Pocher Explained

Pocher
Fate:Company defunct, brand name acquired and owned by Hornby
Founded:1966
Founder:Arnaldo Pocher
Hq Location Country:Italy
Products:Scale model cars
Owner:Hornby (2013–pres.)

Pocher, is an Italian toy car brand and former manufacturing company of scale model cars. The company, established by Arnaldo Pocher, was active from 1966 to 2000, and since 2013 the brand name "Pocher"[1] [2] has been owned and operated by Hornby Railways.[3] [4]

History

The early years

Arnaldo Pocher was born in 1911 in Trento, Italy. He trained as a goldsmith engraver and went to work in Turin. In the years following the Second World War he became interested in railway modelling and in 1951 he formed Pocher Micromeccanica S.n.c. alongside Corrado Muratore producing train signals, platforms and points using innovative production techniques. Under a change of name, The Corrado Muratore and Arnaldo Pocher Company, they produced finely detailed freight and passenger carriages in white metal and later locomotives and power cars.[5]

Pocher 1:8 model kits

At the International Toy Fair of Milan in 1966, the Pocher stand astonished the world with its wonderfully detailed 1:8 scale model of the Fiat F2 130HP, the car which won the 1907 French Grand Prix driven by Felice Nazzaro. The model contained 144 high-resistance plastic parts, 173 in brass and 506 in steel, copper, leather, rubber and aluminium. The Company went on to produce ever more detailed models of motoring classics including the 1931–34 Alfa Romeo 2300 Ac Monza, the 1932 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Drophead Sedanca Coupe, the 1932 Alfa Romeo Touring, the Mercedes-Benz 500K/AK containing 2,378 part and then the Rolls-Royce Torpedo Phantom II Convertible with 2,905 parts.[6]

These kits were based on original plans from the manufacturer. Two features present on some models were spoked wire wheels that were assembled spoke by spoke, and engines with working crankshaft and piston assemblies. Assembly was mostly accomplished with threaded fasteners (screws, bolts, nuts) and very little glue. This created finished products that could theoretically be disassembled and repaired or modified. Kits came molded in color and ready painted. Finished preassembled versions were also sold.

In the 1970s Corrado Muratore sold his part of the company to Rivarossi, a bit later Arnaldo Pocher sold his part, too. While Corrado Muratore continued as general manager of Pocher and national sales manager, Arnaldo Pocher left the company.

The product ranges

The earlier high piece and high detail kits were referred to as the Classic line. Later a less assembly intensive line appeared which was called the Prestige line of cars. Classic kits were known for their high piece count and incredible detail such as working brake systems, engines with rotating crankshafts and moving pistons, windows that moved up and down, steering that operated, and when a tiny key was inserted into the dashboard the headlights lit up. Classic kits faithfully represented mostly 1930s cars from Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Bugatti, Mercedes-Benz, and Rolls-Royce. Prestige kits were most often die cast metal bodies and contained about 500 parts. They featured working suspension and opening doors and detailed engines. These kits were designed to provide attractive models that could be built with little difficulty. These were mostly of Ferraris such as the Testarossa and F40, along with a few Porsches. A third line existed which was called Pocher Truck. This consisted of two Volvo trucks using the same assembly method as Prestige - mainly press fit parts with superb detailing. Four separate engine kits were produced that featured the engines from Ferrari Testarossa, Ferrari F40, Volvo, and Bugatti. Of these four kits the Bugatti was the most complex as it had a moving crankshaft and pistons.

All model kits in the automobile line were produced in enormous one eighth scale. These cars could be up to 22inches long and weigh as much as . The aftermarket products produced to support these kits is a thriving cottage industry and the remaining kits that are unassembled are a rare item. Often cherished, traded, and handed down these do exist today and are available through collector channels.

Hornby and Pocher

After the Lima group went into bankruptcy the Pocher brand was bought by Hornby in 2004. In December 2012 Hornby announced the "resurgence of a myth" on the official website of Pocher. An official presentation was held on the Nuremberg International Toy Fair on 30 January 2013. Pocher presented the new 1:8 model kit of the Lamborghini Aventador.

At Nuremberg 2014 two new models were announced: HK105/6 Lamborghini Huracan and HK107 Ducati Panigale Superbike.[7]

Vestergaard and Pocher

In February 2017, while Hornby was in financial crisis and in need of cash, the Danish importer Vestergaard acquired Pocher and its surplus inventory which included about 1600 Ducati kits.[8] A green version of the Pocher Lamborghini Huracan, kit# HK109, was produced and released under Vestergaard ownership of the brand.[9]

Hornby has recently repurchased ownership of the brand. In October 2020, Hornby's interim results stated "With distribution in 27 countries and with plans to launch more new and varied models in the not too distant future, the Pocher legacy of high-quality large-scale model kits will continue."[10] Furthermore, the website and trade mark continue to be registered to Hornby.[11]

Pocher prestige model list[12]

Kit number Maker Model Color
K30 Porsche 911 black
K31 Porsche 911 "Silver" silver
K31 collco24 Porsche 911 "Silver Plated" silver
K31 collco24 Porsche 911 "Cabrio" silver
K32 collco24 Porsche 911 "Yellow" Yellow
K33 collco24 Porsche 911 "Blue" Blue
K34 collco24 Porsche 911 "Red" Red
K35 collco24 Porsche 911 "Carrera Cup 1994" Racing
K51 Ferrari Testarossa Coupe red
K52 Ferrari Testarossa Spider white
K53 Ferrari Testarossa Coupe "Black Star" black
K54 Ferrari Testarossa Spider "Sportster" red
K55 Ferrari F40 red
K56 Ferrari F40 "Yellow" yellow
K57 Ferrari F40 G.T (Dutch prototype) red
K58 Ferrari F40 G.T (Italian prototype) red
K59 Ferrari Testarossa Coupé Convertible yellow
K60 Ferrari F40 "Black Power" black
K61 Ferrari Testarossa Spider "Silver Special" Silver
K63 Ferrari Testarossa Coupe "Flashlight" yellow

Pocher Hornby model list[12]

Kit number Maker Model Color
HK100 Lamborghini Aventador Coupe Argos orange(discontinued)
HK101 Lamborghini Aventador Coupe Isis white(discontinued)
HK102 Lamborghini Aventador Coupe Nero Nemesis Black(available)
HK103 Lamborghini Aventador Roadster Blue Monterrey(available)
HK104 Lamborghini Aventador Roadster Isis White(available)
HK105 Lamborghini Huracan Isis White/Red(available)
HK106 Lamborghini Huracan Yellow(available)
HK107 Ducati Superbike 1299 Panigale S Red(discontinued)
HK109LamborghiniHuracanGreen(available)
HK110Ducati1299 Panigale S AnniversarioRed/White/Black(discontinued)
HK111Ducati1299 Panigale S "Carbon Edition"Black/Gold/Red(discontinued)
HK114Lotus72dBlack(available)
HK117Ducati1299 Panigale R Final EditionGreen/White/Red(available)
HK118Porsche917K - Gulf EditionBlue/Orange/White(available)
HK119LamborghiniAventador LP 700-4 Giallo OrionYellow(available)
HK121LamborghiniAventador LP700-4 Roadster Nero NemesisMatte Black(Unknown - Ebay only?)

Pocher Classic model list[12]

Kit number Maker Model Colour Wheel Type Like Model
K70 Fiat Grand prix de France red Hard Plastic Spokes
K71 Alfa Romeo 8c 2300 Monza red Spokes
K72 Rolls-Royce Sedanca Coupé Phantom II black-blue Spokes
K73 Alfa Romeo Spider Touring Gran Sport cream-blue Spokes
K74 Mercedes-Benz 500K/AK Cabriolet black Spokes K93
K75 Rolls-Royce Torpedo Phantom II Convertible silver – orange Spokes
K76 Bugatti 50T black – yellow Plastic
K77 Fiat F-2 Racer black – red Plastic K88
K78 Alfa Romeo 8c 2300 Monza "Muletto" white Spokes
K80 Mercedes-Benz 500K "Sport Roadster" red Spokes
K81 Alfa Romeo 8C 2600 "Mille Miglia-Scuderia Ferrari" red Spokes
K82 Mercedes-Benz 540K "Cabrio Special" white Spokes K94
K83 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Ambassador green Spokes
K84 Bugatti 50 T Coupe de ville blue-silver Plastic
K85 Mercedes-Benz 540K "Classic Roadster" red Spokes
K86 Bugatti 50T Surprofilé black-red Plastic
K88 Fiat F-2 Racer black- red Hard Plastic Spokes K77
K89 Alfa Romeo 8c 2300 Coupé Elegant black-white Spokes
K90 Mercedes-Benz 540K "Rumble Seat" maroon Spokes K95
K91 Mercedes-Benz 540K "True Roadster" cream-brown Plastic
K92 Alfa Romeo "Dinner Jacket" black Plastic
K93 Mercedes-Benz 500K/AK Cabriolet black Plastic K74
K94 Mercedes-Benz 540K Cabrio Special white Plastic K82
K95 Mercedes-Benz 540K "Rumble Seat" maroon Plastic K90

Pocher truck model list[12]

Kit number Maker Model Color
K79 Volvo F-12 Turbo Truck red
K87 Volvo F-16 Globetrotter black

Pocher engine model list[12]

Kit number Maker Model
KM51 Ferrari Testarossa
KM55 Ferrari F-40
KM76 Bugatti T50
KM87 Volvo Truck

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pocher. archive.ph . 10 July 2024.
  2. Web site: Pocher. scaleautoworks.com . 10 July 2024.
  3. Web site: Hornby UK. uk.hornby.com . 10 July 2024.
  4. Web site: Hornby UK . www.hornbyhobbies.com . 10 July 2024.
  5. Web site: Pocher . 2023-12-27 . www.rivarossi-memory.it.
  6. Web site: About Pocher . uk.pocher.com . 10 July 2024.
  7. Web site: Hornby International . 22 December 2012 . 15 April 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090415095337/http://www.hornbyinternational.com/ . dead .
  8. Web site: Pocher - now dropped by Hornby. 9 February 2017 .
  9. Web site: Pocher - now dropped by Hornby. 16 February 2017. Brit Modeller.
  10. Web site: Hornby announces interim results for six months ended 30 September 2020 . 2023-12-27 . polaris.brighterir.com.
  11. Web site: Intellectual Property Office - Search for a trade mark . trademarks.ipo.gov.uk . 10 July 2024.
  12. Web site: List of Pocher models . www.mymodelhobby.com . 10 July 2024.
  13. Web site: A Short History of Pocher-Rivarossi . 10 July 2024 . www.planetdiecast.com.
  14. Web site: Porcher - Aventador 1:8 build . 10 July 2024 . www.gtplanet.net.