Looking at: Hot Wheels Car Culture Power Trip

Welcome to the boulevard collectors! Like the title states, today's in-depth review is all about the newest Hot Wheels Car Culture Power Trip assortment. Two of the vehicles in this set made their debut earlier this year. And three of the vehicles are premiums for the first time. So get your popcorn and bonbons out, because today's post is a bit of a long one.

First up for today's review, is the '87 Buick Regal GNX. As most of you know, this premium casting made it's debut earlier this year in the Hot Wheels Fast and Furious Motor City Muscle premium assortment. And although the basic version with the opening hood is cool, this one remains to be my favorite. This is due to it's overall proportions. I knew this casting would get a second release, however, I wasn't expecting it to be this year.

Honestly, this second release is just as good as the first one. The first thing that I like about this release, is how it was finished in pearl white. I always liked the way this paint looked under a light. As such, I feel this was a excellent choice to make this a great model to have. Since the real GNX only came in black, some collectors might favor the Fast and Furious one more. I don't have a specific favorite, as it's nice to see what the GNX looks like finished in another color.

This release's exterior wasn't given any designs. I feel this was a great choice made by the Hot Wheels designers, because in my opinion, this model doesn't need any. It did however, receive the usual tampo details that are given to these kind of Hot Wheels releases. The front of this model was given Headlights and grill details that include the GNX emblem. Tail lights as well as the GNX emblem were applied to the rear. The word "Buick" was placed over a black square on the license plate section. 

The sides of this model were only given two details. The fender louvers received a black tampo coating. This for me was a nice touch, as it makes each section of the vents look open. The last detail on it's sides, is a silver tampo that was applied to the door handles.

Once again the Hot Wheels RR8DOTs were used for this model's wheels. Aside from liking how they look on this model, I also like the choice to make them gold. As nice as theses are for this casting, I do hope the next release is given a different set of wheels. 

Featured next, is the 1991 GMC Syclone. As you all know, this casting made it's debut this year in the Hot Wheels mainline. Like the GNX, I wasn't expecting to see another release of this casting in it's debuting year. I especially wasn't expecting to see a premium version either. Having a premium version of this casting, could ultimately lead to some exciting releases down the road. I just hope they continue to give collectors basic releases as well.

In a recent review, I showcased the last three vehicles that I wanted out of this year's 2020 Hot Wheels case N. One of the vehicles in that post was the red GMC Syclone. In all honesty, this red one is much better. And there is one main reason for that. For those of you that didn't know, there were ten special versions of the real Syclone that were red. These ten, were apart of a Marlboro giveaway promotion. And that's what this release is based on. That is why I feel this one is much better than the red basic one.

Now the real life Marlboro version of the Syclone, featured a targa styled roof. This casting on the other hand does not. I might be alone with this opinion, but I feel it might have been cool if this premium casting was designed with an open roof. This for me, would've made this premium version a little more special. Not having a targa styled roof though, is absolutely no issue for me. This is just something that came to mind. 

Since this is based off of the Marlboro Syclone, it features the exact stripe design that seen on the hood and sides of that edition. Accurately placed under the side stripes is the Syclone decal. Since Mattel is a primarily into making toys for children, the various Marlboro details seen on the real truck are not present on this release, which is totally fine by me. Besides... the only details that are missing, are a window banner and a small Marlboro decal that would've been on the sides as well as the tailgate.

One of the main issues that I had with the first two basic releases, was the lack of front end tampo details. Thankfully this is no longer the case with this premium release. The rear features the Syclone decal as well as "GMC" placed over a grey square on the license plate section. It's too bad a custom license plate wasn't created instead, as that might have made this model look even better.

Since Hot Wheels doesn't have a premium wheel that looks anything like the wheels used for the real Marlboro Syclone, they decided to use black and chrome RRLW5 wheels. In my opinion, you could never go wrong with five spoke wheels. Especially ones that look like these. As such, I feel this was a great choice of wheel for this release.

I do still have one small issue with this release. It's the same issue that I had with the red mainline release. As you all know, the base of this casting fill in the center of the rear. Like the mainline release, the base on this model is black. I still feel like both of these red releases should've had red bases. But like I mentioned in that review, this is something that I can ignore.

The Plymouth Barracuda Hemi, is the next car for this review. Over the years, this casting has had a few premium releases with Real Rider wheels. The only one of those that I have, is the yellow one from the Phil's Garage premium assortment. So I'm happy to finally have another great looking premium release of this Fastback Barracuda. 

Like most collectors, I really like the Mopar theme that's featured on this release. And I feel gloss black was a great exterior color choice to go along with it. I like how the overall design on this model utilizes most of the space that is available on it's sides. Spanning the entire length of this Barracuda's sides, is a stripe design that appears to be based on the classic Mopar logo. Applied to the doors of this model, are nicely sized Chrysler and Mopar decals.

As I've mentioned in various past reviews, I really like when race themed diecast models feature additional sponsor decals. It's also nice when the decals belong to actual aftermarket companies. So aside from the Chrysler and Mopar decals, I really like the additional ones that were applied to this model's quarter panel. The sponsors featured on this release are as follows: Edelbrock, Holley, Bell, and B & M. "Plymouth" was also applied to quarter panel as well.

The top of this model was given some tampo details too. However, these details are only on it's hood. The red, white, and blue stripe design was only applied to the hood scoop. This is actually a cool idea if I do say so myself. Finishing off the hood of this Barracuda, are would-be hood pins.

The front and rear of this model received some great details, and I especially like the details that were applied to the front. Aside from the headlights, this model was also given this car's grill. This was achieved by the application of a black tampo.

One of the other things that I like about this release, is how it was given a red interior. I don't know how you feel about this choice, but I personally like it. A black car with a red interior, is a combination that will always work. And I feel this interior color goes great with the overall theme of this release.

The wheels given to this Barracuda, are the Hot Wheels RR5SP. Torq Thrust wheels on a Mopar themed fastback Barracuda, is a perfect combination in my opinion.  

The fourth car for this review, is the '18 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon. As you all know, this casting made it's mainline debut back in 2018. And to be honest, I had been eagerly awaiting a premium version of it. Now that it's been made, this means we could end up seeing some very stunning releases in the future.

One of the aspects that's interesting about this particular release, is how it was given the same exact theme as the Barracuda. At first I was a little put off by the decision to make it similar to the aforementioned car. At the time, I felt like it should've been given a different design. After looking at it long enough though, my opinion started to change. And now I can say that I really like the decision to make this Demon's exterior/interior match the Barracuda. On a side note, it might be cool to get a Team Transport hauler that also has this theme. Having one would be great for those of you that like to make garage dioramas.

Since this release is sporting the same theme as the Barracuda, I like how it was given most of the same sponsor decals. Holley is the only sponsor that wasn't used for this release. The extra sponsor decals on this model, weren't placed on the quarter panel like they were on the Barracuda. Instead, they were placed along the lower half of this SRT Demon's sides. The SRT Demon logo was also placed on the lower half of it's sides. "Dodge" is the only decal that was placed on this model's quarter panel.

There are also a few other differences besides the sponsor decal placement. One of those differences has to do with the Mopar logo. As you saw, the Barracuda featured "Mopar" next to the Chrysler logo. For this release, the Hot Wheels designers chose to use the Mopar logo that features a large M. The hood is where the next difference is. Unlike the Barracuda's hood scoop that just has the stripe design, this Demon's hood scoop features "SRT" next to the stripes.

Front and rear details are one of the great things about this casting finally being in the premium line. And I really like the ones that were applied to this model. The front was given detailed headlights, and the SRT letter emblem. The rear was given detailed tail lights, the Dodge letter emblem, and the SRT letter emblem. All these details added a lot of realism to this release, and I feel that's some of what makes this a fantastic model to have.

The wheels given to this release are the RR5SPM. This wheel was first used on the Ford RS200 that was released earlier this year in the Car Culture Thrill Climbers assortment. At the time, I was excited at all the possible future Hot Wheels releases that could have them. And I can definitely say that I am very happy with how this casting looks with them.    

The last vehicle from this set, is the Custom '72 Chevy LUV. I'm actually surprised at how this casting hadn't had a premium release before now. Each year I look forward to a Hot Wheels Chevy LUV release. The reason for that has to do with all the cool multi-colored stripe patterns that are created by the Hot Wheels designers. And now that we have a premium version, I can't wait to see what the future has in store for this casting.

Like all the previous releases of this casting, this too was given a nice stripe pattern that utilizes multiple colors. And to be more specific, this design utilizes a total of five different colors. Pink, orange, light orange, yellow, and white are a great mix of colors for a pattern like this. I absolutely love how this design spans across the entire side of this model. The only thing that might've made it look better, is if the stripes were applied to the hood as well. Not having stripes on the hood, is no issue for me though.

With this release, we finally have a '72 Chevy LUV model with front and rear tampo details. Aside from the detailed headlights, this pickup's grill section was given a black tampo coating. The Chevy emblem also received a tampo coating as well. The Rear features tail lights, a tampo coating over the raised tailgate letters, and a personalized license plate. The plate appears to be California's blue and yellow one.

Now... as I'm sure you all know, you can have a great looking design that is ruined by a poor exterior color choice. Thankfully, that hasn't been the case with any of the releases of this casting. And that holds true with this release as well. The color chosen for this LUV release, is a very nice shade of metallic purple that combines marvelously with the colors used for the design.

The RR10SPs are the wheels that were chosen for this release. I don't know how you feel about these wheels being used, but I feel they were a great choice for this first premium LUV.

Okay readers, that's all five vehicles from this Hot Wheels Car Culture Power Trip assortment. All in all, I like each one of these vehicles equally. So readers, did you have a specific favorite among these five cars? And how did you feel about Hot Wheels making the SRT Demon match the Barracuda? Feel free to let me know your thoughts down in the comments section. Okay everyone, that's all for this edition of looking at. Until next time, happy diecast collecting!

Hot Wheels 2020 Case N: The Rest of my Want List

Why hello there! Welcome to another diecast review. I happened to have a bit of luck on one of my recent trips out. Like the title states, I was able to acquire the rest of the vehicles that I wanted from Hot Wheels 2020 case N. In total, it was only three more that I needed. Trying to find them though, was honestly like trying to find a needle in a haystack. I'm just glad the hunt is over and they are finally in my garage. With that said, let's get things started.

Speeding onto the boulevard first, is the '18 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon that's apart of this year's Muscle Mania mainline set. Out of all of the basic releases of this casting, this one is my favorite. I really love all of the details that were applied to this model. This release overall, appears to take inspiration from an actual Jegs Dodge Challenger drag car. 

The sides of this model are where most of the details are. Like the Challenger this appears to be based on, it too has lots of extra sponsor decals placed over a wide black stripe on the lower half of it's sides. This detail alone, is what I like the most about this release. If you've read some of my older reviews, then you'd know that I love race themed Hot Wheels with extra sponsor decals. in my opinion, having them makes the livery look more complete. Now it may not have all of the sponsors seen on the real car, but I'm happy with what brands Hot Wheels is able to legally use. 

The "Jegs" decal was placed directly above the extra sponsor decals. It's too bad they didn't use the "Jegs.com" decal, as that would've made it look even closer to the Challenger this appears to be based on. However, I can understand them not using it if there's some kind of legal reason. Also placed above the extra sponsor decals, is the SRT Demon logo. The last detail on it's sides, is the exact stripe that's seen on the real Jegs Challenger drag car.

The top of this model features stripes that start on the hood and finish on the trunk. I do wish the stripes were also added to the front and rear bumper. Of course this is something I can ignore. After all, this is a $1 mainline and not a premium. The "SRT" decal was placed on the scoop section of the "Air-Grabber" hood.

Black Hot Wheels 5SPs were used for this release's wheels. This wheel choice is absolutely fine by me, since the Jegs Challenger also uses black five spoke wheels.

Up next is the recolor of the Datsun Bluebird Wagon (510) that's apart of this year's Hot Wheels Speed Graphics mainline set. I honestly thought I was never going to see this one. Like most of my Hot Wheels purchases, there is a specific reason as to why I really wanted this recolor.

As you all know, this year's MOMO themed 510 Wagon features the same design that was given to the 2019 Nightburnerz '71 Datsun 510. That release also ended up getting a Kmart exclusive recolor. Sadly, I was unable to acquire that release. Thankfully I would have another chance at having a 510 with the Kmart colored theme. And to be honest, I actually think this looks better than the 2019 510. The biggest reason has to do with the additional "Kaido House" and "JNC" decals. I also like how the red stripe on this one is in-between the yellow stripes.

The Hot Wheels DD8 wheels were once again used for this release. I have no issue with this, especially since the 2019 510 Kmart color had them as well. The only difference with these is with the outer rim color, which is yellow. Another feature that's the same as the 2019 Kmart color, is the red interior. 

There is one more aspect that makes me like this version more than the 2019 510. And it has to do with the casting itself. Unlike the '71 510, this 510 wagon's splitter is apart of it's base. This ultimately makes it so this casting can feature a colored splitter that goes along with the design without having to receive a tampo coating. So with this release, I really like the choice to make the base/splitter red.

The last vehicle being featured today, is the recolor of the '91 GMC Syclone that's apart of this year's Hot Wheels Hot Trucks mainline set. Although this casting's real life counterpart was only available in black, I really like how it looks finished in red. I also like how the Hot Wheels RA6 wheels were once again used for this release. Based on the real life counterpart's wheels, these basic wheels are the best possible choice for this casting.

The tampo details received a recolor as well, and I love the color they chose. The "Syclone" decals as well as the "GMC Truck" decal on the rear, are now silver. The only thing that's keeping me from giving these first two releases a solid ten, is the lack of front end tampo details.

I also have another gripe with this particular release. Due to the design of this casting, the base fills in the center section of the rear. My issue is with the base's color, which is black. I don't know how you feel about the center of the rear being a different color, but I would've preferred for the base to be red. But alas, this is something that I can ignore.

If you were to ask me which one of these three I liked the most, I'd have to pick the Challenger SRT Demon. I just can't get over how awesome it looks with all the extra sponsor decals. Now yes, the Challenger might be my favorite, but that doesn't mean I don't cherish the other two as well.

So readers, how did you feel about 2020 case N? I know for a fact that it was one of the better cases this year. Or maybe that's just me. Feel free to let me know your thoughts down in the comments section. Okay, that's all for today's review. Until next time, happy diecast collecting!  

White Booth Wednesday #52

It’s that day of the week again! Here’s this week’s #whiteboothwed weekly showcase!

Car: Custom '56 Ford Truck

Series: 2020 Hot Wheels Art Cars

Boulevard rating: 8

What I like most: Collecting diecast models isn't just about getting the pieces that you'd typically see driving around. For some, it can also be about getting the ones that you might not see driving around. This is one of the reasons why I like Mattel's Hot Wheels brand. We get to see what our favorite vehicles might look like with a wild vibrant paint job. And that's why I decided to add this '56 Ford Truck to my collection. Diecast models that feature paint jobs like this, are very unique pieces in my opinion. I also like how it was given different colored wheels, which further adds to the overall uniqueness of this release.

Okay readers, let me know down in the comments what your rating for this piece would be.

As always, happy diecast collecting!

Looking at: Matchbox Mix 5 (My Want List)

Welcome back to the boulevard racers! It's once again time to take a look at another set of diecast cars, that have been checked off my want list. This time, it's the newest Matchbox basic assortment. Overall, this case definitely had something for everyone. Among the vehicles that I wanted, there were three that I just had to have. And those are the three that I'm going to go over first. So with that said, let's get this review started.

The first vehicle that I wanted, is the 1956 Aston Martin DBR1, which made it's debut in the Top Gun five pack. Among all the various vehicles that I like, classic sports cars like this one will always be at the top of my must get list. This is solely due to the exterior shape of them, which in my opinion, makes them timeless. Of course that's not to say that current sports cars won't end up being timeless classics as well.

Now that you how I feel, I think you can imagine how excited I was when I first saw pictures of this casting over on Matchbox's Instagram page. In my opinion, this first release was done nicely. I really like the choice to use finish this model's exterior in dark green. Based on the pictures I'm seeing of the real car, this green is not the exact green that was used. However, it's still a great looking shade for this model nonetheless.

When it comes to tampo details, this model was given a few details on it's front, side, and rear. To be honest though, I'm a little disappointed with the headlight details. The headlight section on this model was given a simple silver tampo coating. Personally, this model might've looked better if it was designed in a similar fashion to the Hot Wheels Ferrari 250. That casting's headlights were apart of the windshield piece. Diecast models designed like that, have very realistic looking headlights.

For this release's wheels, the Matchbox design team decided to use five spoke wheels. Let's be honest here, there's no way five spoke wheels are period correct on this car. As such, I wish Matchbox would've used their old lace wheels. 

The second car that I had to have, is the '33 Ford Coupe. Like classic sports cars, hot rods are up there on my list as well. With this release, this model has now had four great looking releases. The first two releases, were in multi-packs. The debuting one was in the Dirty Mudders five pack, and the second one was in the nine packs. Since I don't typically get multi-packs, I didn't end up getting those. This casting thankfully got put into the mainline, which has now led to this second one being in my collection.

With this release, I like how the Matchbox designers went in a different direction with it's looks. The first mainline release, had the looks of being used and worn down. This one on the other hand, has the looks of being freshly built. Now don't get me wrong, I still very much like the first one, but it nice to have a version of this casting that's not used looking. Remember, the debuting one also had a used look with it's mud splatter details.

Now then, since the overall theme of this release is Mooneyes, this model's exterior was given a wonderful shade of yellow. Once again, a scallop design was utilized for this casting. Both mainline releases having a scallop design isn't a problem for me, since I like how they look on hot rods. Plus, the design on this second one looks very different from the first one's design. The red outline featured on this one's design, was also a nice touch. The only design aspect that's basically the same as the first one, is the section around the side windows. Though similar, this one is better since it has the Mooneyes logo placed over it.

Like the first three releases of this casting, this too is sporting the same wheel combination. So that's the Ringed Disk wheels in the front, and the Ringed Gear wheels in the back. I don't know how you feel about this wheel combination, but I kind of like it. I also like the the choice to make them red. 

No details were given to the front and rear of this release, which is fine since this isn't a premium. It would be nice to eventually get one that at least has grill details though.

The 1970 Plymouth Cuda, is the last of the three cars that I had to have. I still very much love this Matchbox Cuda casting. This casting's stock looking ride height, continues to be one of the main things that I like about it. Of course that's not the only thing that made me want this fantastic release. For me, it all came down to it's yellow exterior color. What I like, is how it appears to be based on lemon twist, which was one of the colors that was available for the real car.

Most of this release's tampo details are featured along it's sides. Along it's quarter panel, is a realistic Hemi hockey stick stripe. Although I would've made it black, I can't deny how cool silver looks over this shade of yellow. The additional tampo details include this car's gill rocker molding, side marker lights, and a silver tampo coating over the door handle.

Only the front of this release received tampo details. Since I really like this casting, this isn't a issue for me. The headlight section on this release received a simple white tampo coating. The last front end detail is a thin silver tampo that was applied around the entire front end.

The wheels given to this release, are the Matchbox Cut Tri Spoke. This isn't a bad wheel choice for this casting. They are also much better than the five spoke wheels featured on the one that I have from 2018.

The debuting LEVC TX Taxi is the next vehicle that I got from this mix. Between Mattel's two diecast car brands, I feel Matchbox is the best when it comes to service vehicles like this. There are a few reasons for this opinion. Service castings from Matchbox, have no exterior customizations and no over the top designs.

I really like how this casting's body was designed. The front half of the roof, features the lifted section that says "Taxi" on the real vehicle. The thing that I appreciate about this casting's feature, is how the word "Taxi" was incorporated into the body. This makes it so they didn't need to apply tampo letters. Although... based on the picture I'm looking at of the real taxi, this model would've looked even better if orange was applied around the words. I also like how this casting was designed with side rear view mirrors.

The wheels on this release, contributed to it being a nice replica. For this release, the Matchbox designers gave it the Ringed Disk wheels. Based on the real vehicle's wheels, this was the best possible wheel choice for this model.

The front and rear of this model are where all the tampo details are. The tampo headlights are detailed, which is great. The hood features the LEVC emblem. I also like the additional grill details. One of those details is the "E-City" emblem on the right side of the grill. The rear features detailed tail lights and the LEVC letter emblem. On the license plate section of this model,  the letters "TX" were placed over a yellow rectangle.

The next vehicle featured in this post, is the 2019 Jeep Renegade. As most of you already know, this casting is making it's debut this year. The bright green that was chosen for this model's exterior, is one of the things that drew me to it. Now from what I can tell, this exact shade of green isn't a color that was offered on the 2019 Renegade. Some might argue that this is Jeep's hyper green, but I beg to differ. In my eyes, this green is noticeably different than Jeep's color. And personally, I like this color much better.

I really like the front and rear tampo details on this model. The front was given the Jeep letter emblem, detailed headlights, and a nicely done grill. The rear was given detailed tail lights, and this vehicle's trunk emblems. On the license plate section, the word "Jeep" was placed over a black square. Personally, it would've been nice if the Matchbox designers gave it a license plate. It could've even been a fantasy one. Not having one though, is no problem for me since I'm just happy to have another Jeep casting to collect.

For this release's wheels, the Matchbox designers decided to give it this brands five spokes. The wheel color is the only thing I would change. I may be alone with this opinion, but I personally feel this particular colored Jeep, might have looked better with black wheels.

The 1948 Willys Jeepster has finally made it to the Matchbox mainline with this mix. This casting made it's debut last year in the Walmart Jeep set. I feel being in the mainline, gives more collectors a chance at adding one to their collections. I mean... let's be honest here, we all know how hard it is to find any Walmart only set. 

I can honestly say that I like the exterior color of this release. For this second release, the Matchbox designers decided to go with a dark color. And I love how they went with dark red. Now I might be wrong, but from what I can tell, this shade of red seems to be very similar to Jeep's deep cherry red. I'm not sure if that's what the designers were trying to go for, but if they were, then I'd say it's mission accomplished.

I have absolutely no issue with the wheel choice. Like the debuting one, this too was given the Matchbox disk wheels. Based on the real vehicle's wheels, I think we can all agree that these wheels, have a period correct look. The one thing that I do like, is how the Matchbox designers decided to make the overall color of them different from the first one's wheels. Unlike the wheels on this casting's first release, these one weren't given a chrome outer ring.

Tampo details were applied to the front and rear of this Jeepster. These details are are basically the same ones present on the first one. The front was given detailed headlights, as well as the chrome center section of the grill. The rear was given tail lights and the same "Willys" logo over a white square placed on the license plate section.

Up next is the Jeep Willys. One of the things that I like about this release, is how it wasn't given an Army theme. Now I'm not saying that Army themed Jeeps aren't cool, but it is nice to finally have one of these in my collection with more of a civilian appearance. 

Although it doesn't feature a design, it was given some smaller details. These details are only present along it's sides. "Willys X" was applied in white to the side of the hood. After that, silver was used for various would-be metal sections of this model. One of those sections for example, is the shovel that's featured along the driver side.

Aside from the tampo details, I really love the exterior color. And how could I not, it is blue after all. Now the shade that was used, is on the darker side. But in my opinion, it still turned out to be a great color for this Jeep's exterior.

The wheels given to this release, are the Matchbox Ringed Gears. What I like, is how the Matchbox design team decided to make them white. For me, this helps to liven up this model just a little bit.

Checked off my want list next, is the 1968 Dodge D200. As you all know, this is the second release of this casting. And in my opinion, it's just as good as the first one. The one thing that I like, is how they decided to not give it a two tone color scheme like the first one. That type of paint job is cool and all, but it's nice to see this truck with one main exterior color. 

Like the first release, this second release was also given this pickup's side molding. This time they decided to make the center of it red, which looks great combined with black. The additional details along it's sides, are silver for the door handles and this pickups fender emblems. The front and rear were once again left without details. Of course this doesn't detract from how nice this release is.

The Matchbox 2 Ringed 8 Dot wheels were utilized for this release. I really like how this wheel looks on this casting. And I also like how they decided to make them chrome this time. Although grey or black wheels would've looked just as nice as well.

Alright readers, that's everything that I decided to get from this mix. I really don't have a specific favorite among these, as they're all great additions to any collection. The one thing that I will say, is that hope Matchbox gives us many future mainline releases of the Aston Martin DBR1.

So... now that you know my opinion, I want to know yours. If you have a specific favorite, feel free to let me know down in the comments section. Okay that's all for this edition of Looking at. Until next time, happy diecast collecting.

Hot Wheels Volkswagen "Classic Bug"

Okay racers, welcome to another diecast feature. Have you ever had a diecast model that was removed from your want list due to not being able to find it? And were you excited when you ended up finding it by chance? Well that was the case with the Volkswagen "Classic Bug" that was released in the Hot Wheels Entertainment line. I had honestly took it off of my want list, and was pleasantly surprised when I found it hanging on the pegs. At the end of the day, persistence is key. And my advice to everyone is to just keep looking. You never know, you might just come across that one model that you were looking for.

Lots of folks have a specific reason as to why they might want a diecast release. Some of those reasons might include a love for the car, the potential value, or what was done to the model. For me, it is the aforementioned with this release. The blue! It was all about the blue that was used for it's exterior. And let me say this, it looks a whole lot nicer in person. 

Even though it's exterior color is what I like the most, I can't ignore the other aspects that contributed to me wanting this release. Now as you all know, this "Classic Bug" is sporting a Forza theme. I really like how the the design isn't over the top. A simple stripe with the word "Forza" and the Forza logo, was all this model needed.

Complementing how much I like this release, are the wheels and interior color. Finally with this release, we have the "Classic Bug" with all chrome four spoke wheels. The interior color is white, which is a great interior color for this blue Volkswagen.

I also like the additional tampo details that are featured on this model. One detail that wasn't given to the previous two releases, is the would-be chrome window trim. The word "Forza" was placed over a black rectangle on the license plate section. As nice as this is, it would've been cool if the Hot Wheels designers came up with some kind of Forza themed vanity plate.

So racers, have you had a similar situation where you got lucky and found that one car? If you have, feel free to let me know down in the comments section. Okay everyone, back to racing! Until next time, thanks for reading and happy collecting!

Today on the Boulevard: More Great Hot Wheels Recolors

 Hello and welcome to another edition of Today on the Boulevard! I don't know about you, but I love when Hot Wheels decides to give us collectors a recolor of a release. This ultimately provides us with a second version of a great car, without having to wait for another one in the following year. So like the title mentions, today is all about a couple of recent Hot Wheels recolors. Both of these recolor are featured in this year's case N.

The first recolor being featured today, is the Jaguar XE SV Project 8 that's apart of this year's Nightburnerz mainline set. I'll be honest, I don't always end up liking every single mainline release of a casting. But that's definitely not the case with this fourth XE SV mainline color. The color chosen for this re-release, is silver. Like the first color for this year, this one also has the Hot Wheels TRAP5 wheels. And I like how the Hot Wheels design team decided to keep them all black. Like blue with gold wheels, silver with black wheels is another exterior/wheel color scheme that just works. The front and rear also feature the same details as the first three.

Now that we've gotten four great mainline releases of this casting, it would be nice to see one that features a custom design. Now yes, we did get a premium Fast and Furious one that featured a design on it. But that design, is a replica of the one that's seen on some of the real Project 8s. What I'm talking about, is a custom design created by the Hot Wheels design team. Some of you may disagree, which is fine. I can understand wanting every mainline release of this casting to be plain, but it might be cool to see one with some kind of livery. At the end of the day though, I do hope to see this casting get a few more mainline releases.

 

The last recolor for this post, is the Custom Ford Maverick that's apart of this year's Hot Wheels flames mainline set. This recolor, marks the third one for this year. For this re-release, the Hot Wheels design team decided to finish it's exterior in a great looking metallic red. Now sometimes, a recolor might have a great exterior color, but the design ends up getting colors that aren't so nice. Thankfully, that isn't the case with this recolor. The colors used for the flames on this re-release are white, yellow, and gold. All three of these colors combine fantastically with the shade of red that was used for this model's exterior. The main part of the flames are white. The yellow outlines certain sections, and the gold outlines the whole design. 

The wheels, base, and interior also received a color change. The first color release this year, featured an orange interior and a grey base. The base and interior on this re-release, are black like the Kroger exclusive one. With the wheels, they are the PR5s like the first two, but this time, they were finished in gold. Gold wheels combined with the exterior colors, took an already wild release, and made it even wilder. I do however, mean that in a good way. Remember, these are toy cars that are designed with children in mind. As such, a child might get excited when he/she sees the mixture of bright colors. I know for a fact, that I got excited with the color mixture, which is why it' got featured on the boulevard today.

Okay racers, that's all for this edition of today on the boulevard. Before you all get back to racing, I want to know how you felt about these recolors. Feel free to let me know your thoughts down in the comments section. Okay everyone, back to racing! Until next time, happy collecting.