2010 First Editions #16 0f 52 - '81 Delorean DMC-12

First I must make a confession. I am a big 80's kid. My thoughts on the Delorean DMC-12 might be biased because of that fact. I was pleasantly surprised to see this one in a bin at a local Wal-Mart. It is a great choice for a Hot Wheels model because of the iconic status it hold in automotive history. The detail on this one is well done, right down to the DMC tampos, louvred windows and the split side window. Even the colour is an accurate match to the stainless steel finish of the original. Maybe I am overstating a bit but you must admit, the styling of this car does make a statement (I am a fan of the gull-wing doors). The story of this car and the man behind it is interesting, not to mention the recent resurgence of the brand. The style of this car is so "80's future tech", even without the "Mr.fusion" after market add-on.

2010 First Editions #12 0f 52 - Lamborghini Gallardo

After a few slow weeks I was pleased to find this beauty on a local peg. I am a Lamborghini fan and this one is a fantastic looking car. The Gallardo model has been available for a number of years and so it is a bit unusual that it has taken so long for a Hot Wheels car to be made of it. The paint is a matte black which is an interesting choice for this toy or the real thing. The details of the casting are very well done including what can be seen of the black interior. The tampos are excellent as well, with the front hood emblem being so small you might need a microscope to appreciate the detail.

2010 First Editions #21 0f 52 - '09 Corvette Stingray Concept

If you've seen Transformers 2 you would already be aware of this car. This is a GM prototype with some great lines from throughout the history of the Corvette. What you can barely see from this photo is the split rear window design as a tip to the 1963 corvette. The metal-flake gray is nice and the use of tampos for front and side badges is well done. This is an all around sleek looking car with "faster than ever" wheels and a plastic "chromed" base.

Blue Corvettes

Some fun with photography. From top to bottom: C6 Corvette, ZR1 and C6R.

2010 First Editions #3 0f 52 - '67 Pontiac Firebird 400

The Hot Wheels brand was born at the height of the muscle-car era (1968) and so it seems fitting that new designs are still cast of cars from that time. This 1967 Pontiac Firebird 400 is a prime example of the muscle-car breed. Tampo's on the ram air scoops show the "400" designation and the side stripes are finely detailed actually being made of 3 stripes (a large sandwiched by two pin stripes). The middle stripe breaks to form the hot wheels logo. A sharp eye can detect the firebird logo forward of the front wheels and a black Pontiac symbol centered on the grill. chrome front trim and side ground effect panels are also given the painted metallic treatment which might seem like a small thing but you can see that the result is very effective. Considering the recent death of the Pontiac brand, it is a good thing to remember what turned out to be the best of times for the company. Goodbye Pontiac.

2010 First Editions #2 0f 52 - Tooligan

I just found this one and I thought I would write about it. I think this one is neat. Its a car AND it can be used as a wrench in a pinch (or a ruler, or allen wrench I suppose). Its called Tooligan and it reminds me of a model from 2008 called Carbonator. That one also serves a dual purpose as a car AND a great bottle cap opener. I had to get a second Carbonator to keep on the fridge to mainly serve its secondary function. I think I will have to keep a Tooligan in my tool box. The die-cast metal may not be the strongest when compared to actual tools, but I'm sure it will go down the track a lot faster.

The First 2010 First Editions

I don't have a complete list of what to expect for 2010, but I am sure it will be another awesome year based on what i have seen so far. I have managed to snag 3 First Editions so far, and a few other mainlines. The three here are the '67 Shelby GT 500, Tooned VW Bug and '08 Viper ACR. I have noticed some changes and additions. One notable fact is that the packaging remains the same as the previous year. The year will see 214 different models, and if you receive international packages, 52 of those will be first editions. If you are getting the boxes in the local USA market, 8 of those will be included in other series. This should generate some interest in 'who gets what'. I will follow up with more information in future posts. So the following are the first 3 of my 2010's. Happy Hunting!

Ferrari Variations - 2009 Dream Garage F430

While I am still sorting out the last of the 2009 model year and already seeing some 2010 cars, I have decided to change the format of my other website a bit. Instead of keeping cars in their packages and only breaking a few out for fun - I will now try to keep one in package and get a second one to keep loose and take the photos.

What this mean is I will have more loose cars and so I will be taking more fun shots like this:

2010 Hot Wheels

They are starting to trickle into stores around here, and I have been a bit out of the loop so every car I see on the pegs is going to be a surprise. I must admit I kinda like it that way. I will have a rundown of 2009 soon, and a 2010 preview too, but for now, I will post a few pics of the latest greatest as a taste of what is to come. # 1 of 44: '67 Shelby GT500 and # 24 of 44: '08 Viper SRT10 ACR. Happy Hunting!

2009 Special Features - Ferrari 512

Opening engine covers, lift off bodies, fold out wings, extending wheels, opening doors and even a whistle. These are all considered "special features" that can be found in some Hot wheels cars. For 2009, some great examples of special featured cars make up a great collector team named "Special features", of course. One of my favorite "hood openers" (or bonnet for some overseas readers) is the Ferrari 512. In true endurance racing style the whole rear end lifts up to reveal the engine and all rear end mechanical bits. The detail is about what you might expect at 1/64 scale - that is not too detailed, but it is always a great enhancement to be able to lift it open and check it out. Also, as a fan of Ferrari cars, I am satisfied with the color of this one - red, with a great Ferrari tampo on the tail.

2009 Hot Wheels Main Line Packaging

Anyone collecting would have already noticed the new packaging. It is a variation of the 2007-2008 packaging with the colored bar on a slight angle and a major addition of a rendering of the car found in the package. I do like the artistic style of the renderings and they have done a great job in making the look consistent throughout the lineup. It is also worth noting that the coloring and rim styles is an accurate representation of the variations too. It seems like a lot of extra work to get every car rendered that way, and I'm curious as to how they do it, what programs they use, etc.

I do like the new style of packaging and very much appreciate the effort put into the rendered depictions of the cars. Great job!

2010 Lotus Evora Matchbox

Yes, I know its not a Hot Wheels car, but Matchbox is a Mattel company so they are like close cousins. Anyways, I saw this one and had to pick it up. One of my favorite new cars. I am a fan of Lotus and this new Evora captures my attention. Matchbox did a fine job of recreating the car, and the blue metallic paint looks great. A darker interior would help it, and those rims give it the unique Matchbox feel, which sometimes does some harm to the look of the model, though in this case I can't complain.

2009 First Editions - Nissan GT-R

Another awesome year for new castings. I have a bit of time now so i will try to capture my thoughts on the year so far. Some of my favorite cars old and new have been or will be released in 2009 as First Editions.

The Nissan GT-R is a car that defies classification - It has a shape that does not accurately come across in photos or even in the spotlights and pedestals of a car show. To truly appreciate its design is to see one in its element - on the road. It has a certain presence. As good as the Hot wheels version is, I'm afraid that "road presence" was not captured in the mould. Before I pass judgement I would like to see it in a darker colour - maybe blue, with a heavier tint to the glass. With the amout of variations and repaints I'm sure they'll capture the magic a bit more.

2009 Hot Wheels Mystery Cars

This year the mystery continues with the release of the 2009 Mystery car series. I have mentioned my feelings about this series in previous posts, but in typical Mattel style they managed to come up with another gimmick to keep my interest. This years Mystery car lineup contains the regular assortment of repaints with one interesting twist. The #2 of 24 is the Ferrari 430 Challenge. It is a magnificent casting with awesome tampos - and in beautiful red no less. You can't search the pegs for this car as a First edition. You can only find it behind the black bubble. I was very pleased when a family member brought a few back and the Ferrari was among them. I have the pics from those at my new hot wheels collecting web site. As in the past, I don't think I will be collecting too many of these as I am not keen on getting too many doubles, but the prospect of having another Ferrari is still tempting...