NVisible

iTrader: (1)

so wait a month or so. or at least until theres official info on a new car

bballer

I don't know, I think if theres a new car it wont be until next year at the earliest

Griffin

Remember, engineering isn't always about designing the 'ideal', or in this case, fastest product. More often then not, it's about designing the product with the greatest profit margin.

In the case of both Losi and Associated, they both have good solid cars that are more than capable. Also, both utilize a molded tub chassis as well as several other molded components (diff cases, shock towers, etc.) To replace these molds would be from $20K to $60K per tool. Why take on that additional cost when your product is still fast and still selling well?

andsetinn

Cars have certain "weak spots" like the arms on TC3, if you don't buy aftermarket bumpers and side nerfs you're taking big chances on not finishing your race.

Cobra81li200

I saw his car at the latest nat in Stafford, and it was just the same car as usual, and as far as I remember, his bodyshell hasn't really changed this year.

AdrianM

iTrader: (4)

Griffin - You will see that most of the new cars coming out will be carbon plate not molded. When you mold a chassis you are trapped by the design until the molds are paid for. With carbon plate its easier to make adjustments/improvements as they are discovered. This can be incorporated into yearly model updates.

About sales of the TC3/XXXS...I wont say they are hurting but they arent what they were a few years ago. There are a lot of very good cars that are taking a chunk of the market (Xray, Pro 4, Mi2, 415/Evo 4, etc).

MSB

At the last Euros I catch Spashett hiding the chassis.....

SirSpeedy

iTrader: (2)

It looks like he used some duct tape to seal up the bottom of the chassis on the electroics side, so keep the water out.

NVisible

iTrader: (1)

nothing really ground breaking there. same injected chassis.. maybe a new cut pattern again!. weeeeee

Griffin

Adrian: This is exactly what I'm saying - why would you take on the additional cost of new molds, which are cost prohibitive and an additional financial risk, when you can still get good value out of old molds? This is a big part of the reason companies will come out with the 'Plastic' version first. By doing so, they double the number of molded chassis they sell and recoup the cost of the tool. Same with arms, towers, and all molded parts.

It's also important to note the fact that while we, as racers, are very into the latest and greatest technological advances, the bulk of the RC industry is not. The bulk of RC sales come from the RTR market which is a large part of the reason you've seen the monster truck sector blow up over the last few years.

Would a new car boost sales for Losi or Associated? Most definately, but the question that they're concerned with as companies is where the projected break even point is and how it corresponds with their current balance sheet, fiscal needs, and 3 year road map.

Edit: Also important to note is that molds are NOT set in stone once they're released. It's a bit of a pain to make large changes, but adding features, in a chassis for example, only requires material removal from the tool. Not fun but not that big a deal.

howard hudson

good things come to all who wait!!!!!!!

bballer

IMPO, i think that losi wouldn't have brought the black belt kit out if they were ditching the xxx-s for a new car. Yes, im sure they are testing things and such, but i would bet that it wont be for a while, its not like they bring these things out overnight. I think the tc3's sales have dropped much more than the losi. What really interests me is the new trinity product

The Black Kat

That doesn't make sense because it looks like a normal XXX-S and if they are releasing a new part wouldn't they want to show it off to build anticipation

DavidAlford

iTrader: (32)

Man some people are taking this wayyyyyyyyyy to far lol

Rob Mincey

Makes for interesting reading, though...

Rob