Showing posts with label Mazda. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mazda. Show all posts

Cool is Cool is Cool: 2009 Matchbox Superfast Mazda 2...


We thought we would continue our Cool is Cool is Cool series with something a little different.  So far, those models selected for Cool is Cool is Cool have been classics that were just a tad off the mainstream.  Think Studebaker pickups, Greenwood Corvettes, and Auto World land yachts.

But today we are going a little more current.

There is that occasional casting in your collection that you have always appreciated, but never got you as excited as other models did.  You like that it was made, but can't put too much passion behind it.

Except for that one version when it all comes together.  Wheels, color, tampos, etc.  You just need that one model, and thereafter can ignore all the other versions.

For me, the 2009 Matchbox Superfast Mazda 2 is that model.

We were thrilled to see another Mazda from Matchbox back in 2008, and the 2 was a great choice.  It seemed to be a nod to those in other countries, where the 2/Demio was far more popular than in the US.  They gave it a right-hand-drive as well, just to further show who this model was for.

And as you can imagine, in the US that cool little compact hung on the pegs.  And hung, and hung, and hung.  It wasn't surprising, but it was disappointing to see that happen, and soon enough the Mazda 2 was taken from the mainline.  We haven't seen it there in some time.

But that is fine, because in 2009 Matchbox released a version in the Superfast line that was all we needed.  A sporty version of the 2 in yellow over 5-spoke wheels, with front, side, rear, and top detailing.  Why collect any others?

We won't go through all the details as to why this model is so cool.  We will just let you look at the pictures.  We think you will agree...

(Find the Matchbox Mazda 2 on ebay...)


Matchbox Mazda 2 (2009 Superfast):









Variation Alert: 2014 Hot Wheels Mazda RX-7 with two different wheel variations...

This one caught our attention on HWC.

Variation guru Cam40 out of Texas had quite the day at his local Toys R Us.  He pulled not one, but TWO, different wheel variations on the Hot Wheels Mazda RX-7.  We will let him explain:

at one tru I found all this:

ah, first the stuff I didn't get.

red `70 celica nekkid (no side tampo) in 9`r
green `69 coronet super bee with oh5 (gold rim/black spoke)so it looked mostly correct, in a 9`r.

now the did gets:
get ready for this! ya another dang wheel vari.
on the rx-7!
black spoke mc5? and its forward setback.

and this really blew me away, as if the blk/spk
mc5 didn't already.
a carded oh5 vari.!


It is quite the day when you can find two different wheel variations on any model, but when said model is the Mazda, our jealousy level goes through the roof.  

Needless to say, it might be time to check your TRU...

Variation Alert: 2014 Hot Wheels Toyota Celica & Mazda RX-7 with OH5's, BMW E30 M3 with MC5's, 2013 Toyota 2000GT with PR5 wheels, and more...

By nature, being a collector means you find your niche, and collect the hell out of it.  So to speak.

We would like to think that our interest in these mini cars comes directly from our love for the real thing.  My collection is full of mini versions of the cars that will always earn a double take from me when I pass them on the road.  Everything from a Gran Torino to a Datsun 510 to a 458 Italia.  And a lot more.

But there is one aspect of my collecting that doesn't have anything to do with the real cars they represent.  And that little corner of the collecting world is full of wheel variations.  I love wheel variations, more specifically wheel variations on the cars I collect.  They could make the models look better, or worse, but if the wheels are different I want that model.  And if the wheel vari is rare or common, that doesn't matter.  I want it.

So I am always on the prowl, not only for wheel vari's on the pegs, but for any info on wheel vari finds.  And most of that info comes from the Vari and Error section on HWC.  Even with all the changes to the HWC forums, the Vari & Error section is still frequented by the best vari hunters in the biz, and what they share is fantastic.  No day goes by without a visit to that forum, to what else has been found.  Occasionally I can even contribute some of my finds.

So when something emerges that we think will interest Lamley readers, we will share it.  And a few things have emerged...

Let's start with a couple of recent multipack finds, both models that many of you collect:

2014 Hot Wheels '70 Toyota Celica with OH5 wheels:


Found by the collector with the best error-seeking eyes I know, HWC member TEPEagle from the Northwest US.  Normal wheels are chrome-lipped MC5's.  Found in a multipack, and note the wrong window was inserted as well.  No others have been reported.


2014 Hot Wheels Mazda RX-7 with OH5 wheels:



Another OH5 vari, found by another legendary vari collector, HWC member Cam40, in a TRU 20-pack.  Normal wheels are chrome MC5.


And there are more.  How about these, found in Walmart Christmas 9-packs:

Golf GTi with small 10-spoke wheels:



Found by HWC member svt4me.  Normal wheels are large Y5.


Cadillac CTS-V with gold MC5 wheels:


Found by HWC member Mateo716.  Normal wheels are yellow-lipped PR5's.


And now a couple in the Lamley collection.

First off:

2014 Hot Wheels BMW E30 M3 with MC5 wheels:



Found by me in a Target dump bin in Utah.  There were many other E30's there, but with the normal PR5's.  One other has been reported found at a TRU in Arizona.  There seem to be a lot of these on the pegs, so keep looking.


2014 Multipack Exclusive Honda S2000 with 10-spoke wheels:



We reported this one earlier, but still have not heard of another reported.  Keep an eye out in 9-packs and 3-packs.


Lastly, a new gem added to the Lamley collection, the 2013 Toyota 2000GT with PR5 wheels:


This easily goes to the top of my favorite wheel variations list, alongside the FE Cadillac CTS with lace wheels and Honda S2000 Super TH with 5-spoke Real Riders.  This was found by HWC member LATECH18 in New Mexico.  The other two pictured were found in the same store on the same visit.  Some other mismatched MC5/PR5 Toyotas were reported, but as far as I know this is the only reported all-PR5 variation.

There are a few to look for, and there will undoubtedly be more.  We will try and keep everyone updated, at least on the variations we think would interest folk here.

And by the way, look for a full update on the Lamley wheel variation collection soon...


2013 Lamley Awards: Reader's & Lamley Choices for Best Regular Treasure Hunt of 2013...


Get your tuxes and gowns out folks, it is time for the unveiling of the 2013 Lamley Awards...

From now until New Year's Day, we will be unveiling the winners in several categories.  There will be two in each category - both the Reader's Choice and the Lamley Choice.  The Reader's Choice was determined by voting a few weeks ago, and the Lamley Choice is what we consider the worthy winner.

So check back often, and let us know what you think.  Here is what we have announced so far:

Best Super TH of 2013


We have already stood on our soapbox and subjected you to our thoughts on the Regular Treasure Hunts.  Simply put, Super TH's are for collectors, Regular TH's are for kids.  We hope our "Leave the Regs" idea catches on, and the Fangsters and Speedboxes and such are left for kids to snag.

But there are exceptions.  While we think we will see less and less collector-aimed Regulars, there were a few in 2013.  The Dodge Challenger Drift Car, Camaro SS Police, and Mazda RX-7 come to mind, and not surprisingly, those three took the top three spots in our Reader's Poll for Best Regular of 2013.

In what order?

Well, the Camaro took 11% of the vote, the Challenger Drift took 23%, and taking 29%, and winning the poll, is the Lamley Reader's Choice for Best Regular of 2013, the Mazda RX-7.

Just like the Best Super of 2013, we here at Lamley completely agree.  Would we call it the best Regular, or best model that happened to be a Regular TH?  Who knows?  All we know is that of the 15 Regulars released, we liked the RX-7 the best.  And you readers agreed.

The RX-7 Hunt is a great-looking model.  In grey, with hood detailing that distantly pays homage to the 1979 24 Hours of Daytona winner.  It sports several side decals as well, most notably the JNC and JCCS logos, which have become quite the common sight on JDM Hot Wheels.

It might be understated, it might just as well be a normal mainline, but it is officially a Regular TH, and it takes the Best Regular prize...


Hot Wheels Mazda RX-7 (2013 Lamley Award Winner - Best Regular TH):






First and Second Place:




First Look: 2014 Hot Wheels Mazda RX-7...


A little Mustang Boss-ish, wouldn't you say?

No racing decals like the earlier versions, and I think the design is nice.  Variety, spice of life, blah blah blah.  You see it, you can tell me if you like it or not.  I really do.

My favorite?  It remains the Kroger Super Speeders exclusive in white.  JDM always looks snazzy in white, plus I can't go against (name-drop alert!) my fellow Utahns at JDM Legends, whose logo graces the side.  Funny how that car is much more rare than the 2013 Treasure Hunt, yet sellers are still trying to pawn the TH off on ebay as super rare.  Actually, the market for the RX-7 TH is so saturated right now, maybe it is time to get one if you couldn't find one on the pegs.

This one?  You can find it in gift packs now, or just wait for Batch D.  Keep the JDM coming Hot Wheels friends...


Hot Wheels Mazda RX-7 (2014 Mainline):








The family:








Model of the Day: Kyosho Mazda Savanna RX-3 & Savanna RX-7 (SA22C)...


While we have been showing a lot of Tomica Limited Vintage lately, swooning over their detail and commitment to lesser known rides, we don't want to forget our friends at Kyosho.

Kyosho keeps churning out the super-cool sets, with Porsche just released and Aston Martin coming.  We hope to have a few models from each at some point, but for now we will continue to focus on our favorite Kyosho set from 2013, Mazda.  

You have seen the Cosmo, and the Le Mans-winning 787B, and here are two more, the RX-3 and RX-7.

The RX-7 is probably more familiar to most, especially you Hot Wheels collectors who have been actively pursuing the RX-7 Treasure Hunt that was released a month or so ago.  Plus anyone growing up in my generation knows the RX-7.

The RX-3 might be a little more unfamiliar, but had a nice run in several countries.  The Savanna RX-3 as it is known, might be best known racing-wise as the car that denied the Hakosuka GT-R Skyline its 50th win in the 1972 Japanese Grand Prix.  From what I have heard, a very confident Nissan was already celebrating the Skyline's 50th win before the race even started, and was very embarrassed to see it come in second to the new rotary Mazda.  We love our Skylines, but we also love our little cars that could, especially in this story.

Nonetheless, these cars are iconic, very popular in the JDM world, and just plain snazzy-looking.  The 70's-era RX-3 takes the cake for me, but then again I am a complete sucker for those compact 70's curves with their sloping fastbacks and detailed fronts and rears.  Just look at my TLV collection...

(Find the Kyosho Mazdas at Daboxtoys or on ebay...)


Kyosho Mazda Savanna RX-3 & RX-7:
















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