The Mattel Elite Wake Up Line

Hi guys.
I think that Mattel can do so much better in terms of material released and quality of their elite line of Ferraris, that it just does not make sense what they are doing. Someone mentioned that there are people on here that are involved with Mattel in one way or another. Plus it would make no sense in my book, to hold the exclusive rights to Ferrari diecast models and not to do any research and visit sites like this one.

So my idea is, to make this thread and to put together our wishfull thinking and some reason together and make suggestions as to what Mattel should produce in terms of Ferraris and how they can improve their quality.

Here we go. I'll start first. I can not believe that for all these years, no manufacturer has made a single model in 1:18 scale of the Ferrari 275 GTB/S. I know about the ERTL attempt, but I mean a real model, not a toy. It is such a monumental model in the history of Ferrari, yet everybody is busy making yet another F40 or Enzo. also it is a key element missing in the family tree when it comes to 1:18 as most of the other signifficant V12 Ferraris are already made. If we look from a business perspective, it also makes sense producing the model, as the car was made in all sorts of colors and it was raced in different events, so there would be plenty of different variations that it could be made in to "milk" the run of the model. IIRC Enzo himself had one.

Please share your wishes and thoughts and lets hope someone from Mattel would notice.

Ohhhh and about the quality. If Mattel makes one more Ferrari in this darn age with dogleg hinges on the doors, they should be stripped of their license.

 

I absolutely agree with the 308 GTB/4 Dino. I think it is the only V8 Ferrari that is not yet made into a model in 1:18. It is the missing link in the family tree, the one that started the most successfull line of production. They were made in great numbers, so just the owners of such cars would make quite a customer base.

Over all there are FEW monumental cars that Mattel need to produce.

250 GT Europa
250 GT TDF
275 GTB/4/S
330 GTC/S Enzo had one of those too
365 GTC/4
the V8 Dino

These in my oppinion should be their priority.

The other thing that I don't get is, how is it possible to have the license for the most famous name in motorsports and there to be an almost 15 year gap in Ferrari F1 models. Not to mention that they are waaaaayyyyyy easier and cheaper to develop. No opening doors or hoods and complicated interiors. If they release one F1 Ferrari a year, they are going to have a following. But no. Some genious decided that they are better off to pay crazy money to George Michael just so they release a black V8 California.

I don't know why, but I have a feeling they have put in charge people who not only have no passion for models what so ever, but they are also clueless about what they are reproducing.
I mean take for example something simple as colors. They made an Elite 360 Modena In Red, Black and two Silvers in the Spider. Yet it totally skipped their mind that the car was named MODENA whose color is yellow and it is where the yellow background on the Ferrari badge comes for. Also this is why, when Ferrari let the press test the car for the first time an shoot it for magazines, almost all the cars were yellow. Yet from all models they make, Mattel decided not to make a yellow Modena. Brilliant...........not.
When it comes to their Ferrari line, I think they have major issues in more than one departament, starting with their marketing.

I would loooooove, to go work for them and wisper a thing or two in their ear.

 

See, the first paragraph you wrote makes perfect sense. This is exactly why Mattel's actions make no sense and this is exactly why I started this thread.
Here is a prime example of their nonsense from the money side of things.
Some time ago they made a regular "cheapo" Ferrari 575M. It was largely based on the 550 molds Mattel inherited from Bburago and Maisto when they bought the exclusive rights to Ferrari. The wheels on the 575M were OK for size but just were not quite accurate. Years later Mattel made the 575GTZ which used the regular 575M wheels. For the pleasure of all of us, they redesigned the wheels and even on the "cheapo" 575GTZ they were correct and way better looking than on the stock 575 from years back. Here comes the confusion. Two years after the GTZ, Mattel released an Elite version of the 575M and they put on it the old inaccurate wheels. From a purely cost effective perspective, they should not have designed new wheels for the GTZ. OK, they were after improving it, fine. But after the money was already spent and you are already producing the new mold, why put the old POS on your newest model. It makes absolutely no sense no matter how you cut it. The only explanation I can think of is, that the person who developed one of the models, had absolutely no communication with the person who made the other model. And worse yet, the person in charge of them was clueless, so he could not catch it.
This is just one example. One of their biggest problems is the wheel and tire size. I don't get it. A 18 inch wheel will be 1 inch in 1:18 scale no matter what car it is mounted on. So wouldn't it make sense to develop a tire that is kind of universal for the 18 inch equipped cars instead of making a completely new mold for every model, which would not only cost quite a penny, but also kills your reputation as they are very inaccurate?
I can understand if someone tells me that they don't care about being 100% accurate as they pretty much hold a monopoly over Ferrari diecast, but I don't buy their business plan as far their marketing and cost effectiveness goes.

 

I just got a 250 California (Ferris Bueler's day off) and it is absolutely fantastic. Mattel have definitely stepped up their game. This particular model is on par with Auto Art.
Now if they only listen and make some vintage F1 from the '60s and the '80s.