Markus Castro
Tamiya creates a special edition Philippine jeepney kit
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Manila, Philippines — Tamiya is one of the most iconic toys every hobbyist are aiming to collect and through the years, Tamiya continues to innovate and grow with brand new products and offerings.
Exactly one year ago, Brickyard opened its first store in the Philippines. The store serves as a venue for Tamiya fans where they can meet and have fun with Mini4WD, Model Kits, and Radio Control items.
Limited Edition Philippine jeepney designed Mini 4WD kit
To celebrate their first year anniversary, the Brickyard and Lil’s Hobby Center will be releasing, the first ever Dyipne, a limited edition Mini 4WD kit. It will be the first time this Philippine icon will be memorialized in a model kit. Kahn added, “It is really exciting to finally have a kit that is truly and uniquely a Philippine cultural icon. It really goes to show that Tamiya recognizes the Philippines as one of its most important partners.”
Proudly Pinoy-Made
Ferdie Kahn is positive that Tamiya is positioned to be another significant force among the
millennial collectors and hobbyists.
“You can always be assured that Tamiya products will always be the best of its class in the world. They are innovating, growing with brand new offerings and products and we expect that to continue in the future. We should be proud because Tamiya is proudly-made in Cebu, Philippines by Filipinos,” said Ferdie Kahn, owner of The Brickyard, home of Tamiya in the Philippines, in an exclusive interview.
“We are excited to reintroduce this to the Philippines by expanding on the hobby experience. We are offering new ideas and concepts that we expect will appeal to our most ardent followers and to the younger generation. We want the younger generation to embrace the hobby,” said Kahn.
Amidst the challenges of social media, Kahn pointed out that Tamiya products like Mini 4WDs are very captivating.
“Mini-4WD car tuning and racing are very social activities and it is equally challenging. At the Brickyard, you tune your car with so many different options and we give you the opportunity to see your car perform at our world-class tracks. You customize your car over and over until you are satisfied with its performance. You are involved for hours in the activity. Then take it a step further and join our races and put your car through the ultimate challenge. The exciting aspect of this hobby is that it has no boundaries, it is inclusive and it is hours of fun.,” he said.
Kahn added: “And yes, it is social. It is social because you work with other people and get feedback from them. Newcomers ask pointers from longtime hobbyists and they interact by sharing information, tips, secrets.”
Filipinos are very passionate about Tamiya, In fact, It has been around for about 50 years now, he added.
“We have a very active radio-control community and very active scale model groups as well. We average about 600 racers in our Brickyard Leg races and that’s only in Metro Manila,” Kahn said. “The Brickyard hosted 6 Leg races in Makati and recently a successful leg race in Legazpi city. We intend to go to other provinces as well this year. Our races are unlike any other race in the country. We work hard to provide the racer an experience like no other when they come to participate in a Brickyard race. We strive hard to make Brickyard races an experience in itself.”
Where to buy the Tamiya Dyipne limited edition Mini 4WD kit?
The limited edition Dyipne is available at The Brickyard, 3rd floor of Glorietta 2 in Makati City. A new branch is scheduled to open in June 2019 at Vertis North, a testament to the resurgence of the hobby because of the popularity of the Brickyard.
How much?
The Limited Edition Tamiya ‘Dyipne’ is priced at PHP700 or $14 (estimate SRP).
Tamiya Mini 4WD Asia Challenge 2019
Kahn added that the Brickyard and Lil’s Hobby Center will be hosting the Tamiya Mini 4WD Asia Challenge event in Manila on June 20-23. Some 250-300 total competitors from 10 countries, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, Korea, etc. are expected to take part in this yearly Tamiya competition. The winner will be heading to Japan on November to compete in the World Championships. This promises to be the Mini 4WD event of the year. Multiple races and events will also be available to the public to experience the thrill of this unique hobby.
“We are fortunate to be hosting this event for the first time in the Philippines and that is a testament to the popularity here in the Philippines. We will essentially bring Mini 4WD back to the mainstream and I really want to showcase the Filipino racers. This will give them a chance to shine in the world stage. “It will also be attended by Mr. Tamiya, himself! We invite everyone to come and experience the thrill of this competition,” he said.
Founded by Yoshio Tamiya in Japan in 1946, Tamiya products continue to be a favorite among hobbyists not only in the Philippines but around the world.
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