Just the other day I showcased the new Hot Wheels 50th Anniversary Black & Gold Collection, due in stores soon:
I was especially impressed with the clean, embossed card art, and found that the six models in the set matched the look. Matte black with gold and blue trim. I also really liked the special 7th model – unofficially a Chase based on the small numbers in cases – an iconic 67 Camaro in gold.
It truly is gorgeous, and an appropriate 50th Anniversary model. But it’s plastic.
This is actually the Color Changers Camaro, with a metal chassis and plastic body. It may seem odd to do this model in plastic, but that is actually the only way to do it. This set will be priced near the basic model price in stores, and in order to do a gold model within those cost restraints, the body had to be plastic.
And that may bother a few of you. It may bother a lot of you. Of course that is only based on how you look at things. To some, me included, this doesn’t matter. The idea of a special 7th car is cool, and in some ways you can consider it a bonus. And it’s gold because it is plastic. If this were an RLC release, with the ability to do things with a much higher cost ceiling, damn straight that model should be all metal. But I am cool with this one.
Others of you would ask “why bother?”. Either do the Camaro is a similar matte black deco or don’t do it at all. Plastic is an abomination and it should have never happened to the Camaro. Not my thought, but it can most certainly be yours.
So, we might fall on different sides on this, but I am excited to see this set released. It really is pretty in person.
I wonder if they should have used a Corvette instead of a Camaro for this application. Being that this model has to be composed of plastic and the ‘Vette actually contains a non-metallic body.. just thought it would be fitting to utilize a Chevrolet as iconic as the Corvette. Besides, don’t get me wrong since I do like it, but the Camaro seems to have been used quite a bit as of late in recent lines… change it up a bit.
Now, being that this change, like you said could affect certain few or many, there’ll still be scalpers out there trying to capitalize due to the fact that this is a ‘Chase’ model & the bottom feeders will be out in full force to gain an extra buck or two from it. They’ll raid dump bins clean so collectors like you or myself won’t have a chance.. like if it was actually made of real gold/
I kinda like all the casting choices for this line & the tampo design and color choice is pretty respectable.
The ’67 Camaro casting is THE HOT WHEELS CAR for many collectors.
I don’t get it, it’s too small and utterly pathetic in terms of detail, but plenty of collectors go nuts for the ’67 Camaro over and above any other HW. It’s not because it’s a Camaro, if so the ’68 and ’69 would be similarly popular. HW picked it because they’d have a jihad against them declared by fans of old school Hot Wheels cars if they didn’t.
Ha Ha.. Pretty cool comment. I’m old school, but I could care less for the Cabbin’ Fever truck or ’34 Dodge Delivery or even the Dairy Drag Delivery which people go crazy for.
I think it’s absolutely unacceptable that this is plastic. If they were going to go plastic with this model for the mainline, it would be unfortunate, but fine. But not for a series celebrating such an important anniversary. I mean, hell, they could have just said “screw the cost differential” JUST this once, just for this occasion! And if the technical side of things came into the decision (in terms of the paint finish) they CAN do a chrome finish on metal…they did it years ago with the Shelby GR-1 concept car and it looked stunning…I can’t imagine doing the same finish in gold would be a problem. This is just disappointing. As I’ve said so many times before, I understand the constraints Mattel has to work within, but you’d think for this specific instance they could make the sacrifice.
I would pay more if it were metal, but I’ll agree that this cost cutting crap is getting ridiculous. I wonder if Mattel is using this as an experiment to see how customers/collectors would object that having a chase model in plastic instead of metal.. as if it’s acceptable? Or maybe they just want to avoid sacrificing to help w/the bottom line?
i don’t get it, but there’s way too much of this going on with consumer products these days and we all suffer w/an inferior product, so it’s a win for the manufacturer & a loss to the customer. I hope this isn’t a shape of things to come.
I collect Diecast cars. Diecast means METAL.
Oxford Dictionary definition of Diecast: Adjective- (of a metal object) formed by pouring molten metal into a reusable mould. Verb- Make (a metal object) by pouring molten metal into a mould.
Plastic bases/bottoms are fine with me. HW and Mattel have been making plastic bases for decades. Plastic above the base has been used as compliments to the diecast metal, such as the plastic camper on the Backwoods Bomb. That’s fine. Making the actual body of the car (above the base) from plastic means it’s a plastic toy. It also means that it’s possible to CRACK the body of the car. Does anyone think it’s acceptable to be able to crack a Hot Wheels car? I do not.
Mattel and Hot Wheels (and Matchbox, too) have to realize that IT’S TIME TO RAISE THE PRICE!
These cars were being sold for .55 cents 50 years ago. Now they sell for around a dollar. Raise the price to $1.49 at department stores such as Walmart and Target. They will still sell. Turning these cars into plastic junk – yes, JUNK!!! – to keep costs down, is spitting into the face of the collector – their longtime customer. Frankly, it’s spitting into the faces of kids, too. HW and Mattel are taking them (and us) for granted. Especially with this Camaro, perhaps the most iconic of all Hot Wheels models. I think they are most certainly “testing the waters” with this plastic junk as a 50th Anniversary model. I also find their putting this out as part of a 50th Anniversary celebration is EXTRA insulting.
If it’s really necessary, then start a new toyline, PLAS-CARS. Make the entire thing out of plastic, body and base. Sell those cheap to kids who might be happy with them. I think most kids will still want the good Diecast Metal cars.
I’m also going to say this, Lamley. And with this, I TRULY do not mean to be a jerk. I have to question if the only reason you, Lamley, are fine with this plastic model, is because if you were to write negatively about it, Hot Wheels and Mattel may not continue to be so friendly to you. Perhaps that’s not correct at all, but again, I am indeed finding myself questioning it.
This response has gone on much too long and I apologize. If anyone reads this entire thing, thank-you. Collecting Diecast Metal cars is my hobby and it’s something which I am truly passionate about. -Chuck
Walmart likely plays a bigger role in why the price point has remained the same for so long. If they refuse to carry Hot Wheels if they can’t be sold for a dollar Mattel isn’t going to ‘please the fans’ if it means losing over half of their distribution.
Generally when Walmart says ‘Jump!’ manufacturers say ‘How high, sir?!’.
That’s funny considering how there were WM’s which were behind in keeping up with the dump bins or skipping certain releases entirely. I had to call $ speak to an actual manager to ask when & if they were going to get more stock.. the manager assured me new inventory was to arrive, but it was just a case or maybe two on the pegs which didn’t last too long. Seems Walmart lacked the inventory on a timely basis last year.. which begs me to ask.. why the hell would WM give a shit if they can’t properly supply product to my son who enjoys playing with HW’s and myself who likes to collect?
I think store managers have bigger fish to fry, but doesn’t Mattel have an obligation to supply a segment of their shelf space for paying customers at Walmart so I can make a consistent purchase? In other words.. if you supply, I will buy! I hate it when WM doesn’t keep up with inventory, so I shouldn’t have to complain over the phone to store managers or on their FB page. Get it right WM, get it right!
This is a rare “basic line” occurrence of a licensed vehicle being released with a plastic body. It is not the new norm.
And as mentioned by Yuneek, retailers pay a bigger role in the price points of these lines than you may think. Remember when Walmart went to the new MSRP some years ago? Sales noticeably slumped.
The only time I can see using a plastic body/metal base is with loop tracks due to the car’s lower COG. Otherwise, I don’t understand why they still cling to the $1.00/car paradigm. It’s not like we’re going to go broke if we pay a little more. For me, at least the body has to be metal. The best would be metal/metal.
When a metal base and hard, plastic wheels are used with some new castings, they give some original redlines a run for their money on gravity track races.
Awesome. A plastic body with door handles beats a metal body without door handles any day.
Suddenly I wish I had the last release of the Camaro, so I could put together an all plastic Camaro to go with my all plastic Amazoom.
What is the price point on this series?
For $0.99 I will still buy the Camaro chase if I happen to find one, but finding out it’s plastic definitely rules out picking up one on the secondary market for me.
Just got the Camaro in hand from A and J Toys. I hate to say it is very light and feels cheap. However it does look good
the super camaro of 2017 has a plastic chassis , so whats the difference? if the formula holds true we wont find a camaro in the future with a metal base…
It’s interesting that many are complaining about the plastic-bodied cars. Yet, I hear nothing about the manufacturing of models in China, or Malaysia or Thailand. Or Vietnam or Indonesia, for that matter.
But as long as the price of metals and labor go up, the companies are going to find ways to reduce costs. It’s life . It’s business.
I’ve been collecting since 1973, and I’ve witnessed the changes in the hobby and the industry. I just learned to adjust to the changes and buy what I like. And for me, that’s all of the older stuff – like from 1955, when Matchbox started.
Diecast collecting is soon becoming a thing of the past. Welcome to Plasticcast collecting
In my opinion all these look like a pile of shit, I’ll spend a bit more on Johnny Lightnings and Greenlights and get some decent REALISTIC looking cars, and just what is that “rat with wheels” ? We won’t get these in the UK…….thank goodness !
I think the cards are better than the cars !
I’m not too sure Greenlight is a good destination. They have great design, but their quality is a whole different story. M2 Machines is no better. And Jada? Well,…
You’re probably better off with Majorette, considering you can find them.
Going to have to agree. This set and it’s chase are junk. What is Mattel thinking. To celebrate our 50th anniversary let’s make a set of cars with no history or uniqueness in a very unusual color scheme. Oh we did put in a lame chase car. Lol
How about something to get excited about.
Of course Mattel won’t care it’s all about sales and the mindless masses will go nuts over the chase and speculate on future values for a limited series. More junk in the basement.
A real celebration would have been a series of the best of hot wheels past,now, and future. In stead of a chase how about a mail in if u buy all the anniversary cars, like a oh I don’t know how about a camaro with a metal base opening hood and real riders, and to have some fun with it paint in hot wheels blue with the hot wheels flame on the side with a 50th anniversary logo on the trunk or roof.
Someone’s at Mattel over thought this whole thing. They do good things and bad things but this one is bad.
I like the cards better than the cars. When you pick an iconic HW model to highlight, a model that up until not to long ago had an all metal construction and an opening hood, remove a lot of the great features, then showcase it, it just feels like a big swing and a miss. Then again, the car is $1, so its not like they are asking for the bank on this one. The day they put normal wheel sizes on the rear wheels is the day that I get interested in 1st gen HW Camaros. Still, my prediction is that it will sell. People will buy it, if only to resale, because they know other people will buy it. It would make a statement if it was left hanging on the pegs, but I don’t really see that happening. People vote with their wallets, so as long as they sell, HW will continue making things like this.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but my collection is very, very small. Call it minimalist even. I have two custom wooden wall mount cases that hold 54 cars each. They are maxed out. I have enough room to put at most 2 more cases on the wall and then I’m done-done. I don’t believe in buying cars to put away in boxes – if I bring them home, they go on a wall to be seen. It is a challenging way to collect but fun as well, because I am forced to prioritize and there is nothing in the collection that I won’t absolutely love.
I just don’t have the space or time for models like this. Easy pass.
if they want to cut costs, they should not make cars that might be peg warmers. Make cars that look realistic, not cartoonish.
This is actually the Color Changers Camaro, with a metal chassis and plastic body. It may seem odd to do this model in plastic, but that is actually the only way to do it. This set will be priced near the basic model price in stores, and in order to do a gold model within those cost restraints, the body had to be plastic.???????????????????????