Check this one out. Found it on this UK website. The more I look at it , the more I like it!

http://www.harrisangling.co.uk/harr/product.asp?mscssid=RHKKXD428MDG9PH73LBNOC9T1NVTFF 9&dept%5Fid=35798&pf%5Fid=2012

I wonder if it'll ever be available here in the states?

Thats a nice Penn reel. Glad to see they are not sitting on thier butts not improving and updating designs. That reel costs 65 british pounds which roughly equals $91 US dollars, so the price is right. I would have to hold it and get a feel for it before I could give any honest opinion. So far for the price and Penns reliability record seems like a good buy. But it looks like a knock off of Daiwas Emblem series. I will have to reserve judgement untill when and if it arrives in the US market.

My last buyers show is Sunday/Monday.
I will ask Penn about the reels.
I will guarintee they will want more money in the US:af:

I did the currency conversion on the Squidder, and it seems to be right in the ballparl of what one costs here---about $60.

Spoke to Dan Shea the local Penn rep on Sunday at a show. Seems that that reel is strictly for the New Zealand, Austrailian and Grear Britain market. The reel is not, I repeat not manufactured by Penn. It is manufactured by some OEM outfit in China or Malaysa and only has the Penn name on it for these market places.(the rep was not exactly sure which country).

Penns made in China? Thats not a good thing for reliabilty. I personally would not purchase a reel that was made in China.

Don Is right I had the same conrersation with Dan today.
The reel is Marketed by Jarvis Walker and does bare the Penn
name but has nothing to do with Penn US. he also said that it is a cheep imatation of the daiwa long cast reels.
Penn has also cut their tyes with Ryobi.

Ryobi is the ones that made all penn's cheep reels like the 100 series and the over priced Piron (now discontinued)
He would not say who the new supplier of the reels are, but we should find out in a few weeks