopers, which is another "must-have" for many police collectors. Still, if they get the precinct correct for an NYPD car (I think the 9th had a few), they could have a VERY nice model on their hands.
The Mercedes-Benz from TMWTGG I think will get a positive reaction in the UK, Australia, and NZ because it's right-hand drive. Face it: who makes a really nice M-B in right-hand drive? It's like trying to find a Jaguar XKE in left-hand drive: big market, but one that has up until now been ignored.
I absolutely can't wait for the VAZ-2106 St. Petersburg Militsia and have a feeling this will be a big seller in Russia.
The Austin A55 Cambridge? I guess Fabbri read my post. I'm REALLY looking forward to that car.
As for the Austin FX4, Ixo has already done a mould for this and supposedly they made the car too old (it was supposed to represent an early 1980's FX4, but wound up looking more like a 1970's FX4). Since the movie model was 1975, that's one way of correcting your mistake!
The 450SEL, I think, will be a good model. All they have to do is alter the 280SE's mould (which was a VERY good M-B mould by Ixo) and there you have it. Plus it's the first REAL S-Class. That's something I think the M-B collectors will gravitate to (if you don't believe me, look at the Minichamps 450SEL that shot up in price and which frankly not even Minichamps expected to sell as well as it did).
The VAZ-2121L will certainly be fun! I'd like to see Ixo's oversized mirrors on this (they have them, but haven't released them) as well as the new front bumper.
The VAZ-2105 is a true headscratcher. Coming from a guy who is next to in love with old East Bloc cars, that's not exactly praise. I'd much rather have seen an UAZ-469B/UAZ-3151 (and Ixo does have the moulds), but I guess this will do. Also, I think I know why they did this car: if you go back to the Nuremburg Toy Fair photos, you'll see that the USSR AvtoLegende VAZ-2105 prototype was VERY dark blue and had no license plates. When the car was released in red, everyone was sort of surprised since they expected THIS car. Since Ixo undoubtedly made a ton of paint in this color and has yet to apply it to anything, I'm wondering if this was almost a "model of opportunity." It'll make a nice addition to a Czechoslovakian diorama, especially since it has the correct level of trim for an exported car, but is a bit obscure for this series.
The Mercedes-Benz 200D? You're wondering why? Because Ixo already did a mould for it, that's why. And did a great job on it. I guess one could say "they pulled a ZIL-117, but the car appeared on-screen longer". My guess is they probably figured that with a more detailed Bond version, they could use the 200D from the Mercedes-Benz Partwork distributed in Spain and Portugal as an upmarket version (since they were popular in black in real life).
The OP Scaldia-Volga M24 makes me wonder. They probably will add the correct bumpers, but what I'm really wondering is if they "accidentally" tampo-print "Волга" instead of "Volga" on there. Because if they do, you get former Soviet states buying 'em up, since that was a pretty iconic car in the Soviet Union (or at the very least, one that you generally saw every day and was put into every facet of public service). Ixo seems very close to its former East Bloc hobbyists and has on numerous occassions bent over backwards to accomodate them.
The Dodge M43 Ambulance? All right, I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that this becomes one of the most popular 1/43 models in the series. If they DON'T have any signs of the laser, there's never really been a 1/43 Dodge M43 Ambulance, despite the truck's popularity. This is a model where if they execute it well enough, I can see selling on the same levels as the La Salle and possibly the Country Squire on the secondary market.
The Bel Air will almost certainly be the Louisiana State Police car. It won't be Sheriff Pepper's car, since that was a 4-door Impala (and I even double-checked on IMCDB). The livery is correct, so I imagine that one will sell nicely in the US.
The Dodge Ram Pickup is going to be a surprise moneymaker. Mark my words. If I had a dollar for every model railroad enthusiast absolutely SICK of just-pre-WWII and just-post-WWII pickups that I've met, I'd be in a condition to afford this entire collection from 1-130. They want a "classic" pickup, but a more modern pickup, too, and the Ram fits RIGHT in. If Ixo markets the C-10 as a pickup in PremiumX and the Ram alongside it, you'll make a lot of model railroaders happy.
And they're FINALLY doing the Chevrolet 1-Ton. FINALLY. I think we all wanted this truck, and even if Ixo leaves out the figures, I think we can probably make our own. This model will be exponentially better than Corgi if Ixo does it...I expect correct dual stacks, better-looking wheels, and an overall "model" finish rather than a "toy finish" which is what we got with the Corgi. Ixo will also probably rework this as the Chevrolet 1-Ton Panel Van or GMC C-30 (most likely the latter) for the PremiumX range, as believe it or not, they were not very popular trucks in pickup truck configuration (I know I read a review of the real one ages ago in some period magazine calling it "poorly marketed" [they also extended this to the 1-Ton Panel Van, although their predictions for that vehicle were wrong, whereas the GMC version would have sold much better and involved only rebadging).
TB's Morris Minor 1000 Convertible comes as a bit of a surprise. Unless Ixo was planning on releasing this mould, I don't believe they actually have it. Then again, they may not ultimately compete against Corgi Vanguards with this model, but rather Oxford Diecast, who they generally compete against in the UK. Oxford HAS released a 1/76 scale Morris Minor 1000 Convertible (which unfortunately doesn't look all that great, even for its scale), so I'm forced to wonder if Ixo is removing the ace from their sleeve.
The Ford Ranch Wagon? Oh boy, that's gonna sell just like the Country Squire. You wouldn't believe the market for Ford wagons in the US, and I count myself a proud member of the 1/43 Ford Station Wagon Fan Club. I'm wondering if they release this as the four door model or the two door model. If the latter, it would sell better and make an excellent, downscaled stablemate for the Country Squire.
And the Wales & Edwards Rangemaster Milk Float? Well, we all asked for it! And now it looks like we're getting it. Believe it or not, I actually can see Ixo making this in multiple dairy liveries and selling it in the UK. I know they want to compete against Oxford Diecast, and Oxford Diecast has done their rather pedestrian Bedford Milk Float. So, to recap the list with models that are either complete borrowings from Ixo moulds (one asterisk...and this includes police cars, taxis, and the like with just a lightbar attached) or partial borrowings (two asterisks)...
1965 Ford Thunderbird TB (Re-used UH mould)
1968 Mercedes Benz (W115) TMWTGG** (NOTE: The actual body is a completely re-used car, but the insides will have to be completely re-done)
VAZ 2106 Zhiguli – militsia police car GE*
1974 Mercedes Benz 450 SEL FYEO** (Minor tweaks to get it from 280SE to 450SEL)
1975 Austin FX4 OP*
1959 Austin A55 Cambridge Dr. No*
1956 Mercedes Benz 220 S GF** (Modified from the "Adenauer" limousine)
1964 Lincoln Continental Stretched Limo TB** (Modified from the '67 version)
1986 Lada Niva VAZ-2121L TWINE*
Lada VAZ-2105 TLD*
1968 Mercedes Benz 200D FYEO*
Volga M-24 OP*
Dodge M-43 Ambulance – the laser carrying vehicle GF** (Heavily modified, but they do have a starting point)
1959 Plymouth Savoy – (Istanbul taxi) FRWL
1973 Chevrolet Bel Air LALD** (Again, this one will deviate more than just slightly, but they have all the necessary parts)
1986 Dodge Ram LTK
1961 Chevrolet 30 Series 1-Ton truck FRWL
1964 Morris Minor Convertible Thunderball
1960 Ford Ranch Wagon FRWL
1986 Wales & Edward Rangemaster TLD
Discounting the Turkey Bird, that's 7 re-used moulds and 6 partially re-used moulds for a total of 13 cars we've partially seen outside the collection. Add on the Turkey Bird, and you have 14. That gives us 6 brand-new moulds: the '59 Plymouth Savoy, the '86 Dodge Ram (to be fair, everyone wanted that one), the '61 Chevy "One-Tonner" (much like the Ram), the Morris Minor 1000 Convertible, the '60 Ford Ranch Wagon, and the '86 Wales & Edwards Rangemaster (again, to be fair, everyone wanted this one). My guess is that of those six, Ixo was probably already preparing the Savoy and the Minor 1000; the former because I KNOW they want to do late '50's-early '60's American cars. I also bet they welcomed the Ranch Wagon with open arms.
So, my personal take on it? What will I, Mr. Car-Centric-Personfied, be purchasing? Well, I'll put it on a rating scale...
One-Star Importance (These models I can live without, but MIGHT buy):
-The Morris Minor 1000 Convertible, probably. Not because I disagree with the concept, but because I just never really liked the Morris Minor. And it should go without saying the Turkey Bird.
-Also, believe it or not, the Dodge Ram. Why? Just not my segment of collecting. I'll bet it's an awesome model, but just not one I'm interested in.
Two-Star Importance: Stuff I WILL buy, but put on display near the back of my layout/in the middle of traffic.
-The Mercedes-Benz 220S. I was SO convinced that nobody would make a Mercedes-Benz 220S that I went out and bought the Minichamps version. Of course, that's just me.
-The Mercedes-Benz 450SEL. I LOVE this car, but again, it just doesn't fit too well with what I have. In a case like this, I'd make an exception, though, simply because I think that highly of the model.
-1973 Chevy Bel Air Louisiana State Police. My layout's American police cars are virtually all from New York, Connecticut, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, or Kentucky.
Three-Star Importance: Will be near the front of my layout and/or involved in my own little dioramas.
-Austin FX4 Taxi. No question this one replaces the outdated Corgi version from the 1980's dropping a passenger off at a station.
-1986 Wales & Edward Rangemaster. But ONLY because I have, as of right now, ELEVEN milk floats. Granted, they don't just sit around and I actually have a milk bottling plant on my layout (which is now redone), but I have a feeling this winds up sitting with the rest of the milk floats (everything from Bedfords to Divcos).
-1965 Lincoln Continental Lehmann-Peterson Limo. A period-perfect no-brainer as a ride for one of my Tammany Hall-like city councilmen.
Four-Star Importance: Will be part of significant dioramas and highly visible.
-VAZ-2106 Zhiguli Militsia GAI St. Petersburg. Probably rear-ending the Bauer Models post-Soviet VAZ-2106 GAI Moscow car I have or possibly pulling over an old lady for speeding (in my parallel universe, there's a Russian Nationalist movement, remember?).
-VAZ-2105 Lada Zhiguli TLD. Considering the Czechoslovakian portion of my layout largely consists of a traffic jam (I've since literally split virtually the entire East Bloc layout off!) caused by an auto accident, I can just see painting a figure for this car, unscrewing the bottom, and having the guy either putting his feet up on the steering wheel or alternately blaring his horn.
-1959 Austin A55 Cambridge DN. Will have the honor of being part of my "parade of taxis" in front of the Near Side station.
-1959 Plymouth Savoy – (Istanbul taxi) FRWL. Ditto.
Five Stars: These cars get their own dioramas designed by yours truly.
-1968 Mercedes Benz (W115) TMWTGG. I've been absolutely dying for a RHD Mercedes-Benz for a specific purpose: the car belonging to the owner of my layout's brewery! Yes, a Holden HT Brougham held its own, but I'd like to display that car elsewhere. With this, I can now get the German car (implying German origin/German-style beer) with probably Code 3'd Australian license plates (NSW, maybe?), since the brewery is Australian-owned.
-1986 Lada Niva VAZ-2121L TWINE. I realize that the KGB didn't mark up Lada Nivas as Atomic Energy Anti-Terrorist Division, but face it: when you have a URANIUM MINE on your East Bloc layout, this car is practically screaming for its own diorama.
-Volga M-24 OP. No matter what, I'm going to make sure this is a Soviet staff car with correct plates. I currently have a GAZ-11-73 from USSR AvtoLegende in this role passing through a military checkpoint with some poor Soviet Junior Lieutenant saluting as if his life depends on it and think the big, black GAZ-24, especially if they add a flag, will be MUCH more imposing than the outdated (1940's vintage) GAZ-11-73.
-Dodge M-43 Ambulance – the laser carrying vehicle GF. Since I have no doubts that this won't REALLY be carrying a laser at this point, I'm in quite a need of medical vehicles on my NATO Base. I have some wonderfully painted Revell figures of a wounded soldier on a litter that would absolutely look great with this truck and can literally envision the diorama.
-1961 Chevrolet 30 Series 1-Ton truck FRWL. Faux-Yugoslavian, so will be absolutely perfect off-loading cargo at a railway depot that services the East Bloc nations. Although Yugoslavia was of course not part of the East Bloc, it was an observer state in the Comecon. I even know which rail car I'm going to use.
-1960 Ford Ranch Wagon FRWL. Of course the Ford Country Squire wound up being the four-wheeled mascot for Jack's Firearms & Ammunition. So I still need a nice, big, American wagon for the father and son on my layout going fishing (you don't store your rods and reels in a sedan...). A two-door wagon would make this especially good when you consider it was designed with utility in mind rather than as a family car.
To respond to maz, I'm not sure how well they do with this or how long it lasts. Their list is one heck of a list for car-centrics if Ixo does it. On the other hand, they seem to have saved a few cars for Bond 23 (the obvious selections for car-centrics with broader reach of the UAZ-469B/UAZ-3151, 1961 Chevrolet Impala, Lincoln Mk. VII Coupe, and AMC Matador Thai Police Car would seem to indicate they're holding back). As for the "no Rolls-Royces" thing, Ixo likes to do things one way: its own way. If RR said "okay, you can make our cars, but you can't make our logo or sell any of these outside of the James Bond Car Collection", then Ixo would not like that, to put it mildly.
I am aware of this. Also try "Militsia car." One of my photos literally shows up third (albeit wrongly...it shows a VAI checkpoint, and the VAI were not technically Militsia)! And seventh (with not a single Militsia car in sight). And eighth (Russian DPS Militsia, so that counts). "USSR AvtoLegende" yields two of the top three pictures. "La Salle/Miller Hearse" yields the fourth photo. The REALLY surprising one is if you type in "Barry Goldwater car". He's president in my alt. universe, remember? First picture on page four. What makes that so remarkable is that Goldwater, whatever you wish to say about his politics, was a true automotive enthusiast. He was always on the cutting edge on automotive designs, had his own LHD Jaguar made for him, got one of the first Corvette Stingrays...and yet I'm on top of page four with my Goldwater limo. Wow. Another one I was shocked at: Century Dragon Models I have the second and third pics. That's a pretty big company, too! And yet, the only thing in front of me isn't even car-related!!! "Atlas DDR" also yields the first picture on page 2. I'm also sixth and seventh with "Radon Moskvitch", which is pretty amazing.
I think the remaining models will have to be different from what w eve had before before people will collect them.The collection is getting well out of control for me now.I want to show and enjoy them in a display.I dread to think of all the models in cardboard boxes collecting dust in a loft.I shall continue to lurk and pop in to see you all.The cash i save will go towards a holiday in Hawaii next year.my wife is very pleased.
From the impression this list gives off, for one, and for another that I'm really starting to doubt if Fabbri can so much as even use likenesses of people (to say nothing of figures), I think the days of figures and anything more than "Daniel Craig Dioramas" are probably gone. Granted, they COULD do much better efforts on the dioramas without figures and just say "supply your own," but at this point, I'm not expecting figures or likenesses.
And that's one of the problems. As FACT has pointed out numerous times in a bit of a roundabout way (i.e. "I wish they would release the production numbers."), we have no idea what the average take-up is or what Fabbri's subscriber list looks like at this period in time. We do know, however, that the dealers buying in bulk from the distributors are making a killing on the secondary market, for the most part. It's a strange marketing strategy, to say the least, as I mentioned previously, but if they're making enough of a killing, then actually, yes, Fabbri CAN financially afford to basically ignore its subscribers. Is that morally right? No. But money talks, and Fabbri is listening. As james john Smythe and said quite a bit and I've reiterated quite a bit, Fabbri is a profit-driven company. If they make a profit, then that's what they care most about.
Ditto here! I plan on making a New York State Police Savoy and probably getting a second Ranch Wagon to weather. Also, it depends on the model's details, but I could be willing to get multiple OP Volgas and using them for ICV Models' resin-based add-on kits (since the interior will in all likelihood be pre-painted...I figure a taxi, a late '70's Militsia GAI car, and a KGB GAZ-24-24 in its 2nd Gen. Configuration would all make good subjects). I'd also likely get a second VAZ-2106 and make that into a late Soviet era Militsia GAI car. I'll probably get another VAZ-2105, strip the plates off, and rebadge it as a Canadian Lada Signet. And for the '65 Lincoln Continental Lehmann-Peterson Limo (of all things), there is THIS particular car that was actually quite important to ZIL's development of the ZIL-114 (the longer version of the ZIL-117)...
http://www.desoto58.com/peoplezone/peoplelehmannpeterson65lve.html
Obviously I'm going to make that one with NAMI "Proba" plates.
And a Dodge M43 and maybe switching around the vehicle code, but making no other modifications.
The Corgi mould is a bit old, though, having first appeared in the late-1980s in the Corgi Classics range and then being freshened up for the Vanguards range in 2001 (which largely corrected the poor frontal treatment it originally had been given). It remains a "previous generation" mould, though.
It makes you wonder then, if the extension isn't being aimed almost purely at the car-centrics and the whole 'Bond' theme is now just a bit of a tenuous link between new releases. I suppose the producers could simply be taking an attitude of 'we don't care who buys these things, or for what reason, as long as they sell' but I would have thought keeping the Bond guys on board would be fairly important if they want subscribers to stay on for the Bond 23 models and maybe beyond. If you take the idea to its logical conclusion, it would be really weird if you end up with a state of affairs where the bulk of the consumers buying a James Bond partwork aren't primarily interested in James Bond!
Further to that, there would probably be a good response to a generalised 'Cars of the World' partwork that could take over where this one (eventually) leaves off - vehicles of any and all eras with dioramas; it could go on forever!
That's really interesting - I wonder if we might see the OHMSS Ford Escort supplied by Vanguards, then?
It would open up a few more model opportunities using Vanguards moulds - the Dr. No PA Cresta/ Velox comes to mind straight away.
Very interesting. I was aware that Ixo and Corgi stayed away from competing with one another, but was not aware of collaboration. I'm wondering if Ixo decides to "redo" the mould in anticipation of a Vanguards re-issue of the Morris Minor (since moulds do get old, of course...as Ixo themselves well know after having infamously destroyed their first Lada mould by overusing it and severely damaging their GAZ-M21 Volga and Mercedes-Benz W111 moulds due to "too many variants with too little maintenance"). I know Ixo wants to compete in the worst way with Oxford Diecast, and of course, so does Corgi Vanguards. This is highly plausible.
Especially when you consider that not counting the sequin headlights and the all-silver hubcaps, Vanguards' PA Velox was the literal exact same car that Professor Dent drove in DN...
Basically, that's pretty much what it is or seems to be: let Ixo release their (very nice but not necessarily relevant) moulds in the best possible setting with a lot of publicity whilst Fabbri collects the fees from the sales of the magazines that they publish with the cars.
With regard to the first part, I would think even the car-centrics would stay on until Bond 23, which I've heard from pretty much everywhere (including the dealer I know by first and last name whom I DO inherently trust AND the Fabbri employee who seems to have somewhat reliable but at the same time outdated info). I don't think it goes beyond Bond 23, though. This approach does have its limitations.
However, with regard to the last part of the last sentence here only, I think you're reading it wrong: being a Bond-fan and being an extreme car-centric are not mutually exclusive. If they were, then I wouldn't be posting here.
Besides, you're also going for the "casual Bond fan" audience. Why else explain the car's exact role in the film (no matter how obvious or on the flipside, NOT obvious) in the magazine as opposed to just showing the car off with some photos? And why bother with the bits of trivia and behind the scenes stuff in the magazines that most Bond fans already know? I mean, one of this collection's biggest fans is my Dad.
Dad's a Bond fan and has seen every film in the theater (cinema). But with that said, he's not really interested in the backstories, is one of the guys who ranks Lazenby as dead last, liked DAF, thinks that literary Bond and Cinematic Bond are so completely different that they're impossible to reconcile, refers to some henchmen as "that one guy", and he actually likes the bits of trivia about the films one finds in the magazines (which I give him). And he, being more car-centric than even me (if I quoted him via phone on some of the more Bond centric releases, I KNOW he'd ripped apart), usually just skips over the parts about the cars because he knows about said cars or doesn't care. Besides, he remembers most of the cars, including even the most insignificant background vehicles, anyway.
I think Fabbri realized that the demographic into which my Dad falls existed and that people were buying up the more detailed cars; suddenly, THIS became their target demographic, since they realized that so long as they paid good attention to car detail (and not counting the Turkey-Bird, I have a feeling they will), they were getting *big* sales from dealers on the secondary market for certain models. The list as I read it here sounds like a veritable want-list of some guy who likes both the offbeat (East Bloc) and the underrepresented (like the Dodge Ram) and thinks about "If I ran Ixo for a day and were putting the James Bond Car Collection together...". Just my two cents.