Friday night May, 26 at the 2004 National
Convention featured a manufacturers' new product
announcement segment. We'll have expanded coverage of these announcements
after the convention but here's the latest in brief summary:
A-Line - displayed their long awaited
102" wide roll up trailer door detail part and resin air dams for
the Herpa Ford Aeromax and Mack CH announced last year.
Athearn - displayed pre-production samples
of a Ford C rescue unit with Gerstenslager body and the first public
appearance of the updated Kenworth W-900. The Kenworth has received
a similar upgrade treatment as the recently released Freightliners
with some notable improvements: complete interior, sleeper compartment,
mirrors, wipers, dual exhausts, sun visor, 10 hole aluminum wheels,
and chrome treatment to grille, bumper, fuel tanks, etc.
Boley - displayed their upcoming utility
truck line, tow trucks, rescue boats (rubber dinghy type). Regrettably
no firm news of their release dates.
Classic Mint Collectibles - had pre-production
samples of their upcoming brass Talbert 55 ton lowboy trailer (photos
coming soon) and the Cummins engine and Fuller transmission from
the Peterbilt truck tractor. Very impressive by the crowd's
reaction! Also coming soon from Classic Mint is a brass Komatsu D575A-3
Super Dozer model!
Dennis Aust - had new resin Kenworth
W-900B, W900L, and C-500B in two versions that will be available
soon in limited quantities. These are resin cab conversion kits of
outstanding quality.
Lonestar Models - promises 2004 might be
the year of delivery on their auto carrier project!
Masterbilt Models - promised their resin
Mack Vision would finally be available in kit form at Saturday's
show! Also shown was a pre-production sample of a new resin Mack
Granite kit to be released later in 2004.
Athearn has
announced their upgraded Freightliner tractors available in a 2 pack;
one single drive axle and one tandem drive axle tractor, both in the
same paint scheme. They've also announced their trailer converter dollies
in a 4 pack painted for CF (red) and generic
schemes
in black, gray, and orange.
Artwork is now posted on their web site
of the forthcoming Ford C rescue unit (shown above).
Brekina kept their promise given at the 2004 Nuremberg
Toy Fair. As part of the summer releases, they just recently delivered
sedan and wagon versions of their wonderfully detailed and decorated
Opel Rekord P2 coupé:
20100 – 1960 Opel Rekord P2 four-door sedan,
Hawaii Blue
20101 – Ocean green
20101 – Royal blue
20110 – 1960 Opel Rekord P2 CarAVan (three-door
wagon), java brown
20111 – Emerald green
20112 – Gray
The prototypes were offered between 1960 and 1963 with 1.5 and 1.7
liter engines, making between 50 and 60hp. As was the case with earlier
Opel designs, they brought a fair share of GM’s North-American
design into German mid-size sedans, including rather subtle fin-fails
and large amounts of chrome. Brekina follow suit with their finely
detailed Top Decoration models.
20121 – 1961 Opel Rekord P2 coupé, metallic
silver, Top Decoration + Interior Treatment
The coupé, which first appeared in hobby shops in late February,
goes even beyond that. On top of chrome, detail prints, white-wall
tires and more, the precisely molded interior receives attention: The
seats are painted blue and the dashboard reveals the prototype’s
broad-band speedometer, radio, and other details. Spectacular!
Co.Met Milano is an Italian maker of high-quality small-series resin
kits and ready-mades. In addition to their previous Lancia Delta Integrale
and Alfa-Romeo 75 sedan models, they announced the following variations:
1988 Alfa-Romeo 75 2.0 T.Spark, Polizia Comunale Lugano/Switzerland
(ready-made)
1988 Alfa-Romeo 75 1.8i.e. Carabinieri/Italy (kit and ready-made)
1988 Alfa-Romeo 75 1.8i.e. Polizia Stradale/Italy (kit and ready-made)
1988 Alfa-Romeo 75 1.8i.e. Polizia di Stato/Italy (kit and ready-made)
Herpa announced no less than 29 items to be delivered in July and
August, 2004. There is the usual number of new decorations, but there
are six models from entirely new molds, as well.
023252 – 2004 Mercedes-Benz SLK roadster Mk2
(R171), black w/grey interior. Suggested U.S. retail price $8.95
033251 – 2004 Mercedes-Benz SLK roadster Mk2 (R171), metallic
andradite green w/beige crème interior. Suggested
U.S. retail price $9.95 Herpa is doing their part to celebrate
the 50th anniversary
of Mercedes’ famous
300SL roadster. Only four months after the promotional models were
delivered to DaimlerChrysler, Herpa will bring the SLK Mk2 to hobby
shops and retailers. Unlike its 1996 predecessor, the Herpa model will
not come with a removable hard-top, but it feature a nose copied from
Merc’s current supercar, the SLR McLaren. New tooling.
101684 – 2004 BMW Alpina Roadster S,
red, Private Collection. Suggested U.S. retail price $17.50
For those who find the 231hp of BMW’s top-of-the-range Z4 3.0i
just is not quite enough, Burkhard Bovensiepen offers an alternative:
his Alpina Roadster S, boasting 300hp from a heavily reworked 3.4 liter
inline-six. Of course, Herpa makes the appropriate changes to Chris
Bangle’s flame-surfacing design, adding specially designed
rims and decorations aplenty. New tooling.
046237 – 2000 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 316CDI EMS-van (Strobel
box-type body), German Red Cross, Böblingen. Suggested
U.S. retail price $19.95
046244 – 2000 BMW X5 3.0d, German Red Cross, Rheinfelden.
Suggested U.S. retail price $13.95
Two vehicles from German Red Cross chapters, one serving
as an EMS van and the other an emergency doctor’s car.
Both come in white with red markings.
046251 – 1996 Mercedes-Benz Vito passenger
van, Berlin Fire Brigade. Suggested U.S. retail price $15.25
Herpa continues their series of Berlin fire brigade vehicles with a
multi-purpose passenger van that may occasionally serve as a command
car. Silver is the base color of choice these days, with red self-adhesive
foils and yellow markings to be removed once the lease contract has
expired.
046268 – 1996 Mercedes-Benz Vario armored
van, Prodiac Security. Suggested U.S. retail price $16.75
Herpa resurrects their armored car of the late 1980s, giving it a new
Vario cab for the first time as a regular-release model.
046275 – 2003 Mercedes-Benz/Binz A 2003 ambulance.
Suggested U.S. retail price $19.50
As with every mid-size Mercedes for decades, Binz coachbuilders
offer an ambulance shortly after a new model’s introduction. Herpa’s
initial release of Binz’s most recent effort
features the bright red-and-yellow factory colors the
demonstration vehicle wears. Making
fun of a well-known energy drink, the ambulance is called RettBull.
046282 – 1997 Porsche 911 Carrera (type
996), German police. Suggested U.S. retail price $13.95
Although the Baden-Württemberg police were given a couple of Porsche
sports cars in the past, this Carrera coupé made
its appearance as a highway high-speed pursuit-car
in a German TV series and is not
in daily use. Coppers may wish for such means of transport.
046299 – 2000 BMW X5, Samur (Spain)
. Suggested U.S. retail price $19.95
046305 – 1995 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 312D EMS-van
(Strobel box-type body), Samur (Spain) . Suggested
U.S. retail price $26.95
Samur is a Spanish EMS organization and their vehicles feature quite
distinctive decorations. Herpa offers two models of their current fleet.
Limited edition.
150309 – 2002 DAF XF SuperSpaceCab
truck-tractor w/Spitzer silo semi-trailer, Riwatrans. Suggested
U.S. retail price
$27.50
150316 – 2002 Volvo FH12 Globetrotter XL, high-volume
truck-tandem-trailer, Riwatrans. Suggested U.S. retail
price $27.50
Herpa’s fictitious forwarding company gets
two more rigs. Limited edition each.
150415 – 1985 Mercedes-Benz 1635 S
truck-tractor w/tank semi-trailer, Hoyer (Classic-Line) . Suggested
U.S. retail
price $33.95
As Herpa has been offering 1/87th scale vehicles for 26 years, some
of their older toolings pass through as vintage trucks nowadays. The
model features authentic decorations including license plates that
were not feasible when the first Herpa models were released in the
early 1980s. Limited edition.
150439 – 2003 Mercedes-Benz/Titan Actros 4158
SLT four-axle heavy-duty truck-tractor w/Goldhofer lowboy, Scholpp.
Suggested U.S.
retail price $33.95
The Titan heavy-duty tractor was heavily modified
with the Actros’ relaunch
last year. Herpa did the same with their scale model.
New tooling, limited edition.
150446 – 2004 Scania R Topline truck-tractor
w/LAG Bree silo-container semi-trailer, Europool (The Netherlands).
Suggested U.S. retail price
$29.95
New tooling for both the R-series Scania and the LAG Bree silo container
from Belgium. Limited edition.
150453 – 2004 Scania R Topline tractor/reefer-trailer,
Kleiner Feigling. Suggested U.S. retail price $33.50
Kleiner Feigling (little coward – a pun on
the main ingredient, fig, or Feige in German) is
a notorious party liquor that is also gaining
in popularity in the U.S. Herpa releases one more
truck in the black, green, and mauve corporate colors.
New tooling, limited edition (thank
goodness).
150583 – M.A.N. Trucknology Center
truck dealer/service area (Starter Set) . Suggested U.S. retail
price $115.00
Herpa’s fifth Starter Set is modeled after a M.A.N. truck dealership
and service center with four garage bays. The buildings, which feature
MAN’s corporate design, will be easily put together
without the need for cement. In addition, the set contains
three different MAN
trucks, two car models, and ground foils.
150422 – 2004 Scania R Topline truck-tractor,
black. Suggested U.S. retail price $14.75
The new Scania R-series was presented to the public
on April 5, 2004. The Herpa model was ready at the
same time, thanks to Scania having
supplied CAD data months in advance. As part of the
Herpa range, the new “R” is not a minor
facelift of the previous 4-series, but an entirely
new model. The design was aided by state-of-the-art
CAD/CAM technology while the predecessor was developed
by rather traditional
model making techniques that involve a hand-built master-model.
Even the chassis has been revised thoroughly, featuring
a new tank, exhaust
system, and drive-axle brakes. Initially, Herpa will release the high-roofed
Topline version, complete with roof-spoiler, deflectors,
and chassis paneling. Without being
announced, Herpa already delivered a metallic-green
Private Collection-version with their April releases.
150460 – 2002 Mercedes-Benz Actros
LH-cab tandem truck-tractor, red. Suggested U.S. retail price $14.75
The current M-B Actros truck-tractor is finally released in a tandem-axle
version that will be a welcome addition to any construction fleet,
especially so since Herpa chose a matching color. New tooling.
046367 – 1990 Volkswagen Transporter (T4) passenger
van BF3. Suggested U.S. retail price $15.25
150552 – Liebherr R954 Litronic tracked excavator.
Suggested U.S. retail price $40.95
150569 – 2002 MAN TGA M-cab four-axle concrete
mixer. Suggested U.S. retail price $20.95
150576 – 1996 Mercedes-Benz Actros (tandem-axle)
tractor-trailer. Suggested U.S. retail price
$29.50
The Max Bögl-series of construction equipment
grows with the addition of four items. The VW
Transporter serves as an escort vehicle for heavy-haulage
transports. Future releases will contain even more models.
120623 – 2001 MAN TGA XXL-cab truck-tractor
w/Krone Safeliner semi-trailer, Bavarian Regional Truck, Private
Collection. Suggested
U.S. retail price $62.95
Herpa offered so-called “Regional Trucks” in the past.
These always are rigs without a prototype that display sights and specialties
from a German federal state or region. Now it’s Herpa’s
home-state of Bavaria. Limited edition.
120586 – 2002 DAF XF SuperSpaceCab tractor/reefer-trailer,
Fabrice Curty II, Private Collection. Suggested U.S. retail price
$69.95
Airbrush artist Isabelle Chrysalide created a second spectacular design
for Swiss hauler Fabrice Curty. Limited edition.
120593 – 1996 Scania R124 high-volume
reefer truck-trailer, Frank de Ridder, Private Collection. Suggested
U.S.
retail price $69.95
Nine years ago, Herpa released a Scania 143 semi
in Frank de Ridder’s
paint scheme. Now, another rig of the Dutch company
will be part of the Herpa range, if only in a limited
edition.
Pricing provided by Promotex Inc. (www.promotex.ca). All prices are
subject to change without notice.
Martin Fredrich (www.mfredrichmodelle.de) recently announced a 1964
Fiat 850 resin kit. The photo shows the master model. The final version
will come as a kit, but includes wheels and windows.
MEK has announced a resin kit for
the MCI MC5C 35' bus used by Greyhound and others.
Schuco stays on the safe, but somewhat dull side, and models German
premium brands and German automotive history. The quality is constantly
improving, with the most recent models being true to scale and rather
neatly detailed. Of course, die-cast models will rarely be as delicate
as injection-molded plastic pieces, but Schuco demonstrate they can,
and will, do more than simple toys. The special treat is the price
of about half a comparable Herpa model. Unfortunately, there have been
only models previously done by other makers so far. It remains questionable
whether a fourth 300SL Gull-wing coupé is the model we actually
need.
Wiking announced their third batch of new models for 2004. All of
the newly tooled items were shown at the Nuremberg Toy Fair in February.
New Tooling
321 01 30 – 2004 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 416CDI
EMS-van (box-type), German Red Cross (NRW paint scheme).
Suggested U.S. retail price $16.00.
During the last decade, box-type EMS vans made
quite a career in Germany. Before, panel vans were the usual
choice for fire-brigades and other
EMS providers. The first model’s paint job represents the federal
state of North-Rhine Westphalia, where day-glow red and white form
the mandatory color scheme for EMS vehicles, be they operated by fire
brigades, the German Red Cross, or other organizations. Different from
Herpa’s offerings, the Sprinter is modeled after the heavy-duty
version (4.6 metric tons GVW) with dual rear wheels. Wiking does not
disclose which prototype’s body was scaled down.
388 04 26 – Joskin tandem-axle agricultural
dump-trailer. Suggested U.S. retail price $12.00. Wiking adds
a third trailer to their fleet
of large agricultural equipment modeled after
a prototype produced by Belgian maker Joskin. It will attach
to the big Massey-Ferguson,
John-Deere, or Fendt farm-tractors Wiking released previously.
862 40 39 – late 1950s Magirus Sirius crew-cab DL 25 h aerial-ladder.
Suggested U.S. retail price $27.00. At Toy Fair, Wiking displayed a
whole series of Magirus round- and square-nose fire engines of ‘50s
and ‘60s vintage. Pumper, pumper-tanker,
square-nose versions and day-cabs will follow
later this year and next. This ladder-truck
may well be the classic German fire-engine of
the period. Magirus, the truck-specialist from
Ulm that is now part of Italian Iveco group,
designed everything from cab and chassis to the
air-cooled engine as well as the ladder body.
New Decorations
990 38 50 – Mercedes-Benz Jubilee Set. Suggested
U.S. retail price $50.00. 1954 300 SL Gull-wing
in light metallic-blue, 1955 190 SL roadster in oxide red,
1963 600 in anthracite silver, and a 1/160th
scale 300 SL Gull-wing pin in light metallic-gold
form this year’s
special edition. The occasion is the 50th
anniversary of an automotive legend, the 300 SL Gull-wing
introduced at the New York Auto Show on
February 6, 1954. In addition, Wiking reactivates
the tooling for the beautiful 190 SL and
the
600 state limousine. Perhaps the only wish
for these two models would be newly designed
moulds to match the wonderful 300 SL with
its opening doors and bonnet.
405 03 26 – 1992 Unimog U140 w/asphalt trailer, crème
beige. Suggested U.S. retail price. Suggested
U.S. retail price $12.00.
656 04 20 – Construction Trailer, crème beige. Suggested
U.S. retail price $7.50. Wiking’s fictitious construction company
gets a new color scheme: New models will come in crème
beige.
731 06 46 – 1989 MAN/Waggon-Union D89 Berlin double-deck city
bus, “Hertha BSC”. Suggested U.S. retail price $42.00.
This, for a change, is not Berlin’s premiere-league soccer-club’s
new means of transport. Rather, the club advertises on one of the double-deck
city buses that are so typical for the German capital. It is questionable,
though, whether Berlin’s Public transport
still relies on the 1989 model.
811 04 24 – 1960 Ford 17M, sand/black w/red interior. Suggested
U.S. retail price $10.50. The two-tone decoration was one of the period’s
luxury accessories.
823 38 25 – 1957 Borgward Isabella coupé, metallic silver/black
w/red interior. Suggested U.S. retail price $11.50. 50 years ago, Carl.
F.W. Borgward introduced his Isabella sedan. Three years later, the
even more upmarket coupé made its appearance – it would
become the car of those who had made it during Germany’s
Wirtschaftswunder. Despite the awesome vehicles,
Borgward went bankrupt only four years
later.
849 03 40 – 1967 Büssing BS 16L stake-truck w/full trailer, “Veltins
Brewery”. Suggested U.S. retail price
$29.00. Beer trucks, and even more so vintage
beer trucks, are a safe bet for sales. Wiking
could not resist, once more.
863 01 23 – 1940 Opel Blitz 1.5 ton LF8 pumper
w/portable-pump trailer, voluntary fire brigade. Suggested
U.S. retail price $9.50.
From 1943 on, small pumpers were officially
called Löschgruppenfahrzeug,
or LF8 in Germany. 8, because the pump could
handle 800 liters of water per minute.
894 39 30 – 1961 Mercedes-Benz 250 SE coupé w/trailer
and motor boat (dark metallic blue w/ blue
interior). Suggested U.S. retail price $16.00. This
is how the rich and famous approached their summer holidays
in Italy or the Switzerland in the ‘60s. Already
delivered with a fresco-green coupé late in 2003, Wiking changes
the color for the second release of their re-issued coupé.
The current Touareg with Performance yacht
tells how far 1/87th scale models
have come in four decades.
Wiking prices provided by Flint Imports. All
prices are subject to change without notice.
