First Look: 2014 Hot Wheels 2013 SRT Viper...

Another model from 2014 Batch D just hitting the pegs, and it is nice to see the SRT Viper back.

The 2013 Viper was a surprise favorite from the Hot Wheels line in 2012, and we finally get another color after the New York Auto Show exclusive and mainline debut.

We won't bore you with a lot of text, but this one looks great in yellow, with a fang-like center stripe. It still cannot compare to the fantastic New York Auto Show exclusive, with its front and rear detailing, but we will take it.

Find the 2014 version here, and the New York Auto Show exclusive here...)


Hot Wheels 2013 SRT Viper (2014 Mainline):

2012 New York Auto Show Exclusive:

2012 New Models:

Matchbox Monday: Yellow, Yellow, or Yellow? by David Tilley...

Lamley co-founder and shade-variation fiend David Tilley is back with a look at Matchbox's obsession with yellow on a couple of old favorites that returned in 2013.

(And if your interest is peaked, you can find both the Porsche 911 Carrera Convertible and Dodge Viper GTSR on ebay...)

Enjoy:

Yellow, yellow or yellow

 

Do you ever get those dreaded feeling that turn out to be anything but?  When we saw the Matchbox sneak peeks earlier in the year of the basic range Porsche 911 Carrera Convertible and Dodge Viper GTSR, both were painted up yellow.  Oh jeez, I thought, these were actually going to be of little interest to me.  I mean, both of these models have seen 2 examples of yellow already.  How much mileage can you get out of yellow?  Quite a lot it seems.

Take the Porsche.  Now don’t get me wrong.  Anyone who knows me knows I am a huge Porsche nut.  I love them.  If I ever was to win the lottery I would own a Porsche 911.  It is my dream car.  And I loved the news that the Carrera Convertible was going to be in the basic range.  Plus, we had already seen a yellow example in a 5-pack this year.  So imagine my shock and horror at seeing another yellow as a basic range example.  From the first sneak peek the only thing really different was the wheels.  Little did I know just how different the model was.

The 5-pack model was quite a dark, mustard yellow.  The latest release (which only happened a few months later) is almost a lime yellow.  They are a lot different.  Now I still admit if I had a choice I would have gone with a totally different color rather than something like this, but in all honesty, I am quite satisfied. 

The 2 models are noticeably different.  But there is still the fact that the model actually debuted in yellow, way back in 1999.  It was actually a German exclusive at the time, meaning it took a while to track it down.  It is unbelievable that it is only a little over a decade ago yet the internet and world trading was not like it is now.  How times change.

That one is actually a pale pastel yellow.  Again, for three yellow models I am actually quite impressed with just how different all 3 are.

Now the original release also had the yellow edging on the window, but the lights are very basic compared to how they are done now.  One plus point for the classic, and one for the modern ones.  It is also amazing how one of the more popular wheels from the late 1990s is very similar to one they now use.

So after my initial worry over things being too similar, I am actually very pleased with all 3 of these significantly different vehicles.

 

But does the Dodge stack up as well?

This is the latest yellow Viper.  Released in the 2013 range, I was imagining that the only real difference would be the wheels.  How wrong I am.

The one on the right is the last yellow issue, as it was for the 2008 basic range.  Dated 5 years apart, both of these model sport identical tampo schemes, and as noted the wheels are different.  But they are totally different yellows.  The 2008 was a much deeper, almost orange yellow, compared to the yellow of the new issue.

So although in early pictures I was worried we were going to have to signify these as pretty much wheel variations, I am pleased to see that it is a really different shade and again noticeably different.

 

But again, there is a 3rd model in this pack.  It first appeared in yellow as a part of the 2004 Superfast series.

That one does sport a slightly different tampo, plus being a higher spec model it receives tampo prints across its whole body.  But that is a really bright yellow.  The new one is actually quite a dull yellow compared to it.  It is difficult to give plus or minus points for basic range compared to enhanced vehicles, but in all honesty, again one plus point for the original yellow for the full tampo prints, yet minus points for the hideous wheels.  Both the later versions have suitable wheels.

So again, my trepidation has been unjustified.  What we have here are 3 completely different yellows and easily identifiable as to which is which.

So as it turns out, yellow could mean yellow, yellow or yellow.  Not just yellow.

April 22 Matchbox Ambassador Update: Upcoming Basics & another 60th Preview...

Greetings friends...

I promised last week that we would focus on cars this week, and here we are.  Many of us, including yours truly, consider good-looking autos to be the bread and butter of Matchbox, and happily we are seeing more of those in the line this year.

Interestingly, some older car castings are being reintroduced in the lineup this year.  Whether this will be a trend into 2014, I can't say.  Maybe we will find out something at the Gathering in Albuquerque during the Matchbox presentation in July.  But each of these are good-looking and realistic versions of the models used.  Like I have said before, I hope you can see that while the brand direction of Matchbox continues in the "Unstoppable" theme, the liveries and decos are realistic.  This has been a specific direction the team has taken.

With that, a few of the upcoming street car models to look for:

(As always, these images are shown with Mattel's permission.)


Dodge Viper GTS-R

Ford Shelby GT500

Opel Speedster

Mitsubishi Eclipse

Lotus Europa

Porsche 911 Carrera Convertible

Lastly, another look at an upcoming 60th Anniversary model.  The 60th line has been hitting stores in many areas, and I have seen reports of folks finding the Chase Bus in several locations.  I was lucky and found one at a Walmart two weeks ago, and many others have done the same.  Keep looking, because they are out there.

I have asked the team if the Chase Bus is slated for future batches, and they are looking into that.  I will pass it along as soon as they tell me.  We should also be seeing another batch of new 60th models in the store shortly.

Some of the most popular models with collectors in the 60th line have been the British cars like the Mini, Routemaster, and Aston Martin.  Not only are they beautifully done, they pay homage to Matchbox's roots in the UK.  We are happy to preview another British car to look for in upcoming 60th batches, the Jaguar E-Type.  It most appropriately dons the British Racing Green, and sports the 60th logo on the rear window:

Those are this week's sneaks.  We have more for next week, including a new deco for the VW T1 and another new casting.  Stay tuned.

Until then...

The Lamley Awards: You have seen the Reader's Choice, now the Lamley Group's Best New Model is...

We continue with our presentation of the Lamley Awards by profiling the Lamley Group's choice for Best Hot Wheels New Model of 2012.  The readers spoke, and KITT was their choice, narrowly beating out the Mazda RX-7.

Choosing a Best New Model this year was difficult.  Hot Wheels (kind of) made it easy in 2011, releasing not one, but TWO nostalgic Skylines, and one of them was the Kenmeri.  Done.  Best New Model.  Best Mainline.  Model of the Year.  That was very easy.

For 2012, Hot Wheels gave us another JDM classic (the RX-7), some European flair (3 BMW's, a Lamborghini, a Ferrari, a Porsche), some great current cars (Vette Z06, Subaru WRX STI), a beautiful classic ('61 Impala), and of course some fantastic versions of HW collector's faves, Mustangs and Camaros.  And don't forget the entertainment cars (KITT, Mystery Machine, Angry Birds), and maybe the coolest non-licensed model ever (in our opinion), the indelible Mad Manga (you will hear more about this one in a future post).

Now that we have gotten that parenthesis-filled paragraph over, let's get to our choice.  It came down to two - the BMW 2002 and the 2013 Dodge Viper SRT.  And they became finalists for two different reasons.

Starting with the 2002.  The "cool factor" is through the roof.  To me the 2002 is one of the coolest cars ever made.  It was cool when it came out, and it is even cooler today.  When I was young, the kids I looked up to the most wore pegged pants, military boots, bomber jackets with U2 patches ("War"-era U2 - there is a big difference), and always looked like they knew something important that I didn't.  Man, I thought they were the coolest.  And I associated two vehicles with them - Vespas and BMW 2002's.

So I have ALWAYS had "a thing" for 2002's, and it was always near the top of models that I wanted to see done.  I always assumed that Matchbox would be the brand to take it on, but I obviously won't complain that Hot Wheels did it, and it did it magnificently.

Like Hot Wheels does, they created a slightly modified version, with flared wheel wells and a low racing stance.  I love it.  And while I really like the two 2012 versions, in signature BMW orange and white, it is what this model is bound to be soon that excites me most.  Isn't this model a perfect candidate for HW Premium treatment?  The casting is so nicely detailed on the front and back, and will look so nice with some of the recently created real riders and 4-sided deco.  I don't know when we will see it in a premium line, but it is bound to happen, and I cannot wait.

And there is one other reason.  It is part of a great reconciliation.  Mattel and BMW had what must have been a bitter breakup, and they needed some time alone.  But alas, they saw that they were better off together, so one showed up at the other's door, teary-eyed, with a dozen roses, and they made up.  And make up they did.  With the license back in their hands, Hot Wheels introduced FIVE new BMW castings this year, if you count the reintroduction of the Hot Ones M1.  That is productive!  Three in the basic range, one in Hot Ones, and that elusive beauty in the Racing line.  They made up, and we all benefit.

So because of its immense coolness, the personal nostalgia factor, its flawless execution by the Hot Wheels team, and because it is part of this BMW resurgence at Mattel, the BMW 2002 is the Lamley Group's choice for Hot Wheels Best New Model....


Hot Wheels BMW 2002 (2012 New Models):

The 2012 HW BMW Army, wearing their white formal attire:

And that leads to the runner-up.  I said earlier that these two models were considered for two totally different reasons.  While the BMW got the nod for a myriad of factors, the Viper is here because it shocked me how much I liked it.

While I know there is an almost religious following of the Viper by many car enthusiasts, I don't share it.  Since its introduction in the 90's, I have always thought the Vipers were way too over-the-top.  They were too wide, lacked grace and refinement, and to me were just ugly.  So while so many were going crazy for the Viper, and Mattel was reflecting that with all kinds of Viper castings, I was ignoring them.  Until the ACR, I didn't have one Viper in the collection.

Then it was announced that the Viper would be no more.  Good.  No Vipers and no Hummers.  I liked that.  Then it was announced that a new Viper was in development.  Bleh.  You get the picture.

And finally the Viper was unveiled at the New York Auto Show.  I was shocked at how good it looked.  Gone were the harsh lines and styling.  The growl was still there, but it was much more refined.  And the Hot Wheels replica reflects that as well.  I was completely caught off guard at how much I liked the real car, and the model.

I liked it so much in fact, that I dropped more than a few dollars to get the NY Auto Show exclusive that Hot Wheels distributed to attendees.  While it shares the same color as the basic release, it was made to look just like the car at the show, complete with front and rear detailing.  The model is a beauty, and well worth getting, if you can find one.

So while I still won't call myself a Viper fan, I can't deny that the Viper was one of my favorite models in 2012.  It would have taken a lot for me to not like the BMW 2002, or Mazda RX-7, but the Viper had a lot of ground to cover.  I assumed I wouldn't care one bit about it.  Well, it surprised me, and therefore passes quite a few models I love to take the runner up spot.

One other odd reason?  Outside of the Ferrari 599XX Super Treasure Hunt, I don't think any model this year photographed as well as the NY Viper (funny they are almost the same color)...


Hot Wheels 2013 Viper SRT (2012 New Models):

Need to enhance the collection?  Find a plethora of HW BMW's and Vipers on ebay...