Schleich Drop Saurus Line in 2013 but Strengthen the World of History Model Series

Schleich the figure and model manufacturer based in Germany have informed Everything Dinosaur team members about their intended changes to the company’s prehistoric animal models in 2013.   The remaining five models in the Saurus range of museum quality replicas are being withdrawn, this will bring the curtain down on this model series which has been a mainstay in the manufacturer’s product portfolio since the turn of the century.

Schleich Model Additions

However, two new models are being added to the not-to-scale World of History series, to find out what they are read on…

First to dwell on the retirement of the remaining models in what was the 1:40 scale model series, known as Saurus.  The last models – Quetzalcoatlus, Spinosaurus, Giganotosaurus, Allosaurus and the T. rex are being phased out next year.

Soon to Become Extinct

Heading for Extinction the Schleich Saurus range.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Schleich Dinosaur Model

The picture above shows the models that are going to be retired.  The oldest of these models, the Tyrannosaurus rex was launched in 2006 to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the scientific naming and description of this iconic dinosaur being published.  The Allosaurus and the Spinosaurus followed in 2007 with the Quetzalcoatlus (pterosaur) model being introduced in 2009 and the spectacular Giganotosaurus being added just two years ago.  It seems that the introduction of a model of one of the largest land predators of all time will have been the swansong for the design team.

All these prehistoric animals are available in the World of History range. This new range is based on the larger scale model series and it was launched in the spring.  Currently, this model series contains ten figures, nine dinosaurs and one pterosaur (Quetzalcoatlus). The meat-eating dinosaurs in this model range have articulated jaws, a newly introduced element to the dinosaur models by Schleich in 2012.

To view Everything Dinosaur’s range of Schleich prehistoric animals (Saurus range and the World of History range), click on the link here: Schleich – World of History Prehistoric Animal Model Range.

Now to news of what is being added by Schleich in 2013.  Next May expect to see Everything Dinosaur writing reviews on two new additions to the World of History dinosaur range.  Firstly, there will be a model of the horned dinosaur Styracosaurus added to this series.  The first member of the Styracosaurus genus was described by the Canadian palaeontologist Lawrence Lambe in 1913.  This new model will make the 100th anniversary of the naming and describing of this horned dinosaur.

Note to dinosaur model collectors, you will be able to tell those companies who are passionate about dinosaurs and know their stuff from other Schleich suppliers because we doubt very much whether anybody else, even Schleich themselves will have realised the significance of the 2013 date to fans of Styracosaurus.

Back in the early noughties Schleich had a Styracosaurus model in their Saurus range.  This replica was retired many years ago and it is relatively rare.

The Earlier Schleich Styracosaurus Model (Saurus)

An earlier Styracosaurus (centrosaurine) Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Expect the new 2013 model to be a little more colourful and interestingly, although it is going to be a member of a not to scale model series, as Styracosaurus was smaller than Triceratops, this replica will work well with 1:40 scale models or similar of “three-horned face”.

The second new model to be added to the World of History series, is also “a blast from the past” as Schleich, once upon a time, had a replica of this dinosaur in their Saurus range also.  The dinosaur in question is Carnotaurus.  Expect this new model to have an articulated lower jaw, that is what is planned according to sources at Everything Dinosaur.

The Earlier Version of the Saurus Carnotaurus

“Meat-eating Bull” returns.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Pictures will be released by Schleich to our team members in plenty of time for the May launch of these two, new dinosaur models.

If Schleich are re-visiting their back catalogue to gain inspiration for new additions to the World of History series can we expect models of Ouranosaurus, Ceratosaurus, Torosaurus and Edmontonia in the future?

Finally to conclude our update on the Schleich product changes for 2013 we have been reliably informed that there are no changes planned for the “dinosaurs” range.  Once this range of “little dinos” – Schleich’s term for them not ours, consisted of twelve replicas, there are six available – Brachiosaurus, T. rex, Velociraptor, Allosaurus, Triceratops and Dilophosaurus.  These six will remain for 2013.

 Schleich Dinosaurs Available in 2013

Still going strong – Schleich Dinosaurs models series.

 Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur