PLASTIC Upcoming F1 Releases 2021

[SebLeung]

Wow I’m stoked about the 1/12 MP4/2C, I’ve been waiting for it since Italeri started re-issuing Protar kits. It’ll probably be my first 1/12 kit purchase

[ringleheim]

I was thinking about this when I sold the Tamiya 1/12 '09 Yamaha YZR-M1 in November. I bought it at the LHS for $30 two years ago on the discount table. They simply could not sell it. Fast forward 18 months when I try to get the after market forks for it on the bay. I noticed the kit itself was fetching $200. WT.... heck I asked myself... So I sold it for $160 and paid for a stash of F1 kits I bought off a guy.

Why can I get $160 when the LHS couldn't sell it for $30. The way I see it, Tamiya makes a few (several) thousand kits they figure they can sell at $50. They sell 99% of them at basically that price. A few sit on shelves at LHS. There are 100 folks around the globe that suddenly see the kit is not available and bid up the price online. The 10 kits left start getting remarkable prices. Everyone then asks Tamiya, Revell, Italeri, et. al. why don't you make another 10,000 kits, you can get $200 for the Yamaha...? It turns out that only a handful of people want the kit so bad and have $200 in the account to spend as they wish. I bet what the Revell guy said is very true. If they make 5000 1980 Renault F1 kits and sell them for $130, they would not sell the 5000 kits.

I have noticed for a while now that there is indeed a very strong aftermarket for out of production 1/12 Tamiya bikes.

It's simple: Tamiya didn't make enough to meet demand, at least for some models.

The modern Moto-GP stuff in particular sells really well.

In the future, when Tamiya release new MOTO GP kits, I will buy 4 or 5. That way you can build 1, have 1 for spare parts or a disaster (!), and you can sell the rest on Ebay to pay for the others.

[Orso]

But how long do you need to hold on to those bikes before demand and prices will rise? 5 years? 10 years?

[gp-models]

But how long do you need to hold on to those bikes before demand and prices will rise? 5 years? 10 years?

Not that long as the past has shown, especially when it is a Rossi model, those are sold out quickly.
Very hard to find is the 2005 M1, the 2009 in any design, and the Honda bikes from the 90`s plus the early RC 211V. Also the front fork sets sell very well, still waiting for the re release of those bikes, hopefully Tamiya will do it soon as i need some of these kits for a second build, the Rossi figure is also on my list, sold out that fast that i had no chance to get one cause i thought i had enough time to buy one, what a mistake!

[high510]

But I don't think Tamiya misses the mark by much (i.e. almost everyone that wants a specific kit gets one) and I don't think there are many individuals willing to pay $200 for bikes. Tamiya probably wouldn't sell a rerelease lot of 5k 2009 Fiat Yamahas at $50 and almost none (in the volume Tamiya needs to make sense) at $150. So we are left with Evil Bay have a couple of dozen listings from around the world at $200. One of those moves a month. Tamiya looks at that and realizes rereleases make no sense. So pick the kits you want carefully (buy 5 if that is feasible, Tamiya will appreciate the biz) and build 'em. I did use my funds to buy the '14 Honda Repsol from the LHS. I think I will actually build that one.

I had my Fiat Yamaha for 18 months... I have a stash of 20 kits, so I didn't need to build it in that timeframe.

And don't expect too many rereleases...

[high510]

Wow!!! Just browsed EBAY.... My $200 comment seems quaintly out of date now. North of $350 with shipping..... enjoy your bikes!

[JamesB]

It's easy: 2009 M1 can easily make a 2015 (Rossi Lorenzo title battle) bike. And even now you can make a decent current M1 with that. In fact it's this year that Yamaha has intriduced significant body cahnges.
Same can be said about 2013 RC213V. Curiously, Honda's 2nd han market price is significantly lower. Point here the borig ever present REPSOL lovery.
Yes, reasonable to buy 4 or 5 if you fancy doing versions, which I do!!
Anyway Ebay prices are something quite strange. I don't even trust much the SOLD prices...

[smirkoff]

There will be a japanese driver in F1 this season, and a pretty good one, by his results in F2. Usually that fact used to motivate the japanese plastic kit brands to make new kits and re-release old ones. Times are different though, I'm not sure that will be enough, but fingers crossed, anyway.

[PJE]

I see that Studio 27 will soon release a carbon fiber decal set for the 1/20 scale McLaren MP4/2C. Anyone think it would be better than the CF decals that came with the companion detail set?

Paul Erlendson

[steinietrabi]

The decal set from Studio27 is simply more detailed and has a larger scope! I also have it on my wish-list...