So here is my idea: Make a comold Real Rider wheel, with those exact rims, then do a Car Culture Segment called the Speed Machines. It might make all those that missed the Speed Machines very happy.
Ahead of its time, the Speed Machines were. They died a slow death, but thankfully a ton of good models were released first. Here is my Saturday Showcase:
I actually see absolutely no reason why this line failed the way it did, even at that time. I mean, collectors are always crying about realistic models and yet when Hot Wheels do these, no one buys them? I find it strange. It was a big mistake for them to not release it worldwide, because if it was available in my country (which it wasn’t) I would have bought them for sure and I know many friends who would as well.
Exotics-only, 5-piece casts, maybe with Real Rider version of the mainline Y5 wheels to go with the co-mold designs. Nominations time!
My picks:
Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach Package (the re-tool new this year is the basic 918, basically this one has the top on)
2017 Ford GT
McLaren 720S
Dodge Viper ACR (the new one)
’17 Acura NSX
and RLC bonus: Lamborghini Huracan with Polizia Italia livery
How about you? Choose five cars and another for the RLC set.
Eh, I’d want to see another Lamborghini in a Polizia livery but I’m not cool with the idea of it being an RLC exclusive.
Anyway, nominations (retail only):
Ferrari 488 Pista (not impossible, a rumor I’ve read is that Mattel will soon be releasing a Ferrari sublicensed from May Cheong in the Fast and Furious series)
Porsche 959 (in a pseudo Rothmans-like rally livery; Speed Machines 2010/11 had a couple of 20th century models)
Audi Quattro (would have to be a new model as Hot Wheels never did a Quattro casting not counting the Avus Quattro concept)
Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG (because Mattel didn’t have the Mercedes license in 2010/11)
Corvette C7R (but only if Mattel re-did the front end to be more accurate to the actual car)
“Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG”
Wow, not even the AMG-GT crossed my mind. Your picks are brilliant.
I’m actually okay with the compo wheels instead of Real Riders since it means you can use them on Hot Wheels tracks if you are so inclined; my only real complaint with the Speed Machines series was that only the Ferrari 575GTC was full metal-on-metal but I still bought pretty much every one that I saw in stores because of the highly detailed decos, and I got a couple of rarer ones in trades.
The 599 GTB Fiorano in Azzuro California blue with a Nero black roof is probably my favourite plastic chassis Hot Wheels Ferrari.
>Ferrari 488 Pista (not impossible, a rumor I’ve read is that Mattel will soon be releasing a Ferrari sublicensed from May Cheong in the Fast and Furious series)
Okay, I found where I saw it, it was at the T-Hunted blog with a couple of photos of an unpainted 1:55 scale 458 spider in Mattel’s non-Hot Wheels-branded The Fast and the Furious series.
Since I don’t really read Brazilian Portuguese, I had to Google translate it and, according from what I read, it seems that Mattel has made the prototype but still hasn’t secured the Ferrari (sub)license from May Cheong so it will likely remain just a prototype (for now).
And speaking of Ferrari in diecast, rumors have been spreading of Tomica apparently having that license too. Some leaked listings from IG (that was reported on Live and Let Diecast) turned up photos of two alleged Ferraris, blacked out in the listings: one in the Premium (below TLV) line and one in the Basic line. I still don’t think it’s a lock, but Takara Tomy wouldn’t go in this much fuss if it was just another exotic from a license they already have.
Thanks for the showcase John! What a brilliant lineup of models! Don’t ask me why, but I only possess two in my collection; the Ferrari 599XX in red and the Aston Martin V8 Vantage and they are easily two of my favorites.
Of course I love all the clean deco Ferrari in your showcase (love the clean red 308 GTS!) and even the racing livery on the 599xx in yellow. Gorgeous! I would definitely pass on the gaudy chrome gold Enzo. I don’t really care for the gold deco, wing and wheels on the black Enzo either. Gold plastic isn’t convincing to my eye. And what is up with the phantom top on the nearly perfect silver (pale blue?) 599 GTB? I thought the faux convertible look died in the late eighties.
I’d love to see the epic Lamborghini Countach re-released. This was THE ultimate supercar of my youth. I’ll take mine in red please. Or white. I personally feel gold wheels on a silver car is a sin. They just clash to my eye. Gold on white or red would be more tolerable. I sure hope the details on that matte black Lamborghini Reventon are gray and not blue as they appear on my monitor. The blue would ruin an otherwise great looking model. Better yet, get rid of the deco ahead of the lower side vents all together.
There are a few other cases of deco overkill here; white stripes on blue Reventon Spyder, triple black stripes on white Porsche Boxster where twin stripes would do, and a gold number roundel on an otherwise sharp looking orange on black GT2.
Besides the two Speed Machines I own, the two that absolutely blow me away are the Lamborghini Murcialago SV and the silver and orange McLaren F1 GTR. Stunning!