Category Archives: minicars
MINICARS: Charge your phone with a Fairlady Z
There are few phone accessories a boring as a portable charger battery, usually no more than a rectangular box with an LED light and a USB port. In Japan, however, you can now charge your phone with something a little more … Continue reading
MINICARS: Datsun 240Z wins the Hot Wheels RedLine Club Selections bracket
Each year Hot Wheels allows collectors to choose one casting that will be made into a premium collectible. Eight cars are nominated, and then voted on by the Hot Wheel Collectors community in a March Madness-style bracket elimination. This year, the Datsun 240Z won … Continue reading
KIDNEY, ANYONE? $10,000 for a Hot Wheels some paint missing
There is no doubt the Japan Historics 2 series are the hottest Hot Wheels of 2018. Given the rabid enthusiasm for diecast JNCs, that’s not surprising. What is surprising, however, is that a Skyline C210 from that series has sold for — pinky to … Continue reading
MINICARS: Hot Wheels Hakosuka Nissan Skyline Wagon
JNC stopped by Mattel’s design center yesterday and saw what promises to be one of the most coveted Hot Wheels for 2018 — the Nissan C10 Skyline Van. Designer Jun Imai was kind enough to share the final version with us, card art and … Continue reading
MINICARS: A 1:18-scale Mitsubishi Starion, people!
The Mitsubishi Starion is an icon of the 1980s, and one of the great Japanese sport coupes of the pop-up headlight era. That’s why it’s odd that there have been surprisingly few models of it in any scale. Here are the … Continue reading
MINICARS: At last, a 1:18-scale A60 Toyota Celica Supra
The diecast world has long been missing models of several seminal Japanese cars, especially when it comes to larger scales. One that’s been long desired by collectors but never seen before in 1:18 scale is the A60 Toyota Supra. That’s all about … Continue reading
MINICARS: This 24-karat gold Toyota 2000GT model is definitely not for kids
There is no shortage of Toyota 2000GT models in the world, but perhaps they are all too plain in white or not sufficiently capable of showing off your tremendous disposable income. Well, Japanese jeweler SGC might have a solution for you — … Continue reading
MINICARS: Hot Wheels X JNC Japan Historics 2
2018 isn’t even here yet, but we are very excited to show what we know already be the hottest series of the year. The five-car Japan Historics 2 features two new castings, retooled versions of popular existing castings, and some seriously epic card … Continue reading
(not so) MINICARS: Life-size Tamiya Bruiser Toyota Hilux pickup
As Marty McFly said, “All the best stuff is made in Japan.” Cars aside, this also holds true for hobby products. And in the land of remote controlled model cars, one kit persistently remains the best of the best in … Continue reading
MINICARS: Get your Then & Now Hot Wheels Mazda RX-7s this Saturday
This Saturday, September 16, is another one of Hot Wheels’ Kmart exclusive K Days, and it’s one you won’t want to miss. It will be the only opportunity to buy this Mazda RX-7 pair in red at a retail store.
MINICARS: A Hot Wheels Nissan Laurel is coming [UPDATE: Another pic]
When we posted about the new Hot Wheels Fairlady Z casting we said there was more news we were excited to share when the time was right. That time is now. Two reveals in as many days, Hot Wheels has … Continue reading
MINICARS: A metal base Hot Wheels Fairlady Z
Hot Wheels has revealed an updated Nissan Fairlady Z which has a new, metal base. The front air dam is much more pronounced, as metal-chassis cars are typically for collectors and not orange tracks, where such a chin spoiler might … Continue reading
MINICARS: Wow, Hot Wheels made a Hakosuka Wagon
If you had told us, say, 10 years ago that one day there would be a Hot Wheels Hakosuka wagon, we would’ve never believed you. Nevertheless, here is a prototype of the Nissan Skyline Wagon prototype in all its diecast glory.
MINICARS: Matchbox Nissan Junior first look
Last week the annual Matchbox Collectors Gathering took place, and the upcoming 1962 Nissan Junior pickup was shown in production guise. As these photos from the event’s Facebook page show, it’s a perfect fit with the classic Matchbox “workhorse” look … Continue reading
MINICARS: M2’s first Auto Japan release revealed
Here is the first look at the castings of M2 Machines’ new Auto-Japan series. If you aren’t familiar with M2, they are highly detailed 1:64 scale cars that have traditionally been American muscle cars and hot rods. This is their first foray into … Continue reading
MINICARS: Hot Wheels R33 Nissan Skyline GT-R revealed
Hot Wheels is well on their way to completing every generation of Nissan Skyline, and the latest is a beauty. For the 2018 model year, the R33 GT-R joins the lineup, beautifully proportioned and in the traditional dark blue metallic of … Continue reading
MINICARS: Hot Wheels Skyline Japan and City Turbo prototypes
At the rate its going, Hot Wheels will soon have a model of every Nissan Skyline generation. The latest to come is the Skyline Japan, or C210 if you’re fluent in chassis codes. Unveiled at the Tokyo Toy Show, it appears ripe for customization, … Continue reading
MINICARS: M2 Machines reveals new line of diecast Japanese classics
As Japanese classics gain recognition in the real world, so too do they increase in popularity in the diecast realm. For most of its existence, diecast brand M2 Machines (not to be confused with Mazda’s M2) has focused on detailed … Continue reading
MINICARS: Roy De Guzman’s Hakosuka Skyline was made into a Hot Wheels
Imagine if your actual car, the one you’ve owned, built, maintained and cleaned for over a decade was immortalized in Hot Wheels form. How would you feel? Roy De Guzman knows exactly how it feels, because it happened to him, and … Continue reading
MINICARS: Hot Wheels Honda City and DR30 Skyline revealed at Tokyo Toy Show
Our friend Jun Imai is in Japan for the Tokyo Toy Show right now, and brought along some new goodies to reveal at the event. Both are turbocharged JDM cars from the 80s that were never sold in the States. The first … Continue reading