The 'new' Tamiya Lanc is supposed to be coming out in the UK at about £40, which is about $85 to $95 US. The original kit, when last available here, was £50. Personally, I think it is expensive, as I bought the original issue, over 30 years ago, for the equivalent at today's prices of about £20. I know oil prices have affected the plastics industry, but i can't see that it should cost so much more to produce a kit from existing moulding tools; they've already paid for themselves. This is especially pertinent when you realise that, in the Uk, the new Revell JU88, in 1/32nd scale, is bigger, more complex, has more parts and therefore plastic than the 1/48th Lanc, but is only a touch over £26 !
Who's kidding who?
However, as I would like to do a Lanc in that scale again, I will probably get it - but I won't be rushing out to do so, even though it is a new tooling. If it was about £25, I'd possibly buy two, but at £40 to £50 for ONE kit? I'll think carefully first!