HPI shutting down

From their blog:

To customers

Thank you for your continued support of hpi minicar always.

Matter of title, our company has decided to withdraw from the minicar business Womochimashite December 20, 2013.

Toshimashite background of business withdrawal, rate of return is reduced slowdown in sales due to the economic downturn in recent years, rising production costs in China, due to the progress of the weaker yen, and various explore the relevance of the project continues, we have examined so far was, but decided to withdraw business unfortunately. That I had the patronage of the product over a period of eight years from the start of the minicar business, I thank you from my heart.

It has related, depending on the circumstances of the above, thank you want I will cancel all pre-orders of new products without permission unreleased indeed. We apologize for a great deal of inconvenience to customers who have you reserved but for your understanding, thank you. In addition, In our existing products, as long as you hold stock, will continue to sell. Continue, since I will correspond as before customer service (customer support), thank you.

It was a it a regrettable results, I ask once again that together with you for your understanding, and aggregated into RC business since the background that led to the minicar business withdrawal, and the continued expectations of more to us.

Thank you all!

Minicar division staff

I personally am shocked. I really didn't see this coming and thought HPI must be doing quite well considering how many new releases they had. I do feel bad for anyone whose job has been affected by this.

For myself it's merely disappointing, but a big disappointment. No one else brings so many rally cars to the market. There are so many they have released that no one else did and there were at least a few they had announced that no one else released. I really do hope they will sell off their tooling and agreements to someone else. At least that way some of those future releases may still see the light of day. If not, I guess I have to rely on IXO and Vitesse.

But they must have known this was coming. Maybe not? Who knows what adjustments they tried to make to keep operating but from a my limited viewpoint it seems they didn't try to adjust in any way before shutting down.

Thats not good. They were great quality models and as you say Douglas, a regular producer of previously uncovered topics.

I'm not surprised. Yes, they released a lot of models of an extremely high standard, but at €120 plus for some of them you can hardly expect to make massive sales with the current economy?

Now I need some overexpensive Celicas before they're sold out. 

this is a sad news to see a high quality and detailed producer withdrawing.
but recently their 1/18 resin models have been released with a new name called Ignition models.... is this a sign that ignition will take over?

I was secretly hoping they might bring out the celica and mitsi in 1/18 aswell.....
Great company but if demand is waning and costs are rising it's inevitable. I wish them good luck

omer yetis wrote:this is a sad news to see a high quality and detailed producer withdrawing.
but recently their 1/18 resin models have been released with a new name called Ignition models.... is this a sign that ignition will take over?  

The ignition models 1/43 1970s GTRs are stunning. Been thinking of getting one for a while but the latest batch have gone up 40% in price after the initial run sold out

Juha wrote:I'm not surprised. Yes, they released a lot of models of an extremely high standard, but at €120 plus for some of them you can hardly expect to make massive sales with the current economy?

Now I need some overexpensive Celicas before they're sold out. 

Agree with Juha. It is a sad loss to a company that made excellent models. Here hoping others take this on board.

HPI possibly the best quality too in terms of detail and accuracy. The Stratos model is the best one IMO.

reeft1 wrote:

omer yetis wrote:this is a sad news to see a high quality and detailed producer withdrawing.
but recently their 1/18 resin models have been released with a new name called Ignition models.... is this a sign that ignition will take over?  

The ignition models 1/43 1970s GTRs are stunning. Been thinking of getting one for a while but the latest batch have gone up 40% in price after the initial run sold out

I guess thats what happens to quality models. once they are sold out they are sky rocket...

I’ve been a massive HPI diecast fan as you will see from most of my new arrivals postings! I too am incredibly disappointed but perhaps not as shocked as some.

HPI are of course huge in the R/C arena but when they burst onto the diecast scene they brought hand built quality at realistic pricing to the market. The look of the models and the level of detail (lack of tobacco decals apart) blew everyone else out of the water and made most look like toys in comparison. Then it all went wrong on the distribution side in the UK and Europe at least with models getting dumped and then a replacement distributor appointed who upped the wholesale price to more than Far East and US sellers were charging retail and it all started to come off the rails.
IMO to add to the problems they fell for the classic mistake that a lot of Japanese companies make in that they thought Japanese market first and foremost. OK so a lot of their product had universal appeal I guess but to produce models from the 90s DTM that had already been done to death and then major on Lancia which is such an iconic brand in Japan amongst full size car collectors as well is a bit blinkered. Yes it was nice to get proper Lancer EVOs unlike another well-known brand’s comical offerings however then to model the Celica ST205 in resin instead of diecast like the 165 and 185 was just bizarre! The resin angle was in itself strange as the price point was nearly triple the diecast versions’.
I will miss their models and already had my eye of several of their planned releases most of which I will have to make code 3s of now. I had hoped they would have done a version of either Burns or McRae’s BRC Elonex backed Legacys for example but am hopefully going to be able to track down the Esso Gold Delta S4 at least.

A sad loss and not a hole that is going to easily filled.

More models being dumped. Just picked the 90 Monte Delta 16v for £25. Some of the ones being cleared I originally paid nearer £40 for.....

Very interesting & confusing. It seems like Ignition Models has taken over HPI's resin business. From their blog (http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=ja&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.ig-model.com)

For minicar business withdrawal of hpi · racing.
I would apologize and thank you again in IG blog. I have warm words from you hearty lot of e-mail or phone, it does not bear to really appreciate. Thank you for the collection hpi model so far. From everyone of minicar collector, I have many, sincere opinions to start the request of a lot, and has been a minicar production so far. Challenging market environment does not change in the future, but I would like to continue making as much as you love the actual vehicle, the minicar enthusiast come. There is so much that model is not still be manufactured. Took over the DNA of hpi, we will expand the genre a wide range of brand new in the "ignition model" in the future. Thank you very much.

Immediately, will guide you through the new product release of December. This month is a guide of the incorporate the new planning and (same model) same items abandoned the market in hpi brand. be fabricated all of the items that hpi has given up is hard, but to be able to meet the demands of all of you even a little, please stay tuned to future developments.

Fingers crossed. Dont have any ignition models yet but feedback on other forums is positive re quality. Main issue will be price if they are only resin format.

Is it just me or does this look very cool?

http://www.ig-model.com/lineup/0004/

reeft1 wrote:Is it just me or does this look very cool?

http://www.ig-model.com/lineup/0004/

No its not just you, it's the f'n ducks guts!!

reeft1 wrote:Is it just me or does this look very cool?

http://www.ig-model.com/lineup/0004/

Now thats a proper car. None of this hi-tech crap