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| Charawheels on eBay… |
So in diecast nerd conversations everywhere, this question is bound to come up:
“What JDM casting is next from Hot Wheels?”
There is bound to be a slew of answers. There will inevitably be that one guy who “liked JDM before everyone else” who will give the answers intended to impress like “it makes NO SENSE that they haven’t done a Sunny” while everyone else rolls their eyes. (Japanese friends, this only applies to we diecast nerds here in the US.)
But everyone else will have a variety of answers, some less likely and some more. My guess is the members of the Hot Wheels Design Team have a wide array of ideas up on their board, but ultimately the models chosen have to have at least some universal appeal. Many of the no-brainers have been done – Datsun 240Z, the Hakosuka and Kenmeri Skylines, the R32 and R34, some Celicas, the EF Civic, and even a couple of 510’s that no one seems to care about.
But there are a lot more that could, and most likely will, join the fray. The DR30 seems a logical choice, the Datsun Roadster another (yes, I know), and maybe another classic Honda or two. The list is large.
But maybe the most logical is one that pairs beautifully with the beautiful replica of the Toyota 2000GT. The Mazda Cosmo is a complete no-brainer. It shows up time and time again on the car show circuit, it has penetrated the car collector crowd, and its unique silhouette and rich history make it one of the most recognizable classic Japanese cars around.
So why has Hot Wheels made a Cosmo? Maybe because they already have.
In the early 2000’s, Hot Wheels created a special line exclusively for Japan called Charawheels. As far as I know all the castings were original to the series, and all the models were from popular TV shows and movies. Some Japanese shows, others from elsewhere like the US. Before there was Hot Wheels Retro Entertainment, and all the mainline models like the Batmobile and The Homer, there was Charawheels. Models like the Back to the Future DeLorean, Airwolf Helicopter, and Speed Racer. And there was a ton of cars from Japanese series, most of which I have no clue about. I hope someone can help fill me in. You can see many of the models on eBay:
One of the models was from the Japanese kids series Ultraman. I don’t know much about Ultraman, other than he is from space, protects humans, and fought Godzilla when Godzilla was in his upright collar phase.
Outside of that, I know Ultraman’s allies at the Monster Attack Team (MAT) at one point drove a Mazda Cosmo, only because Hot Wheels created a replica. And a damn nice replica at that.
Other than a large metal spoiler on the rear, and a stripe outline built into the casting, it is pretty accurate. The silhouette is there, as is the unique front and rear detailing. It seems to me a little tweak here and there and this is a casting that would fit right in with other Hot Wheels models.
That is, of course, if the tool still exists. I have no idea, and I wonder if anyone at Mattel knows. But it would be worth looking into. One of the Mattel brands needs to do a Cosmo, even after one of the Mattel brands already did…
With the Kyosho Cosmo:
Very intence fight sequence..so beautiful.
I have a Charawheels at home. It is the Knight Rider Knight 2000. One of only a few I have in the package still.
How about some first and second gen Honda Civics? I'd love to see a replica of the second gen Civic wagon that Rutledge Wood, from Top Gear USA fame, had made.
Thanks for posting this. The Charawheels series was a partnership with Bandai . There were a lot of interesting models in that range from Japanese, American, and British TV shows, ahead if its time before Greenlight, Johnny Lightning and the Hot Wheels Retro Entertainment series. All the castings were unique to that series and only sold in Japan. The Ultraman Cosmo was also done at least twice by Tomica. One of the rarer Tomica models from the 1970's is this vehicle. For Ultraman itself, the tv show had many incarnations and these were produced by the makers of the Godzilla films. I read through the Youtube comments and this monster in this video is not Godzilla but another monster that was derived by altering the Godzilla suit. Godzilla would never die just from an Ultraman blast.
I know almost the history behind every charawheels, just for the japanese cars: they are from japanese tv show, animation and movies, those are all finest choice and every car is pretty iconic like the BTTF Delorean for the american audience can be
For the charawheels with U.S iconic cars, the K2000 and BTTF are even better made than the retroentertainment versions.
But the charawheels are not like other hws due to its co-hosting with Bandai and I must admit that the charawheels are not exactly hotwheels but are more bandai with Hotwheels franchise.
Charawheels could have been a bandai only but not a hotwheels only
there is even a pull back version that used this casting as well. I have a couple thanks to the toy_pimp. With all the jdm hype you have not even began to scratch the surface of all the cool possibilities from the late 80s and especially the 90s. With the success of the 180sx, it really is a no brainer to release the s13/ both s14 silvias/ and redo their chop topped looking s15. I mean this year they made the Galactic express and the Honda Monkey, so anything is possible. Also, if you pay attention to old school jdm cars, the old b110 sunny is growing in popularity, thanks to some super clean examples, and all the videos of the ts versions killing it at Fuji for the vintage races. Also, they could expand more into making vintage style american race cars, like the chevy chevell ss that they have been releasing. Lets see more AMC, and other trans am inspired vehicles.
And yes, Hotwheels is loooooong overdue to release the Mazda Cosmo, is a silver or nice white would be nice.
As has already been mentioned, charawheels were rather made by Bandai and sold under the Hot Wheels brand. Given that things like the DeLorean Time Machine(s), K.I.T.T. and K.A.R.R. have later been released by Hot Wheels as new castings in both the regular and Retro series, there's really no reason not to release the Mazda Cosmo…
About UltraMan: he was the first of the UltraBeings (or whatever they call them in English), I watched the show as a kid in the early '70s here in Peru, and then came UltraSeven (arguably, still the best of the whole “UltraFamily”). CharaWheels also released the Pointer from that series, a customized 1957 Chrysler Imperial. Would be great to see it released together with the Mazda Cosmo in a pack like the ones they've done for the Ghostbusters' ECTOs…