Stark-Slot - New slotcar manufacturer Options

[merkit the grof]

This thread is bringing the interesting topic of what can be done under 50 Euros.

Maybe an approach of production that lies on the 80-90 Euros would be the way to go.

If they could make just the decorated body and cockpit for 50-60 Euros it would be fantastic and new. We would buy the running gear that we want. I think an approach of this type could work.

rallyP, are you asking to be charged more money?? Why?

I would reverse the question, if Saico can make this complete rally car for £5.99, why can't the slot manufacturers do it too? (Oh, and it is 1/32nd of course)

Two other details: My local junk shop used to sell them unboxed for £3.99, and there are more bits in one of those than in the average slot car.

I think this new venture might bring the slot market back to the correct price level: A small time manufacturer can sell a car for 50 euros and the large ones should be able to do it for a third of that price.



Joel

PS: Roll on the competitive slot market and reduced pricing.
PPS: Well, we can all dream.

[rallyP]

Joel,

I thought it was impossible economically to make 300 cars manually and sell them at 50 Euros and be enough for a company to survive. Below I did some, most likely flawed, calculations and got a profit of 9,000 Euros a month. So maybe it is possible.

I had never heard of Saico and slot cars at $10. If that approach is possible, then it would revive the hobby from our point of view but it would probably kill the hobby from most manufacturers point of view. A slot car for $10 can only be possible with massive productions for which I do not know if there is a market for. But I agree with you that slotcars at lower prices would be great, if that wouldn't kill the industry.

This company Stark (if it exists) says that it wants to make productions of 300 cars. This means that the cars will be produced manually and be labor intensive. Let us see if it is possible. Actually I would like your input on this.

1) Spend time to make the master (it must take quite a while)
2) the materials to make the bodies
3) Spend time correcting the bodies
4) production of the small pieces and windows
5) Spend time to hand paint the bodies (300 of them)
6) Research decals and production
7) The mechanics for the cars
8) Assemble every car

If the company is just one person (best scenario for economic viability) this process is beyond exhaustive and it must take at least a month.

Now sell the 300 at 50 and get 15,000 euros. What would be the costs of the materials of each car? Say 20 Euros a car (just a wild guess, the mechanics would have to be pretty bad), so they could make 9000 euros a month. Of course this would require them to sell every car. If the company has 3 people would be 3,000 Euros a month. I guess it is possible.

I am very possibly missing something? Any suggestions? Now I am curious.

My suggestion to Stark is brake the production in two types: 1) The entire car for 50 Euros and 2) just fully finished bodies and the wheel inserts and sell them for 40 Euros. The profit would be higher and most of us would be happier, we would put our own choice of chassis.

[Hobby]

Hi Rally.
I doubt we will see Stark models at 50 .00 euro (about £40.00 GBP). A couple of points we may be missing; is this figure a'factory gate' or wholesale price? or an aspiration of a recomended retail Price? If its wholesale then the price the public will pay will be considerably higher...near double! If its a R/R price then the firm will be selling them to the trade at about 25.00 euros!
If they intend to sell them all direct to the general public, then P+P to the rest of the world will add significant costs to the models.
Lets see if any models actually get made and sold, the figures don't look realistic for short run models, even if of low quality.
regards Bill.

[HaCo]

First release:


Under 50EUR? I'll buy one! Awewome car!

http://www.slotcar-today.com/en/notices/20...ent-way-824.php

[rallyP]

Great, Haco! It seems, this company is actually real.

They say among the 4 first products they will have the Subaru Legacy 92 Colin McRae, I sincerely hope it is this livery, if so they are doing one of my obsessions.



Edit: Oohhh! Yes, it is. I did not read that it said Sweden 92, so it is this livery. For me this means these people know what they are doing.

[stoner]

FW14 YOUR ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE THAT peanuts ME OFF ON THIS FORUM. ITS ONE SNIDE COMMENT AFTER ANOTHER. I WOULDN,T MIND IF YOU CONTRIBUTED TO THE DICUSSION, BUT ITS ALLWAYS NEGATIVITY. MY OPINION! SAME AS YOURS WAS. JOHN

[StuBeeDoo]

I want! I want! I want!

[stoner]

i,ve got some news, the first car is due in 15 days its got a resin body, alloy wheels, fully detailed resin cockpit, photoetched parts a small mabuchi motor. all running on a metal chassis[universal?]. courtesy of slot-car today. john

[RikoRocket]

So I was just thinking, if they look good then £40 a month isn't a lot so I could take every one. If they are limited to 300 then the collectability factor is going to be high. But if I think that and another 299 people/collectors think the same then none will actually hit the streets.

[stoooo]

Any more news on these ? The website doesn't seem to have changed much since I last looked. I doubt I'll be very interested in their first two offerings, but that Legacy is at the top of my hit list right now.

[rick1776]

Im assuming the cars will be resin? And a new model every month? Good luck with it guys. Will be interesting to see the first model.

cheers
rick1776

[Henk]

i,ve got some news, the first car is due in 15 days ..

It's been more then 15 days since August 26th, any news

[stoooo]

They say among the 4 first products they will have the Subaru Legacy 92 Colin McRae, I sincerely hope it is this livery, if so they are doing one of my obsessions.

I saw its stablemate up close and personal on Sunday. The Prodrive Heritage Centre is small, but is definitely a little slice of motorsports heaven.


DSCF2712 by stoooo, on Flickr