Lamley Daily: Hot Wheels Nissan Laurel 2000 SGX

Model: Hot Wheels Nissan Laurel 2000 SGX

Line: Car Culture Japan Historics 2

eBay link: Hot Wheels Nissan Laurel

Why I am featuring it: I mean for a start just look at it. It oozes cool. And I’m not just saying that because it’s green. It’s also proof that Hot Wheels were and are aiming right at the car nerds and the deep Japanese car fans with the Japan Historics. It proves that they know their audience. It’s not a Skyline or a Supra or an Impreza or something instantly recognisable to anyone who’s played Gran Turismo. The guys at Mattel didn’t go for a big hitting name to hook in the casual Japanese car fans. They’ve gone for something you’d see in Nostalgic Hero magazine. It’s a Laurel, specifically a 2nd generation C130 coupe. A “Butaketsu” or “pig’s butt”, so called because of it’s wide rear. A car popular with Bosozoku tuners. A car that up until Hot Wheels tackled it was only done by relatively obscure brands like Konami in Coupe form. But this thing bought it to the masses. And it’s brilliant. It’s got the road scraping ride height, the “Deppa”chin spoiler and those deep dish, tiny wheels. It’s *the* look for a Laurel. It’s a Tsurikawa handle away from perfection. But it’s the Japanese Nostalgic Car logo on the rear wing that proves who the designers were after with this one. And as a JNC reader I can tell you, the regulars are impressed. I was moving some of my boxed collection recently and found my Laurel wrapped in bubblewrap in amongst some Aoshima model kits and some random brochures and magazines. They made a rather random but effective backdrop so I snapped away. And in doing so I was reminded of just how killer this car is is. Needless to say it didn’t get wrapped up and hidden in the attic again.