Modern Models

I suspect someplace like Hobbylink Japan might be your best bet for recent model-year vehicles...but as the name implies, you're probably right about US and European models being scarce.

The diecast side of the hobby seems to stay more contemporary, but plastic manufacturers don't seem to care much about keeping up. Add to that the modern minefield of licensing designs, which has become a high-stakes 'industry' all its own...and I guess the financial end of it doesn't look that promising to them. Much easier to knock out another Mustang or Bf109 that they know will sell.

Are you looking for stock or race?  
The new mustang GT4 kit and ford gt are nice.  I'm working on a 09 challenger currently And have done an 09 challenger as well.   Maybe figure out what you're looking for and check out scalemates . 

edit: and the 2013 boss 302 looks great.  

Keavdog is right about Scalmates.  In addition to a few kits already mentioned Tamiya has the new Mclaren Senna.  A guy in my model club said it's a brilliant build.

Hi two quarts -

I think you are complaining about the lack of American STREET cars and I can see what you mean.  There are a few race cars, but that's just not the same thing.  Modern American cars are not a category that I seek out to build, but thinking about it, I agree with you. 

Even the ones that make me say "eww - too new" are from the last century.  AMT and Revell both did a handful of Japanese imports in the 1990's, but there you go - not this century.

I'm the same age as you, but my interests are in older cars - racing and street, so I am fine with the cars being manufactured now.  I think you are going to need to find a WHOLE LOT of like-minded individuals (100,000 or so) and convince the manufacturers that it would be worthwhile to do the licensing and tooling to make a new Ford or Chevy.  Good luck with that.

Come to think of it, Revell has made a couple of Cadillacs (CTS and Escalade) and a Dodge Magnum, but I have no idea what model year those were.  Same with the new Camaros and Challengers.  Lindberg made the Dodge Charger police cars - those were from this century, weren't they?  And how about that PT Cruiser kit from Revell?

Good luck
Rick

The problem is licensing. The auto manufacturers want lots of money these days to allow a model to be made, so the model needs to be able to sell thousands and thousands of kits to make it profitable. Those vehicles are few and far between. So the model companies just go back and rerelease stuff they already have the rights to.

I have very little interest in modern cars. There are a few, but overall most of today's cares are zzzzz...........

Hi;

   There were a few that come to mind. Some of the Mustangs and Cadillacs. Now Lindberg did do a Ford Explorer and a smaller Chevy Suburban. Other than that I don't know of much out there, Yeah Camaros, Dodges and Barracudas but no family cars.

     I fully expected Elon Musk to sell models of the Tesla, but Nope!

Most contemporary autos are masterpieces of technology and performance but for some reason I have difficulty feeling any passion when I see them on the road. When magnificent cars are everywhere, they no longer look particularly magnificent or even special. When I was kid growing up in LA, it was a rare sight to see a Vette or an XKE or a Shelby Mustang, now days it seems like there are Italian exotics, Mclarens and Z06's everywhere (some folks have way too much $$$!). Now when I see an old sports car, street Rod or pre-70's muscle car, that gets my attention. I think we tend to build models of things we have a passion for.

VintageRPM

The problem is licensing. The auto manufacturers want lots of money these days to allow a model to be made, so the model needs to be able to sell thousands and thousands of kits to make it profitable. Those vehicles are few and far between. So the model companies just go back and rerelease stuff they already have the rights to.

 

I have always understood this to be the case, but I have never understood why.  Licensing fees are a tiny portion of automakers' revenues.  Why set them so high that no one is willing to pay them?  It is almost as if they do not want anyone to see models of their cars.  That is just turning down free advertising.

nearsightedjohn

Most contemporary autos are masterpieces of technology and performance but for some reason I have difficulty feeling any passion when I see them on the road. When magnificent cars are everywhere, they no longer look particularly magnificent or even special. When I was kid growing up in LA, it was a rare sight to see a Vette or an XKE or a Shelby Mustang, now days it seems like there are Italian exotics, Mclarens and Z06's everywhere (some folks have way too much $$$!). Now when I see an old sports car, street Rod or pre-70's muscle car, that gets my attention. I think we tend to build models of things we have a passion for.

 

Agreed, and I think we are most likely to have a passion for what we thought was cool when we were kids.  I was born in 1953 and in my year back to the hobby I've built almost entirely cars from the 50s and 60s.  I expect that to continue, but I'd like to find more modern choices.  For now, it looks like most of those choices are Japanese cars.  I wonder if their licensing and royalty practices are different?

I've really been liking whatever I can get in classic cars in either 1/24 or better yet 1/16 scale. Be that 1911, the 20's or 30's era. I wish they made some from the 40's-early 50's. And more makes and models of automobiles. And even at that there are no current runs of these, have to buy old stock. I know it's not the discussion in this thread but I really have 0 interest in models of modern up to date cars at all.

WWII military catches my eye too.

For a good idea of what's available out there, have a look here at Scale Hobbyist. Their website allows you to search by genre and era.

https://www.scalehobbyist.com/catagories/Model_Cars/index.php