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OUT OF THE BOX and throughout the ALMS circuits. Above: It’s an evil-looking thing, for sure; of one-offs made, too - and a beyond. First thing to go was that EVIL TWIN wide, low, and wearing that menacing handful of well-publicized fires, trick nose splitter; in its place Once we’d pulled it out of its matte black. caused by a volatile adhesive was a proper chin spoiler and sleeve, this model went to the used in the wheel wells. More fixed front end. Further back, top of our series, too. It’s an evil- Below left: ough it shares its 4.5 liter groans came by way of a recall to the twin-clutch transmission looking thing, for sure; wide, low, displacement with the street version, in correct some engines’ tendencies lost one of its clutches (and kept and wearing that outrageous the GT2, the V8 makes less power - but to stop dead, thanks to an its paddle shifters), but the big wing out back, the car rolls on delivers more torque at a lower rpm. is incorrectly machined crankshaft news was a drop in power to 464 Michelin-branded race rubber scale version hits all the right notes, and (which purportedly happened horsepower. Ferrari had worked and BBS racing wheels with it’s nicely detailed from top to bottom. during a press review at the some magic with the 4.5 liter V8’s fixed-in-place ceramic-look factory. Bravo). mapping and cams; where the discs behind. e paint is a neat, Below right: e 458, in stock form, takes 562-horse street version does its light-diffusing suede finish that 3.3 seconds to reach 60. It took a lot less Somewhere in the midst of best grunting near the top of its gently highlights the body’s time to realize that the detailing under all the smoke and drama, Ferrari 9,000 rpm range, the race motor sweeping fender lines and wide the model’s removable panels was nicely took the otherwise superb car makes its hay - and keeps its bits hips. e paint also highlights done, with a lot of great castings, good and set it up to compete with together - at a relatively tame one or two areas where the paint, and clever bits like these clear the world in GT2. e year was 6,250. e combination works. prep on the casting could have reservoirs, cast in brake-fluid yellow. 2011, and the 458 was lightened Right out of the box, the Italia been more carefully done - like up for Grand Touring Endurance GT2 was a serious threat to the the panel line over the front under the ACO - Automobile competition at Le Mans, Sebring, wheels, which was polished Club de l’Ouest - at Le Mans and off at its outer edges on both sides. On a gloss-painted model, these wouldn’t even register as a problem, but this black is an unforgiving finish. Deal breaker? No - not at this model’s price. And the positives are here, in heaps. Lift the magnetically secured front cover (and check out the metal mesh it’s sporting in its center tunnel, while there). Mattel’s put in layers of tweaky little styrene pieces for the brake cooling tubes, air jacks, and aluminum struts and braces. ere are vinyl cables woven in between the hard plastic, and everything’s been kissed with paint, or very convincing “COOLEST DETAIL” AWARD GOES TO THE TRIO OF CLEAR RESERVOIRS CAST TO LOOK LIKE THEY’RE FULL OF HYDRAULIC FLUID. 50 DCXmag.com

through the area around and The gummy Michelin rubber and BBS past the wired and plumbed race wheels are a great combination, and engine. No drama below; as in the ceramic-look brake discs behind the life, the chassis is utterly smooth, spokes set them off nicely. save for some ducting. Stripped, lightened, and rebuilt built for racing, the main office of this GT2 variant of the Success Ferrari Italia is replicated very well, from the roll cage to the dozens of buttons and knobs Back when Mattel first started throughout the cabin. making Ferrari models under the Hot Wheels name, a lot carbon-fiber engraving. “Coolest are too strong (if you want to of collectors didn’t have high detail” award goes to the trio of try, go ahead - but remove hopes that the arrangement clear reservoirs cast to look like that front cover, first, or it’ll would amount to much. Those they’re full of hydraulic fluid. nosedive to the floor). In between first models were frequently Inside, the model’s got a full stout-looking, silver-painted re-pops, and oftentimes a little roll cage, and a matte red floor structural elements, the dry- clunky. That’s all in the past. and race seat; the former wears a sump V8 is set deep, beneath a With very few exceptions, this few cabled-in electronic control carbon-fiber air box. Twin rams 458 GT2 represents what the line boxes, a fire suppression bottle, go back, then buttonhook into has become - and just how well and a great, heavily deco’d faux fiber ducting beneath twin Mattel, and Hot Wheels, have racing console, and the latter screens on the car’s fender tops; evolved in this scale. If you see has a fabric harness with photo- more tubing and cables are run one coming, don’t step aside. etched buckles and adjusters. After watching a few in-cabin- SOURCES camera runs of 458 GT2s happily growling around tracks across Hot Wheels Elite hotwheels-elite.com the world, we were impressed with all of the correctly placed buttons and switches - and even the fabric anti-glare covers atop the carbon-fiber dash, all set between c/f door panels with “458” embossed on them. Equally complete is the V8 stashed under the lift-up, magnet-and-catch rear window. Show a tender hand while pulling this piece up, or you’ll bend the delicate photo-etched cooling grilles on either side of the butyrate window glass. Use a bit of fun tack to get a grip; turning the car over and tapping won’t work, because the magnets spring 2014 51

hot wheels highway by mike zarnock Exclusive Releases Look Twice, It’s Alright Mattel and the retailers continued to bring collectors exclusive Hot Wheels during 2013 to keep their appetites for variations satisfied with many tantalizing models to chase after — some of which were easy to spot, and others, well ... not so much. Walmart changed it up a bit this time, keeping it fresh (and making it easy) Kmart '34 Ford by keeping it bare: there was a whole series of unpainted ZAMAC cars (the name of the alloy the cars are cast in), rather than all the different colors, windshield banners, and wheel combinations they’d offered in previous years. Every other case code or so, three new ZAMAC cars were mixed in with the mainline releases for a total of 18 special vehicles. The packages had the corresponding mainline collector number, and also have the ZAMAC series number, which makes it easy to tell if you’ve collected them all. 2013 Walmart Exclusive ZAMAC Series 158 Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34) ZAMAC 006 HW Showroom 159 Datsun 240Z 2013 ZAMAC 014 HW Showroom 160 Volkswagen Scirocco GT24 ZAMAC 012 HW Showroom 161 Custom ‘69 Chevy Pickup ZAMAC 007 HW Showroom Kmart '49 Mercury 174 Ferrari F12 Berlinetta ZAMAC 013 HW Showroom 180 Lamborghini Aventador J ZAMAC 017 HW Showroom 183 Purple Passion ZAMAC 015 HW Showroom 192 ‘12 Camaro ZL1 ZAMAC 009 HW Showroom 204 ‘64 Corvette Sting Ray ZAMAC 008 HW Showroom 211 Custom ‘56 Ford F-100 ZAMAC 016 HW Showroom 219 Classic Nomad ZAMAC 002 HW Showroom 226 ‘10 Camaro SS ZAMAC 004 HW Showroom 231 ‘66 Chevy Nova ZAMAC 005 HW Showroom Kmart had its three “Kmart Hot Wheels Day” events throughout the year, and continued its tradition of limited colors to go along with the events. 234 ‘71 HEMI Cuda ZAMAC 003 HW Showroom If you’ve had the chance to participate, you know what fun they can be. The excitement of opening a fresh case and pulling out a Treasure Hunt 235 ‘73 Pontiac Firebird ZAMAC 018 HW Showroom or a Super Treasure Hunt is something every collector enjoys — this one included. 239 ‘70 Monte Carlo ZAMAC 010 HW Showroom 243 ‘69 Mercury Cougar Eliminator ZAMAC 001 HW Showroom 245 ‘68 Shelby GT500 ZAMAC 011 HW Showroom Kmart 2013 Walmart Scirocco February HW Showroom 182 Phaeton, metallic red HW Showroom 193 ‘49 Drag Merc, flat gray HW Showroom 209 2009 Corvette Stingray Concept, blue enamel HW Showroom 215 ‘71 Plymouth Roadrunner, lime green enamel Walmart ZAMAC Mustang September HW Showroom 189 3-Window 34 Ford, red enamel HW Showroom 191 ‘64 Lincoln Continental, Blue Afflair Maroon HW Showroom 201 ‘69 Corvette, Gang Green HW Showroom 228 ‘11 Dodge Charger R/T, Process Blue November HW Showroom 152 Cadillac CTS-V, Pearl Gray Metallic HW Showroom 164 Nissan Titan, red enamel HW Showroom 218 Custom ‘64 Galaxie 500, dark blue metallic HW Showroom 222 ‘08 Dodge Challenger SRT8, black enamel 52 DCXmag.com

Kroger 2013 Kroger stores were on board again with their choice of exclusive Hot Wheels cars for 2013. This set of six cars has no collector 01/06 Tire Fryer, Black enamel Scavenger Hunt number on the front of their cards, but do have the words, “This is one of six special scavenger hunt edition vehicles!” on the 02/06 40 Something, Candy rose Scavenger Hunt back. They’re also part of the “HW Showroom” series, as are all of the other exclusives for 2013. 03/06 Pony Up, (a) Metallic green with pale orange tampo Scavenger Hunt Kroger \"Pony-Up\" (b) metallic green with bright orange tampo Scavenger Hunt 04/06 Scorcher, Candy tangerine Scavenger Hunt 05/06 Vulture, Yellow pearl Scavenger Hunt 06/06 2008 Tesla Roadster, Black enamel Scavenger Hunt Toys “R” Us 2013 220 ‘59 Chevy Impala, Light blue enamel HW Showroom HW Showroom 221 ‘70 Camaro, metallic silver HW Showroom Toys \"R\" Us had their usual three exclusive colors again for the year, and not too many collectors knew about them. Toys 250 ’70 Chevy Chevelle SS, Red enamel “R” Us is very lax in promoting any of their special Hot Wheels releases. There is no signage in the stores, and no advertising in any print or media. Even the managers and staff don’t know anything about the cars, if asked — which meant that collectors had to frequent the online message boards to get the lowdown. Flashback 2009 | Snowflakes, Redlines, and Store Exclusives 2009 was a banner year for Hot Wheels mainline variations. Collectors were treated to many 127 2008 Lancer Evolution - 2009 Faster Than different colors and wheel changes in addition to the usual mainline changes for the year ... but there Ever #01 were Walmart and Kmart exclusives thrown into the mix, too. The Walmart exclusives included a White pearl, black Malaysia base, fte different color for six different vehicles, along with six other vehicles that were supposed to be 071 Corvette C6R - 2009 HW Racing #05 exclusives, but ended up being found in other stores. On top of that, there were 10 exclusive Redline Dark yellow pearl, black Malaysia base, orange 5-spoke vehicles and two “Good Year” 5-spoke cars too. Target even got into the game, with & black oh5 “Snowflake” cards. Though the cars were the same, the flaky artwork had card variation collectors all excited, hoping for a complete set of 190 cards. That didn’t happen; the cards were scattered Walmart Corvette throughout the many Target stores across the country, and have yet to see a complete list of numbers compiled. Not to be outdone, Kmart anted up with nine exclusive colors of their own from their three special Hot Wheels events that year. Let’s take a look at those first. Kmart Collector Days Event - 02/21/2009 158 Dairy Delivery - 2009 Modified Rides #02 087 Dodge Ram 1500 - 2009 HW Special 016 AMC Javelin AMX - 2009 New Models #16 Metallic silver, dark gray Malaysia base, red 5sp Features #01 Black metallic, chrome Malaysia base, 5sp Dark red metallic, black Malaysia base, or5 121 Custom Volkswagen Beetle - 2009 Heat Kmart Dairy Delivery 132 Straight Pipes - 2009 Faster Than Ever #06 Fleet #05 Metallic magenta, metal Malaysia base, fte Metallic green, metal Malaysia base, 5sp The Walmart Exclusives were pretty elusive, 136 Chevy Nova 2009 - Faster Than Ever #10 to say the least, with only a select number of 2009 Walmart Good Year Exclusives Metallic blue, chrome Malaysia base, fte stores receiving those special cases. Adding 014 Fast Gassin’ - 2009 New Models #14 to the mystery were the 10 different Redline White pearl, black Malaysia base, “Good Year” Kmart Collector Days Event - 09/19/2009 5sp vehicles, wearing the same colors as their 5sp 078 ‘67 Shelby GT-500 -2009 Muscle Mania regular release counterparts. Many collectors 121 Custom Volkswagen Beetle - 2009 Heat #02 passed right by them without even knowing Fleet #05 Pearl purple, chrome Malaysia base, chrome & they were there. Purple metallic, metal Malaysia base, “Good black oh5 Year” 5sp 081 ‘69 Dodge Charger - 2009 Muscle Mania Walmart Mainline Color Exclusives 2009 #05 100 Deora II - 2009 HW Designs #04 Walmart Custom VW Pearl white, chrome Malaysia base, 5sp Metallic purple, dark gray Malaysia base, oh5 085 ‘65 Mustang Fastback - 2009 Muscle 118 ‘68 Chevy El Camino - 2009 Heat Fleet #02 continued on page 55 Mania #09 White pearl, chrome Malaysia base, gold & Metallic orange, black Malaysia base, chrome black oh5 & black oh5 Kmart Collector Days Event – 11/07/2009 084 ‘69 Chevelle - 2009 Muscle Mania #08 Metallic blue, chrome Malaysia base, white pr5 149 ‘67 Camaro - 2009 Dream Garage #03 Satin gray, metal Malaysia base, 5sp SPRING 2014 53

2009 Hot Wheels Checklist❑ ❑ 001 Nissan GT-R New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 072 Pro Stock Firebird Team: Hot Wheels Racing ❑ 143 Bad Mudder 2 Team: Rebel Rides ❑ 002 Circle Tracker New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 073 Cabbin’ Fever Team: Hot Wheels Racing ❑ 144 Mustang Mach 1 Team: Rebel Rides ❑ 003 Corvette C6 New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 074 Pass ‘n Gasser Team: Hot Wheels Racing ❑ 145 Dixie Challenger Team: Rebel Rides ❑ 004 Brit Speed New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 075 GT Racer Team: Hot Wheels Racing ❑ 146 Ford F-150 Team: Rebel Rides ❑ 005 Ferrari 250 GTO New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 076 Amazoom Team: Hot Wheels Racing ❑ 147 2006 Dodge Viper Coupe Team: Dream Garage ❑ 006 5 Alarm New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 077 ‘69 Camaro Team: Muscle Mania ❑ 148 ‘69 Corvette Team: Dream Garage ❑ 007 ‘70 Buick GSX New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 078 ’67 Shelby GT-500 Team: Muscle Mania ❑ 149 ‘67 Camaro Team: Dream Garage ❑ 008 ‘69MercuryCougarEliminator New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 079 ‘70 Plymouth Road Runner Team: Muscle Mania ❑ 150 Lamborghini Murciélago Team: Dream Garage ❑ 009 OCC Splitback New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 080 ’71 Plymouth GTX Team: Muscle Mania ❑ 151 Hummer H2 SUT Team: Dream Garage ❑ 010 Bye Focal II New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 081 ’69 Dodge Charger Team: Muscle Mania ❑ 152 AMG-Mercedes CLK DTM Team: Dream Garage ❑ 011 ‘09 Ford F-150 New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 082 Olds 442 Team: Muscle Mania ❑ 153 Ferrari F430 Spider Team: Dream Garage ❑ 012 Mid Mill New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 083 ’69DodgeCoronetSuperBee Team: Muscle Mania ❑ 154 Canyon Carver Team: Dream Garage ❑ 013 ’71 Dodge Demon New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 084 ’69 Chevelle SS 396 Team: Muscle Mania ❑ 155 Porsche Carrera GT Team: Dream Garage ❑ 014 Fast Gassin’ New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 085 ’65 Mustang Fastback Team: Muscle Mania ❑ 156 Nissan Skyline GT-R Team: Dream Garage ❑ 015 Custom ‘53 Cadillac New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 086 ’08 Dodge Challenger SRT8 Team: Muscle Mania ❑ 157 Tail Dragger Team: Modified Rides ❑ 016 AMC Javelin AMX New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 087 Dodge Ram 1500 Team: Special Features ❑ 158 Dairy Delivery Team: Modified Rides ❑ 017 Volkswagen Type 181 New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 088 Spector Team: Special Features ❑ 159 Way 2 Fast Team: Modified Rides ❑ 018 Avant Garde New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 089 Jet reat 4.0 Team: Special Features ❑ 160 Sooo Fast Team: Modified Rides ❑ 019 ’70 Chevelle SS Wagon New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 090 Split Decision Team: Special Features ❑ 161 Asphalt Assault Team: Modified Rides ❑ 020 Dune It Up New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 091 Cloak and Dagger Team: Special Features ❑ 162 Honda Civic Si Team: Modified Rides ❑ 021 Lamborghini Reventon New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 092 Ground FX Team: Special Features ❑ 163 Fiat 500C Team: Modified Rides ❑ 022 Tri & Stop Me New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 093 Night Burner Team: Special Features ❑ 164 ‘40 Ford Pickup Team: Modified Rides ❑ 023 Custom V-8 Vega New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 094 Urban Agent Team: Special Features ❑ 165 At-A-Tude Team: Modified Rides ❑ 024 La Fasta New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 095 Ferrari 512M Team: Special Features ❑ 166 Deuce Roadster Team: Modified Rides ❑ 025 Custom ‘41 Willys Coupe New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 096 XS-IVE Team: Special Features ❑ 167 Corvette Grand Sport Mystery Cars ❑ 026 2010 Camaro SS New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 097 Nitro Scorcher Team: Hot Wheels Design ❑ 168 Ferrari F430 Challenge Mystery Cars ❑ 027 Custom ‘42 Jeep CJ-2A New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 098 HW40 Team: Hot Wheels Design ❑ 169 Shadow Mk IIa Mystery Cars ❑ 028 Barbaric New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 099 Hyper Mite Team: Hot Wheels Design ❑ 170 Ford Shelby Cobra Concept Mystery Cars ❑ 029 ’70 Plymouth AAR Cuda New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 100 Deora II Team: Hot Wheels Design ❑ 171 Fast Fish Mystery Cars ❑ 030 F1 Racer New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 101 16 Angels Team: Hot Wheels Design ❑ 172 Shell Shock Mystery Cars ❑ 031 ’66 Ford 427 Fairlane New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 102 Fast Fortress Team: Hot Wheels Design ❑ 173 Ford GTX-1 Mystery Cars ❑ 032 Tread Air New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 103 Ballistik Team: Hot Wheels Design ❑ 174 Ferrari 250 Mystery Cars ❑ 033 Triumph TR6 New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 104 Pony Up Team: Hot Wheels Design ❑ 175 Drift King Mystery Cars ❑ 034 Fast FeLion New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 105 Scorchin’ Scooter Team: Hot Wheels Design ❑ 176 Nitro Doorslammer Mystery Cars ❑ 035 Four-1 New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 106 Overbored 454 Team: Hot Wheels Design ❑ 177 Chevy Camaro Concept Mystery Cars ❑ 036 Gearonimo New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 107 Killer Copter Team: Hot Wheels City Works ❑ 178 Gangster Grin Mystery Cars ❑ 037 Datsun Bluebird 510 New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 108 ‘07 Chevy Tahoe Team: Hot Wheels City Works ❑ 179 Mitsubishi Double Shotz Mystery Cars ❑ 038 Ferrari California New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 109 Ford Fusion Team: Hot Wheels City Works ❑ 180 ‘40 Ford Mystery Cars ❑ 039 Ford GT New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 110 Armored Truck Team: Hot Wheels City Works ❑ 181 Dodge Concept Car Mystery Cars ❑ 040 Draggin’ Tail New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 111 Surfin’ School Bus Team: Hot Wheels City Works ❑ 182 Prototype H-24 Mystery Cars ❑ 041 2010 Ford Mustang GT New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 112 Cockney Cab II Team: Hot Wheels City Works ❑ 183 Rogue Hog Mystery Cars ❑ 042 Pedal de Metal New Models / HW Premiere ❑ 113 Ice Cream Truck Team: Hot Wheels City Works ❑ 184 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe Mystery Cars ❑ 043 ’65 Mustang Treasure Hunts / T-Hunt ❑ 114 Hiway Hauler Team: Hot Wheels City Works ❑ 185 Split Vision Mystery Cars ❑ 044 ’57 Plymouth Fury Treasure Hunts / T-Hunt ❑ 115 Morris Wagon Team: Hot Wheels City Works ❑ 186 ‘08 Ford Focus Mystery Cars ❑ 045 Bad Bagger Treasure Hunts / T-Hunt ❑ 116 Street Cleaver Team: Hot Wheels City Works ❑ 187 Ratbomb Mystery Cars ❑ 046 Fire-Eater Treasure Hunts / T-Hunt ❑ 117 Chevy Silverado Team: Heat Fleet ❑ 188 ‘07 Shelby GT500 Mystery Cars ❑ 047 ’37 Ford Woodie Treasure Hunts / T-Hunt ❑ 118 ‘68 Chevy El Camino Team: Heat Fleet ❑ 189 1964 Ford Galaxie 500XL Mystery Cars ❑ 048 ’34 Ford Treasure Hunts / T-Hunt ❑ 119 Baja Breaker Team: Heat Fleet ❑ 190 Quad Rod Mystery Cars ❑ 049 Custom ‘53 Chevy Treasure Hunts / T-Hunt ❑ 120 Mad Propz Team: Heat Fleet ❑ 050 Bone Shaker Treasure Hunts / T-Hunt ❑ 121 Custom Volkswagen Beetle Team: Heat Fleet New Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . U.S. Release HW Premiere . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . International Release ❑ 051 ’49 Merc Treasure Hunts / T-Hunt ❑ 122 Camaro Convertible Concept Team: Heat Fleet Treasure Hunts U.S. Release. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . T-Hunt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . International Release ❑ 052 ’55 Chevy Treasure Hunts / T-Hunt ❑ 123 Jeep Scrambler Team: Heat Fleet Mystery Cars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . U.S. Release Only ❑ 053 GMC Motorhome Treasure Hunts / T-Hunt ❑ 124 Morris Mini Team: Heat Fleet ❑ 054 Neet Streeter Treasure Hunts / T-Hunt ❑ 125 ‘55 Nomad Team: Heat Fleet ❑ 055 RocketFire Track Stars ❑ 126 Midnight Otto Team: Heat Fleet ❑ 056 Solar Reflex Track Stars ❑ 127 2008 Lancer Evolution Team: Faster an Ever ❑ 057 Ultra Rage Track Stars ❑ 128 Dodge Challenger Concept Team: Faster an Ever ❑ 058 Buzz Bomb Track Stars ❑ 129 Dodge Charger SRT8 Team: Faster an Ever Michael Zarnock has been ❑ 059 Dodge XP-07 Track Stars ❑ 130 Duel Fueler Team: Faster an Ever collecting Hot Wheels since ❑ 060 Nerve Hammer Track Stars ❑ 131 Buick Grand National Team: Faster an Ever 1968; he is considered by ❑ 061 Chrysler HEMI 300C Track Stars ❑ 132 Straight Pipes Team: Faster an Ever many to be the ultimate varia- ❑ 062 ’69 Chevelle Track Stars ❑ 133 1966 TV Series Batmobile Team: Faster an Ever tion historian. If you would like a ❑ 063 Synkro Track Stars ❑ 134 Lotus Concept Team: Faster an Ever complete checklist of all 2005 mainline varia- tions, be sure to pick up a copy of Michael’s ❑ 064 Covelight Track Stars ❑ 135 ’09 Corvette ZR1 Team: Faster an Ever book Hot Wheels Variations the Ultimate Guide, now in its fourth edition. Copies are ❑ 065 RD-10 Track Stars ❑ 136 ‘68 Nova Team: Faster an Ever available from his website, MikeZarnock.com. ❑ 066 Reverb Track Stars ❑ 137 Airy 8 Team: Rebel Rides ❑ 067 Chevroletor Team: Hot Wheels Racing ❑ 138 ‘32 Ford Vicky Team: Rebel Rides ❑ 068 Acura NSX Team: Hot Wheels Racing ❑ 139 Custom ‘62 Chevy Team: Rebel Rides ❑ 069 GP-2009 Team: Hot Wheels Racing ❑ 140 ’64 Lincoln Continental Team: Rebel Rides ❑ 070 Panoz GTR-1 Team: Hot Wheels Racing ❑ 141 Custom Ford Bronco Team: Rebel Rides ❑ 071 Corvette C6R Team: Hot Wheels Racing ❑ 142 Roll Cage Team: Rebel Rides 54 DCXmag.com

continued from page 53 Metallic dark gray, chrome Malaysia base, 5sp Redline 5sp ese six vehicles were planned as a Walmart 144 Mustang Mach 1 - 2009 Rebel Rides #08 086 ‘08 Dodge Challenger SRT8 - 2009 Muscle Metallic green, black Malaysia base, chrome & Mania #10 Color Exclusives but were found mainly in black oh5 Metallic green, dark gray Malaysia base, Red- grocery stores — making them the hardest to line 5sp be found! Walmart Redline Mainline Exclusives 2009 113 Ice Cream Truck - 2009 HW City Works 008 ‘69 Mercury Cougar Eliminator - 2009 #07 114 Hiway Hauler - 2009 HW City Works #08 New Models #08 Purple metallic, chrome Malaysia base, Redline Metallic copper, chrome Malaysia base, black Dark purple metallic, chrome Malaysia base, 5sp box, pr5 Redline 5sp 123 Jeep Scrambler - 2009 Heat Fleet #07 Metallic blue, black Malaysia base, Redline or5 Walmart Hiway Hauler Mercury Cougar 144, Mustang Mach 1 - 2009 Rebel Rides #08 Metallic orange, black Malaysia base, Redline 161 Asphalt Assault - 2009 Modified Rides #05 019 ‘70 Chevelle SS Wagon - 2009 New Mod- 5sp Metallic green, black Malaysia base, 10sp els #19 149 ‘67 Camaro - 2009 Dream Garage #03 Metallic gold, chrome Malaysia base, Redline Blue satin, metal Malaysia base, Redline 5sp 164 ‘40 Ford Pickup - 2009 Modified Rides 5sp 158 Dairy Delivery - 2009 Modified Rides #02 #08 031 ‘66 Ford Fairlane GT - 2009 New Models Yellow enamel, dark gray Malaysia base, Metallic purple, chrome Malaysia base, 5sp #31 Redline 5sp 077 ‘69 Camaro - 2009 Muscle Mania #01 Red metallic, chrome Malaysia base, Redline Yellow pearl, chrome Malaysia base, gold & 5sp Other than the Super Treasure Hunts, the most black oh5 078 ‘67 Shelby GT-500 - 2009 Muscle Mania sought after variations collectors were hop- 080 ‘71 Plymouth GTX - 2009 Muscle Mania #02 ing to find was the rare mainline #017 orange #04 Dark burgundy metallic, chrome Malaysia base, Volkswagen Type 181 with 5sp wheels and the exclusive metallic copper Hiway Hauler. To find a complete list of all the 2009 Hot Wheels Mainline variations, make sure to look for my new, soon-to-be-released collector guide, Hot Wheels Variations 2000-2013. 1/2H.indd 1 12/6/13 10:51 AM

quick LOOK AUTO WORLD 1957 CHRYSLER 300C 1:18 | $89.99 by Joe Kelly, Jr. The 392 Hemi V8 was a tech T here have been truckloads of superlatives heaped flawlessly finished piece that retailed for a very reason- wonder in 1957 - and the 1:18 onto the 1957 Chrysler 300C over the years — but able 70 bucks and offered up a heap of working features version of the engine is still a that’s what happens when an automobile checks including opening doors, hood, and trunk, a working truly impressive sight, thanks to off so many important boxes in such broad strokes. It was suspension, steerable wheels, a retractable antenna, tilting Auto World. beautiful and understated, built more carefully than other seat backs on the front bench, and a rotating driveshaft cars at the time ... and it was the fastest, most powerful that spun when the rear wheels were rolled. production automobile in America. Now, that mold set is under the good graces of the One of the magazines that was singing the Chrys- Auto World folks, who have released this version as part ler’s praises that year was Popular Mechanics, which of an “American Muscle” series featuring magazine cover included the 300C as part of their February 1957 annual cars — in this case, the aforementioned February 1957 new car review. The Chrysler was pictured on the cover, Popular Mechanics, the cover of which is reproduced on and within the pages, the decidedly full-sized car topped the window box’s art — and it carries the same menu of the “Special-Sports-Type, Personal Cars” section, along features as the Ertl WPCC release, done here minus the with the Corvette, Studebaker Golden Hawk, and the Ford first car’s fancy electroplated chrome, and one or two Thunderbird — all of which made roughly 100 horsepower texture and paint tricks. The casting is great, of course, less than the 300C’s 375. and it’s painted here in a nice metallic gunmetal gray. The A few years ago, Ertl’s “Walter P. Chrysler Collection” chrome may not be the expensive stuff, but it more than model of that car had scaleheads all aflutter, as the first does the job on the big model’s ends, and all the side and of what was purported to be a full series of high-detail, window trim in between. One of the actual improvements lavishly finished, ready-to-display diecast models — a la on the newer car is correctly deco’d wheel covers, which Ertl’s “Precision 100” selection, under Ford. It was a giant, are wrong on the original release. Another good call is the body-color radiator brace under the real-hinged hood — correct at last, and it fronts one of the still-best scale engines in the hobby. The level of finish on the 392 Hemi’s block, crazy twin air cleaners and environs, done with wonderful castings, meticulous paint, and quality mark- ings, actually surpasses the original Chrysler Collection offering. Not so much the trunk, which goes uncarpeted, but does have “weather stripping.” Inside, the bench seats, door panels, and dash are all just as we remember, with a beige and black color scheme — and yes, the wee dangling photo-etched key in the ignition. The chassis detail is actually improved, too — the body is painted in the correct color, not black — and all of the other pieces, including an exhaust that’s been done in multiple grades of metallic, are just as well-decorated and put together as anyone might hope for in a model tagged at this still-bargain price. Superlative? You bet. SOURCES Auto World autoworldstore.com 56 DCXmag.com

AUTO WORLD 1970 CHEVELLE SS454 1:43 | $69.99 by Joe Kelly, Jr. Anyone who needs proof that 1:43 is edging its silver piping, cranks, and handles, and the front buckets 1:43 is getting muscular. Crisp, way into the mainstream need only look at Auto straddle a four-speed console ... and wear what looks to accurate, and built very well, World’s Astro Blue 1970 Chevelle SS454. is fine- be a set of fabric belts, with detailed buckles. ere’s even Auto World’s Chevelle brings scale resincast, coming as it does from a company with the a dome light. Really. the real car’s powerful presence marketing and the distribution to make a splash, represents out in a beautiful resincast. We a serious attempt to bring real finesse out in the “collec- e real thing was a monster — in its top, solid-lifter can’t wait to see what they tool tors’ scale” for muscle car fans. And, from what we see, LS6 trim, Chevy’s 450-horse (500 is more like it) 454 up next. that attempt should work just fine. is is a staggering street brawler was the pinnacle in an ever-upward spiral piece that we can’t seem to take our eyes off of. of bigger and bigger engines, producing more and more horsepower. at grunt gave the car 12-second quarter e reason is simple: it’s a great-looking car. So was the mile times. In slightly less powerful trim — the LS5, at 360 real one. For that matter, so was the original Ertl 1:18 di- horsepower, or the 350-horse 396/402 — the car was ecast of the car — in this color — which was responsible for still a tough piece to beat. After spending a few happy so many new collectors coming on board, back in the day. hours with this model, we’d have to say the same. High- est recommendation. Because resin flows into a mold so fluidly, the scaled Chevelle SS looks exactly right in 1:43 ... mean, muscular, SOURCES and poised. e shape of the car, from its exceptionally well-done quad headlights and its cowl-induction hood, to Auto World autoworldstore.com the swell of its rear quarters and its perfect, tire-topping ride height, is dead on. We can’t find a view angle that defeats this replica’s accuracy — that’s saying a lot on a car this deceptively curvy — and it’s topped by one of the best, deepest paint jobs we’ve seen on any 1:43, deco’d with the Chevelle’s distinctive black stripes; tamped-on, just the right width, the perfect gloss, and wearing “cowl induction” lettering on the ZL2-option hood scoop. As if that wasn’t enough, every bit of chrome on the car is done either in a separate casting — like the door handles — or a neat, perfectly applied photo-etch piece — like the ones that frame out the butyrate windows. e taillights are cast in red plastic and actually have tamped-on “chrome” detailing. Some of the highlights are actually placed fairly low on the model — like the photo-etched wheel well trim and those amazing wheels and tires. Suffice it to say that the SS 5-spokes, fitted with Goodyear F70-14 “Polyglas” tires, are so well done that we’d probably shell out the cost of the entire model for a set to use in a project or two. And while it’s not as easy to see, the cabin has all the right stuff in all the right places (and in the right colors); the dash is slick, the door panels are crisp and deco’d with SPRING 2014 57

QUICK LOOK AUTOart 1962 PORSHE 804 “1962 GERMAN GRAND PRIX” 1:18 | $260 by Bill Bennett to feed air to the oil cooler. e cockpit is highly detailed, Meet Jo Bonnier, as placed in and though the driver figure (permanently the model by AUTOart. Despite Porsche has always looked at racing as a way to installed) blocked most interior views, the a couple of missed cues, it’s a improve their road machines, and that’s kept the rest of the 804 offered plenty to keep us great-looking car in scale. lion’s share of their racing effort directed toward entertained. e “Perspex” windscreen is sports cars, GTs, and prototypes. But for a brief time in the held in place with 15 microscopic screws; Left: e 804’s 1.5 liter flat 8 is early 1960s, the FIA’s rule book and Porsche’s develop- the binnacle has a large central tach that’s complete to the smallest detail ment priorities suddenly, almost magically aligned, and flanked by oil pressure and temperature - including “safety wire” on the Stuttgart decided to try their hand at Formula One. So, in gauges, and it supports the plastic/photo- cam covers. 1962, Porsche debuted the 804, with a 1.5-liter, flat-8, etch composite steering wheel. Removing air-and-oil-cooled engine ... and won. With Dan Gurney the engine cover and tail section reveals at the wheel, Porsche took the ’62 Formula One French all the work that went into the engine and Grand Prix at Rouen, and a week later, Gurney and team- transaxle, including lots of hoses, wires, and mate Jo Bonnier finished 1-2 at the Solitudering, taking even the shifter mechanism for the trans- the non-championship race in front of a hometown crowd axle, done here in lavish photo-etch detail. of 300,000. Our favorite bit? e valve covers, which have been safety wired. Even the oil pan, A total of four 804s were built by Porsche, and Gur- suspension, and exhaust are executed to a no-fooling- ney’s, Bonnier’s, and the fourth car built (which never around level of detail. raced, but featured a radical new rear suspension) are known to have survived. is AUTOart version of Bon- ere is one issue — and it’s a big one. AUTOart sent nier’s 804, done in their “Signature” series, is patterned along a couple of samples, and the front suspension on after the car as it raced at the Nurburgring in the 1962 this Bonnier racer and the rear suspension on the Gurney German Grand Prix, where it finished seventh. AUTOart’s ride (not seen here) don’t match period photos of the cars. actually done two versions of the Bonnier car — one with Specifically, the Bonnier car is missing the front torsion a driver figure, and one without — and each model cap- bars, and Gurney’s rear suspension has four large hori- tures almost all of the detail of the real thing. zontal links — part of that next-genny rear that never saw action, on the fourth car built. at’s a drag; Gurney’s car is Shaped somewhat like a flattened torpedo, the body a historic high note for Porsche, and we’re surprised that is painted a glossy silver, with only a small slot in the nose nobody in either camp — AUTOart or Porsche — caught the slip up before production. at being said, there’s an awful lot of detail to be had here, and Porsche collectors who like a well-rounded display — and something a bit off-beat to ponder — will like all of those deep little bits and pieces just fine. SOURCES AUTOart autoartmodels.com 58 DCXmag.com

AUTOart ALFA ROMEO 33 TT 12 1:18 | $329.99 by Bill Bennett We may as well get right to it: AUTOart’s 1975 the pieces go missing. Lift the engine cover (and engage AUTOart is giving lie to the Alfa 33 TT 12 will take your breath away. Period. the neat two-piece prop), or remove the nose, and the idea that a replica has to cost Amazingly detailed, utterly authentic — and nearly microscopic replication is relentless — 35 individual $500 or more to bring out truly while we always expect the former from this crew, the photo-etch pieces add detail to the engine and working mesmerizing detail. Check out latter is the result of collaboration between AUTOart and suspension alone. Roll the car over and the hand-serial- those hoses and wires behind the now-defunct Alfa Romeo Museum, which granted full ized underside is just as well done as the topside, with the the dash, and the complexity access to the real car. at behind-the-ropes quality time flat 12-cylinder engine, scuffed tires, a “bundle of snakes” of the working suspension and has resulted in some very nice pieces before, but this is the exhaust, and a transaxle and suspension done with im- steering. best yet. peccable, even functional, accuracy. Developed in 1973, the 33 TT 12 (“TT” for telaio No, anything north of 300 bucks isn’t cheap. But the tubolare — tube chassis) featured a normally aspirated, level of jaw-dropping things to see and experience here — 3-liter, 12-cylinder boxer engine, inboard rear brakes, wired-in taillights ... a fully plumbed engine and dashboard and an aerodynamic fiberglass body with chin splitter, ... a working suspension made from exact miniatures of side fences, and a rear wing, all capped by a tall snorkel every element on the real car — “breathtaking” is only the that gobbled up the air and channeled it into the flat-12’s beginning. Highest recommendation. intakes. In 1974, it finished second to Matra in the 1974 World Championship for Makes. But in 1975, the 33 TT 12 SOURCES completely dominated the series, winning seven of eight races, driven by a number of prominent drivers — like this AUTOart autoartmodels.com car, which took the 1975 1000km at Monza at the capable hands of Jacques Laffite and Arturo Merzario. All of that history is well served up here, in a man- ner that puts AUTOart solidly into the upper echelons of ready-made, top-tier display models. With 655 separate parts (only 19 of which are diecast), the model has a heavy, solid feel, unlike some replicas we’ve seen at this level of detail. Nothing is out of place, or causes any stress whilst going onto or coming off of the model — remark- able, considering the car’s removable nose, tilting rear, and trigger-operated, forward-hinged doors. e dark red paint is lush, smooth, and even, and it’s been kissed with 95 separate tamped-on markings on a body with remark- able shut lines. ey “read” as well as the engraved details on many sealed-body resincasts we’ve seen — only these operate smoothly and evenly. Small chromed rivets hold some of the body together and add sparkle to the image. A small lug wrench helps remove the road wheels for a look at the running gear, and beautician-grade tweezers are included for replac- ing any loose rivets with included spares, should one of SPRING 2014 59

QUICK LOOK MINICHAMPS 1938 BENTLEY “EMBERICOS” 1:43 | $72 by Joe Kelly, Jr. e car was a success, in more Smooth, tapered, and powerful, ways than one. First off, it was as fast the Embericos offered true Toward the end of the 1930s, Bentley’s legendary as it was beautiful — close to 115mph Bentley power and speed, and racing bloodline had been thinned by an infusion of at Brooklands. Most importantly, European styling. Rolls-Royce DNA. Rolls made an exceptional ma- Paulin had re-imagined the Bentley chine, but since buying Bentley in 1931, the luxury maker grille and had equipped the rest of the Left: e faired-in grille was a had been replacing the sportier marque’s performance car with a swept-back windshield and real breakthrough - and the look cars with re-badged Rolls-Royce designs that simply fastback roof with a split rear window. is echoed today in Bentley’s didn’t have the hump to properly carry the winged “B.” Up front, the headlights were placed performance machines. in faired-in nacelles, and the fenders’ Rolls-Royce may have been stodgy, but they weren’t trailing edges and rear of the singular stupid. After one too many tales from dealers/agents Bentley were upswept and tapered — of Bentleys being one-upped on the road by lesser much as they’d been on the Hispano-Suiza “Xenia” built machines, Rolls directed a few old-guard Bentley boys to for Dubonnet. at’s ironic, since Rolls-Royce mistakenly see what might be done — on the cheap. What they found assumed the Embericos car was also being designed by was startling, to say the least: the latest, most power- the Xenia’s architect, Jean Andreau. ( ey also thought ful car from Derby was more aerodynamic when driven that the car was being built at another coachbuilder. backwards. e reason was its upright grille, which had a Wrong again.) In 1939, the car was sold to H.S.F. Hay, who Stonehenge-like coefficient of drag. Convincing Bentley to first raced it at Le Mans in 1949 — and took sixth place, change it wasn’t going to be easy. overall, then drove the car off on a holiday. Enter André Embericos, entrepreneur and shipping e Minichamps model is positively sublime, with a magnate from Greece, who had the cash to fund a one-off diecast body and resincast fenders all painted in a deeply “low-drag” car based on his personal 4 1/4-Liter chassis. polished dark gray. e fitment of the various trim bits While Embericos had the mechanicals tweaked a bit for — especially the window framing — is remarkable. So are a boost in power, Georges Paulin drew up a streamlined the fluted headlights and single driving light mounted in body for the car, similar to his aero-conscious designs for the lower grille; these clear pieces are supplemented by Peugeot, Delage, and Talbot-Lago. e machine was built bezeled, paint-filled marker lights and taillights, with an from aluminum (even the seat frames) and came together additional set of markers tamped-on to the rear fender at the Paris shops of Carrosserie Pourtout. tops. e brown interior is all here, if a little challenging to see, with full dash and door panel detailing and a buff- colored rear deck under the split rear glass. e finest detail on the car is the whistle-thin louvers on either side of the hood — neatly engraved and detail painted, they more than compensate for the one thing we see wrong: no screens on the cooling vents cut into the leading edges of the rear fenders. Would that keep us from running out and grabbing this one — or the competition- liveried versions that are most certain to follow? Not even if we had to drive there backward. Highly recommended. SOURCES Minichamps carvillemodelshops.com 60 DCXmag.com

Over 2,000 1:18 and 1:43 diecast model cars from Acme, 140 Long Road, Suite 130 TrueScale, Autoworld, Minichamps, Autoart, Replicarz, Chesterfield, MO 63005 CMC, Kyosho, SunStar, Spark, and MUCH MORE! 100’s of the best car and racing book titles too! Email: [email protected] DiM working.indd 1 12/6/13 1:05 PM 1/4S.indd 1 12/5/13 11:05 AM 1/6H.indd 1 8/20/13 3:08 PM

QUICK LOOK CENTURY DRAGON JAGUAR C X75 CONCEPT 1:43 | $99 by DCX Staff precision cast (and deeply chromed) resin and plastic, or, e Jaguar C-X75 was a wild where applicable, scale-correct screening for the vents concept that will unfortunately C entury Dragon’s jewel-like resincast Jaguar C-X75 and grille up front. Of course, there are steel discs behind never see production. Lucky for is a lot like a movie with a trick ending. At least, the wheels, and of course, the acres of butyrate glazing us, Century Dragon has brought that’s the feeling we got. Just when we thought it allow a great view of an interior that starts with an im- the dream car into the light of had given up its last thrill, we spotted something else that maculate dash and console and wild sling seats, and ends day in this stunning, high-quality got us clicking our teeth. out back with a view of the twin turbines nestled under release. the glass. Some of that has to do with the shape and counte- nance of the car, for sure. e sharper-eyed among you Our favorite detail? Tough call, but the real metal will see that this isn’t a model of one of the five running screening secured inside the vent on the hood is impres- versions that Jaguar built before calling off production sive, mostly because Century Dragon might have let the (don’t you hate when that happens?), but a painstaking, area pass with a simple lick of black paint — and none wonderfully rendered replication of the concept that de- would have missed the slight. Somehow, with a 128-piece buted the car’s bloodline at the Paris Auto Show in 2010. parts count, we get the feeling that this manufacturer isn’t fond of taking the easy way out. Great new model, great Back when Jaguar’s engineers were still shooting new manufacturer. for the stars, the C-X75 was to be built with a high-end hybrid drive that would generate 780hp, using a pair of SOURCES micro-turbine engines to generate power to charge its batteries; these, in turn, would power four electric mo- Century Dragon centurydragonshop.com tors — one at each wheel — to give the car a zero-to-60 shot in under three seconds, zero to 100 in a little over six, and a top end that would pass 200mph. ose motors would also generate torque — lots of torque — which could be managed from wheel to wheel through computer- controlled vectoring. In yet another nod toward the future, those micro-turbines were capable — at least on paper — of being fed everything from vegetable oil to diesel to CNG or LPG. Even those dream specs couldn’t save the project from the ultimate crunch: a downward trending economy. In December 2012, the C-X75 was pulled back (after five mechanically different running prototypes were built), but Jaguar promises that some of the technology will be used in future products. As far as pacifiers go, this is a wicked bit of candy. e finish on the model is absolutely peerless; it’s been a while since we’ve seen a silver model in this scale with type of fire running over its haunches. e casting is simply per- fect, and all of the detail bits — headlights, taillights, side vents — even the tiny door handles and bounding cat on the rear deck are done in exquisite pieces of photo-etch, 62 DCXmag.com

CMC FERRARI 312P BERLINETTA 1:18 | $459 by DCX Staff F errari’s 312P may have gone down in history as an of these, it’s a working device; try- e car’s nose is complete to the also-ran, but the effort behind trying to make the ing to pull the doors up, or lifting the tiniest detail - well worth the ef- car a world-beater was intense — especially since tail without cranking these catches fort of pulling the model’s body Ferrari was still shuffling most of its racing cash into F1, not open first is a bad idea. at being apart for. is is great stuff. road and endurance campaigns. At first, the car appeared said, what’s revealed behind those as a singular Spyder (covered elsewhere in this issue), panels is superior stuff. e sling Sleek, low, and fast, the 312P and it had a good first showing. But it wouldn’t match the seats are covered in red leather Berlinetta was up against formi- top end speed of its competition for a planned attack at and set into an utterly complete, dable odds, but it will always be Le Mans, so Ferrari broke out the pencils and designed a if claustrophobic, cabin with full one of the most beautiful race closed body — a Berlinetta, as opposed to a barchetta - to detailing on the dash and in the foot cars ever made. Kudos to CMC see if the car’s otherwise excellent chassis could be made wells. Lift the nose for a gander at flexible cooling ducts - for this companion release to to go all the faster. And it did. But it still wasn’t fast enough actually clever steel springs - and the delicate suspension their 312P Spyder. to outrun bad luck, or the ever-better Porsches that kept struts, brake hoses, and frame elements. More of that appearing in waves. At Sebring, Chris Amon brought the fanatical detailing lives below the tilt-up rear. No, the big closed car in second, and it later finished second at Spa piece doesn’t come off the car, but what can be seen is and fourth at Brands hatch. At Le Mans, both cars entered a gobsmacking layer cake of crunchy castings, beautiful were DNFs, thanks to an accident and a failed gearbox. metallized finishes, and seemingly dozens of real steel parts that have been bent, etched, or otherwise finessed Too bad they weren’t judging the Berlinetta for sheer onto the 420-horse 3-liter V12’s shoulders, before it got beauty, because in this closed-roof form, the car is abso- wired ’til it screamed. lutely magnetic. And we have proof. CMC has opted to 1-2 their release of the 312P in a pair of high-detail, high-end From where we sit, this is a company that’s keeping offerings that have to be seen to be believed (go to DCX true to itself - and its collector base - with some beautiful mag.com and watch the video - ed.). Every note of the car cars for discerning folks who appreciate the hardware that is here; every rivet, every hinge, every... well, everything. each model wears so proudly. All that finger fun - includ- With a tilt-off nose, a tilt-up rear, opening doors, steerable ing the removable wheels - comes at a price. All good wheels, and - get this - operable filler caps on the fuel and things ultimately do. Highly recommended. oil reservoirs, the model is low, wide, and purposeful. And yes, it’s very, very red. SOURCES It took a while to soak in all the outside details, but CMC cmc-modelcars.com these cars are manufactured for deep exploration, so we got right to it. First, a warning: if you see a handle on one 1/4H.indd 1 S1P2R/3I/N13G 21:04104PM63

QUICK LOOK HOT WHEELS ELITE 1966 BATMOBILE W/FIGURES 1:18 | $129.95 by DCX Staff M ental conditioning is an amazing thing. To this e car beneath those seated maquettes is Top: Meet the Caped Crusader, day, it is absolutely impossible for us to look at the same middle-run model we saw as the purple cape and all. HWE’s done any of Hot Wheels Elite’s models of the Barris “Elite” version a couple of years ago, with a cracking job replicating a clas- Batmobile without hearing the opening “Na-na-na-na- opening doors, hood, and trunk, steerable sic TV superhero. na-na-na-na” of the Batman theme playing - loudly wheels, and a decent smattering of photo- Above: Robin is equally well done - between our ears. Now, it’s going to be even harder to etched bits for the door handles and Bat - and busy at the moment. squelch that riff, thanks to this new release of the most Beacon up front. Between the screen-ac- famous automobile in the world, replete with seated Bat- cented nose and tail, the doors and opening Far left: e car’s engine is a man and Robin figures. panels all fit well and operate smoothly - well-done bit of bat whimsy. pretty remarkable, seeing as this has to be Left: Every detail of the Barris First, a word about figures. When done well, they can one of the busiest mold sets in the history Batmobile is here ... even the accent a model - especially one that’s usually remem- of diecasting. Beneath those opening bits, labels on the ’chutes. bered with a driver at the wheel. But when done badly … the car’s fanciful jet turbine engine is done well … let’s just say that we’ve seen our share of other- in a flashy chrome assemblage that’s been wise good models sullied by what appears to be a clown in wired and piped with a neat mix of hard cast plastic and a crash helmet at the helm. bent steel, and popping the trunk will get you a view of the “Mobile Crime Computer” - really nothing more than a ankfully, that’s not the case here. For all intents and couple of colorful stickers, but, well, it’s there. purposes, the pair of figures in the seats are pinpoint- perfect sculpts of Adam West and Burt Ward, done in a e paint is perfect, as is the applied striping and bat great-looking vinyl that’s been painted up precisely. West signage all over, and the five-spoke Radir wheels with seems to be concentrating on the road ahead, and Ward their bat centers really set the car off — as they did when is on the phone (Commissioner Gordon? Cat Woman? the Batmobile crossed our TV screens all those years ago. e possibilities boggle the mind). What really sells these ose familiar faces behind the canopy make the image all is the snapshot quality of the poses - Robin seems to be the sweeter. “Na-na-na-na,” indeed. emphasizing something with his left hand, while Batman is holding the steering wheel firmly in his right, while SOURCES reaching for the rim with his left - as if he’s getting ready to turn the car into some back alley or through the wall of Hot Wheels Elite hotwheels-elite.com an evil lair. 64 DCXmag.com

AUTOART HONDA NSX TYPE R 1:18 | $205 by DCX Staff T he automotive press fell in love with the Honda headlights, activated by a trigger under the nose — NSX on sight, and each reviewer worked hard works smoothly. Under that double cover, the 3-liter to pen superlatives potent enough to convey DOHC VTEC V6 is fully labeled, wired, and plumbed, and that affection. Nobody blamed them; here was a so thoroughly detailed that even the smallest note — performance machine of the highest order that boasted the red pull ring on the oil dipstick — has been painted an exotic pressed aluminum body, an extruded and placed. Ahead of the firewall, the stripped-down aluminum frame, and a cab-forward look that was RHD interior has the right lightweight Recaro seats, but frequently compared to an F15 fighter. retains the radio and climate controls that the hardcore Honda left behind in the name of weight savings. e Best of all, under its skin, the NSX — sold here as an console does have the titanium shifter, however, and Acura — was a Honda. at meant to sports cars what Above left to right: Everything Honda motorcycles had meant to decades of two- the rest of the cockpit’s been sewn together with on the model works flawlessly, wheeled adventures, and what cars like the Civic had accurate textures and finishes. even these lever-activated pop- meant to basic transportation: at the end of the day, this up headlights. ■ e lightweight portended heir to the Japanese supercar throne was e rear trunk is remarkable if only for the complex seats are correct — but the going to be a dependable, sturdy, long-lived machine. hinges and struts and its fuzzy floor, but it’s the action radio and A/C were tossed on in the front end and below the Honda that takes the the real “Type R.” Still, this is a at’s kind of what AUTOart has become to the model to another level. e complex brake and clutch well-cobbled gut to explore. ■ hobby: you can pretty much bet that anything inside cylinders, battery, and fuse block are all wired in, and It only made around 270 horse- a Signature series black box is going to arrive ready there’s even a delicate bent-metal brace to hold the power, but the Honda 3-liter to impress, and that the construction and finish of the lid aloft. Beneath the car, the hand-serialized chassis V6 was a screamer, thanks to piece is going to be — with very few exceptions — a holds great looking subassemblies for the lower engine, variable cam timing and titanium top-notch affair. Which this 1992 NSX Type R certainly forged suspension arms, and complex exhaust system. connecting rods — a first in any is. Finished in Championship White, and equipped production car. with special Enkei wheels, this model of Honda’s JDM ose Enkei wheels are a nice final note; painted with (Japanese Domestic Market) track-slanted variant of just a touch of pearl, they’re backed by steel discs that It was a hit on the roads, and the NSX is painted and put together without a single pass through calipers when the model is rolled — which AUTOart’s model of the much- build or finish flaw that we can see — and we looked. it does well enough to warrant a note of caution: this loved Honda NSX — seen here in Really hard. little sucker will race off any uneven surface and hit “Type R” Japan-only trim — will the floor. And that would be a shame. Just ask anyone have equal impact in scale. e doors, front boot, and deck lid open, as do the who’s seen one. rear window and screened engine cover aft of the passenger bulkhead. ere’s a sweet delicacy to all SOURCES of the hinges, and everything — including the tilt-up AUTOart autoartmodels.com SPRING 2014 65

collector profile Bur’s Beauties Jim Bur relaxing from the daily grind among his collection. And, Jim Bur is an industry insider — of course, he’s holding a Viper. and loves to collect, anyway Keep smiling, Jim! JBy DCX Staff im Bur’s Facebook page contains a photo of him as a little kid — maybe two years old — “helping” his dad work on the family car. It’s a summer day, and the car is a ‘65 Mustang. Those who know Jim these days know him for another brand — Chrysler — and not for fixing cars (though he’s quite a capable mechanic). Grown-up Jim has an edge-of-the-seat job as a licensing expert who has been working with some of the largest names in the auto and hobby industries for the better part of the past 20 years. If you have a model Mopar on your shelf, chances are good that Jim helped get it there. Most recently, Jim’s been hammering away with Trademarketing Resources, Inc., a Detroit-based company that specializes in making sure that clients like Chrysler, Jeep, and Citgo get their products protected and their brand names represented correctly on products that bear their logos, names, or designs. On Jim’s end, that has always included getting the details right when it came to making replicas of licensor’s cars — a perfect fit for this car guy/collector that loves his work — and has (surprise) assembled a substantial collection of scale machinery in his Michigan home. Given Jim’s history with the five-pointed star, you’d expect things to be weighted toward the Mopar side of the collecting spectrum ... and you’d be right. “I’m really a fan of all kinds of cars — not just Chrysler products — but when it comes to Vipers, well, that’s a different story.” Like a lot of collectors, Jim’s gotten resourceful about how to display his pride and joys, and his collection is ensconced in a mixture of store- bought display cases and hand-cobbled shelving, all placed in his man cave/home bar where guests of both genders can enjoy them. The scales vary; Jim’s got a great selection of large scale cars, a smattering of car art and wall hangings, a slew of 1:64, and more than a handful of 1:18 and 1:24. The good news is that there’s always room for more. But a few pieces — some safely tucked away where little fingers can’t reach them — mean more to Jim than the others. “Some of these (models) are really rare — prototypes, one-offs, that kind of thing,” says Jim, “and I can’t imagine what they’re worth. But they’re not — I repeat, not — for sale,” he laughs. Taken from a man who knows all too well the dollars-and-cents end of the scale collectibles hobby, those are just the words we like to hear. Thanks for sharing your collection, Jim — and keep up the good work. Tell us what Is it the hunt? The purchase? Or the display? Share your collection and your passion with thousands of fuels your other collectors just like you. Die Cast X magazine is looking for collectors who want to show the world passion! what fuels them. Visit DCXmag.com/cp, answer the profile questionnaire and attach a few pictures of your collection. It’s easy. And who knows— you might be featured in a future issue of Die Cast X! 66 DCXmag.com