Or we can put it another way. If it is a sports car or import done by Matchbox or Mattel, I want a complete collection of that model, wheel variations and all.
Wheel varis are my favorite kind of variation, and I have a few. Some opened, some still in their blister prison. I think it is appropriate to pull some of these models out occasionally and give them some time in the spotlight.
Today it is one of my favorite Hot Wheels models - the Cadillac CTS-V:
2010 New Models in black:
2010 New Models in burgundy:
2010 New Models in silver:
2011 Holiday exclusive in white:
And the wheel vari's:
2010 New Models in black with lace wheels:
One of my few carded wheel variations (I have less than 10). I open most, but I have not been able to get myself to open this one. It is probably my most valuable HW wheel variation. It is one of only five known to exist. I acquired this one from HWC collector sssracing who found two of them in Missouri. He contacted me 12 months after my initial contact with him, and we worked out a deal.
The other three were found by HWC vari legend 1.eyed.jack, who found all of them together at a Maryland Kmart back in January of 2010. You can read about it here.
The lace wheel Caddie is one of my prized HW possessions.
2010 New Models in burgundy with PR5 wheels:
Now while not nearly as rare as the lace-wheel CTS, the burgundy PR5 is still not easy to come by. This was an ebay purchase for me a couple of years ago, and it got the DLM treatment. A wheel vari can change the look of a model a great deal, and that is the case here. This looks more race-like than the common 10sp version. I don't have a preference between the two, but I will say I like having the two versions.
I will enjoy collecting this model in the coming years. 2012 won't disappoint, because there is an FTE version coming:
FTE models are ripe for wheel variations, so I think the CTS-V collection could grow quickly...
