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First Look: Hot Wheels Cool Classics Batch D…

Is excitement about the Cool Classics waning?

Hard to say, but there is an animated exchange going on over at HWC about the topic.  It appears there are very mixed opinions about the Cool Classics.

We have made our feelings about them known before.  Looking at the aspects separately, we see things we like.  The wheels are cool, the paint is actually quite stunning, and they roll amazingly well.  But the castings choices are a bit bland (that appears to be changing a bit moving into 2014), and the cars tend to mesh together.  While the colors are vibrant, from a silhouette perspective, there doesn’t seem to a way to separate one from another.  Plus the price might keep a few aisle wanderers away.

They seem to be hanging a lot in our area, but that doesn’t mean anything but that they are hanging a lot in our area.  We will leave it to you to form your opinion on the line, and whether you will buy it or not.

So we have a few new Cool Classics to check out, thanks to our friends at Wheel Collectors.  Batch D is out, and here are the models.  I could not think of one to single out, so we are showing them all at once.

Like what you see?  You can find them here…

Hot Wheels Cool Classics Batch D:

’64 Impala

1968 Hemi Barracuda

Dixie Challenger

Plymouth Duster

Chevelle SS Express

1957 Chrysler 300 (our favorite of the group)

6 Replies to “First Look: Hot Wheels Cool Classics Batch D…”

  1. It's not that the excitement is waning, it's the stores haven't bothered to restock. They're sold very well around here, and the stores have responded by not putting any new stuff on the pegs. Batch A sold out quickly, and now the pegs are just sitting empty.

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  3. Just a few thoughts on this series:

    1. People have been practically begging for the Classics series of 2005 through 2009 to come back. Those on HWC know this.

    2. People keep complaining about the price point of the series. To me, this makes no sense due to the original Classics series was priced about the same. I feel that Mattel just, in a way, 'spoiled' us with the $3-3.50 price point having Real Riders since Larry's Garage in 2009. Even that series wasn't all metal/metal construction, either, and people still bought them. In 2010 and through the end of Boulevard, they were all metal/metal with real riders while Classics series ended.

    3. Yes, the series is VERY muscle car heavy. As was the Classics series. As mentioned, those that are RLC members or have seen the preview pics from the convention know this is changing somewhat for 2014. The big question is whether or not the series will last that long. On the other hand, multiple colors are NOT part of the Cool Classics like they were for the Classics. Whether or not this is a good move is yet to be seen.

    4. With Target seemingly messing up and pricing these at $2.50 at most stores (one local one is at $3), they seemed to have spoiled collectors to the point that many are likely waiting for Targets to get the newer mixes and letting stuff hang at Walmarts and such. A mix is clogging pegs here (Rochester, NY area), even at Targets that have them (some still have pegs of Flying Customs) and Kmarts just got C mix recently. B mix has hit no where that I know of locally.
    4A: Can't really blame stores for not bringing in newer mixes. Generally it seems stores don't “get” that different mixes contain different cars, they just look at the series as a whole, not specific cars. So if a mix is clogging, the company feels they can't move the series as a whole. So why bring in “more of the same” when they can't get rid of what they have? Granted, stores way over order the early mixes, which, IMO, is a joint-fault issue with Mattel and the stores.

    In the end, I feel the price point rather than casting selection will kill the series. That is what a lot of the complaints on the HWC site seem to refer to, as we've come to expect real riders for the $3-3.50 price point. The whole situation just straight up sucks, but is basically par-for-course with Mattel. I was royally upset at the shortening and ending of Flying Customs, and I have a feeling it'll be the same for me with CC. About the only things seen through to the end at retail anymore are mainline and Nostalgia/Pop Culture (it was mentioned by Mattel staff that stores can actually order a specific mix of that series).

    I just hope the series is “completed” so to speak, even if it's mostly just on line dealers and mom-and-pop stores that get the later mixes.

    As far as this mix goes, this was the mix I've been waiting for rather impatiently. Love the 300, two Spoilers, 'Cuda and Impala. If the Dixie Challenger was the Roger Dodger instead (a casting I was expecting in FC but was never planned apparently), this mix would be a full 6/6 must have for me. I like the Dixie, just a lot priority.

    -doomus

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  5. That 300 is a beaut! I might just have to cough up the bucks for that one.

    That 64 Impala would have been even better without the pink windows in my opinion. Still, it's a winner regardless!

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