THE Cub Report- 01.02.12- Version: My Ears Are Ring’n With The Sweet Sound Of Skrillex
Yes, you did indeed survive the holiday season, and for that achievement you are rewarded with the end of mankind- 2012! I hope you use your last days on Earth as wisely as I am going to- sipping incredibly cold Dom, listening to extremely loud music, and jumping rc’s off very tall roof tops! Oh and- writing my ridiculously satirical column on life in the rc world…
I heard from those-in-the-know that all the work behind the scenes on the site is done (for a while). Whewww, about time, and thanks guys for hang’n tough with us while the site was going up and down. I also heard from those that know (ok- just read Brian) that hits were huge last week, thanks guys!
Yup, we named our Bash Vehicle of the year and it was a Thunder Tiger product! Who would have thunk? Thunder Tiger has gone from a non factor to being not just a viable option, but to a “must have” if you want to pwn the local bash spot! Or perhaps even bigger news, where are the uber bashers from big American names like Losi, AE, etc? There should be only one thing more important than winning the IFMAR Worlds- winning the weekly war at every local bash spot, and some companies just don’t get it. Congrats to Thunder Tiger, and congrats to all you guys that got one and get a chance to wheel it every weekend.
With this being the first Cub Report of the year it’s gonna be about what I’d like to see in the coming 12 months, so here we go…
FPV– This is the next huge thing, the biggest arms race our industry has perhaps ever seen. Who’s gonna strike first? Who’s gonna prove they are leading the pack? Who’s gonna get it right, and do it at a reasonable pricepoint with no issues/glitching? Is goggle or monitor based gonna become the standard? Whoever gets there first is going to make the most money on it, just who’s it gonna be? There is a LOT of money riding on this new way of driving rc cars, who is reap in the most?
Traxxas– What I’d like to see out of Traxxas has nothing to do with product, it has to do with pricepoints. Traxxas used to be the cheapest in its product segment, now its the most expensive. Aren’t prices supposed to go down when volume goes up? I can see their new platforms being more expensive, but re-branded Pede’s and Rustler’s?
Axial– Is posed to have yet another record year with their EXO on the verge of release, but how are they gonna keep that big ball rolling? They’ve gone from an unknown to a sales floor darling, to a potential threat to lead the entire industry. Axial are just one big hit release away from jump’n to the top of the heap. Will it come in 2012? I wouldn’t bet against them.
Associated– Wow how the mighty have fallen. AE needs to put something out the masses lust after (and do it Now!). Having the Ryans pwn every race they go to is one thing, but winning the war on the sales floor is a completely different story. Unfortunately… winning races doesn’t equal winning the sales war anymore (if you doubt this I have one word for you- Traxxas!), and quite frankly if AE doesn’t break their fall soon we may be seeing the end of America’s greatest name in rc. What does it say to you when their parent company wins our Basher Vehicle Of The Year yet we don’t have one Associated product sitting around our office? I know what it tells me, LOL…
Horizon/Losi– At least Losi kept a fairly steady stream of new vehicles coming our last year with the most exciting being their scale buggy, the Losi SCB, and their new 5th scaler. As long as they keep putting out good scalers like the SCB and 5ive-T (and not bombs like the Strike and the Desert Truck) Losi will have a good 2012. But… if they want an awesome 2012, a year to put some challenge to Traxxas, it’s gonna take opening up the checkbooks and cut’n some huge marketing checks. I just don’t think they are wired to think that big, but who knows. Either which way, if they wanna beat Traxxas, their marketing machine is gonna have to have deep pockets, and they are going to have to be willing dig freak’n deep down in them.
Tamiya– Please, please, please, no more “retro” releases. Those cars/trucks were great in the 80’s, they bring back great memories for sure. But this is 2012, I only have a few days left on this planet, you better put out something pretty freak’n awesome if you want my cash. Product that is new from the ground up Please!
Kyosho– You are a manufacture, one that makes some incredible products. What you are NOT is a good distributor. So how about for 2012- make a flight into the greater Champaign/Urbana metro area and don’t leave until you have a proper distributor for your product. Consider your time as your own American distributor a lesson learned, now is as good a time as any to get on with life with one of the big two doing your distribution. There is a time to fight, there is a time to run, and there is a time to put the knowledge you’ve learned from past mistakes to good use, how about making 2012 the year Kyosho America gets back on track?
That’s it for this week. Happy 2012 ya’ll, support your local hobby shops, tracks and bash spots!
YOUR Cub Reporter
