Hot Wheels Variation Alert: Mainline Classic Batmobile with Retro Entertainment Batmobile deco...

Occasionally we get word of a variation that we think is worth reporting here on the blog, and this one definitely qualifies.

Brazilian Hot Wheels collector Eduardo Guanaes found these two mainline Batmobiles and wanted some clarification on why they were different:

It might be hard to see at first, but the bottom Batmobile has no grey trim like the one up top.  The Batmobile released this year has the grey trim.  It is easier to see up top:

Well, one could argue that this is simply an error, where the grey was omitted by mistake.  It happens.  But once you look at the front and back another idea emerges.  Once again, the correct basic model is pictured first:

Front:

Back:

Front and rear red trim, which is not supposed to be there, but looks awfully familiar:

Yes, the bottom model in Eduardo pics is the basic Classic Batmobile with the deco of the Retro Entertainment Batmobile that was released at about the same time.

Switcheroos have been more and more common lately, and a similar switch happened last year, when a small number of mainline Mystery Machines appeared with the more detailed deco of the Comic Con release.

As far as errors/variations go, this is a good one.  A variation like this is cool on any model, but when it happens on a Batmobile, it is on a completely different level.

So keep your eyes open.  Kroger stores have shippers full of Batmobiles, so if they are nearby I would go looking.  Maybe someone will be as lucky as Eduardo.

Let us know if you do get lucky...

And I would check the ebay listings, sometimes one shows up that no one knows about (although I haven't checked this batch of listings...)