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21/09/2012 8:06 am
Premium X Diecast Stutz Blackhawk...
Before anyone asks, no, I don't have a release date. However, I am fairly certain that it's going to be released in Premium X's next wave of models. Okay, why so sure? Well, two things...
1) They actually have built up prototypes that we saw at Nuernberg.
2) PCT tends to release Ist Models, J-Collection, and Premium X at the same time. Well, I already know that two of the next release of Ist Models have already been seen on eBay as either factory seconds or factory rejects (the VAZ-2101 Zhiguli sedan in green and the VAZ-2108 Sputnik 3-door hatchback in red, with a surprisingly nice adjustment made to the suspension). That usually means that all three lines will be released within a couple months. I also believe that 6, possibly 7 Ist Models will be released, which means that 6, possibly 7 Premium X's (both diecast and resin) will be released. Looking at Premium X's models, of the Diecasts, the '75 AMC Pacer and the '71 Stutz Blackhawk seem to be the most ready. Call it an educated guess, but for those wondering below, I have a feeling we'll see this car sooner than later.
21/09/2012 9:00 am
I don't think they follow any system...
The Stutz was shown in a painted form two years ago. Some stores actually took pre-orders on it. There were many Premium X models released, that were never announced in Nuremberg, yet the Stutz is still missing. Their version of the 1980-1984 Seville shares the same fate. Pre-production pictures were available about two years ago. Nothing yet came out... Not that anybody would want it 
21/09/2012 11:01 am
A voice crying in the wilderness
Heaven forbid that I could blame anyone for looking forward to a model of car that interests them (either because they love it or "love to hate" it) and which has been long promised. But I can't help wondering if the Stutz from Premium X will be a serious let-down when it finally appears.
The version shown at Nuremberg in 2011 frankly looked like a little pull-back item from ToysRUs - except that I've seen better wheels on pocket-money toys (did the real car have such thin, low-profile slicks lost in those huge wheel arches?) and the side exhausts look like real crude plastic add-ons.
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The version at Nuremberg 2012 looks like the same thing but with a nicer paint job. Grille, bumpers and headlights are tidy and the wheels seem to be better proportioned but the front window frames look far too heavy (oh for some nice thin photo-etch!) and the exhausts still seem horribly crude for a model in what I thought was supposed to be a "premium" range.
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Of course, maybe they have further refined it since then. Or maybe not.
The only joy I can take from John-William's hopeful predictions is that he suspects the Pacer will come in the same batch of releases. Now, I mean, just look at this neat little beauty! And in a proper Pacer colour. And with nice wheels, window frames and detailing. Hard to believe the same people have made them both.
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OK, so that's settled. Can we place an order for 2000 Stutzes and, oh yes, a Pacer for the Celtic retard. Much obliged.
Graeme.M. Ogg
London U.K.
21/09/2012 11:29 am
Paul, I completely agree with you on both the Stutz and the Pacer.
21/09/2012 12:48 pm
200
If you place an order for 200 Stutz Blackhawks, we'll move it to the front of the 2013 buid schedule.
Jim Cowen
Automodello
847-274-9645
jamescowen@automodello.com
21/09/2012 2:29 pm
Graeme, my most sincere apologies. I guess that's why it is never a good thing to type blindfolded. Big oops, and again, sorry about that.
22/09/2012 5:25 am
Don't forget a Pacer for the IU nerd!
Firstly, I do really like the Pacer. It's one of those cars that, as Graeme points out, I absolutely love to hate. Now, it is true that the Pacer looks a heck of a lot more "done" (please excuse my butchery of the English language) than the Stutz Blackhawk, but bear with me for a moment.
Aside from the parts Graeme pointed out (namely the wiper blades and the exhausts), the car looked significantly further along as opposed to "stalled" like the Cadillac Seville. Since this model seemed to actually have some truly detailed parts (as Graeme points out, the front fascia and wheels...plus also notice the side windows), we can safely assume it's not merely a complete mock-up. My guess was that the wiper blades, front windows, and exhausts either weren't finished or not yet developed in their final form. Why? Because PCT also does this for Ist Models.
Look at their mockups of certain models (the forthcoming Ist Trucks line comes immediately to mind; especially the two Barkas B1000 SMH-3's) and then look at the interior. In the case of the AWZ P-70 Kombi, it was nothing more than a re-used Atlas DDR Auto-Kollektion interior, and yet, that one's scheduled to be released in the next wave. Plenty have had all black DeAgostini interiors. The VAZ-2108 Sputnik, which I can tell you with certainty will be released in the next wave of Ist Models, was seen with the original suspension at Nuernberg (the one you see on the one for SSSR AvtoLegendy that looks like a 4x4), and yet, that's gone. The suspension got corrected. I fully admit that all of my experiences here are with Ist, but generally, when you see a half-finished model vs. a completely mocked up model, the half-finished one does seem to stand a far better chance of actually making it into production (barring severe problems with an individual detail; I know for a fact this delayed the Ist UAZ-3909 "Russian Post" [no, it's not an UAZ-39625] since the original wheels, side mirrors, insignia, and interior were wrong and Ist had to correct the Budapest Rendorseg 2nd Gen Moskvitch 407 due to it having an incorrect light bar and saying "Rehoorseg" on the side of the door [!!!]...I know Hungarian pronunciation can be a bit confusing at times, but it's not that bad!). Also, at least one of the GAZ-22 Volga station wagon prototypes had that odd, laid-back plastic antenna from the DeAgostini partworks (although the weird shape was at least corrected, sort of, in the models that went to Romania for Masini de Legenda) when we saw pics at Nuernberg.
However, there is one other model I'm fairly sure will make it: the Brazilian 1974 Ford Maverick GT. Since they were able to whip up the '76 Opala SS and '78 Ford F100 so quickly, I'd not at all be surprised if they add a third one from their Brazilian DeAgostini series. Aside from the "GT" badging (it was the "Grabber" here) and lack of a blacked out grille, it would also fit in a US collection very well.