Comments on: Ford GT Gets the Transformer Treatment http://www.drivelineblog.com/2006/05/04/ford-gt-gets-the-transformer-treatment/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ford-gt-gets-the-transformer-treatment Covering the Automotive Experience Sat, 14 Jan 2012 05:42:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: blactamus prime http://www.drivelineblog.com/2006/05/04/ford-gt-gets-the-transformer-treatment/comment-page-1/#comment-51319 blactamus prime Wed, 09 Feb 2011 02:01:16 +0000 http://www.drivelineblog.com/?p=49#comment-51319 Hello Checkout this Transformer! Blacktamus Prime at http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3862977/2007-chevrolet-trailblazer-ss-sport-utility-4d Hello Checkout this Transformer! Blacktamus Prime
at http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3862977/2007-chevrolet-trailblazer-ss-sport-utility-4d

]]> By: amos clark http://www.drivelineblog.com/2006/05/04/ford-gt-gets-the-transformer-treatment/comment-page-1/#comment-41407 amos clark Mon, 12 Oct 2009 23:53:04 +0000 http://www.drivelineblog.com/?p=49#comment-41407 Make my black Trailblazer SS a TRANSFORMER BLACKTAMUS PRIME!!! Make my black Trailblazer SS a TRANSFORMER BLACKTAMUS PRIME!!!

]]> By: ASMDaniel http://www.drivelineblog.com/2006/05/04/ford-gt-gets-the-transformer-treatment/comment-page-1/#comment-17 ASMDaniel Tue, 09 May 2006 19:09:02 +0000 http://www.drivelineblog.com/?p=49#comment-17 Actually, I should add to that - I'm pretty sure that Alternators are not doing so well among kids. They're more complicated than the playline toys and lack any kind of play functionalities. They were apparently developed to capture the "tween" market, but seem to have ended up skewing more to older collectors than to casual fans. There was talk some time back of advertising them to car enthusiasts, etc., but I haven't heard of that actually happening so far. They're likely doing much better than Binaltech, but they're definitely not flying off the shelves. If they were, I'd be having a much easier time finding the Dodge Ram. Actually, I should add to that – I’m pretty sure that Alternators are not doing so well among kids. They’re more complicated than the playline toys and lack any kind of play functionalities. They were apparently developed to capture the “tween” market, but seem to have ended up skewing more to older collectors than to casual fans. There was talk some time back of advertising them to car enthusiasts, etc., but I haven’t heard of that actually happening so far.

They’re likely doing much better than Binaltech, but they’re definitely not flying off the shelves. If they were, I’d be having a much easier time finding the Dodge Ram.

]]> By: ASMDaniel http://www.drivelineblog.com/2006/05/04/ford-gt-gets-the-transformer-treatment/comment-page-1/#comment-16 ASMDaniel Tue, 09 May 2006 13:27:23 +0000 http://www.drivelineblog.com/?p=49#comment-16 Quite popular among the adult fans. Not sure about the kids. Quite popular among the adult fans. Not sure about the kids.

]]> By: jeff http://www.drivelineblog.com/2006/05/04/ford-gt-gets-the-transformer-treatment/comment-page-1/#comment-15 jeff Fri, 05 May 2006 18:36:20 +0000 http://www.drivelineblog.com/?p=49#comment-15 Thanks for the extra info -- very interesting. How popular are the Alternators/Binaltech models among the larger Transformers fan community? Thanks for the extra info — very interesting.

How popular are the Alternators/Binaltech models among the larger Transformers fan community?

]]> By: ASMDaniel http://www.drivelineblog.com/2006/05/04/ford-gt-gets-the-transformer-treatment/comment-page-1/#comment-14 ASMDaniel Fri, 05 May 2006 17:18:42 +0000 http://www.drivelineblog.com/?p=49#comment-14 Takara (now Takaratomy) in Japan has its own versions of the Alternators line, called Binaltech. It's largely (though not entirely) the same molds, with a few new color schemes. The major difference is that the BT versions have some die-cast metal content, usually the bumpers, doors and hood, and because the car shells are painted instead of bare plastic, they tend to have more realistic finishes. While the WRC 2003 was released in both the US and Japan, the retooled 2004 version is Binaltech-only. The downside is that they're also about 2 1/2 times more expensive, and that's before international shipping. Binaltech doesn't seem to have performed as well as Alternators, although it has a loyal collector base. Late last year, it was rebooted as Binaltech Asterisk, which included a "pretty girl" driver figurine with each car in the hopes of courting the Japanese girl-figure market. The line was put on hiatus after three releases, and is now being reborn again as "Transformers Kiss-Play," linked to a weekly radio show. Kiss-Play caters even more to the figurine market by having a popular character designer create the sidekick figurines. Only the Dodge Ram has been announced for the line so far, and it's generally seen by collectors on both sides of the ocean as a last gasp for the series in Japan. Takara (now Takaratomy) in Japan has its own versions of the Alternators line, called Binaltech. It’s largely (though not entirely) the same molds, with a few new color schemes. The major difference is that the BT versions have some die-cast metal content, usually the bumpers, doors and hood, and because the car shells are painted instead of bare plastic, they tend to have more realistic finishes. While the WRC 2003 was released in both the US and Japan, the retooled 2004 version is Binaltech-only.

The downside is that they’re also about 2 1/2 times more expensive, and that’s before international shipping.

Binaltech doesn’t seem to have performed as well as Alternators, although it has a loyal collector base. Late last year, it was rebooted as Binaltech Asterisk, which included a “pretty girl” driver figurine with each car in the hopes of courting the Japanese girl-figure market. The line was put on hiatus after three releases, and is now being reborn again as “Transformers Kiss-Play,” linked to a weekly radio show. Kiss-Play caters even more to the figurine market by having a popular character designer create the sidekick figurines. Only the Dodge Ram has been announced for the line so far, and it’s generally seen by collectors on both sides of the ocean as a last gasp for the series in Japan.

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