Today on the Boulevard: Time for Some More Mario Kart

Hello and welcome to another edition of Today on the Boulevard! It looks like Hot Wheels is going to eventually do the entire character roster from Mario Kart. And since I always used to play this series of games, I'm excited to see what character/kart combos they release next. Recently, a new assortment was released featuring Red Yoshi and Dry Bones.

Due to having Blue Yoshi on the Standard Kart, I decided that I wouldn't get Red Yoshi, who is also on the Standard Kart. To be honest, I was actually disappointed seeing this, as there are other karts that Red Yoshi could've been paired with. Though Dry Bones is also with the Standard, this one features the Cyber Slick wheels. Aside from that, this is Dry Bones first release. So ultimately, I was going to get this one no matter what kart they chose for the character. I am hoping, that we end up getting some of the other Yoshi variants, re-released on some of the other karts.

At the end of the day, if alternate kart combinations aren't released for the other Yoshi variants, I will still be perfectly fine with the one Yoshi that I do have. Okay readers, what are your thoughts on the Standard Kart being used the most? And unlike me, are you a completest that collects all versions of each character? Do let me know down in the comments. Alright, that's all for Today on the Boulevard. Happy diecast collecting!

Looking at: Few More 2020 Hot Wheels G Case Pick Ups

It's once again time, to take a look at another set of diecast cars, that have been checked off my want list. Like the title states, I was able to find a few more 2020 Hot Wheels G case cars. So skipping all the small talk, let's jump right into what I got.

The '87 Dodge D100, is the main one that I was really happy to finally find. After seeing pictures of it, I just knew right away, that this was a must for me. I have been in love with this casting ever since it was first released, and I'm glad to see it used once again. One of the reasons that I really wanted this release, was due to it having the relatively new BAJA5 wheels. I love how they look on this truck! However, it wasn't just the wheels that made me want this one.

One things for sure, it's nice to see that Hot Wheels still has the legal okay to use the K&N name. This allowed them to make this awesome livery. One aspect that I like, is how the orange from K&N's logo, was used for the overall body color. I also like how the older Hot Wheels logo was used for this design. And it's cool how they made it look like one of the main sponsors for this truck, by making it bigger than the usual Hot Wheels logo size. Like this truck, this was the logo that they used on their packs back in 1987. As such, I find it very fitting.

The next car, is the recolor of the '76 Greenwood Corvette. At first, I wasn't going to get this release, but one sponsor decal change my mind. And that decal is Michelin. The gold release, had this decal as well, but it was within the stripe, and the Hot Wheels logo was above it. Despite the Michelin name being smaller, I like how this decal features the Michelin Man. For me, it's cool when race cars have this character featured with the decal. Now that I have it, I'm actually starting to like the color scheme just as much as the initial gold release. In all honesty, the only thing I would change, are the wheels. If I was more into wheel swapping, then I would probably swap to a pair of lace wheels. I feel that lace wheels, would ultimately complete the look of this release. 

The Bone Shaker is up next, and like the Greenwood, there's a specific reason as to why I got it. As much as I like this hot rod from Hot Wheels, I don't pick up every single release of it. With that said, the reason that I got this one, was due to it's paint. In case you didn't know, I really like when Hot Wheels are finished with matte colors. And as soon as I picked it up, I instantly fell in love with this shade of matte maroon. After drooling over the color, I also came to like the design on it as well. I do like the various skull designs, that the Hot Wheels designers come up with for this car.

The last car that I picked up, is the recolor of the '85 Honda City Turbo II. Although I still like the silver release more, I can't deny how cool this color scheme is. In my opinion, it's not an easy task, to make a nice looking car with these colors. However, I feel that Hot Wheels did a good job pulling it off. The white stripe, was a nice addition to the overall theme as well. Contributing to the reason that I got this one, is how they chose to make the Aero Disk wheels, match the color of the lower stripe. On the silver one, the lower stripe is black, and the wheels are gold.

The struggle has been real, with trying to complete my want list from this case. But as they say ''Slow and steady wins the race.'' So I'm ultimately okay with how slow each car is being checked off the list. So readers, feel free to let me know down in the comments, what your thoughts are on these cars. Alright, that's all for Today on the Boulevard. Until next time, happy diecast collecting!

White Booth Wednesday #37

It's #whiteboothwed, here's this week's showcase.

Car: '68 Mercury Cougar

Series: Hot Wheels 2012 Muscle Mania Ford

Boulevard rating: 8

What I like most: This is my favorite release of this casting. What I love the most, is how it has a nice shade of green. The beige interior, also combines nicely with this green. Further adding to how much I like it, are the all chrome MC5 wheels. The stripe design is okay, but there is one thing I would've done differently. With the hood stripe, I would've made it silver to match the sides.

Okay readers, let me know down in the comments, what your rating for this piece would be.
As always, happy diecast collecting!

Looking at: Target Finds Part 2

It's once again time, to take a look at another set of diecast cars, that have been checked off my want list. Like the title states, this is part two of my Sunday Target finds.

I was finally able to find the 50th Anniversary edition of the '17 Nissan GTR. In all honesty, I'm a little disappointed by their decision to not make the regular version of this release blue. However, since the real car was offered with this color scheme, I will gladly accept this into my collection. And despite my love of blue, white with a red stripe actually doesn't look that bad on this GTR. This color scheme does have another plus. In my opinion, this GTR release would look nice sitting with the Skyline HT 2000 GT-X, that was released in the Team Transport assortment.

Up next is the pink '57 Chevy, which also has a Super Treasure Hunt version. Whereas most might have the Super Treasure Hunt in their sights, I personally had this version in mine. After I saw what the Super looked like, I decided that I'd like the regular version more. Like the '52 Chevy that was featured in part 1, I really love the weathered look this model has. As such, this brighter shade of pink allows the tampo details to be more noticeable. Additionally, this pink isn't used as often as some of the other colors. This in turn makes this model stand out as a unique piece in my garage. This last point may come as a shock, but I actually like how this release looks better with the DD8 basic wheels. For me, they just feel right on this '57 Chevy with the theme that it has.

The next one that I got was the '49 Ford F1 recolor. Although I still like the initial green release a little more, I can't deny how nice this shade of orange is. There are a few things however that I like about this one over the green one. The first of those things is how the pin stripes are more noticeable on this recolor. I also like the continued use of their Aero Disk wheels for this release. And the fact that they were painted white is another thing that I like. In my opinion, orange and white makes a great color combination for this truck.

Speeding around the boulevard at breakneck speeds, is the '69 Ford Mustang Boss 302. This particular release is based off of Vaughn Gittin Jr.'s '69 Mustang. Let me start with how I'm a little disappointed in how they didn't make a new casting for this Mustang. The car that this release is based on, has velocity stacks protruding from the hood. However on this release, this aspect is just a tampo detail. Now not all is bad with this release, as I do like how the retro slot wheels look on this casting. Furthermore, I feel they are a great match to the wheels used on the real car. Despite this release not having actual velocity stacks, it is still one menacing looking Boss 302 Hot Wheels release. And it's a welcomed edition to my garage.

Off roading in the hill sides around the boulevard, is the Land Rover Defender 90. Like the various Subaru Hot Wheels releases, I'm glad to see Land Rover Vehicles getting some love. And I'm also glad that this first release has a relatively plain appearance. Aside from the few tampo details that it has of course. I also really like how the Baja 5 wheels were used. I just can't get over how cool these wheels look on the various off-road releases from Hot Wheels. I can't wait to see what the future has in store for this casting.

Another car that I decided to pick up, was the recolor of the Formula E GEN 2 car. Though I still like the black one more, this shade of purple did catch my eye as a cool alternative to black. I like how this one isn't as subtle as the first one. In other words, the white features such as the base and wheels, help to brighten this release up. At the end of the day, if you like Formula E, then this is definitely a must have for you. 

Cruisin' around the boulevard next, is the Range Rover Velar. I know that I personally like how these look in black, but there's no denying how fantastic this shade of red is. As such, I think I'm starting to like this release the most. If not exact, the color is still based on firenze red. In fact, the entire color scheme on the release appears to be an actual option that was available for the real 2019 Velar. That even includes the black wheels. All in all, this is a wonderful Range Rover release from Hot Wheels.

Up next is the '57 Plymouth Fury. It's nice to finally see this casting back in the mainline, as the last few releases of it were in special Walmart sets. I don't know about you, but I for one really like how wild this release is. And the flame design is perfect, for me anyways. Flames aside, the overall design theme on this release isn't bad. In fact, I like how it's racing number gives it the look of a classic Nascar. I also like the additional tampo details that were added to the top. The number being on the roof further complements the Nascar look. Another reason that I wanted this release, was due to it featuring the DD8 wheels. In a past post, I made mention of how there are certain Hot Wheels that I wanted to see with these wheels. This is one of those cars.

Up next is the '86 Monte Carlo SS, which features another great stripe design. It's simple but effective a making this a great looking Monte. The coolest part of this design for me, is the section that's on the back half of the door. Stripes that cross over each other create some awesome looking patterns, and it's this pattern that made me like this release. Now you can have a great pattern but that doesn't mean you chose a great color scheme. Fortunately, that's not usually the case with Hot Wheels, and it's definitely not the case with this release.

You know, sometimes there's a color that makes a certain car just look good. That's just so happens to be the case with the newest color for the Audi RS 5 Coupe. The first thing that I thought when I picked it up, was wow this car looks really good in black. In my opinion, it gives the car a classy luxurious look. Black also helps to make the front/rear tampo details stick out more. In my eyes, the MC5 wheels also look really good on this black RS 5. At this point, this is my new number one favorite release of this car.

The Jaguar XJ220 is another release that I'm glad to have been able to find. Before the 2016 Gran Turismo release, the last time this car was used, was back in a 2011 5 pack. So it's great to see this car finally getting some love again. There are three thing that I like with this release. First and foremost, is the design. I like how it features the jaguar from the logo, and it's cool how a checkered design was placed over it. The second thing that I like is the color. After the 2019 release, it's nice to see how another great color was used for this car. Since this release has a racing number, I feel that the lace wheels were a perfect wheel choice. I also like how they are grey, as this helps to keep the main focus on the color and design.

The BMW Z4 M Motorsport, which features a cool looking design inspired by the official BMW racing liveries, is the next car. Though a race car, I actually like how plain this release is. I know I'm always going on about how race themed cars lack in the decals department. But all in all, I have to admit that this particular Z4 release doesn't look too bad. Further adding to this opinion are the grey lace wheels, which like the Jaguar, I feel help to keep the main focus on the car it's self.

Up next is the red '19 Mercedes-Benz A-Class. At first I thought the initial white one would be my permanent number one favorite, but all that's changed with this release. Even though this release is in the Nightburnerz mainline set, I appreciate how it's plain. I really like this shade of red too. It also looks good with black wheels as well. And speaking of the wheels, I like the use of their ten spokes, as they have a similar appearance to the OEM wheels used for the real car. It's also nice to see that this models was once again given front/rear tampo details.

New for this year is the 2019 Kia Stinger GT. The first aspect that's great about this release, is how it was finished in a color similar to Kia's micro blue. Further adding to the realism of this model, are the Y5 wheels. Despite not looking entirely like the spokes from the real car, they do still have a similar appearance. Front and rear tampo details were also added to this model. After looking at all these features inspired by the real car, you have to admit that this is was a fantastic first release. I for one hope that this casting gets a few more plain releases, that are finished with some of Kia's other colors for this car. For example, how about a sunset yellow one.

The TV Series Batmobile is up next. This release also has a I.D. chase version that you should be on the lookout for. I on the other hand, am perfectly fine with not finding that version. In case you're new to the boulevard, I don't make Treasure Hunts or chase releases a priority. Years ago I found collecting to be more fun this way. Small talk aside, there was just one reason that I decided to get this one. Despite having a few other releases of this car, the wheels are the main reason that I wanted it. You have to admit that this Batmobile looks awesome with the Retro Slot wheels. I also like how it's black with the red pin stripes.

Blue! It was all about the color for me with the recolor of the Custom Cadillac Fleetwood. As I mentioned with the green release, it's nice to see this car being used again. Like the green release, this too has pin stripes that are a brighter than the body color. It's also great that it wasn't given black wheels with a blue lip. Despite blue being my favorite color, I still can't decide which of the two are my favorite. In all honesty, the green one looks just as good as this one. Ultimately though, I have my fingers crossed that Hot Wheels will continue to use this car for more mainline releases.

The last car for this two part looking at series, is the '91 Mazda MX-5 Miata. I was very delighted to find out this was going to be the next release of this car. Since the first release had a simple design, I thought the next one was going to have a design that would cover most of the car. In terms of how much I like this release, it's up there with the green Gamestop version. And to be honest, I'm starting to like this one a little more. This is all due to it's shade of yellow, which I feel looks marvelous on this MX-5. I also think this release looks great with the grey MC5s that were used. However, I do hope we eventually get a release of this car that doesn't use some type of 5 spoke wheel.

I'm still in the process of trying to figure out if I want to do the Target mail in or not, since most of the cars from this case are good. If I do decide to do the mail in, I will let everyone who races on the boulevard know. Alright racers, before you get back to racing, do have a favorite among the cars featured in this post? Feel free to let me know your thoughts down in the comments section. Until next time, happy collecting!

Looking at: Target Finds Part 1

It's once again time, to take a look at another set of diecast cars, that have been checked off my want list. Usually these post would state which case I was taking a look at, but I actually was able to find cars from some of the other cases I was hunting. So I will be showcasing each without listing the case it's from. Also due to the number of car added to the boulevard yesterday, I decided this would be a multi-part series of Looking at post. So without further ado, let's jump right into part 1.

Starting part one off, is the '70 Dodge Power Wagon. Before this release, this pickup casting was only used for the various Hot Wheels premium assortments. This in turn made it a little difficult to find. So I'm vary happy to see that it was added to the mainline. I really like how simple this first mainline release is. My favorite aspect of it, is the shade of blue that was used, but I also like the simple design. Personally, all this first release needed was a stripe design like this. The beadlock wheels being grey, also help to keep things simple with this release. Now that we got a relatively plain mainline release of this, I hope to see a future one with flames or some kind of off-road racing theme that uses real sponsor decals.

The next car that I was able to find, was the second release of the '84 Audi Sport Quattro. I can't express how happy I am to have this one in my collection. This is due to it being plain, and as you might know, I like to have at least one release of a car that's plain. Don't get me wrong, the Audi themed initial release is still just as great, but it's nice to see this car without a design. I also feel that this shade of red was one of the best colors to showoff this cars body. I also like the way it looks with the white PR5s that were used. Like the first release of this casting, this too has front/rear tampo details. Which I feel is always a nice, since details like these add a touch of realism to the model.

The '69 Camaro is the next car for this post. This release is relatively simple and has a stripe design that you'd expect on a car like this from Hot Wheels. But in no way does that mean it's not cool. In fact, I feel this Camaro could be a what-if show car build sponsored by Goodyear Tires. Helping to give this model a finished custom look, are the stripes that were added to the top. Unlike a lot of mainline releases with black wheels and a lip the same color as the design, this one has wheels that I feel are very appropriate for this car. For me, all chrome MC5s, give muscle cars like this a completed look. Overall, my favorite aspect with this Camaro, is how great the black and yellow stripes look over this dark blue. 

The HW450F is one rad dirt bike from Hot Wheels, and it's the next one being featured. I'll get straight to the point, it's the color scheme that made me want this particular release. In my opinion, red, orange, white, and yellow when used over black, make for a great design color scheme. Despite this, I still can't decide which of the two 2020 releases I like the most. This is due to the colors on the first one being great as well. The only plus for this one over the first one, are the red wheels. Which despite how I feel about car wheels, I actually like when different colors are used for this bikes wheels. 

Now this next one, is definitely one that I'm happy to have been able to find. New for this year is the mighty Hot Wheels Big-Air BelAir. Looking at the would-be chrome side details, this car appears to be constructed out of a '56 Bel-Air. One of the things that I like about this first release, is how they went all out with the sponsor decals. These decals include K&N, Lucas Oil, Goodyear, Holley, Bell, Borla, B&M, and MSD. All of these are real world after market manufactures, and having these decals completes the look of this awesome Chevy. Another great design decision, was the use of flat paint. This for me helps to complete that rugged off-road look. Decals and paint aside, I really dig the design of this casting. And what I truly like are all the features that stick out of the top of this model. Take the spot lights for example.

The '69 Dodge Charger 500 is up next, and it's another great flame release from Hot Wheels. Despite being on the wilder side of things, I do really like the way these colors combine. One of the design aspects that I like, is how the back half of the design continues along the quarter panel and then turns into a stripe. Now there are two aspect that I don't completely like. They are the wheels and the wind shield plastic. Wheels aside, I do think this release would have been better if clear plastic was used. But I can overlook these issues, since these are $1 models that are designed with kids in mind.

Flying over the boulevard, is Batman in the Batcopter. Before this release, I only had the one that was released in the 2012 Batman Then and Now Walmart series. Black and yellow were the colors used for that one. With that being said, there was no way that I wasn't going to pick up one that utilizes my favorite colors. And personally, I actually like this blue and black color scheme a little better than my initial one. Since I have a small collection of extra Bat vehicles that are open and on display, I decided to take the liberty to pickup an extra one to add to this collection. In my opinion, if you like the various vehicles from Batman, then this is definitely a release that should be in your collection.

I really like this next one! Featured next, is the '52 Chevy with it's glorious shop truck theme. I really like how weathered they made this truck look. In my opinion, the theme was executed flawlessly. Especially when it comes to the rust tampo details they gave it. Complementing these details, was the use of flat paint. And it's a really nice shade of blue too, when you look past all the rust. Further completing the old weathered shop truck look, are the DD8 wheels, which I feel always look great on these old trucks. Shown in the second picture, is how the top of this model was given rust details.

Added to the boulevard next, is the '69 Chevy Pickup. I really like the shade of green that was used on this on this release. But it's the simple stripe design, that I like the most. What's cool about it for me, is how the two thin stripes meet up in the form of two slanted stripes. The thin orange stripe was a nice addition as well. It's also the color combination of these two stripes over this green, that made me decide to buy this truck. I do however feel, that this release would've look even better with a stripe pattern on it's hood. At the end of the day though, this is still a solid release of this casting.

Earlier this year, I showcased some cars that I got off of Ebay. One of those cars was the '80s Firebird that was released in the 1997 mainline. The reason I got that one, is due to the next car being showcased. The '84 Pontiac Firebird is the car that I got next. Sometime ago over on Instagram, Hot Wheels showed off a new tooling for the '80s Firebird. This casting has some aspects that are different from the original. Those include a closed t-top, turbo hood, and rear spoiler. Minus the Trans Am decals, I  really like how plain this release is. Personally, red was one of the better colors to get this model started. Fingers crossed that we collectors eventually see a black and gold release.

The next car, is a model that I have been impatiently waiting for. And that model is the brand spanking new Hot Wheels 2019 Audi R8 Spyder. I Already like this model more than the first R8 from Hot Wheels. For starters, I feel this model has better proportions than the '08 R8 casting. Another reason that I like it a little more, is due to it being the Spyder version. I used to solely like coupes, but in recent times however, I have come to like roofless and convertible exotic cars more. In my personal opinion, I feel that Hot Wheels did this initial release right by making it white. It's also great that grey PR5s were used. Though not entirely like the PR5s, the wheels on the real car have an overall similar shape. Hot Wheels also did right by this model in the tampo department. As you'll see from the second and third picture, this release received some great tampo details. All of which add huge amounts of realism to this little 1:64 scale model.

It's finally back! The mighty Shelby Cobra 427 S/C has once again been released. The 2015 color shifter release, was last time this casting was used. Honestly, black and red makes this car have a menacing look. After being absent for a few years, it's nice to see it used with a simple, but very appropriate set of stripes. The only downside to this release, is it no longer features an opening hood. Despite being a downside, it's not a total issue for me, since I have two previous releases with an opening hood. In recent times, it seems like Hot Wheels has stated to make their 5SPs black with a chrome lip. I absolutely love the way these look on this car. The last aspect that I like, is how this release features a red interior to go along with the stripes.

Rolling onto the boulevard next, is the '19 Chevy Silverado Trail Boss LT. One of the cool aspects with this release, is how it features the Belltech Sports Truck decal. This is one of those decals that I feel are appropriate due to the company making shocks for trucks and muscle cars. I also like how this release has a simple stripe, that's similar to the one on the Ford F150 that's currently seen on their website. Like the Power Wagon, the grey beadlock wheels look great on this release. Lastly, I like how they chose to make this release white. In my opinion, a simple color like this helps to put the main focus onto the sponsor decal.

Racing onto the boulevard next, is the Hot Wheels 2010 Chevy Impala. For the most part, HW Race Team cars lack in the decals department. I also don't always like the designs featured on them. Thankfully though, that isn't the case with this release, as it does have some decals. It's also nice to see that at least one real life sponsor decal was used. When it comes to the design, I like what they did with the red and yellow stripes. To be more specific, what I like is how they were designed to start out on the hood, and then basically continue onto the side. I love stripe patterns that flow from the top of the car down to the sides. Due to this being a Nascar casting, I do feel that yellow wheels are realistic. Even if they weren't, I'd still like how they look with the HW Race Team theme on this release.

The last car for this part 1, is the the Custom '18 Ford Mustang GT. It wasn't until I got back home that I noticed this release has a Joey Logano theme. The funny this is, I should have known that based on the card. But to be honest, even if I did initially spot this, it ultimately wouldn't be the main reason that I get it. The main reason is simple, I just really like this casting. The 2018 Mustang for me, already had a great looking body. So of course I would like the looks of a race car version. The only gripe I have with this release, is the fact that it doesn't have any decals. I do feel like Hot Wheels could've put some of their fantasy decals along the side under the design. But like I mentioned, I would still get this release due to me liking the car.

I know this was a long post, so if you made it this far, thanks for reading! Now there's now way I can pick a specific favorite among thesegreat Hot Wheels releases. However, if you like a specific one, feel free to let me know down in the comments section. Okay that's a wrap for Target Finds Part 1, be on the lookout for Target Finds Part 2 to see the rest of my finds.

Today on the Boulevard: Red Edition Sunday

Welcome diecast collectors, to another edition of Today on the Boulevard! Like the title states, today was a Hot Wheels Target Red Edition Sunday. At least at my local Target's anyways. I also found some other basic cars that I was looking for as well. So be on the lookout for a Looking at post. So skipping any other small talk, let's jump right into this feature.

The McLaren P1 is the first Red Edition being featured today. Being perfectly honest, I actually really like this recolor. As it is, white is another color that looks fantastic on this car. But then combine that with red painted carbon fiber sections, and you'll have one great looking P1. And from what I've seen, most of the real P1s aren't painted in this section. So this aspect alone, makes me cherish this piece even more. Another thing that I like, is how Hot Wheels continues to use their ten spoke wheels for this car. For me, since the wheels on the real car are also ten spoke, this adds some realism to each release with them. I also really like their decision to make the wheels chrome. In my humble opinion, I feel that this P1 release is a must have for those of you that like exotic cars.

The next Red Edition from this assortment, is the Custom Otto, which was the main one that I wanted. Before this release, I didn't have one of these. For the most part, this casting was only used for special releases. There was one release however, that was available from the Hot Wheels Collectors website. But I made the decision to not get it. I ended up regretting this decision when I saw it was no longer available on the site. So I think you can imagine how delighted I was, when I found out they were going to put this car into their basic line. The first basic release is purple, and despite how cool it looks, I really like this one more. The color, as well as the colors used for the stripe, just look better on this muscle car. I also like the color of the wheels on this one over the gold used for the purple one.

The last Red Edition from this 2020 Hot Wheels L case, is the '68 Shelby GT500. Now my least favorite aspect about this release are the red wheels. This however, does not detract from how much I like this GT500. Regular racers on the boulevard already know I what I like the most with about this release. However, for those of you that might be new to the boulevard, flame paint jobs are one of my favorite car modifications. With that said, I really like how the flames were designed on this release. What I personally like, is how the center sections have a flame shape that utilizes the body color. It's also great to see flames on the hood, done in a similar style to the side ones. With the hood flames, I like how they weren't just slapped on. In other words, I like how they were designed with the hood features in mind. For example, if you look at the second picture, you'll see how the one section starts just after the opening of the hood scoop.

Despite all three of these Target Red Editions being awesome, my personal favorite is hands down the Custom Otto. Overall, what I truly love, is how it has the looks of a muscle car from the '70s. And I just can't get over how great it looks with the shade of red they gave it.

So now that you know my favorite, what is your personal favorite from this set of Red Editions? Feel free to let me know down in the comments section. Alright, that's all for Today on the Boulevard. Until next time, happy diecast collecting!