Two Eerily Similar M2 Machines HEMI 'Cudas

M2 collectors know about the Target-exclusive models that released early in the year when Target began to sell collector-focused diecast products in select stores. Those models were a moderate success; most of them have sold out by now, but there are still some hanging around, particularly the ones from the Auto-Wheels series. One of them is the silver HEMI 'Cuda shown here. It comes with a pre-installed set of wheels and tires but also includes three other sets of shoes and axles and a handy screwdriver for you to customize to your liking.

Never one to pass on a 'Cuda, I got it with the intention of swapping the original wheels with the redline Torque Thrusts (shown in this post here) included in the package. The truth is I never actually got around to doing so because these kits can be a pain to work on, and I wasn't in the mood for ripping apart my hands.

And just the other day, I ran into a strangely familiar 'Cuda. I liked the Spectrafrost-esque lime green paint. I loved the blacked-out Torque Thrusts wheels with the Redline tires. It called out to me as I stood there for a minute, debating on whether or not to take it. Then I remembered I had that Target-exclusive, with the exact same livery, stashed in the closet. Of course I had to get it and do a comparison. And that was all the motivation I needed to finally get down and get that silver one done.

So, the shiny one is not from the same series and is not a Target exclusive. As shown on the packaging, it's from the Auto Drivers series, which is M2's entry-level line. That means it has a plastic base, printed (instead of plastic) lights, no opening parts, and no extra sets of wheels. But ultimately, none of that matters because then you don't have all the quality issues that come with all the extra parts. Lower price for a better overall product? That's a win-win.

These two make a fine duo. I can't say enough about the wheels on this model. Just look at the deep dishes on the back. While M2 gets an F- for its lack of creativity in copying the design from a previous release, it aces the test with its execution. I'll take five more, please.

Better Late Than Never: Finding This Year-Old Plymouth 440 'Cuda, From M2 Machines

About a year ago, I got into the premium American muscle diecast brands. That means Greenlight, Auto World, and M2 Machines. The first M2 I added to my collection was an olive green/black roof '71 HEMI Cuda from the Auto Drivers series. From there on out, I designated the 'Cuda as my favorite classic American muscle car. To keep things going, my second M2 was a purple 383 'Cuda with the signature 383 vinyl, in contrasting white, slapped on the doors and the rear fenders. That one was from the Detroit Muscle series, Release 27.

I dug up old photos of both, shown below:

And just the other day, I walked into Walmart to check out the diecast selection. Naturally, I found nothing of interest. No new product. The Hot Wheels were already scalped clean. Matchbox was nearly nonexistent. The premium diecast section was pitiful. However, I spotted one gem among a pile of mundane M2 cars that have been sitting there for the past months. It was this purple 440 'Cuda from the Detroit Muscle series, Release 27. If you're paying attention, that's the same wave as the aforementioned 383 'Cuda I found last summer.

Yes, Walmart has managed to not put out any new stock in the recent months but somehow, someway managed to unearth a batch of old M2's. If they're as good as this one, then keep them coming. Purple is just a great, great color for basically anything. This 'Cuda even has purple wheels to match. Otherwise, it's totally bare. No '440 vinyl or contrasting two-tone roof that you normally see M2 do on these models. In a time where I've started collecting fewer and fewer M2's because of their quality issues, this is a welcome rare addition to the collection.

That makes seven '71 'Cuda's, by M2 Machines, on my shelf right now. It never gets old.

Happy 4th of July!

Here's a very patriotic Hot Wheels Plymouth Satellite, from the Stars and Stripes series (released questionably early this year), for the occasion!

Project Premiere/World Class, Day 18: European Exclusives

Today's feature focuses not on one particular casting, model, or manufacturer, but a sub-series of the Premiere Collection. We all know Matchbox's history of catering to the European market. You may have heard about ROW (Rest Of World) Matchbox if you've been collecting for a while now. The Superfast series that I posted about the other day has its own set of European-exclusive models. Well, the Premiere series does too. Exactly how many, I have no clue, but more is always better.

If you look closely at the boxes, you'll notice there's something different about them, and that's the label on the upper right corner, printed in German, telling you that these models are limited to a 12,000 production run. "Normal" Premieres have a production number of 25,000. While neither of those numbers signify rarity, the European models don't appear very often. I'm very happy to have acquired four of them, and I present them to you here.

The green Mercedes-Benz 600SEL has been near the top of my wish list. I've shown the other colorways here on the blog, and it's one of my favorites of the Premiere line. Now, I have a fourth in the collection, with one more (dark blue) to go. This really is one of the must-haves, even if you don't like the Premiere styling with the fat wheels. For good measure, I have gathered the four of them for a little group photo session.

The other three castings here haven't been featured yet, but they will soon. I won't spoil the others for now, but I will say this: the European models have some of the best colorways for their respective castings, the Avus in particular.