Met a new VX friend... who is in the market to buy

[Anita]

Today I had a great chance meeting with a fan of the VX. Not just any admirer, but someone who has had an "encounter" of sorts with them. I met a gentleman named Nathan who is Director, Worldwide Product Design of Mattels' HOTWHEELS. Many of us have Hotwheel VX's and here is one of the persons responsible for them.

After asking me lots of questions about my VX, he told me that he is in the market for one. Preferably a 2000-01 (loves Proton), with low miles. I invited him to check us out here and read up on the VX from the best source anywhere. If anyone is thinking of selling their VX to what I know will be a good home, email me with info, and I will pass it along to him. He may even come on the site and say hello.... I hope so! :)

He also mentioned that he could create a VX model for us, anyway we would like it, though we would have to guarantee a minimum order for the project to go. Just thought I would mention it.

[StormTROOPER]

Are you sure it wasn't just a pickup line? ;) j.k. sounds interesting :cool:

[thebear54]

That sounds like a great idea Anita....
Imagine a VX Toy designed strictly for VehiCROSS.info members....how cool is that :)
Count me on that one, if it happens
John

[Maugan_VX]

I've been real interested in trying to find a metal model of the VX in the scale like the ones in The Sharper Image.

[Cyrk]

Anita whatever you can get created I will by multiple version of it!!! Too Cool!!!

-Dave

[redline]

I collect the older Hotwheels with the redline tires from 1968-72 and the prototype models of those go for $$$.that is when and if the designer decides to sell/release them. They even have a bling series of hotwheels with oversize wheels and chopped tops. I'm in for a few if the price is right...maybe a few dozen.

[SGT.BATGUANO]

I can just imagine getting everyone to agree on a model, although there's no black, green or white available, like the factory colors. We'd have to come up with something unique. CHROME with some kind of special edition markings?

[Anita]

I suppose I could ask him what are the options open to us. But I think that a minimum order for them is going to be in the thousands.

[SGT.BATGUANO]

Since he opened the door, by all means ask. If he knows there's only 4500 VX's out there, hopefully he can get a shorter run produced. Then all the members could buy 10 or whatever each, and sell a few to HW collectors as this might be the smalllest run ever produced.

Other colors might be gold or pearl white.

[technocoy]

thats awesome! you should ask him if he has any advice for me and my pals, we are trying to start and independent designer toy company! thats so neat that you met someone who works for a major toy company! it would probably (if you are lucky) be a minumum order of like a thousand. they could however (if they still have the old ones) do it cheaper by just doing a different paint mask on the old ones. we could get custom ones that way for probably not too much dough. it's usually x amount for the manufacture and then increments of say a grand-5grand for different paint schemes.

take care,
technocoy

[Raque Thomas]

I did a custom run with Racing Champions in the past, and the minimum (after extended negotiations!) was 15,000 pieces. I suspect that HW woud be much higher. However, it appears that the original has sold well enough to justify doing a second run with the white wheels and white cladding; so it could be assumed that they could make a go of it with a third run if it didn't involve a total re-tooling. The cladding is plastic (and hence cheaper to re-tool), so maybe they could make the wheel opennings larger and put larger wheels on it, as well as make it a different color & put in the tinted windows that were used on the silver version. Black (I may be biased!) with tinted windows and larger wheels would look good - or maybe an orange Geolander.

What it will probably take is an advocate to push this, as there is no way to approach it from the "guaranteed order" aspect. If your guy could look at the sales numbers and justify another version internally based on that - we may have a shot. Maybe touting the collector status of the vehicle and the replicas could help as well. I think one of their larger (think they are called Muscle Machines??) versions tricked out would be VERY cool, and very sellable!

[Anita]

The minimum order with them would be 5,000.

[SGT.BATGUANO]

What would be the cost per unit?

[Anita]

Mike, I will have to get him a call and get some more details. I'll do my best to find out what the options are.

[Anita]

I saw Nathan again this morning and let him take my VX for a ride. I do believe he is hooked. I spoke to him briefly about making a model for us. Along with others, we both thought that a chrome VX would be the best of all worlds.

Next week I'm going to meet him and bring all my toy VX's. HE wants to see all the different version VX toys we have. I dont have them all but i do have the transformer VX and Nathan was particularly intrigued by that.

What do you all think about a chrome VX? :)

[johnnyapollo]

ooooh, Chrome! <<< use Homer Simpson's "uhh, donut" voice>

Personally love the idea and would commit to quite a few - however the chrome might be a little too close to the factory metallic silver - how about a gold chrome - yummie!! It would be especially cool if the packaging had some type of sticker "VehiCROSS Owners Club" or some such (like the hologram sticker on the Factory Sealed sets). If you need some more examples of diecast toys, you can reference my page:

http://www.wildtoys.com/Vehicross/collectibles.asp

Click each image for more information and additional images.

-- Best, John

[Anita]

John,

I'll share with him your website and all your toys. :)