Wednesday, March 17, 2021
White Booth Wednesday #75
Saturday, March 13, 2021
Today on the Boulevard: Hot Wheels Case D Target Red Editions
Hello and welcome to another edition Today on the Boulevard. As you might know, I don't really care too much for store exclusives. But when I'm able to find them, I will gladly showcase them on the boulevard. Now sometimes I'm only able to find a specific one, while other times I'm able to acquire all three. And this was one of those times where I was able to get all three. So with that being said, let's get this show on the road.
So as you all know, this is the fifth year of Red Editions. As such, Hot Wheels decided to add a cool little additional "RE5" tampo to each of these models. Personally, I think they should continue to at least use "RE" for all future Red Edition releases. I mean... the Super Treasure Hunts have a special tampo detail. So why not do something similar for these.
Alright, so the first Red Edition for today's post, is the Triumph TR6. For those of you that read part 2 of my 2021 case A want list, then you'd know that this was one of the castings that I was happy to see, and get. And now I'm even happier with the fact that I was able to get this version. Even though these are "Red Editions," I think it was a cool idea to make this release black with red stripes.
The color scheme isn't the only thing I like about this one. I also like the choices made for the design. If you take a look at the green release, then you'll notice how the stripes on it's sides have a gold outline. Now for some reason, the decision was made to not make the top stripes have this outline. Thankfully, that isn't an issue with this release. The side stripes, as well as the tops stripes, are red with no outline. In my opinion, this is a much neater design.
For it's wheels, the choice was made to once again use the DD8s, and I have no issue with this. Like the green release, these too were given a colored rim to match the design.
The "RE5" on this release is located on it's sides just after the rear wheel arch.
The next one Red Edition from this case, is the '32 Ford. Now as you know, this year's release of this hot rod features an Uno theme. I honestly wasn't too into the design featured on the initial release, however, I actually very much like this one. The cards along the sides on the initial release, are the main reason why I wasn't too into it. Thankfully, the Hot Wheels designers chose to go down a different road with this Red Edition version.
So unlike the first release that had a bunch of UNO cards along it's sides, the decision was made to make the sides of this release look like the red number 1 card itself. So it features the number 1 within a circle. "UNO" was placed next to it just after the doors. I honestly like this design way better, and if I was going to build an UNO themed '32 Ford, this is definitely the design I would use.
The "RE5" on this release was placed just after the side window. They could have chose to put this detail on the trunk, but I think it was a cool idea to utilize this section of this car's body.
Like the initial release, the trunk of this one was given a detail. The first release's trunk was given the wild card, while this one was given "UNO." I actually like this trunk detail better.
The RSW wheels were one of the things that I liked about the initial release. Thankfully, the designers chose to use them again for this release. Now unlike the the first release that has chrome wheels, this one has black wheels with a white rim. I don't know about you, but I think this is an okay wheel color for this model.
The Toyota Off-Road Truck is the last of the three Red Editions from this year's case D. I'm actually glad I was able to score this one. You know how Santa makes his list, and checks it twice? Well I most certainly didn't check my list twice, as I forgot that I wanted to get the initial release of this truck. For those of you that didn't know, I spent the first month of this year redoing various things with the BLVD. This caused me to not really check my list, which is why I forgot that I wanted the orange release. Well thankfully I was able to get this Red Edition.
The design featured on this one has a color scheme that's similar to the orange one. So it's design utilizes red, black, and yellow. I think the color scheme looks much better over white. I know this is a Holley themed release, but in my opinion, these colors are similar to the TRD livery. This is one of the reasons why I like their decision to make this one white
The "RE5" on this release was placed just after the Holley decal on the sides.
As you've all seen, this year's off-road themed mainline releases feature brown wheels with colored spokes. So for this release, the decision was made to make it have yellow spokes. I don't know how you feel about this, but I starting to have mixed feelings about them doing this. I'm not saying that it's the worst idea, but having would-be muddy tires on on vehicle that's not muddy is not quite right. Now this idea does work on vehicles that have mud splatter details. Take the recent Range Rover for example. The brown wheels looked okay on that release because of the details on it. Ultimately, I hope this trend doesn't continue for next year's mainline. And if it does, then I guess it's just something I'll have to live with.
If you were to ask me which of the three I liked the most, then I'd tell you that it was the Triumph. This is simply because I only had one other release of the casting before this year's release. But overall, these three releases are very nice additions to any collection.
So collectors what did think you think of these first Red Editions? Did you like all three of them, or did you decide to only get specific ones? Feel free to let me know down in the comments. Okay, that's all for this edition of Today on the Boulevard. Until next time, happy collecting.
My Want List: 2021 Hot Wheels Case D - Part 2
Alright collectors, welcome to part two of my 2021 case D want list. Like I said at the end of part one, these models are just as good as the first ones. So with that being said, let's get going with this last part.
Up first, is the 1985 Honda CR-X that's apart of this year's HW Speed Graphics mainline set. Overall, this is another great release of this casting. And I think the most, if not all of the diecast community will love it too. I mean... how could you not, when the Hot Wheels designers decided to make it match the debut releases of the Odyssey and '85 City Turbo.
Although I like how this release came out, I do feel it would have looked even better if they gave it some additional details to make it further match the Odyssey. A "Honda" window banner decal is the main detail that I would have liked to see. On it's sides, I would have liked to see a Yokahama Tires decal. I feel there is enough room on the door underneath the blue stripe. Ultimately, the lack of these details is not that big of a deal, as this is still a very cool release.
The good ol' Hot Wheels lace wheels are the ones that were picked for this release, and I like how they are chrome. I feel these wheels complement this release's overall appearance perfectly.
I think you all remember the first mainline Legends Tour car. Well the 2 Jet Z is back for another release, and it's the next car that got checked off of my want list. To be honest, I wasn't really into this casting when it first came out. However, as time went on, it started to grow on me. And this year's release has made me officially like it.
In my opinion, this release is slightly better than the one based on the winner's actual car. Black is the color that was picked for it's exterior, but that alone is not why I like it so much. The overall design is why I feel it's better, and the color just contributed to my fondness of it. This release was given the shark teeth and eye graphic. It also features two red stripes, and a insignia. All of these details give this release a cool military aircraft look.
This release has two more things that I really like about it. It's wheels, which are the DD8s, are the first of those things. The rim was painted grey, and I think this was a great color choice. Of course, some collectors might have preferred a chrome red rim, which is understandable. The red window piece is the second thing that I like about this release. I think we can all agree that it goes perfectly with this release's design.
The last vehicle rolling off of my case D want list, and into my collection, is the Fast-Bed Hauler that's apart of this year's HW Metro mainline set. This is one casting that isn't often seen in the mainline. And before this release, I only had two other releases of it in my collection. These kind of hauler castings that can actually haul a car are so cool, and what was done to this release made it even cooler. So this was one release that was instantly put on my want list. In fact, I even decided to get an extra one to open and have on display.
The cab was finished in a very nice looking pearl turquoise. You won't be able to see it in my picture, but it's color changes to purple when a light is shined on it.
The design is the next thing that makes this a cool display model to have. The designers created an awesome looking pinstripe design. And I like how the design covers a large portion of this hauler's sides. Orange and white are the colors that were utilized for it. Personally, these two colors combine flawlessly with the pearl exterior color.
For this release's wheels, the decision was made to give it chrome gold 5SPs. Choosing chrome gold wheels for this turquoise release, is basically the same as putting a cherry on top of a cake. For me, this wheel choice helped to make this release even cooler than what it already was.
Okay collectors, that's all of the vehicle from this case that I had on my want list. With the GTO, I hope to see at least one release of it with a cool drag racing livery that features some real-life aftermarket decals. And with the Jesko, I hope it gets a future release that's finished in a bright color like yellow. I also can't wait to see what the futures holds for the bronco.
Like the last case, I really don't have a specific favorite. It's really hard to choose one when all of the models are nice. Now maybe you have a specific favorite. If you do, go ahead and let me know down in the comments section. Alright, that's all for this edition of My Want List. Until next time, thanks for reading, and happy collecting.
Friday, March 12, 2021
My Want List: 2021 Hot Wheels Case D - Part 1
Why hello there collectors! It's once again time for another edition of My Want List. Like the last case, this one also had a lot of releases that I wanted. As such, I'm going to divide this review up into two parts. I would also like to mention that two of the releases I got, are new castings, and they are very cool models. So for this review's part one, I'm going to start with those.
The first of the two new castings that I got, is the '06 Pontiac GTO that's apart of this year's Factory Fresh mainline set. It's nice to finally see this GTO as a Hot Wheels casting. I really like how Hot Wheels decided to add their magic to this car. What I mean by that, is that instead of designing a stock looking model, they decided to set it up for drag racing. So it has cool features like wide rear tires, a wheelie bar, and a exhaust that is positioned just behind the front wheels.
Aside from the body features, I also like how this first release was finished in color that if not exact, is based on one that was available for the real car. The color is called Brazen Orange. Now it's been quite some time since I last saw these driving around, as such, I had to turn to Google Images for a reference. And from some of the pictures I found, this release's color looks close enough.
Most likely, this model is going to feature some awesome designs going forward. But for this debuting release, they decided to keep things simple. So the only design on it, is a black stripe that was applied to it's quarter panel. The front and rear were left plain, which is okay.
Now all of this release's features, including the "SUPER DUTY" stripe have meaning. Based on the back of the card, Hot Wheels intended for this model to have the looks of a factory built race car. I think Hot Wheels nailed it with this "what if" model! It's too bad Pontiac never made one of these.
The second new casting that I wanted, is the '21 Ford Bronco that's apart of this year's Then and Now mainline set. I bet fans of the Bronco are going wild right now for this one. And I guess how could you not right? After all this time Ford has finally decided to make a modern one. On a side note, it's cool to see these manufacturers revive some of their older vehicle names. The other recent one that I'm interested in, is the Nissan 400Z. I, for one, hope it gets turned into a Hot Wheels casting. But that's neither here nor there. For right now, let's just focus on this new Bronco.
Now the real-life Bronco can be bought as either a 2-door or 4-door. But I'm glad Hot Wheels decided to make the 2-door version. I might be alone, but I think this vehicle looks much better with a 2-door configuration. But more power to you if you prefer the 4-door.
For this first release, the Hot Wheels designers chose to paint it in a very cool blue. Now from what I can gather, the blue used for this release is not one that's available for the actual SUV. Based on Ford's website, the only blue that's offered is called Antimatter Blue. That color is way darker than what was used for this release. Having a model painted in a color that you might not see on a the real vehicle, is one of the reasons why I like Hot Wheels.
Since this release is apart of the Then and Now mainline set, we will definitely see a release of a similar colored Custom Ford Bronco. I can't wait!
This release was given some additional details as well. The fenders of this model feature a tampo version of this SUV's fender emblem. The Hot Wheels designers also chose to add "Bronco" across the lower half of the door. The front was also given some details as well. The rear end was left plain, which is okay, but it would have been nice to see tail light details.
The Hot Wheels BLOR wheels are what was chosen for this fist release. These beadlock wheels look good on so many castings, and this is one of them. Hot Wheels has other off-road wheels that would work for this casting too. So hopefully we end up seeing a release of this Bronco with some of those.
The next vehicle that was checked off of my want list, is the 2020 Koenigsegg Jesko that's apart of this year's HW Torque mainline set. I was so excited last year when I found out we were going to finally have a new Koenigseg, as well as one that was going to be in the mainline. As you all know, the premium Agera R was the only one that Hot Wheels made. I'm still hoping Hot Wheels makes some of Koenigsegg's other vehicles for the mainline, but for now, this casting will do.
So for this second release, the decision was made to finish it in a much darker color than the first one. I would best describe the color used as being like a metallic gunmetal. I'm not sure if Koenigsegg's customers can get this car in this color, but I think it the car looks great finished in the color.
This second release was given the same tampo details as the first one, which is absolutely fine by me. There is no need to create a flashy design for this model, as it's already a perfect work of automotive art.
The wheels used for this release, are the Hot Wheels OH5s with a grey finish. I do feel black wheels might have looked better, but I ultimately have no problem with the color they chose.
The '91 GMC Syclone is the next release that was checked off of my want list. This year's release is apart of the HW Turbo mainline set. As most of you might know, the real-life Syclone had a specific color that was available for it. So like the Bronco, this release is another example of a model that features a color that wasn't seen on it's real-life counterpart. Overall, this release features a two tone paint job, and I like the colors that were chosen. The top color is a nice metallic blue, and it's lower half was painted metallic silver.
Now as cool as this is, I do have a small problem with how this release came out. Sadly, the second color starts after the front wheel arch. I know this is a mainline, but it would have been nice if the front bumper was also painted silver as well. I feel the paint job looks incomplete. It's like this Syclone was taken to a paint shop, and the painter decided that it looked good enough, and that it was time to move on to the next customer.
As far as tampo details go, this model was pretty much given the same ones that were applied to the first release of this casting. The sides were given a red Syclone decal. The front was left plain, and the rear was given tail lights, as well as some additional detail.
I think it's cool when a Hot Wheels model has wheels that are similar to it's real-life counterpart's wheels. As such, I like how the RA6 wheels were once again used.
The next vehicle checked of of my want list, is the '19 Chevy Silverado Trail Boss LT that's apart of this year's Baja Blazers mainline set. This is a very cool release, and I feel off-road enthusiast are going to love it's overall appearance. Starting with it's exterior color, the designers chose to go with dark green. Now you might be thinking what's so cool about that. Well it's color is combined with a cool camouflage design. And it wasn't just applied to the sides either. This model's hood also received the design.
The sides were also given an additional black stripe that was placed on over the camouflage design. The sides of this model also feature some fantasy decals. These were placed within the section of the stripe that runs along the lower half of this model's sides. Another fantasy decal was also placed above the front wheel arch, as well as the hood. As you might know from a previous post, I have no issue with fantasy decal, as the designers make ones that look realistic enough. The last detail on this model is a number box with the number 19.
The wheels used for this one, are the BLORs. These ones were given the muddy look. So the tires are brown, and the spokes are black. I guess this is something that's going to be done for newer off-road releases. I don't know how the overall community feels about them being like this, but I know that I don't necessarily have a problem with them. I just hop they don't overuse this idea.
For this release, the designers chose to paint it black. This is actually not the first time black was used for this casting. The first black one has a Mad Mike theme, and it featured a blue base, which also means that is has a blue front lip. Now personally, this year's release is much better because it has a black base. I also like how the decision was made to give it a beige interior, which is a nice color to go with the exterior color.
Chrome PR5s are the wheels that were chosen for this release. I really don't have anything to say about this wheels choice, as there's nothing wrong with how this model looks with them.
Alright everyone, the last vehicle for this post, is the Jaguar XE SV Project 8. This release is apart of this year's HW Torque mainline set. I really like how they decided to give us another plain release of this casting. In all honesty, this is another one of those models that doesn't need a design to be cool. I mean... a simple design might be nice, but all it really needs is a great color, and I feel this release was given just that.
Red is the color they went with for this release. Now yes, it's noting special like matte or metallic, but there's nothing wrong with this finish. Also, from what I can gather, Jaguar offered red for this model's real-life counter. The color is called Caldera Red. Now I don't know if this color is a match, but I feel it looks good enough.
The wheels used for this release are the TRAP5s, and what I like, is how the decision was made to make them black. Red with black wheels is a nice combination for a car, and I like how the real car looks with black wheels. So these wheels ultimately contributed to me adding this to my want list.
Alright collectors, that's all for part 1 of this review. These first vehicles are great, and so are the next ones. So be sure to stay tuned for part 2. Until then, thanks for reading and happy collecting.
Wednesday, March 10, 2021
White Booth Wednesday #74
Vehicle: Dodge Challenger Concept
So collectors, what would be your rating for this release? Go ahead and let me know down in the comments. As always, happy diecast collecting!
Sunday, March 7, 2021
Heads-up: Walmart (New)
I also came across a few other leftovers from some of the other new Mattel made diecast assortments. These assortments are as follows: Matchbox Truck Series, Matchbox Moving Parts, and Hot Wheels Boulevard.





















































