Maisto and Bburago Exclusive Ferrari License Agreement

[[KRAFTIG]]

Maisto and Bburago Exclusive Ferrari License Agreement

Well the rumors were ramped over the last several months as to how would obtain the exclusive Ferrari license based on Hot Wheels/Mattel agreement expiring at the end of 2014. The wait is over, Maisto and Bburago have been granted the license agreement officially as per Bburago’s website.

Is this a good or bad decision for the Ferrari brand? What are your thoughts? In my opinion I’ll truly miss the efforts from Hot Wheels Elite team, definitely the best bang for the buck in the diecast business today. A true loss…

“Hong Kong (November 2014)
The May Cheong Group Announces Exclusive Ferrari License Agreement

The May Cheong Group, manufacturers of the famous die-cast and radio control replica brands Maisto and Bburago, has announced the signing of an exclusive agreement with Ferrari. The multi-year deal , commencing January 2015, grants MCG the exclusive rights to manufacture and distribute Ferrari replicas throughout the world.

MCG has been manufacturing die-cast vehicle replicas for almost 40 years in their own factories, and have had an ongoing relationship with Ferrari for more than 25 years. Bburago, a die-cast brand from Italy that MCG acquired in 2005 and is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2015, has an even longer history with Ferrari. The planned 2015 launch includes four ranges of products within the Bburago brand – Signature Series, Racing, Race and Play, and Ferrari Kids. More than 100 cars will be launched prior to the middle of next year. Additionally, Maisto will continue to offer Ferrari model kits, radio control products, as well as other die-cast replicas.

“We are extremely pleased and humbled that we were able to reach this agreement with Ferrari, the preeminent automobile brand in the world,” said Roger Ngan, C.E.O. of MCG. “For 47 years our company has been laying the groundwork, establishing a worldwide distribution network, creating state of the art factories and, most importantly, developing strong relationships that enable us to produce fantastic die-cast replicas. We look to do even more in the coming years.”
More news regarding the products, including scale, titles, and availability, will be available on the Bburago website

More news regarding the products, including scale, titles, and availability, will be available on the Bburago website http://www.bburago.com later this year.
About The May Cheong Group

The MAY CHEONG GROUP is a collection of affiliated companies working together to create innovative toy and replica products. The Maisto brand name was registered in 1990 by May Cheong, a vertically integrated manufacturer based in Hong Kong. The Bburago brand was acquired in 2005. MCG employs over 7,500 employees worldwide and maintains their own manufacturing facilities covering over 2,000,000 square feet. For more information, visit them at http://www.maisto.com, http://www.bburago.com , and follow them at https://www.facebook.com/BburagoCollezione, https://www.facebook.com/MaistoToys, and http://www.twitter.com/maistotoys.”


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On a side note the Hot Wheels Elite models should see a value increase once the market is flooded with average at best models.

So these licences are restricted to diecast only or what? Since guys like BBR are pumping out resins like there is no tomorrow, or are they "renting" the rights from Hot Wheels?

Porsche is well known for being douches like Ferrari when it comes to car licences in racing sims, I know Forza had to pay EA Games (Need for Speed) to use Porsches, since EA have been holding an exclusive deal for a while, while the more hardcore simulators with lower budgets usually go for RUF.

[[KRAFTIG]]

I'm not sure what the structure of the deal is, only time will tell... My worst fear is I now have no affordable and detailed source for new and upcoming Ferrari releases. Nothing against the brands, but they are more toy than collectible. Is there a game plan to drive another segment in their assortment that is on par or better than Hot Wheels Elite or will we have a void between $100 - $125 mark? Again only time will tell. Huge loss if you ask me

[Lucky13]

I really don't understand the negative reactions to this. I think it is great news. If we learn anything from the past, we should expect nothing but good models. When Mattel got the Ferrari license for the first time, they basically made models that were based on Bburago and UT molds. Looking at them today, those models do not cut it at today's high standards. But back then, they were actually an improvement over the models they were based on. Bburago's F40 (original issue) received side windows when rereleased under HW, the 288 GTO received proper wheels, the UT 355s received proper brakes under the HW rerelease etc.,etc..
Then look at UT. That model line crashed and burned, only to rise from the ashes tenfold stronger in the face of AutoArt. The first AUTOart models were not that much better than the UT models they replaced. And look at them now…
So, this begs the question, why is everyone negative about Maisto/Bburago getting the exclusive license? It would be only natural if they pick up where Hot Wheels Elite has left off, like it has always happened before. The first four models they have announced are the same as the last four models announced by Mattel. This tells me that they are doing exactly what Mattel did when they were starting with Ferrari.
Last, but not least I am very happy with the news, purely from price point of view. If Kyosho got hold of that license, we would be expecting $300+ models at the same quality as the Elites. And if their 355 is anything to go by, the Elites win. And I can't imagine the new Bburago Signature line to be anything less than what the HWEs were. After all, the development and management of that line was subcontracted, which can be done just as easily by the new license holder.
And I am sure glad that AUTOart did not get that license. Because if they did, we would be paying Exoto money for every new Ferrari out. I have nothing against high end models and enjoy quite few of them in my collection. However, I wouldn't like to be held hostage to "super premium or nothing" kind of policies.
I know that only time will tell, but at this point I am not really bothered by the "news". I even expect few of the new releases to be not all that great, as it would probably take Bburago some time to sort things out and get their act together. But I believe AND HOPE that few years down the road we are all going to be happy that Bburago got the license.

[[KRAFTIG]]

Lucky13 some good points, and it seems you have a little more information that the average Joe... People don't like change and higher price LOL...

It would be only natural if they pick up where Hot Wheels Elite has left off, like it has always happened before.

Yes it would, but my worst fear is sub-par models. Still I'm hoping for the best.

Is Signature actually new? I thought they already utilized the tier, am I wrong?

But I believe AND HOPE that few years down the road we are all going to be happy that Bburago got the license.

I sure hope that is the case

[Gavin]

I agree with lucky13 on this...yeah, traditionally, maisto/bburago have been nothing to get overly excited about, but if they keep models at the same level as HW did, I'll be happy.

Lets wait & see what they do.

I may have missed it, but what 4 models have they announced?

[Lucky13]

Let me put it this way. I don't know the price of the license. But back in '98 it was rumored that Mattel paid $6 000 000. I doubt it went down for the last 16 years. Would you pay that much money for a license and then deliver product that would not show return on your investment? This has nothing to do with any particular company or product. It is just a general business rule. And MAisto and bburago are not new to global business.
Lets say I am a tire manufacturer new to the market. If the average tire out there lasts 50 000 miles and cost $100 a pop, do you think I can survive as an unknown brand offering tires for $120 a pop that last 20 000 miles? No way. So would I invest millions of dollars to launch such operation? No way. I would need to match the current standard and keep my prices on the low until I make a name for myself and then I would be able to raise my prices and eventually develop better product with the experience I gathered…….so I can justify raising my prices…..and then repeat .
This is what AUTOart has done. This is what HW has done and there is no reason to expect anything less from Maisto/Bburago. Of course, I may be very wrong. It has happened before. LOL. But I think we are going to be just fine.

[Lucky13]

I may have missed it, but what 4 models have they announced?

458 Speciale
LaFerrari
California T "open"
California T "closed"………whatever open/closed is supposed to mean
Now can you guess the last four models Hot Wheels Elite had announced working on?

[StratosWRC]

The word "signature" is getting me intrigued.

[Lucky13]

Thinking about it, they may throw us a curve ball and do it in an all new way, where we have models that are bellow Elite level and above the foundation for about $100 and then sublet the license to someone like Kyosho for the high end stuff.

[[KRAFTIG]]

Thinking about it, they may throw us a curve ball and do it in an all new way, where we have models that are bellow Elite level and above the foundation for about $100 and then sublet the license to someone like Kyosho for the high end stuff.

I can live with Kyosho if they get their act together and back to their roots!

[[KRAFTIG]]

I may have missed it, but what 4 models have they announced?

458 Speciale
LaFerrari
California T "open"
California T "closed"………whatever open/closed is supposed to mean
Now can you guess the last four models Hot Wheels Elite had announced working on?

Nice. Why is LaFerrari on the list, new variants?

[Lucky13]

I don't know if LaFerrari is going to be in different variants. But think about it. You can't get the license, pay millions and then have nothing to sell for a year. And models take a long time to develop. Not as long as back in the day, but still can't get them from an idea to production in a couple of months. So, unless maisto knew they are getting the license at the start of 2015 (which they could not have known) they would have nothing to sell. So they are going to start with something already made that they purchase. This is what Mattel did back in '98.

[Gavin]

I may have missed it, but what 4 models have they announced?

458 Speciale
LaFerrari
California T "open"
California T "closed"………whatever open/closed is supposed to mean
Now can you guess the last four models Hot Wheels Elite had announced working on?

Nice list...I wanted all 3 when they were going to be Hot Wheels Elite. I'll be just as happy with Bburago Signature, if they're at Hot Wheels Elite level.

Open would be no roof, closed with roof...my guess.

[[KRAFTIG]]

I may have missed it, but what 4 models have they announced?

458 Speciale
LaFerrari
California T "open"
California T "closed"………whatever open/closed is supposed to mean
Now can you guess the last four models Hot Wheels Elite had announced working on?

Nice list...I wanted all 3 when they were going to be Hot Wheels Elite. I'll be just as happy with Bburago Signature, if they're at Hot Wheels Elite level.

Open would be no roof, closed with roof...my guess.

Agreed, but honestly I don't have faith it will be. I hope I eat my words