This is a neat little surprise.
When Batch E arrived from Wheel Collectors, I was much more focused on the slew of Porsches, the 180SX, and everything else but the new Mustang casting. I mean, how many more Mustang castings do we really need?
Plus, this new Mustang casting isn’t exactly easy on the eyes. It is based on this Mustang Hot Wheels did for SEMA:
 |
| photo courtesy of Japanese Nostalgic Car |
It is racy and drifty and Mad Maxy, to be sure, and not really my cup of tea. Nonetheless, this inevitable Hot Wheels New Model was mixed in with the others of Batch E, and initially was badly overshadowed.
But then I had a gander. A once-over if you will. And darn if this isn’t a very interesting casting. It is still ugly, but what it lacks in looks it more than makes up for in significance. It marks a very interesting possible direction for Hot Wheels.
A few months ago we featured the Hot Wheels X-Steam, a vehicular take on Steam Punk by Matchbox Designer Miguel Lopez. The model was cool, but what caught the attention of most of us was Miguel’s solution to the upsloped chin problem that has plagued many-a-track-ready-model of late. Miguel made the chin adjustable. It could lay flat and look cool, or be adjusted to an angle to accommodate the track.
At the time I didn’t know much about how it worked, but later learned that the chin was part of the interior of the model, therefore making it compliant to the standard 4-part rule. The upsloped chin has ruined the looks of so many models the last few years, and it seemed this solution was a good one. Thankfully, little birdies told me that more models would appear with the adjustable chin, and first of those is this Mustang.
This is such a nice development. I won’t argue with the fact that many of these cars need to be track-friendly, as that is a Hot Wheels signature. But when these models end up looking nothing like the real cars whey replicate, there is a problem. And that starts with the upsloped chin.
Clearly Hot Wheels acknowledges the problem, or the adjustable chin would never had shown up on this model. And they may have found a great solution. Whether or not this would have worked on models like the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 or Corvette C7.R is hard to tell, but it does mark a possible end of the ugly chin.
And on top of that, there are other little details, the most significant being that this car has headlights AND taillights, and neither side received any tampo passes. That is because the headlights and taillights are both part of the window piece:
We have seen plenty of models with headlights that are part of the window – the Porsche 993 in this batch among them – but I can’t think of any with the taillights as part. There could very well be some, but the fact that Hot Wheels released this new model that way could bode well for some future releases. Imagine a standard licensed Hot Wheels model with built in head and taillights, which would leave designers free to design what they wanted on the sides. It could make for some very cool future models.
So that is why the Mustang is the first model featured from Batch E. It is a brilliant model, designed and built so well, and maybe an indicator for some future trends. I guess I can handle this one last Mustang…
Cool casting love the new chin design just don't know about the orange class unless you're trying to hide a simple or non interior,clear should be the norm for license castings
This comment has been removed by the author.
I'm a Mustang lover so I want all years a new Mustang (or more xD). It's an intresting casting, but I don't like the windows. I hope the change the orange color for the next deco!
Can that splitter adjuster (that's what I call it) be locked in one position?
Because I can sense it. I can feel it showing up on the C7.R and Aston.
Also would like to see the car taken apart to see what that splitter adjuster is made of. Maybe that can be implemented on custom fixes for the raised-front cars…
The Turbo Mustang from the '80's and the 2013 retool have the tail lights as part of the window piece. But not the headlights.
One last Mustang you say John?, LOL! Im not sure about that. You know sometimes it takes a little breakdown as to how and why a certain model exists and with knowledge it makes the difference between a sale or a peg warmer. For me this Mustang would stay on the pegs but after reading your blog reasoning behind this piece I feel I should own this casting. Knowledge is power. Keep up the good work John!.
The improved chin doesn't help, it remains an ugley MF. IRL by the way it is not different.
This comment has been removed by the author.
I wish we had a bottom view of that chin, but that is a clever trick.
But yeah I agree, that thing is hideous. Still gotta pass on it, Magic Johnson style.
IMHO that is probably one of the most badass hotwheels model i've ever seen. Not just because of the aesthetic, but also of the “technology” that went into it.
Scalpers unite!
Gazetta (if not mistaken) also have this chin slop trick.
it can be locked in one position, but some of the casting are a bit faulty, because once you turn the chin down, it will go up again, i've got one, it locked it, but after days it will pop up again, but some are completely locked in
i'm a mustang fan, i like this one because it is from sema, because it is mustang, and because of the adhustable chin, but the orange tinted glass is hideous
Cool chin… might appeal to some collectors (diehard Mustang) as well as the kiddies!
After reading the article it was the whole SEMA thing that had me convinced that I now like it but I agree 100% with you about the colored windows, Hot Wheels needs to quit using those ugly colors on realistic rides.
Would look good (IF they HAD to use a color) if they chose a blue-ish tint, but that orange gives it an edge and primarily.. HW's is designing these things for kids. Remember how we started out right.. as a youngster. But I agree with you to a point as far as realism is concerned.
Cool features but the orange windows have to go.
i dislike models like corvette c7r ,aston martin vantage gt3 ,srt viper gtsr ,mastretta mxr ,13 ford mustang ,lotus evora gt4 , jaguar f type project 7 ,2015 custom ford mustang gt
When is this car looking to be released in stores
The Custom El Camino Hotwheels Facility Test was even more perfect than the Mustang Sema but the Mustang Sema is far way better than the Sema Ford Transit
That Mustang got some much funny and nice details, I luv it !!!
the BMW csl 3.0 race car has taillights as part of the window piece