This category is probably my favorite Lamley Awards Category. Hopefully you have already voted for BEST and WORST Super Treasure Hunt, as well as BEST and MOST DISAPPOINTING HW Basic New Model. If you haven’t the links are there for you.
But it is time to go Premium. Not even counting the RLC models – I am saving those for their own category – the Hot Wheels Premium lines were stellar. Car Culture continued its run as the most diverse and collector-friendly line Hot Wheels has done (in my opinion), Entertainment and Pop Culture dropped some gems, and the new Fast & Furious Premium line was introduced.
And that meant a lot of new Premium Models. Fast & Furious alone saw the introduction of 9 new castings, from muscle to classic JDM to Euro. Even Team Transport joined the party with two licensed castings.
So once again it is time to vote. Watch the video, check out the photos at the end of this post, and vote on the poll below. That is the way to get your voice heard. Enjoy:
The poll:
So many great castings this year but the Porsche RWB takes it with the overall look and the intro of the new rear deeeeeep dish wheel. The Jag is right on it’s heels though as are the Jetta, LR Defender, and new Classic Bug.
I wish the Nissan Sylvia wasn’t that F&F version but the more original classic retail version. That late 90s street racer red/blue paint deco does no justice to that casting.
Why no love for the Aerolift that was new this year too?
Well, you’ll get your wish on the Nissan Silvia very soon! There’s a new version being released in the 2020 Japan Historics 3 set slated for February and it looks fantastic as well as the rest! I saw sneak peeks of the set on T-Hunted.blogspot.com a couple days ago.
Lamley did a post on it with Mattel several months ago when it was under development.
Was disappointed when the f&f version hit first instead of the one previewed in that article.
https://lamleygroup.com/2019/06/12/an-early-look-at-the-upcoming-2020-car-culture-nissan-silvia-csp311-with-the-guys-at-jdm-legends/
At the end is where he mentioned the part about the first appearance in Car Culture.
This was a TOUGH choice this time around…for me it came down to the RWB Porsche, the Defender 110 and the Jag E-Type. When it came right down to it, the E-Type just barely edged out the Porsche for me, perhaps due to my preference for more stock-looking vehicles (I know neither are stock, but the Jag gets closer).
Honorable mentions go to the Skyline Silhouette, the NSX GT3, the G-Class and (of all things) the Hummer. I was actually startled by how good the Hummer casting came out. Pair that with a perfect, simple deco and that was the biggest surprise hit of the whole lot for me.
Nice variety this year although supercars seem to be absent as usual. So many great models, it’s difficult to pick a winner but anyway, I have three that stand out: NSX GT3, S14 Silvia and Defender. I have the first two and they’re both amazing. The Advan livery on the NSX works great but it’s the S14 that really blew me away when I first held it in my hand. The casting is near perfect and the graphics are also sort of fine (I’m still waiting for a stock version though). The Defender looks just as good and I’m glad this one stays clean. It’s so difficult between these two but I’m leaning towards the S14 because I have it in hand (don’t have the Defender yet) and it exceeded my expectations.
Well, just like the above comments, this decision was very tricky because there were so many great choices. When it all comes down to it, my top three would be the F&F ’95 Mitsubishi Eclipse, the F&F Nissan Silvia, and the F&F Hummer.
I was shocked at how unpopular the Eclipse is because as I post this comment, only 3% voted for it. I think it’s fantastic! The fact that they perfectly molded the iconic body kit and tampos instead of making a stock body or one-off body kit like the Supra. The proportions are spot-on complimented with the traditional front and rear detailing and good wheel choice.
Everyone’s hating on the Silvia because of the F&F Tokyo Drift livery but I still enjoy it! It’s a gorgeous car! And to all of the people complaining about the tacky tampos and no stock livery, you’ll get your wish soon enough once it’s released in the Japan Historics 3 set! It’s very promising!
The Hummer was a total surprise just like with many others. I didn’t expect to like it so much but I do. It’s actually my favorite out of the whole set. That’s ironic because it’s often the pegwarmer of the set while almost everything else is sought after.
My top 3 are
1. Acura NSX GT3
2 Porsche RWB 930
3. Nissan Silvia S14
So many good ones this year. Honestly the only one I don’t like is the Jag and I know I’m in the minority on that one. I’m just not a fan of the car (body style) in real life.
And Glad the NSX is not dead last. Haha. I just love that car for some reason. I know a lot of people don’t like the real life car but I do. And the GT3 version takes it to another level. Love the liveries Hot Wheels did with the first two releases of this casting. Hope we get more soon.
You forgot the Pizza Planet Truck and RC Car in the Entertainment series. They’re licensed by Disney Pixar.
I just bought the Nissan hardbody pickup. It is a nice looking casting. One small surprise though. The window assembly is open on the passenger side while the driver side is closed off. It is not a big deal just interesting.
I would have thought this would be a tough category, but it’s surprisingly easier than Basics. Perhaps it’s because I expect far more from Premium whereas in Basic I let things slide.
My top picks for Premium are;
1. Jaguar Lightweight E-type
2. Acura NSX GT3
3. Land Rover Defender 110
Honorable mentions are;
– RWB Porsche 930
– Nissan Silvia CSP311
I chose the Jaguar, because to my eye, it’s perfect. From it’s BRG paint to simple racing deco to wheel choice and stance, there is not a thing I would change. I’ve always been a fan of the NSX since the original in 1990 and this GT3 version of the 2nd generation is spectacular. I didn’t think there was any topping the red & black Advan livery, but the bright blue version holds its own, oddly enough. The Land Rover Defender just edged out the Porsche 930. The Defender, like the Jag, is nearly perfect. I love the matte black finish and all the details are there. The only small letdown for me was the plastic roof. Would have loved this to be all metal. Mine even has some rough spots and swirling from the mold.
While I am thrilled we got a Porsche 930 casting, I am less than excited for the RWB mods. I do not like the massive, over-the-top wing stacked upon wing at the back. Nor do I care for the removed rear bumper and mile-long tailpipes. The 930 was the dream car of my youth and I would love to see a more modestly modified version of this icon sometime in the near future. I really love this new Silvia casting. I have to admit, before being featured on Lamley, I was never aware of this car’s existence. Now, while I harshly criticized this paint scheme on the modern F&F Silvia, I somehow feel it works better here. This does not mean I won’t be even more excited for the more stock gold version coming soon in Japan Historics 3.
The Nissan Skyline Silhouette narrowly missed out due to the terrible execution of the boxed fender/air just ahead of the rear wheel. This totally should have been cast as part of the body not the base. The cutline mid-fender and the gap between the bodyside and this “side wing” coming up from the base, ruin and otherwise beautiful casting. The air intake should have been handled as a shallow divot in the leading edge of the fender rather than simply painting the flat surface black.
The Jetta is another great casting with a few flaws. A mildly modified GLI could have been grand, but at least the body kit is restrained here. I even like the quad round headlights. I can’t say the same for the giant wing or gaudy graphics. I realize the casting (wing) won’t change, but I’m looking forward to another release of the Jetta with simpler paint.