First Look: Hot Wheels Pop Culture Grateful Dead VW T1 Panel, Drag Truck, and Baja Beetle...

This is officially the first time we have been excited about Pop Culture.

It is clearly a collector-oriented line, it is just that I am not the type of collector at which it is aimed.  The line is more about the artwork and less about the models.  I must be the other way around.  It starts with the model, and I hope said model looks as real as possible.  So while I can appreciate the work that goes into Pop Culture, I have not added one model to the collection.

Until now.

The Grateful Dead set is fantastic.  Sure, there are a few castings I am not fond of, but it is hard to top the artwork, and maybe for the first time, one of the best artwork/casting combos ever in the Pop Culture line.  I like realism, and it is more than realistic to think this exact model could be seen a few years ago at a Grateful Dead show:

VW bought, brought to the best pinstriper in the biz, and taken to the next Dead show.  That is surely the T1 Panel.  It is an absolutely stunning model.

This is only the third version of the T1 Panel, and we have really hoped to see a more realistic version of the model after the Reese's Pieces and Wolfman versions.  Sure, there could be a more simple deco, but T1 gussied all up for a Dead show is more than realistic.

So we will stop talking, and let you enjoy the three Volkswagens in the line.  If you like what you see, Wheel Collectors has some or all models in the set. (Although you might have to buy the whole set to the T1.  This one is going to be popular.)


Hot Wheels Volkswagen T1 Panel, Drag Truck, and Baja Beetle (2014 Pop Culture):

Lamley News: The remaining models of 2014 Hot Wheels Cool Classics have been unveiled, and some great models are coming...

Something funny happened yesterday while talking to a friend about the list of 2014 Hot Wheels mainline models.

We were discussing what models were in the line, and I noted that one model that a Mattel designer eluded to being released, the Subaru BRAT, was not part of the list.  The obvious assumption was that it would be part of the Cool Classics line.  Curiosity bested my friend, and a quick google search yielded a tasty tidbit.  This online store had this list of the remaining Cool Classics organized by batch, and we really like what we see:

J

• '65 Ford Galaxie
• Astro Funk
• '84 Ford Mustang
• Volkswagen Drag Beetle
• 1955 Corvette

K

• '70 Mustang Boss 302
• 1984 Hurst Olds
• Honda S2000
• Ford GT
• '65 Volkswagen Fastback

L

• Datsun 240Z
• Datsun Bluebird 510
• 1976 Chevy Chevette
• Subaru Brat
• '10 Ford Shelby GT500 Super Snake

Of course we don't know for sure if this list is 100% correct, but we have reason to believe it is.  The Brat is there, as are several models that were previewed to RLC members several weeks ago.  Plus many models that have been in premium lines before.

Highlights for us?  Well, those two Datsuns in Batch L are no-brainers, as is the Brat.  It is surprising to see the Honda S2000 in there, as it is the first time it will sport a metal base.  We think a great many of you will be happy to see the VW Drag Beetle and Fastback as well.  And finally we have another version of the fantastic '70 Mustang Boss 302, which we have only seen in the premium Racing lines:

So like Hot Ones, Vintage Racing, and Flying Customs, Mattel has saved some of the most desirable models of the Cool Classics line for the end.  And while later batches appear to moving off the shelves a little faster of late, we still wonder if the line will make it to the end.  It would be a real shame if the fantastic models of Batch L don't see the light of day.  

So go to your store and buy those models you want.  We did, starting with the Honda CR-X pictured at the top of this post.  Let's make sure Mattel gives this series a full life...

Lamley News: More new Hot Wheels multipack exclusives have been released...

We are having more and more fun with these multipack exclusives.  We will continue to say we love what Mattel is doing, using the multipacks to release more recolors of popular mainlines.

And after a visit to Smith's today (our local Kroger chain), we have discovered even more:

We have seen the Mini and Porsche unveiled on T-Hunted, but now we can confirm that they are in fact multipack cars.  The orange Mini Challenge is now the 5th color of the 2011 New Model, following red, blue, and white in the 2011 mainline, and yellow in multipacks in 2013.

The Porsche is a recolor of last year's multipack version in metalflake grey, which is a recolor of maybe the 2010 First Edition, or the 2011 Nightburnerz, or the 2012 All-Stars versions.  We have no idea because all share front and rear detailing with no side deco.

The Beetle is a surprise.  We had no idea this one was coming out.  We just mentioned a few days ago that we were disappointed we hadn't seen the New Beetle casting since its debut, and here it is.  This may mean we will see the third color in 2015.  This is a great casting and we are happy to see it getting attention again.

We brought a 9-pack home with us, as one contained the Porsche, Beetle, as well as other recently released multipack cars.  The Mini had to stay at the store.  How about some pics?

Porsche 911 GT2

Comparison with the 2011 mainline in black:

The model we think is the original that the two recolors are based on, the blue mainline from 2012:

Our two favorite Hot Wheels Porsches in 2014 clothes:

2012 Volkswagen Beetle

Comparison with the 2012 mainline:

Almost the exact same color as the brand new multipack S2K:

Corvette Z06

The three colors: 2014 multipack in yellow, 2013 multipack in red, 2012 mainline in black:

'69 COPO Corvette

The three colors - 2014 multipack in green, 2013 multipack in gold, 2012 5-pack in red: