Best store exclusive line ever. With all due respect to Target’s Red Editions and Kroger, Walgreens, GameStop, Kmart, and whatever other exclusive store colors, Walmart’s Zamacs are by far tops in the store exclusive game.
Take a basic release, remove it’s base color, keep it raw, and add its existing graphics in an exclusive color and a Walmart Zamac is born. 18 a year, since 2013 I think, and what a collection it is.
Hot Wheels had done Zamacs before, even with Walmart back in 2004, but this current run is what I am referring to. I, like many of you, took to them instantly, and decided that as long as Hot Wheels and Walmart were doing them I would collect them. Whether a casting I like or not, I will keep at least one. Most I have been able to find in stores, but some I have had to procure via trade or ebay, but I am current. And it is a treat to go through all of them. The Zamac collection is a true cross section of Hot Wheels Basics over the last 5-6 years, from Ferraris to Porsches to Datsuns to Muscle to Mooneyes to generics to even a few disasters. I love seeing them together. And I hope we get 18 a year indefinitely.
I am writing this while sitting in my living room with a cup of coffee. There is even a fire in the fireplace. That means I am not getting out of this chair. Not even to walk a few feet to my office to pull out the Zamac collection and pick a few highlights. I am too comfortable. So off the top of my head, the Zamacs that come to mind as true highlights are the ghost-flame TV Batmobile – still to me the best Zamac ever – bare Ferrari F12, Dodge Demon, I think a 32 Ford with black flames, a Mooneyes Kafer Racer with aero wheels, a clean R30 Skyline and that super cool Toyo Tires 240Z, among many.
There are also signature castings that have gone Zamac. I already mentioned the TV Batmobile, but the ’55 Gasser, Datsun 510 Wagon, and R34 Skyline have gone bare as well.
Now add to that the Bugatti Chiron.
I hope I don’t get accused of #lamleyhype for this post. This is full-fledged #bugattihype, an ongoing monster impacting collectors for what is now years. The Veyron casting became a collector legend once it was retired, with the satin red Walmart exclusive – when they weren’t doing Zamacs – leading the way. That buildup led to “Beatles at Ed Sullivan” response to the new Chiron casting when it was released last year. #bugattihype has even bled into Matchbox, clearly evident by the “when is the Divo coming out” comments I get every time I do a Matchbox Live Chat on YouTube.
And now it is a Zamac. What a perfect choice.
Hot Wheels made two mistakes on the Veyron. The first was the casting itself, which led a little (a lot) to be desired, and the second was trying to create original graphics on some of the releases. The Bugatti does not need to be messed with. Two-tone is essentially impossible to do on basic, but I don’t think anyone will complain with just the standard stripe curling around the side intakes and the front grill being done. As long as the graphics remain stock, Bugattis can come in any color.
And what color can top raw? The Zamac Bugatti is a true no-brainer. It is so damn cool. Throw some ambient light on it and let the model do its magic. It will be hard to top.
I don’t need to say much more, so I’ll just leave a few more photos. This model photographed was provided by Mattel for preview, and you will see it later this year in the second mix of Zamacs. Definitely grab a couple, but leave a few for others. This one hopefully will be enjoyed by many.
I have not found a Zamac in the wild since 2017. I was wondering if perhaps the scalpers were just that good at cleaning them out. But seeing as how I do find an occasional Super, I think I would find some Zamacs once in a while. I really think my Walmart just doesn’t get them anymore. Very frustrating…
I’ve seen ZAMACs at my usual Walmart only twice in the last 3 years. first time, I bought 3 sets of 3 and left the rest, which was probably 30 or so of each model. I went back the next day and EVERY one of them was gone. The only other time was when the batch included the Nissan 620 truck and 2 others (Maybe Cool One and an Aston Martin?) Unsurprisingly, all the 620s were gone, and the other 2 all sat unloved in the bins for months, probably because people wanted 3 and not 2.
But regardless, they’re tough. I don’t care enough about the Bugatti to chase it, but want the STI.
Same here. haven’t found one since 2017. These are harder to find than Supers and regular treasure hunts. Is there some kind of secret to finding them? I absolutely need this Bugatti.
Going to be insanely hard to find
Siku has made a better Chiron, but cent-for-cent, the HW can’t be beat. And considering how much longer this casting will be circulated, I reckon there will be releases fit for everyone’s taste. Yes, including the ID version that’s coming soon.
The sad part is that I think we get them no more in Canada. Been over 2 years didn’t see one in stores.
Great post by the way!
Damn. I found two of the Red Editions at my local Target yesterday and was wondering what the third model was. Now I see why I didn’t find one (it’s the Impreza).
Anyway, this is an excellent choice for a ZAMAC, though I’d prefer the trim stripe and rim lips to be black rather than red. That pretty much doesn’t matter one way or the other, though, because like everybody above, ZAMACs have been pretty much nonexistent in my diecast hunts for the past year or more. They used to be gratifyingly easy to find and gobble up, but not anymore. I fully expect to never see this one in the flesh.
What red editions did you find?
My stores have them but the Subaru isn’t in this release. Two are easy to find but most people miss the viper which is grey and red.
Are u sure of what mix you have seen.
That Bugatti looks sharp in ZAMAC with red striping. Though I don’t know that I’d go as far as to say it can’t be topped. I’m still dreaming of seeing this casting in French blue someday. And pearl white and burgundy metallic and… But, like others have said, ZAMACs are becoming harder and harder to find, so I don’t put much stock in finding this one either.
Zamacs have been hyped. That is why I never find them and all it takes is one vampire to get all of them every time. Some zamacs I do like, but if zamac was the regular releases and painted ones the store exclusives, the store exclusive painted ones would be light years more desirable. Zamacs look like the raw cheap metal they are. Polished, they might look allot better, but most look like clear coated lead slugs to me. The wally store exclusives I really liked were the white letter tire ones. Of course white letter tires are out of style now, but they were the bomb on muscle cars in the past. The only way I will ever get a zamac chiron or the new mb lambo and bugatti will be from the local vampires if they do not ask too much. Bottom line is that hype of a cast, more than the cast itself, is really what mostly drives the secondary market hoarding. And yeah, I know that is part of diecast collecting. Doesn’t mean I have to like it.