Is Hot Bodies an HPI company??

[Redfox]

Just as the title says... does anyone know if this is the case?!

[SteveK]

They weren't originally, but I believe HPI does own them now. Not sure of the specific corporate relationship, but they two companies are affliated with one another.

[Redfox]

Ah ok... that would explain why their are Hot Bodies product photos hosted on the hpi server...

[SteveK]

And why Hot Bodies had Savage parts out before the truck was even on store shelves...

[Pro3/nmt105]

I dont think HPI owns them, the two companys are just very close. Thats what HPI said a while ago, but they may have bought Hot Bodies since then.

[Schooled]

whats the point of buying a company if you already have one? You cant HPI put their name on after market parts instade of Hot Bodies?

[SteveK]

I can see a few reasons for it:

- You don't just buy the name 'Hot Bodies', you buy all of their assests like existing tooling, products, materials, etc.

- You own a second brand name, which lets you widen the product line. Certain things might not 'fit' HPI but might fit with another company.

- In the case of the Savage, you broaden your market share by designing both HPI and Hot Bodies hop-up parts. You don't want to offer too many competing parts under your own brand name, but you don't want to cut your product line short at the same time.

[Schooled]

Thanks SteveK.. Your always a big help! :)

[SteveK]

Hey, I do what I can. :D

You see this all the time: GM started the Geo brand, Honda started Acura, Toyota started Lexus for their more expensive cars and now Scion for their cheaper ones. Food companies often own several brands, one for snack chips, one for soft drinks, one for candy, and so on.

Companies are always looking to expand their market share. If somebody is looking for a hop-up chassis for the Savage, and they see 5 different ones on the shelf, and HPI and Hot Bodies are two of them, then HPI has a better shot and selling something they make. 2 out of 5 is better than 1 out of 4.

[kitty]

Very well put, Steve, though I snickered on the mention of Geo in the same sentence as Acura and Lexus. I was thinking, wait just a minute... Acura and Lexus are luxury cars and Geo was (they don't make those still do they?) the worst crap I'd ever seen on the road.

I myself was wondering if HPI and Hot Bodies were in a deal together.
kitty

[SteveK]

Well Geo and Scion are kind of in the same vein, like Acura, Lexus, and Infinity: One type of brand is for the cheaper cars that won't affect GM/Toyota's credibility if they stink, and the other brans are for the more expensive cars because nobdoy in this country is going to pay $40,000 for a Honda.

In both cases, people have a certain view of the main brand, and you can do things under another name that you couldn't do with the flagship, offering cheaper or more expensive cars in these cases.

[highroller]

Hot Bodies started out as a lexan body manufacturer.
Many rc companies form associations or mergers with other companies to broaden their product line and exposure or in the case of some companies take over one that is in financial problems.
Proline merged with Protoform and Jaco Tire (went back on their own and merged with SMC) in order to get a part of the body and foam tire market.
There have been other mergers, buy outs some have been stronger while others seemed to have disappeared.

[SteveK]

Yeah, for a few years Trinity actually owned Losi, before the Losi family bought the company back and later sold out to Horizon.

Bolink owns Racetech and Dragmaster (For whatever those names are worth now). Testors sells R/C paints under the name Pactra, Associated sells motors and batteries under the name Reedy, and ESCs by LRP (They may or may not own LRP outright at this point).

[RichieRich]

I'd like to know which companies own what. It's always very eerie how Hot Bodies can have hop-ups made so fast for HPI cars. Or why the evader looks like a losi.

Regarding Geo, those were rebadged Suzukis, Isuzus and Toyotas. A terrible idea by GM, though the Geo Prism wasn't bad since it was really a Toyota Corolla. Now I heard that after purchasing Daewoo, GM is going to bring those over as Chevys or something. Very interesting.

[josh222]

There is only Acura and Lexus in NorthAmerica. I know this because my dad builds Civics for a living. Anyway I have heard some dumb people debating over what is better, a 2003 Honda Integra TYPE R or a 2003 Acura RSX TYPE S:rolleyes: same car different name.

As for HPI and Hotbodies, HPI wants less competion for hop-ups.

[jmcn r]

man. you are comparing a type R and a type S. same car, to start. completley different trim level. no different than the GSR and Type R before that.


about the hot bodies and HPI deal. it seems that many RC companies these days are affiliated with each other. seems like they all adapt to that idea pretty well.

[TSR6]

Trinity didn't "own" Losi. Ernie had stock in Losi, and was one of the people helping them get back on track business-wise.

Duratrax Evader - It wouldnt make sence to be partnered with Losi in ANY way. Duratrax is owned by Hobbico/Great Planes MD. Hobbico/Great Planes MD/Tower is a direct competitor to Horizon Hobby. Horizon Hobby is the exclusive distributor for Losi.

[SteveK]

I was under the impression Trinity bought a controlling interest in the company. What problems did Losi have that they needed Trinity's help with?

[Rick Hohwart]

Trinity bought Losi.

[kitty]

I'd love to see RPM come out with more stuff for the Savage. I've bought RPM stuff for my two other trucks (E-Evader and E-Pede). Their quality is unmatched, not to mention inexpensive. If RPM came out with parts for the Savage similar to what they offer for the Maxx trucks, I'd not hesitate to try them out. For sure I'd love to see a center skid by RPM; other manufacturers make aluminum ones, but geez, their prices are way high in my opinion. For now I'll be making my own. RPM are you listening? Please tell me you are!

[SteveK]

Testify sister! RPM stuff is primo. Wherever they will fit, I use RPM rod-ends exclusively (A little big for some areas on my RS4s and RC10DS), and I love their gear covers. Their arms may be a little flexible (Compared to the original 10T arms: The later T2/current GT arms are almost as flexible) but I can't ever see breaking them.

Email RPM and ask them to make some parts for the Savage.

[the-one1]

Originally posted by jmcn r
man. you are comparing a type R and a type S. same car, to start. completley different trim level. no different than the GSR and Type R before that.

Off Topic: GS-R and Type-R were different cars before the new chassis were made in 2003, after that, type-r and type-s WERE the same cars

On topic: Not much companies after all the mergers though :(

[jmcn r]

Originally posted by the-one1
Off Topic: GS-R and Type-R were different cars before the new chassis were made in 2003, after that, type-r and type-s WERE the same cars

On topic: Not much companies after all the mergers though :(


what are you talking about? the current gen start as DC5 while the DC2 were the older. they are worlds apart.

what exactly do u mean when u say "same car". these cars are like comparing a 318i to an M3.

[hpiguy]

Originally posted by Rick Hohwart
Trinity bought Losi.

According to Losi, Trinity never owned them.

This was in an issue of R/C Car magazine during an interview with Gil Losi.

They said Ernie Provetti wanted to buy them or at least a controlling interest, but the deal fell through.

But then months later Horizon Hobby bought out Losi.

What do you know that we don't? When exactly did Trinity ever own all of Losi?

[Barbarian]

As someone who spent a great deal of College studying marketing, I would say that 90% of these buyouts are nothing but a marketing ploy. There's a reason why big companies spent so much money on marketing tests.

With HPI and Hot Bodies, it would make great marketing sense to make one brand cheapest on the shelf and the other the most expensive, even though they're identical parts that are likely made on the same exact machine. Some people will always buy the cheapest parts. Good for HPI/Hot Bodies. Some people think the most expensive equals the best. Good for HPI/Hot Bodies. Either way, HPI/Hot Bodies just sold another part, while their competition flounders.

Off Topic:
- Ever notice that chips and beer are almost always in the same aisle?
- Ever notice that Women's lingerie is almost always next to Men's clothing?
- Ever notice that the milk is in the back of the store and the junk food is between the door and the milk?
- Ever notice that the toy department is usually situated right next to the children's clothing department?

Marketing is a wonderful thing.

[the-one1]

jmcn r : I'm just saying that the older type r and gs-r were NOT the same car, different motors and exterior trims. B18c1(gsr) and b18c5(type-r).
and the dc5 220 hp type r is NOT available in the usa, so we get a 200 hp type s instead. i misunderstood myself when i wrote that they were the "same car" hehe

BACK ON TOPIC:

Dont you guys find it bad that they are merging and buying each other, bring prices up and up and up? I say more competition, lower prices!

[SteveK]

Not really: Look at how many products offered under the Hot Bodies name that directly compete with products sold under the HPI name, and vice versa. There doesn't appear to be much at all.

It's just a way for HPI to expand their product line without affecting the HPI name. They now offer two different nitro monsters, two nitro touring cars, many different bodies, etc. But also a lot of variety of products under the HB name: A 1/7th scale car, 1/8th scale buggies, chargers, batteries, etc.

It's not like just HPI can affect the price structure of the whole hobby: There are only a half-dozen other companies selling similar products to HPI/Hot Bodies, so they would surely benefit from any raised prices by HPI. Now if HPI bought Hot Bodies, and OFNA or somebody else, and shut them down, or jacked up the price of their products that competed with HPI products, or sold re-badged HPI products ala Chevy/Pontiac or Dodge/Chrysler/Plymouth, then you might have a point, but even so the total market share isn't big enough to do anything.

Now something like the Horizon buyout of Losi, that could potentially be a sore spot. A mail-order company owning car, electronics, and radio companies could be dangerous because they could decide "OK, all Traxxas, Associated, Futaba, and Novak stuff is going to cost 20% more than our Losi, JR, and GM Racing stuff". If local shops want any of the Horizon-exclusive products, and Horizon prevented them from buying Associated and Futaba from other people, then in all those local shops the non-Horizon stuff would be more expensive. I don't really see that happening, as there are too many other distributors willing to take up their slack if Horizon dumped a shop or two.

[hpiguy]

Originally posted by SteveK


Now something like the Horizon buyout of Losi, that could potentially be a sore spot. A mail-order company owning car, electronics, and radio companies could be dangerous because they could decide "OK, all Traxxas, Associated, Futaba, and Novak stuff is going to cost 20% more than our Losi, JR, and GM Racing stuff".

Great Planes is the sole distributor of Kyosho, Futaba in this country and yet they manage to keep things above board. They also own Duratrax, Hobbico, Top Flite, and many others, yet they manage to keep prices low without neglecting their other manufacturers that they sell.

So far Horizon hasn't been messing with products prices, but it's easy to see what they push the hardest.

But then Tower Hobbies (Great Planes owns them too BTW) pushes Kyosho cars and Futaba radios hardcore while providing good coverage of every thing else they sell.