Ain't No Hyundai: Greenlight's 1/43 Fast & Furious Series, Part 3

We've reached the last one. The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX from Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift. Perhaps the most unique of them all, it's also my favorite. Why? Because of the environment and culture depicted in the movie. Instead of the same old barren deserts or quiet downtown districts that we see in every other movie, we get bright lights in a big city, where people play soccer on the rooftops of skyrise buildings. Instead of straight-line racing, we get sideways action.

Oh, and the cars. Definitely the cars. I've already professed my love for Japanese cars before, and there's more than enough of that in the movie. If any of the diecast companies out there want to make replicas of all of the cars from Tokyo Drift, be my guest. There's probably at least a hundred unique ones that we see, and I'd gladly buy all of them. Today, we get the protagonist's main car. This is the car in which Sean masters the art of drifting, turning him from the butt of a joke to the top racer in Japan.

This is one of the more recent releases from Greenlight, and it shows. In terms of accuracy and detail, it's better than the Eclipse and Skyline I showed a few days ago. From my eyes, the only thing missing is a front splitter. Without it, the front chin looks a little awkward. Otherwise, this just might be the best replica of the movie car you can find out there.

So, if you haven't already, will you be collecting this series? From what I know, Greenlight isn't planning to stop anytime soon. There will be many more models coming in the future, some of which I can't wait to get my hands on. Hopefully. If I do, you will surely see them here on the blog!

A Tale of Two Giant Wings

STi or Evo? One of toughest questions in automotive discussion.

It's also a tough decision in diecast. Here we have two rival boy-racers, both produced by Tomica in approximate 1/64 scale. Both very, very good models that are worth getting, much like their real counterparts. Perfect combination of fun, speed, and utility in an affordable package. That's what these cars are about, and we're fortunate to live in a world where we have both options. The Evolution may be now defunct, but we all know its popularity and acclaim will never go away. The STi lives on, the current generation available only in sedan guise. Of course, both come with those massive rear wings that, like it or not, make them stand out amongst normal economy cars.

Both of the models shown here are "regular" Tomica, officially called Tomica Series in Japanese. They're intended as children's toys, but don't let that fool you. Tomica is one of the best at nailing a car's proportions, whether it's for their regular lines or premium lines. Both of these here may be the most accurate examples in all of 1/64th scale diecast. Maybe not the most detailed, but surely accurate.

The wing on the STi is a separate plastic part. The color doesn't exactly match the body color, but you can hardly tell in these photos. Tomica wheels are a subject of controversy and a turn-off to most diecast collectors. These two cars get the sportier, wider, two-tone wheels. Having grown up around these toy cars, I've gotten used to the look. I might even say that I like them. They have a classic, throwback look to them, not to mention they roll perfectly. I get that they look nothing like real wheels, but neither do any of the vintage wheels from Hot Wheels. 

And then we have the Evolution X. As you can see, it's impossible to determine which diecast model is more well done; they're both excellent. This casting has been around for years and has seen various iterations, including, but not limited to, a British patrol car, a Premium version, and numerous exclusive Event Models. This dark red example, the signature Evo X color, may be the only one you will need.