Taking a Chance With The Hot Wheels Speed Graphics 5-Pack

Each year, there's a grand total of about two 5-packs worth getting, and they both revolve around the same theme. One is the annual Hot Wheels Exotics 5-pack, usually featuring five of the hottest European sports cars and supercars, with minimal graphics and occasionally the odd stripe or two. The other is Matchbox's version of the Exotics 5-pack, which is similar but with far better castings and more realistic designs. Otherwise, most of these multi-packs are best suited as children's gifts, for the ones who haven't yet reached the age to differentiate good taste from bad taste.

This year, there's a third, and it's this Speed Graphics fiver. There are two particular models in here absolutely worth having regardless of what you collect, and the rest is a toss-up depending on who you're talking to.

I personally like three of these models: the Corvette Grand Sport, Ford GT LM, and the Toyota Supra. Three out of five, for five bucks, is not bad at all. Last week, I took opportunity of Target's 40% off all Hot Wheels promotion on Cartwheel to snatch this quintet for $3, which brought me to a single dollar for each car I intend to keep.

Now that's more like it!

After examining each of these in person, I felt the Corvette was more ho-hum than I had thought. The yellow base is, naturally, hideous, at which point I had to remind myself that Hot Wheels and common sense are not synonymous with each other. The GT, while a bit simplistic, is pretty as always. The Supra really wowed with its bold colors and perfectly suited (and very underrated) Y5 wheels. It's fantastic and my favorite release of the Mark IV to date.

I think I'll keep those two tucked away safely and toss the others in the donation bin.

The Dodge Charger Drift car is merely a shell of its former self.

Love the colors and the livery, but this casting is plain awful.

Hot Wheels designers sure love their yellow bases!

The Best 911 Ever? The Porsche 996 GT2, in 1/18, by AUTOart

It's no secret that I adore the 996 generation model of Porsche's prestigious 911 Carrera line. While most Porsches are what I would call conservative designs, the 996 is the eccentric child of all 911's. Over here, 911's are a dime a dozen. Nobody bats an eye unless you're driving one of the special editions with the big wings that are screaming for your attention.

The overall shape of the car has remained relatively unchanged through decades of updates and improvements, but it's the headlights that distinguish this one from the rest. For the most part, enthusiasts have been overly critical of its design, an oblong shape that resembles a number of things depending on how you look at it. Fried eggs. Jellybeans. Perhaps a set of kidneys?

But fried eggs are delicious, so why shouldn't this car be as well?

The 996 is the one Carrera that I need in my life, so I got myself a miniature. This GT2 variant is a 1/18 model by AUTOart and . As an older model, the details on the exterior are good, and the accuracy is top of its class as always. With old AUTOart's, there are a few nitpick-y things you can expect that you don't get on newer models. The compartments don't stay open, the badges are printed, and the car feels a little creaky as a whole, but it does what all AUTOart's do best: look good.

In my opinion, what really sets off the GT2, besides the aforementioned headlights and the rear wing, are the futuristic, five-spoke "fan" wheels. The same type of wheel is also used on other trim levels of the 996 generation, I believe the 4S as well as the Turbo, and is one of my favorite wheel designs of all-time - a perfect match for the weirdness of this car.

The Best of the Best: Series Two of Matchbox's "Best of World" Line

Can I just say that this is the bestest series ever?

The premium lines always bring out the best in diecast. Hot Wheels has always had a premium range for those who want weightier cars with nicer wheels and more realistic designs. Occasionally, Matchbox will do something similar, but done more so in a different style. There's usually more of an emphasis on emergency, off-road, and what I call "service" vehicles. The problem is that those models attract only a certain, very niche market, one which I am not a part of.

For the second coming of the "Best of World" series, Matchbox changed its philosophy and went with personal vehicles only. There's a police car in here, but it's an M5, and no one should be complaining about getting another release of the M5. This series is highlighted by the return of the Mercedes-Benz CLS and, in a way, the Lamborghini Miura as well.

And perhaps the most notable feature is the use of Real Riders on most of these models, taken straight from the Hot Wheels parts bin. It's a decision I'm against, in principle. It tells me Matchbox isn't proud of its own work. It's one company borrowing the ideas of another because deep down they know they can't compete. It's acknowledging inferiority. Auto World wouldn't take wheels from Johnny Lightning.

To me, this is waving the white flag.

Perhaps they just need time to design and develop new wheels, and I would hope that this is simply a one-and-done scenario. Wherever you stand, you can't argue that the wheels look great here.

I found these models back in December, before they were supposed to be released, and I haven't seen them again since. My local store had one case (two sets) and a nutty Vee-Dub collector likely took both of the buses, which is why you don't see it here. In an act of supreme selfishness, I followed suit and grabbed everything else for myself, leaving only a single Range Rover for the next poor bloke.

Obviously, the CLS and the Miura are to die for, but the 911 GT3 was the most surprising of the batch. Easily one of the greatest Matchbox castings ever, this one sparkles with its orange, bordering on gold, paint job. On all the models, the designs are simple, allowing the castings to do the talking. That's how we like our Matchboxes anyways.