Best On The Block: May 2022

It's the last day of May, so it's time to show six of the best releases that were featured in various post during the month.

#1: Glory Chaser - 2022 Hot Wheels Mainline

Why I Picked It: Once again, the Hot Wheels design team has created an unlicensed casting that I really love. And this time, it's a race car that has all of the looks of being from the '50s and the '60s. When I say that I like the timeless look of classic race cars, I'm specifically referring to the ones from those years. All of them had a specific look to them, and this casting depicts the exact look that I like. So the Glory Chaser was definitely going to take the number one spot.

#2: La Troca - 2022 Hot Wheels Mainline

Why I Picked It: This has got to be one of the hottest HW Hot Trucks ever! I mean, just look at this release. Not only was it finished in a beautiful color, it was also given a very nice design. I especially love how they chose to decorate its roof as well. 

#3: '66 Chevy Nova - 2022 Hot Wheels Flying Customs

Why I Picked It: This ended up being one of my favorite releases from the latest Flying Customs assortment. And I picked it for the same reason why I picked the La Troca. Like the aforementioned, this too was finished in a beautiful color, and it was given a nice design. 

#4: Liberty Walk Nissan Silvia (S15) - 2022 Hot Wheels Mainline

Why I Picked It: Liberty Walk, S15 Silvia, JDM! Do I even need to say more? Okay, in all seriousness, this is a very impressive casting. And picking it for this post was a no-brainer. I mean, if it doesn't put the "Hot" in Hot Wheels, then I don't know what will.

#5: 2020 Koenigsegg Jesko - 2022 Hot Wheels Racing Circuit Series

Why I Picked It: I wasn't able find the entire Racing Circuit set, but that's okay because this is one of my favorite releases from it. Besides being finished in my favorite color, this release features a simple racing theme that I really like. In my opinion, it's what you'd see on an actual Jesko that's participating in a track day event.

#6: 1988 Chevy Monte Carlo LS - 2022 Matchbox Moving Parts

Why I Picked It: I still like the various Monte Carlos I have from Hot Wheels, but all of them have stripe designs. And while there's nothing wrong with that, it does make them look somewhat customized. So for the longest time, I've wanted to have at lease one stock looking release of a Monte Carlo, and this is that release.

Okay, those are the six releases I picked for this month's edition of Best On The Block. Now that you know my favorites, go ahead and let me know down in the comments what your favorite releases were from this month.

2022 Hot Wheels: Two From A Set & Two From The Mainline

Hello everyone, welcome to another additional feature here on the boulevard. As you know, these post are made when I happen to chance upon some releases I've wanted. And that's exactly what happened on a recent diecast hunt. That day, I decided to go to all of my local stores, and that led to me being able to find a total of four releases. Two of them are from a new set, while the other two are from the mainline. Now then, since they're new, I've decided to talk about the ones from the set first. After that, I'll go over the ones from the mainline. So with that being said, let's begin.

The new set is called "Racing Circuit," and as the name suggest, it's a racing themed set. Now, since I was only able to find two, I decided to look up the rest set on the internet to see if I'd want the other releases. Upon seeing the rest of the set, I'm came to the conclusion that they are not worth the trouble. I mean, the other releases don't look bad, it's just they aren't good enough to make me go out of my way to search for them at the worst store to carry Hot Wheels. Alright, now that I've shared my thoughts on the set, let's move on to the two that I found.

The 2020 Koenigsegg Jesko is one of the two releases I found, and I have to say, it is a release that I'm very happy to have.

Since its debut, this casting has been finished in some okay colors, however, I was hoping to eventually see one finished in my favorite color, and the wait is finally over! I know there's a chance they could do another blue one in the mainline, but it'll most likely be finished in another shade of it. And while there's nothing wrong with, I do happen to think this is a really good shade of blue for the Jesko. So I'm glad I was able to find this release.

Not every racing themed vehicle has to have a flashy livery. Sometimes, less is more, and that's how I feel about this release. I mean, maybe it's just me, but I think the Jesko looks perfect with a simple theme that features the manufacturer's name, an oil sponsor, and some additional stripes on its roof. 

A you saw from my social media post, the 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is the second one that was left. And it definitely caught my attention due to the color they picked for its exterior. 

Although I like blue, I have to admit that Ford's Grabber Lime is truly something else! It's honestly a great color for both the real car and this diecast model. And for all we know, this might be the only release that's finished in the color. 

I also think this release features some nice tampo details, and I'm not just talking about its racing theme either. Like the previous releases, this too features stripes. However, unlike the previous releases, this one also features details on its rear, and that includes the stripes. Adding the stripes to the rear was definitely a nice touch.

In my opinion, the Jesko and the GT500 are some of the best ones from the set. And even if I did manage to get the other releases, these two will still be the ones I like the most. Okay, now it's time to talk about the mainline releases I found.

So far, I've been able to find most of what I wanted from each of this year's mainline cases. But there ended up being specific releases I couldn't find from two of them. The first one is from case C, and I really though I wasn't going to see it, since all of my local stores have moved on to case E. But an older case got stocked, and that led to me to finally being able get the brand-new '20 Toyota Tacoma. 

Hot Wheels does do a great job at designing modified versions of vehicles, but I'm really happy with their decision to give us a stock looking version of this Tacoma. If they wanted to, they could have designed it with off-road modifications like a bull bar or a light bar. Now, I'll admit that there's nothing wrong with that, after all, I do like how the Tundra casting looks with the latter. But I don't think every pickup truck has to have modifications.

Now, from what I can gather, this isn't just a regular '20 Tacoma. While looking at this casting, I noticed two distinctive features on the front half of it. The hood has a scoop, and the grill has "Toyota" on the center of it. Both of these features make this the TRD Pro version of the Tacoma.

Since this casting is the TRD Pro version, I think it was a fantastic idea to use Voodoo blue, which is a color that was exclusive to the TRD Pro trim. And I can honestly say that this release will always be my favorite one due to it being finished in the color.

The next mainline release I found is the McLaren F1, and I knew I'd have a higher chance of finding it, since it's not from a Japanese manufacturer like the Tacoma. Furthermore, case E is still somewhat new, so I really wasn't worried about it like I was with the aforementioned casting.  

To be honest, black wasn't the color I was hoping to see used for the second release of this casting, but there is a reason why I don't mind its use. When looking at all of the past releases of the F1 GTR casting, I noticed that gloss black was one of the only colors that wasn't used multiple times. So far, the 2017 release of it is the only one that's finished in the color. So there's a small chance that this too could be the only gloss black release of this casting. And I feel that would make it stand out like the F1 GTR from 2017. 

At the end of the day, this looks car looks pretty good finished in black, and that's why I've decided to nickname mine "The Crow." 

It might have taken some time, but I can finally say that I'm ready for the next case. I still can't believe how long it took me to find the Tacoma. I didn't think it'd be the same as trying to find a Datsun, but I guess it is from a Japanese manufacturer, and that automatically makes it the world's most popular diecast model. As for the Racing Circuit set, I don't know if I'll find more. But if I do, then I'll think about getting the other releases. And if not, then that's fine because I was able to get the two that I like the most. 

So how do you feel about the releases I talked about today? Go ahead and let me know down in the comments section. Alright, that's all for this additional feature. Till next time, thanks for reading, and happy collecting. And remember, these are just toys.

White Booth Wednesday #137

It's once again time for another Wednesday showcase here on the boulevard. Here's this week's featured vehicle.

Vehicle: '71 Maverick Grabber

Series: 2010 Hot Wheels New Models

Boulevard Rating: 9

How I Feel About This Release: In my opinion, this is one of the best looking releases of this casting due to the fact that it has the real car's factory side stripe. Now, some of you might have preferred one of the other two colors instead of this one, and I'll admit that they are also nice. But I think this one is the better of the three because it's the only one with a multi-colored side stripe.

So how do you feel about this week's featured vehicle? Go ahead and let me know down in the comments. Till next time, happy collecting.

2022 Hot Wheels Flying Customs - Found The Last Four

Hello everyone, welcome to another additional feature here on the boulevard. Trying to find all of the releases from the latest Flying Customs assortment proved to be a difficult task. Initially, I was only able to find two. Then I spent many days looking for more, which led to me eventually finding two more. After a while, I started to think that I wasn't going to find the rest of them, but I decided to keep an eye out for them anyway. After all, people will eventually start to ignore certain releases or entire assortments, and that's usually when I'm able to find full pegs. And a full peg of the latest Flying Customs assortment is exactly what I was able to find. Okay, I've made this intro long enough, let's go over the last four releases. 

I'm going to talk about the Custom Otto first because I'm actually disappointed with the design choices that were made for it. Similar to the '86 Monte Carlo, this too features a design that's a little too similar to a design that was created for an older release. And the older release I'm talking about is none other than the one from last year. 

Did you notice anything about the two designs? If not, then take a close look at the black stripes that were applied to both releases. I can ignore the one on the hood, but I can't get over how similar the side stripe is. I also don't see why this year's release had to have a racing theme either. In my opinion, they could have created a cool looking flame design instead. And if not that, then they should have at least created a stripe design that was different. So to be honest, I only got this Customs Otto because I wanted to have one with the Retro Slot wheels. If not for those, then I would have definitely left it behind.

The '69 Mercury Cougar Eliminator is the next one I needed to find, and my jaw hit the floor when I first laid eyes on it. However, after I calmed down, I then realized that it too features a design that's similar an older release. Now, one might say that a lot of this casting's older releases have similar designs, and that is a valid point. But the older release I'm referring to is from the 2011 Holiday themed 5-pack. This release's side stripe is very similar to the one that was applied to the aforementioned release. To be fair though, there is a reason why I don't mind this release's side stripe. 

Unlike the Custom Otto, the '69 Cougar's exterior has a distinctive dowered sloped line along its sides. And the designers have used that line as a inspiration for the various designs they have created for this casting. So that's why I don't have an issue with this release's side stripe. 

The stripe design isn't why my jaw hit the floor though. Basically, I was astonished by this release's overall color scheme. Now, I do think they could have picked a lighter shade of purple for the stripes, which would have made them a little more noticeable, but I can accept how dark they are.

There have been many different Mustang/Shelby GT-500 castings created over the years, and for the most part, I've been able to get a lot of the different releases. However, some of the castings made their debut back when I wasn't really into diecast. As such, I don't own that many of them. That's why I was excited to learn that there would be two more in this assortment. Of course, I wasn't too happy with the '69 Shelby GT-500, which was disappointing because I was really hoping to see something new. Anyway, the '65 Ford Mustang Convertible is the second one, and I like what was done to it.

I think it's great how this release doesn't feature the typical stripe design that's usually seen on these cars. Although, I guess it technically does, since it has that additional red stripe along its sides. And speaking of that stripe, I feel there was no need to add it. I honestly think this release would have looked just fine without it. But I can ignore it because I like everything else about this release. 

There's been quite a few good looking releases of the '69 Chevelle SS 396, and I do have a few of them in my collection. But I've wanted to have a few more releases of it for quite some time now, and I was starting to think about getting one off of the secondary market. Fortunately, I can now cancel those plans because I'm pleased with the latest release of it.

This release's exterior color was the main thing I was worried about after I found the '69 Shelby GT-500. At the time, I started to wonder if this release was also going to be similar to a release I already had. So I'm thrilled with their decision to use a color that hasn't already been used for an older release of this casting. 

Personally, this Flying Customs assortment isn't as good as the previous ones, and the reason why I'm saying that is because I didn't like enough of the releases from it. I just can't understand why they made some of them look so similar to older releases. Take the Flying Customs release of the '96 Nissan 180SX for example, nothing about that release was similar to an older release. So I don't see why they couldn't have created new designs for these. Hopefully the next assortment will be better, but only time will tell. 

So how do you feel about these? Go ahead and let me know down in the comments section. Alright, that's all for this additional feature. Till next time, thanks for reading, and happy collecting. And remember, these are just toys.

2022 Hot Wheels Kroger Exclusive Case

Hello everyone, welcome to another additional feature here on the boulevard. Well, it's once again that time of the year where the Kroger family of stores will have special cases sent to them. Now, you might be able to find store exclusives in your area, but where I live, it's basically impossible. There have been a few times where I've found them, though. But for the most part, they never make it to the pegs. Anyway, one of the exclusive colors was a release I absolutely had to have, so I decided to just buy a case from the company's website. So for today's post, I'm going to be sharing what was in it, as well as my thoughts on it and a few of the releases. With that said, let's begin.

A few days ago, I published a My Want List post where I talked about the releases I got from this year's case "E." Now, I bet you're wondering why I brought that up. Well, it's because the Kroger exclusive case is none other than case "E," and I have all of the releases I wanted from it. So I do have to admit that I'm a little disappointed with it. If Mattel would have waited a little longer to send case "E" to the other retail stores, then I honestly would have been much happier this exclusive case.

I can't say that it's a terrible case, though. Packed within it are some of the best releases from case "E." So that's releases like the "red panda" AE86, the Liberty Walk S15, and the blue C8. And I bet some of you are still on the hunt for those. So you might want to consider buying this case, which can be found on Kroger's website. Alright, now it's time to show you everything my box had. 

Alright, now it's time to move on to the exclusive colors. And I'm going to start with the McLaren F1 GTR first, since it's the one that made me want to buy this case.

Store exclusives will never be on my want list, but sometimes I keep an eye out for them due to a specific design choice that was made. It could be because the casting was given wheels it never had before, or it could be because of the exterior color they picked for it. And when it comes to the McLaren F1 GTR, it's the latter.

The McLaren F1 GTR has been a Hot Wheels casting for twelve years now, and after all these years, this is the first time yellow was used for it. I know they could do another yellow one in the future, but for all we know, this could be the only one. So I didn't want to miss my chance to have an example of this casting finished in yellow. Furthermore, I felt it'd be a great addition to the RPM Starz garage. 

The McLaren might have been the one I wanted most, but it isn't the only exclusive that's nice. So that brings me to the second one, which is the Ford Focus RS. 

This year's first release was okay, but I do have to admit that I was hoping to see another release of it finished in a different color. Sure, it might have been lighter than the previous two blue releases, but I feel they should have used a color that hasn't already been used for the casting. Now, as you can see, the designers chose to use another color that's already been used, and this is the third time its been used. So I am just a tad but disappointed, but there is a reason why I don't mind their decision to use white again. 

The first white one was released in 2017, and it featured a Koni theme. The second one was released the following year as a Kmart exclusive, and it featured a design that I'd best describe as being a blueprint. The first one looks like something you'd see at an automotive show, and the second one does not look like something you'd see anywhere. So this white release is currently the only one that looks like something you'd see driving around. In other words, it's white and it doesn't feature wild design. That's why I don't mind the color choice. 

I should also mention that I thought it'd be a great addition to the Vance Family's personal vehicle collection. After all, it's white with a black stripe, and that's the race team's main color scheme.  

The third exclusive color from this case is the Nissan Leaf Nismo RC_02, and I think it's a very nice release. Initially, I thought they removed the matte black section from its sides, but I was wrong. The decision was made to keep it, and I think it helped to create a very unique release. I mean, it's not everyday that we get a gloss black release with a matte black design. 

The red one is nice, but I might just end up liking this one more by the end of the year. And who knows, this could end up being my all-time favorite release of it. 

The last exclusive color is the '68 Dodge Dart, and it's honestly my least favorite one. In fact, I almost didn't include it in this post. But the whole purpose of this post is to show what I got in my Kroger exclusive case, so not including it would have made this post incomplete. Now, I'm sure the Art Cars series has a fan base, but I'm not a part of it. The only time I'll pay attention to the series is when I'm on the hunt for a releases like the Raijin Expres. 

Let's face it, this is the worst release of this beautiful American classic. The last nice release of it was two years ago, and I was really hoping to eventually see another nice one, since I don't own that many releases of the casting in my collection. So you can probably imagine how disappointed I was when I saw this year's release of it.

You might be someone who looks forward to the Art Cars series each year, so you're most likely happy with their decision to make this one of the exclusive colors. But I'm not. In my opinion, they should have used a different release. And I feel this year's HW450F is one example of a release that would have been than this. 

At the end of the day, I still think this was a great purchase because it made it so I didn't have to worry about trying to find the McLaren on the pegs. As far as the mail-in is concerned, I don't think I'm going to get it. It's not a terrible looking release, it's just I don't care to have another overly decorated Porsche 356 Speedster.

So how do you feel about these Kroger exclusive colors, and do you also think they should have picked a different release? Go ahead and let me know down in the comments section. Alright, that's all for this additional feature. Until next time, thanks for reading, and happy collecting. And remember, these are just toys.