Bearded Mug Media’s Top Picks of 2023 – Right On Time

I made it a goal of mine to make a running list of cars I planned on including in my 2023 Top 10 as I purchased them. Last year, (as in the beginning of 2023) it was a challenge to try and recall what was released and what really caught my attention. With so much diecast coming from every direction, it was targeted overstimulation to a tee. I believe I made it through April before my ambition tapered off and it was back to my old habits. But hey, at least I’m finishing up before the calendar is replaced, right?*

*Nope, but I thought I would when I penned the opening. And look, we’re now in May!

Without further ado, let’s get into it. It was tough to whittle down, as there were so many winners this year, but here’s what really stood out for me in 2023. As always, these are not in any order. It was hard enough to make the selections in the first place.

DiecastTalk Tacomas – it was September 19, 2022 when DiecastTalk launched the preorder for their first partnership with GCD and introduced a new casting, the Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro in Army Green. It was limited to just 804 pieces and the preloaded amount on their website sold out almost immediately. Further variations of the casting were released in rapid succession, including collabs with Milkteacoma and Front Runner Outfitters featuring off-road parts, and another stock version in Voodoo Blue. The first release would take six months from preorder to doorstep, but it was certainly worth the wait. GCD makes a compelling scale model, with some having pivotable front wheels for added realism. The Tacomas have accurate details and have since been released in a variety of designs. Also, DiecastTalk showed their comedic side by posting an April Fool’s ‘Pink Taco’ mock-up and actually put it into production – with the chase being pink chrome. With the recent arrival of the next DiecastTalk / GCD casting, the contemporary 4Runner, you can rest assured it will have a place on next year’s Top 10.

Find the DiecastTalk Tacomas on eBay!

M2 Machines has been noticeably absent from any of my Top 10s for the entirety of me writing them. In fact, the only appearance was in my maiden list of 2020 as an honorable mention. And it wasn’t even a current release, but one that was eight years old already at the time. But this year is different. M2 has been crushing the pick-up truck game, claiming two spots for two very different, but similar, trucks.

M2 Machines Squarebody Chevrolet Dually – When I first saw that M2 was going to be releasing a crew cab dually version of the Square Body Silverado / Sierra, I was ecstatic. I don’t think there is anything I want more IRL, but have absolutely no need for, than an extra large pickup truck. M2’s first version was a Hobby Club exclusive. The flame treatment wasn’t my thing so I passed on it. Following that, the first retail releases were unfortunately skinned in soft drink liveries. These too would have been a pass, had I not seen versions where the tampos were removed, leaving very clean, and very cool, castings. However, it wasn’t until I saw the Pan-Am Auto-Haulers in store that I knew this one was it (for now – I’ve since picked up the 4×4 version in brown) The roof rack gives it that extra bit of utility and the Pan-Am decos are inoffensive enough to be overlooked if necessary. If anything, it replicates something you’d see parked off in a corner at an airport. The only thing that would put this casting over the top is if it had tow mirrors. And since initially writing this paragraph, I grabbed the MiJo exclusive version in orange and gray on the lowered chassis with large wheels. It might be the best version thus far.

Find M2’s killer Squarebody Duallies on eBay!

M2 Machines OBS Silverado / Sierra – The next truck casting introduced this year* by M2 was the venerable OBS Silverado/Sierra. Again, this was first released in the Auto Club in the fantastically 90s-themed livery you see here. It looks like something Zack Morris would drive to Bayside High, right? It was followed up shortly thereafter by a Walmart exclusive set of six, including stock, custom and 4×4 versions. I managed to find a set for a reasonable price in the swap meet section at a VW show, of all places. I have since tried to collect each subsequent stock looking version, again avoiding the extra sugary Coca-Cola releases. M2 did the GMT400 right. Even the universally tubbed bed (which is deeper than the Square’s) allows for base-swapping the wide-wheeled versions. I think it’s a cost effective way to release multiple versions and doesn’t take too much away from the realism that is otherwise on point. Bonus points for the mirrors, too. Now, if only M2 were to follow these up with a crew cab dually version…

*from here out, when I mention ‘this year,’ I really mean 2023.

Find M2’s OBS Chevys on eBay!

PARA64 Honda Civic Si – I like to occasionally bounce ideas off Adrian from PARA64, even though he hasn’t taken my FTO suggestion and run with it…yet. When I sent him a pics of a group of EM1 Civic Si’s that met up at my local mall, I casually mentioned there hasn’t been a premium representation of the sport coupe that I could recall. Fast forward a few months and Adrian sent me test shots of their newly completed Electron Blue and Milano Red Si’s. I was ecstatic that I might have had a small hand in bringing such an icon from my teenage years to production.

A few more months and a handful of tweaks later, including a color adjustment and some rhinoplasty, and I’m holding both examples in hand. While I still think the wheels should have been a tad larger in diameter (or maybe the tire sidewall smaller?), the casting itself is a smash hit. There was no way it wasn’t placing on my Top 10.

Find the PARA64 Civic Si on eBay!

Hot Wheels RLC Monte Carlo – The Red Line Club has been hit or miss for me this year. While there have been some great releases, subpar QC and unacceptable defects have soured the exclusive releases a bit. In my opinion, this Monte Carlo is everything RLC should be and more.

The adjustable suspension and period pin striping just oozes ‘cool’ and is not only photogenic, but displays great as well. I’m curious to see what deco is next as this one is a tough act to follow.

Find the RLC Monte Carlo lowrider on ebay!

Mini GT Subaru Impreza WRC – Mini GT does miniature cars right. Their scale, use of soft rubber for the mirrors, and accurate details make each release hard to pass up. That’s probably why I’ve got a few bins of them in my basement that have yet to be opened. I’m trying to scale back on getting every release in every color, but when I saw them preview the GC Impreza, I knew this was one to be a completist on. And what a great first release – the 1997 Rally Sanremo winner of Colin McRae and Nicky Grist. I had a few 1:18 Auto Art of the WRC Impreza and this 1:64 does the smaller scale justice. I’m looking forward to the next release – the 1999 Tour de Corse entry of Arai/Freeman. And hopefully that opens up the possibility of street versions as well. We can’t have enough 22b STIs, ya?

Find the Mini GT Subaru Impreza on eBay!

Auto World Dodge Caravan – Two thoughts come to mind when the diecast world turns to minivans. They’ve either run out of things to make, or they’ve finally recognized a niche that needed to be filled. Thankfully the consensus is the latter and we’ve since seen multiple releases of Dodge’s Caravan and the Plymouth Voyager. While it might be too much too ask, I would like to see a long wheelbase version in dark gray to resemble the one my neighbor had growing up.

Find the Auto World Dodge Caravan on eBay!

GreenLight Ram 250 – Another Ram, amirite? But again, this was from a set that took two years to reach collectors’ hands. And was it worth the wait? You bet it was. Out of the Outback Toys set, I chose the black lifted pulling truck. The details are great, including the weight up front and the exhaust stack in the bed. The only thing I think GreenLight got incorrect is the placement of the rear wheels in the bed. It seems they’re too far towards the rear when compared to the 1:1 version. The subsequently released dual rear wheel version didn’t address that issue, unfortunately.

Find the GreenLight Ram 250 on eBay!

GCD Volkswagen GTI – Two GCD models in one top ten just goes to show the variety of the brand and their ability to expertly execute premium diecast. Having owned a MK4 GTI (20th Anniversary in Jazz Blue, hands down the best color), ordering up one in every color was a no-brainer for me. Instead of relying on eBay, I preordered these from Tokyo Station.

Other colors beyond the Rave Green (or is it Cosmic?) and what looks like a mix between Tornado Red and Tropic Orange, they had Reflex Silver and black. Now if only someone would do a MK3 Jetta in proper premium I’d be set for life.

Find the GCD Volkswagen GTI on eBay!

Tarmac Works Dodge Van – Despite Hot Wheels getting their Dajiban to market first, Tarmac Works premium execution of the Dodge Van in all its Japanese racing glory is just phenomenal. If you haven’t watched any videos of these things in action, please CLICK HERE and immerse yourself in the silly fun that is the Dajiban.

The teal color that Tarmac chose for its maiden release is perfect, with a yellow version in the pipeline. The details are all there, from the Watanabe wheels to the side exhaust. It looks so out of place in this list, but fits right in at the same time. Well done, Tarmac.

Find the Tarmac Works Dodge Van on eBay!

Hot Wheels Mercedes-Benz 560 SEC AMG – There were a few standout Mainline releases this year from Hot Wheels. Besides the Alfa Romeo GTV6 3.0, the Mercedes-Benz 560 SEC AMG took the crown for me. From its perfect wheels, aggressive fenders and 6x9s mounted on the rear parcel shelf – this thing is just top notch. The silver recolor is also fantastic, but the original black ticks all the boxes. Plus, those black wheels with the chrome lip put it over the edge, I’m looking forward to the 2024 Super Treasure Hunt release and hopefully it finds its way to Car Culture, too.

Find the Hot Wheels Mercedes-Benz 560 SEC on eBay!

Creating an Honorable Mention roll is an easy way to include even more cars in a Top 10, so I certainly won’t be shying away from that. The following are releases that really caught my attention, but just missed a spot on the aforementioned list.

Tomica Limited Vintage Nissan GT-R ItalDesign R50

It’s been a light year for memorable releases from TLV, but the Nissan GT-R ItalDesign R50 was a standout for me. The celebrated Italian design house collaborated with Nissan to create the R35 GT-R50, marking the 50th anniversary of the GT-R in 2019 and the 50th anniversary of Italdesign in 2018. TLV released it in two color ways so far, with two more set to be released in May 2024.

Find the TLV ItalDesign R50 on eBay!

GreenLight Ford F-150 (8th generation)

GreenLight is continuing to tap into the 1980s pickup truck market, this time with the brick nose Ford F-Series. The 8th generation Ford, on sale from 1986 through 1991 in the US, has that distinctly squared off front end, lending to its nickname. GreenLight released a few different versions, including standard issue, police outfitted and monster trucks. The red and silver two-tone from Vintage Ad series 9 was an easy choice for me. Besides the color, the standard looking wheels look the best in this application. Here’s to hoping GreenLight follows suit as they did with the Dodge Ram and introduce either a shortbed dually or crew cab.

Find the GreenLight Ford F-150 on eBay!

BMC Mazda Demio

Who doesn’t remember taking their starting and stopping B-Class license test in the first Gran Turismo piloting a Mazda Demio? For racing aficionados, getting behind the wheel of a car that was as glacially slow as that Demio was as painful as it was memorable. Yet here we are nearly thirty years later celebrating the car in miniature form. The only mark against it is that it’s boxed as a 1994, when the Demio didn’t go on sale until 1996.

Find the BMC Mazda Demio on eBay!

Tarmac Works Ferrari F40 LM

The Prancing Horse has been sparse in 1/64 since the expiration of Mattel’s license way back in 2014. The last model from the blue brand was the LaFerrari, which came and went in a single season. Since then, Tomica Limited Vintage has picked up the slack by introducing a handful of Modena’s finest over the last few years. Its first being the F40 of 2019. Fast forward to present day and there are a few brands trying their hand with Enzo’s creations. For the racing fan, Tarmac Works has created a few different versions of the F40. The one highlighted here is the LM from the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans. The number 34 car of the Pilot Aldix Racing team finished 12th overall, and is represented in incredible detail for a 1/64 scale model.

Find the Tarmac Works Ferrari F40 on eBay!

Inno64 Toyota 2000 GT

I still remember where I was when I decided I needed to join the Red Line Club in order to order the RLC version of the Toyota 2000 GT in the 1968 SCCA racing livery. The car went on sale while I was at work and I scrambled to find wifi to make the sale. Thankfully I did, yet the Neo Classic wheels made me hesitate opening the car upon its arrival. I vowed to wheel swap one with proper wheels and even bought a second to make sure I had an original, but that never materialized. With the introduction of the Japan Historics version in 2016, the idea of wheel-swapping the RLC version all but evaporated. Enter Inno64 and their two-car set of both SCCA racers. The detail for the racing versions are incredible and differ from the street version. Plus, they roll rather well. And while I’m not a packaging buff, the presentation is very nice if that’s your thing.

Find the Inno64 Toyota 2000 GT on eBay!

M2 Machines Dodge D-Series (early 3rd generation)

The final new pick-up casting from M2 for 2023 is the Dodge D-Series (1972-1978 so far). Again it’s proven popular on the shelves, with a buddy (DoomusRLC!) scoring me a complete set from upstate NY and me finding my own partial set down in sunny Florida. To this day, I never came across them in NJ. Like the OBS, complete sets are commanding a premium on eBay, while you’d be hard to find the Coca-Cola releases listing for over retail. Hint, hint M2. More stock versions! I do understand that the casting is still in the honeymoon period so it’d be interesting to see if it cools off in the future. It took a while to reach production, too, as it was first previewed for the 2022 Memorial Day post.

Find the M2 Machines Dodge Truck on eBay!

Because I want to get this done and I’m sure readership has probably fallen off by now, a few honorable mentions remain. The Hot Wheels Audi 90 quattro is exceptionally well done – right down to the little mooning guy in the rear window. PARA64 continues their Ruf dominance by introducing a slant nose BTR. Finally, another BM Creations worth looking into is the Isuzu VehiCROSS.