The late 2010’s really were a peak for Aston Martin’s design language. All their cars were the perfect combination of elegant and aggressive in a way that just exudes “cool” – none more so than the DBS.
Hot Wheels’ take on the DBS is fantastically executed, with great proportions and lots of casting detail. Originally designed as a basic casting, this DBS was upgraded for premium as a Casino Royale Pop Culture model. In the process, it gained chrome 10 spoke wheels with perfect wheel fitment, a glittering metallic gray coat of paint with a perfect finish, and loads of front and rear detailing…all of which makes it astonishing that this excellent model is so often overlooked by collectors.
Aston Martin’s grille design in this era is nothing short of iconic, and this casting does a great job of showing it off. This model’s perfectly aligned headlight printing is somewhat of a rarity for a Hot Wheels model and it looks great, though I do wish the green and silver details of the Aston Martin badge were more visible.
While this casting hails from a time when side mirrors were rather uncommon on Hot Wheels models, their absence doesn’t hold this model back too much. The silver trim around the windows looks great, and I particularly appreciate the silver strip of trim on the fender vent. The DBS’s aggressive side skirts are very well replicated here, and these silver 10 spoke wheels seem like they were made just for this car. They fit this casting perfectly.
Aston Martins of this era all had clear brake light lenses, and I always thought it made them look so sophisticated. I’m thrilled to see them replicated in their proper silver, along with an actual license plate! This looks far more realistic than the manufacturer/model name license plates that we’ve seen on so many Mattel diecasts recently. The Aston Martin badge still looks a bit too dark, but the DBS badge has the correct red “S” which looks awesome. Sadly, the exhaust tips are barely visible in this rear diffuser, so I wish they would have been printed silver.
Overall, I believe this Aston Martin DBS to be one of the best Hot Wheels premium castings of all time, so I can’t help but ponder why it doesn’t get more attention. Is it because this casting was released as part of the Retro Entertainment line, rather than the more popular Car Culture or Boulevard lines? Perhaps, but that didn’t seem to dampen the hype for the lime green 911 GT3 RS. Perhaps Aston Martin just doesn’t have the same brand cachet as Porsche or the JDM brands, and thus it gets less social media attention. Whatever the reason, it’s a shame to see such a great casting get overlooked, and I hope if we ever get an Exotic Envy 4 we see it headlined by this DBS. I’d love to see a green version with a black chase!
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