Did you ever wonder why it takes so long for your favourite automobile to be executed in scale? Well, AUTOart is providing some insight into their process from R&D to market. It seems, gathering the complete data elements of the vehicle and sourcing the car, be it from the manufacturer or private sector are the biggest contributors to delays. In short, the best-case scenario from start to finish averages about one year. The complete article from AUTOart is shared below.
Sometimes we see people comment about the long waiting time of items we announced, today we try to explain how it comes some items take ages before being released while others seem to come quicker.
First of all, it depends on the subject to announce, a modern car we prefer to announce quickly so that collectors know we will make it since sometimes there are more companies making the same model. Older cars we don’t have to hurry, so when we announce those they are already further in process.
When we start with a model we need to get CAD Data and do photo research, at some companies this is easy, they are helping with providing CAD Data and a car for research. However, some companies don’t deliver this data and don’t help with getting a car. This means our research team has to search for a car that can be scanned and photographed. Here we already lose time since this means the car should be on sale while on the companies who provide a car for research we can start right after the car is unveiled.
The process of scanning is time-consuming and we need space for a good scan, which means most times we can’t go to a car dealer since they have better things to do than helping us. Therefore we have to go to our network with private collectors and see if someone is having the car in the collection and then try making an appointment. You can imagine that this is also a very delicate process of building up a relationship for years, something we don’t want to lose, so we have to accept their rules and can’t push too hard for a quick appointment.
For older cars, about 90% of the cars scanned and researched are from private collections, but since some older cars are rare they are already hard to find.
The above reasons are the biggest part of the delay in development.
After the data is collected and research is done the whole process of making a model starts, which usually takes 6-12 months before the first-hand sample is ready. After that sample is going to our research team and licensor for review and then it depends on the things that have to be changed if the start of the production can start quickly or if a new hand sample has to be made for review. When production can start it also depends on when we have space to produce the parts and to do the assembly. The process from hand sample to finished model also takes about 6-12 months.
Utter rubbish. Lets take the porsche gt2 rs as an example. Loads of them aboiut so im sure finding one to ‘scan would have been simple’ heck they could have bought a spark model 3yrs ago and scanned that.
Yeah, lets scan a model that itself is not based on a scanned real car, that is sealed and doesn’t allow scanning the interior etc. Why not do it the Ottomobile way and just make a cars that looks like the real one, but is oddly shaped, because it is only based on pictures. And who says the first handsample was straightaway approved by Porsche?
As long as the model is accurately shaped, please AA take your time! I rather buy a model that has the same shape as the real car, than one that maybe looks like it from a distance.
I agree 100%
This. Exactly. Completely agree.
I have to agree too. I would rather wait for an accurately made model, than rush the process. Another fine example of oddly shaped models come from DNA Models, they just base their models from photos, which is not worth the money, IMHO.
One of the worst things any company can do is to use, rely on, or scan someone else’s model and reproduce it. There are many problems with this, especially if you copy and reproduce all the mistakes.
Agree with that. Like how LS Collectibles use 1/24 kits as their reference for some of their models and some are not accurate.
Well, if you take that literally, you can’t help wondering why most models of contemporary cars are yet so much longer than a year from the originals’ release. When did Pagani present their Roadster? Or you may just take LaFerrari models as an example to check the real car’s launch date against the various existing models’ shelf dates. With AA’s Lamborghini Diablo 30SE Jota, I see the point, even know which particular they must have scanned. And as it’s years since the original was made, it’s no hurry.
What’s interesting, though, is the philosophy here. Announce it to whet the collectors’ appetite and let the competition know you lay claim to it to deter them. Hardly anyone else dares to compete then. And then … take your time to play your cards, no rush.
They should work together with video game developers, since they have to scan the cars as well for titles like Forza or Gran Turismo :D
I know that won’t happen, but I have seen how difficult it can be to source older cars (There was an article talking about how the Skyline GTS-R was done for Forza and it took a long time as well).
I’m not buying it. Plenty of other manufacturers who’ve had models of popular modern cars out for years, such as the GT2 RS they mentioned. Autoart are really losing their touch and not hitting the mark with the big ticket models, excuse after excuse for the past few years. Time for a big shake-up, because with manufacturers such as LCD and Almost Real coming into play, with LCD offering exceptional bang for buck, its going to pose a big threat for Autoart if they dont up their game fast.
Spark make the official Porsche Dealer Editions. So it’s likely that Porsche work closely with them prior to the car’s launch. That’s why it’s been out for ages. Presumably Porsche aren’t interested in working so closely with AutoArt, so they have to find someone that owns one after its been launched, and then it takes up to 2 years to get the model to market
I’m surprised the timings are as fast as they are; I’m an engineer and I have first hand experience of how long it takes to get tooling made, get it working correctly, and ramp up production. 6-12 months for that process is pretty quick.
TBH most of the complaints about long lead times are the epitome of First World Problems.
I completely agree.
You guys say they are making excuses, but look at the front end of the LCD Huayra, the front aero flaps have visible hinges on their models, where on AA, they are not visible, just like the real car. That’s the difference in the detail!!!!
I think that AutoArt in the article is a little disingenuous, since in order to produce a particular model, you need to obtain a license from the manufacturer. )
I have said this before and will say it again: according to EU jurisdiction, it is not legally required for model makers to obtain a license from a car manufacturer to make a product that is in a completely different product category, a toy not a car. Why would you want to spend money on nothing else but the permission to recreate something in scale? If what you get for your money is substantial assistance in making it, e.g. by CAD data, a license becomes attractive.
Not every manufacturer will agree to declassify the design of their car before the official premiere. There have already been cases when photographs of new products made on the basis of a layout have been leaked to the press. This is first and foremost. Secondly, in every country there are nuances associated with product licensing, in many countries a scale model does not mean a toy.
Wow 6-12 months for a maisto like engine detailed plastic bodied “diecast” model car. There is nothing “diecast” in an injection molded plastic ABS material. Also their quality is really going down. My aston martin rapide has better engine detail compared to my vanquish s good thing though is that the vanquish in my opinon is of better value for the same price compared to the recent mclarens which have only 2 pieces of cheap plastic in the engine bay.
According to the level of details on the photo, it may be an upcoming AutoArt 1:1 scale model :) Because I’ve never seen such level of details in AutoArt 1:18 or 1:12.
It’s quite clearly a real car, just mind the tarmac !