If they get it going again, then TakaraTomy really should consider dropping the whole licensed cars only thing and branch out to different types of vehicles and different price points (yes, this has been said numerous times, but it is still a good idea).

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If they drop the licensed cars they'll certainly loose my interest.  If you mean they should do other types of licensed vehicles, that would be OK depending on what they were, but I don't see why they would drop cars.  This would probably mean having to use multiple scales (not 1:24) and also would pose problems for me to some degree.  Lets put it this way, I'm not that excited for a sumarine that transforms into robot standing next to a car that's the same size in robot mode and I'm definatley not that excited about a huge submarine/robot.  A tank could be OK...  Construction vehicles that form a giant devastator!  That woudl be cool.  Remember, alternators are an homage to G1 line and sell significantly to adults who remember G1.    MP Jets and semis + alternator cars fits that concept well. Their just may not be enough of us to support these awesome toys.  And we can be a fickle and incosistent bunch.

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And this would be exactly what I am talking about. This type of thread comes up fairly often and many people have said that tanks, construction vehicles, jets, etc would be great for the line. Anything that is a well done homage to G1 is fine by me. That is what this line was originally conceived as after all.

I think you guys haven't read the KISS Convoy thread that says that Convoy will be die-cast and considered part of the BT line. That means that while BT is currently comatose, but not dead yet. As mentioned before Takomy is going to cut down in TFs for the time being.

exactly what I am talking about. This type of thread comes up fairly often and many people have said that tanks, construction vehicles, jets, etc would be great for the line. Anything that is a well done homage to G1 is fine by me. That is what this line was originally conceived as after all.

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Yeah that makes sense in theory.  I wonder what percentage of toy vehicles are cars and specific car models (e.g. viper).  I bet we'd find that almost all of the sales are things like Farrari's etc.  The inexpensive cars with good design and/or a following (like the jeep, mini or scion) probably do well too.  I suspect that Hasbro has been counting on that as part of the draw of alternators, "look I can get a model of my dream car AND it turns into robot too, I'll take this one."  Hasbro probably finds Farrari and Lamborghini are too expensive to license and make the numbers work and japanese cars also have a nice tie-in for takara. 

 

I bet constuction and war vehicles fall far below those of the popular and somewhat popular cars.  That stuff just doesn't seem as popular anymore.  I don't see all the tonka trucks and lots of moms and dads won't even let their kids play with toy guns anymore. So getting back to the issue at hand, selling binaltechs, I'm not sure adding to the bredth of the line would help even if us current supports liked it.  I think getting better cars would help, like Farraris, Lambo's, nissan skyline or even Z.  I just don't see the RX-8, RSX, mustang, RAM, civic and scion being that asperational, even in Japan.  The Jeep is tricky one, they seem to have a strong brand worldwide, but I don't know if that translates to toy sales.  They need more halo cars like the viper. 

 

Pasquale

It's noticeable that Alternators are actually slowing down. It's already have a year and the only new mold out is Prime. The line is actually being padded with re-releases and repaints. It seems that they are keeping pace with the slowdown with BT as well.

It's noticeable that Alternators are actually slowing down. It's already have a year and the only new mold out is Prime. The line is actually being padded with re-releases and repaints. It seems that they are keeping pace with the slowdown with BT as well.

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It's a good point, but we've seen Mirage and rumble (though not confirmed).  Plus we aren't even seeing repaints in the BT line (nemisis-Prime, camshaft, roll bar), but you are making me feel better, since I don't think Alts are ending :-)

We did get broadblast though.

 

By the way, I'm listening the to the new Gnarls Barkley and its great.

Alts arent slowing down. The year is only half over and hasbro promised us 6 new molds and 4 repaints. So far we've seen 4 repaints and 3 new molds (Prime, Mirage and Rumble) We still have 3 new molds to go unless they include Skids but then that's still 2 more to go. Hasbro's security has been really good this year. We may not see the new bot until a month or 2 before release. So far I've read three rumors. A Catillac, a Jaguar and Megatron in a new bigger price range for Alts.

 

http://www.seibertron.com/news/view.php?id=7653

Alts are just in a transitional sort of period. A lot of resources are being used up on movie toys, and Megatron or not, the North American version of MP Starscream will probably be used as part of an expansion on the Alt theme.

 

Hasbro aren't going to kill the line, there'd be mass fan complaining the likes of which

we have never seen before.

 

 

 

 

and kiss convoy isnt even going to be diecast last i heard.

 

 

Tomy have apparently said it  IS, diecast  and they were just using a repainted Alt version for promo purposes.

 

How much diecast that actually involves remains to be seen.

 

 

 

A Catillac, a Jaguar ....

]

 

 

IIRC, the story about the Jag came from a Hasbro UK employee....

 

 

I suspect that since Cadillac cars aren't well known in The UK, the XLR was mistaken for an X*K*R

 

Time will tell for sure on that however.

Hmmm, the K and the L are next to each other on the keyboard...

Either way, both are great cars.

 

(Give me the Cadillac and the Jaguar)

If a PVC anime girl is what they think would help sell BTs in Japan, then the line is certainly doomed. 

 

There must also be a ton of other to stuff to attract people's interest in Japan. Maybe Transformers are just not all that special over there?

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I've noticed a few mech based figures come with pvc humans lately in Japan.

As opposed to hinting the line may be over, I'd say the exact opposite.

 

I also still stand by the belief that this may in part be Takaratomy hoping to make humans desirable Transformers items and break them into the gashapon capsule market, where Tomy is already a big player.

After all, be it Minibots, micromasters, minicons or pvcs, Hasbro and Takara have always had a strong base of small easily affordable collectibles.

 

The small change quickly adds up and this is a vital part of the business.

I think getting better cars would help, like Farraris, Lambo's

Mattel has an exclusive license with Ferrari - so Ferrari is never going to happen - and Lamborghini is owned by Audi, which is part of the Volkswagen Group - so it's probably unlikely we'll see it either.