I think it’s fair to call the Nissan GT-R the dominant car of the diecast world for the last decade. We’ve seen seemingly every possible permutation of model, special edition, and color from each and every one of the major diecast brands for the R32, R33, and especially R34 generations. So why are premium 1/64... Continue Reading →
I can’t fathom why Matchbox continues to make one of their best castings so hard to find. This Nissan GT-R Nismo debuted in the Collectors series at only one per case, making it nearly impossible to find. Then they released this fantastic red version…in a Moving Parts series that was sold exclusively in Japan. Then... Continue Reading →
After a few weeks of not hearing much from Matchbox, we finally have another set of exciting sneaks, including some new castings I didn't even know were coming! The most notable surprise casting in this week’s sneaks was the Dodge Durango Police car in a Boone County Sheriff Livery. I don't remember this model even... Continue Reading →
As the frustration of trying to find popular Hot Wheels and Matchbox models at retail grows year after year, I find myself exploring the world of more premium 1/64 models. I’ve covered my experiences with MiniGT, BBR, and Pop Race on this blog before, but after finding a killer deal on this McLaren 600LT made... Continue Reading →
It’s no secret that the Hot Wheels mainline has been highly budget constrained for a number of years. Castings have slowly begun to include more plastic and less metal, fewer tampo passes, and reduced quality control. Since being a “$1 toy” is such a big part of the Hot Wheels brand, it’s understandably difficult for... Continue Reading →
New diecast maker Pop Race burst onto the 1/64 scene out of nowhere last year. Their first few models didn’t really appeal to me, but that all changed when they released a stock-looking GR86 in Neptune Blue (the best color available on the GR86). I’ve been waiting for years for a GR86 model to be... Continue Reading →
The season after Christmas is always slow in the world of diecast, with minimal inventory at retail stores and new mixes being slow to release. It’s easy to get a bit bored during this time, so I’m glad Matchbox dropped some heat for us to get excited over! The most exciting car in these sneaks... Continue Reading →
With the year coming to a close, it’s time to take a look back at some of the best models of 2023. This year, we ended up with a few car culture mixes being delayed, which means I had fewer models than usual to pick from since I’m only including new models in this list. ... Continue Reading →
Better late than never, right? Through a combination of Matchbox’s increasing interest in the world of supercars and the growing hype surrounding the now-mythical Lexus LFA, we finally have an LFA model from one of the Mattel brands. Sure, Kyosho and Tomica have made models of the LFA in the past, but those aren’t widely... Continue Reading →
It’s the weekend, and that means it’s toy show time! Local toy shows are one of my favorite ways to get older and rare modern models without having to pay eBay markups and shipping. Let’s jump right in! First up is a Walmart exclusive McLaren Senna from the Quarter Mile Finals semi-premium set. When these... Continue Reading →
It’s a rare event when Hot Wheels launches a new product line, so I was eager to check out this new Aventador with its removable rear bumper and nearly $28 (with shipping) price tag. While this isn’t technically the first Elite64 model, the Aventador is the first in the line to really capture my (and... Continue Reading →
Big Lamborghinis from Hot Wheels have historically been a mixed bag. Some, like the mainline Aventador, are well proportioned and nearly perfect Hot Wheels models. Others, like the mainline Murcielago, just look a bit off – riding a bit too high and being a bit too flat. Others are let down by their color choice,... Continue Reading →
Without a doubt, this week’s biggest news is the redesign of the Moving Parts packaging, but we also saw a seemingly-finished version of the Collectors series Subaru BRZ and some new mainline recolors. Let’s jump right in! It seems like Matchbox just can’t win with their Moving Parts packaging. When the design looked like the... Continue Reading →
Barely two weeks have passed since the Matchbox line preview at the Gathering and the Matchbox team is already showing off more upcoming models. This week’s sneaks focus primarily on 5 pack models, though some Collectors and Moving Parts models are included as well. Let’s jump right in with my favorite paint color on the... Continue Reading →
It was certainly a long time coming. When the Shelby GT500 casting was released in 2020, it was a pretty good looking upgrade to the Shelby GT350 casting we already had in the lineup. Unfortunately, ever since its debut release, this casting has been plagued by the same unfortunate tampo treatment: hood, roof, and sides. ... Continue Reading →
Matchbox just dropped some amazing new sneaks in their Friday Instagram post, including quite a few recolors we’ve never seen before. Let’s jump right in! This is somehow already the 3rd release of this new Nissan Z Moving Parts casting, even though not a single variant has been available at retail stores in North America... Continue Reading →
It’s been a great couple of years for diecast Porsches. After what felt like decades of Matchbox and Hot Wheels reusing the same old 911 GT3 castings, we’ve finally seen a whirlwind of new Porsches released. Hot Wheels released the 992 GT3 and Taycan, and Matchbox released a new Cayenne, 918, 911 Carrera 4, and... Continue Reading →
Even when the shelves of retail stores are empty post-Christmas, you can always count on a toy show to be a treasure trove of exciting models and some great deals. This Sunday was no exception! Can you believe Greenlight made a model of an Iowa State Patrol car? I don’t normally collect Greenlight models, but... Continue Reading →
This was a great year for Hot Wheels premiums, especially as a lover of German cars. There were many contenders, and I’m only considering cars I actually have (which disqualifies the E36 Estate), but I was finally able to narrow it down to five! Number 5: Nissan Z Proto The new Z appeared in both... Continue Reading →
This post is based on the premium/car culture sneaks shown in a recent Lamley video, so if you haven’t watched that yet, go check it out. Let’s jump right in with my favorite model shown, the Cayman GT4! Given Porsche’s huge following among car and diecast enthusiasts, I’ve always been perplexed by the lack of... Continue Reading →
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