Category Archives: minicars

MINICARS: 2016 Hot Wheels Nissan Fairlady Z, Datsun 620 in white

Turns out that maroon and pink Hot Wheels Fairlady Z was a “factory custom” (a car purposefully painted incorrectly at the plant) after all. Here’s the actual 2016 Hot Wheels Nissan Fairlady Z in the correct blue that we approved … Continue reading

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MINICARS: New Hot Wheels Fairlady Z, recolored Kenmeri and RX-7 coming

An image of a new Hot Wheels S30 Z have surfaced, but there is a bit of mystery surrounding it. Since the JNC inkan appears on the door, we are privy to some extra information that was was leaked. First, it will show up as a … Continue reading

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MINICARS: Scale-Master’s “Zero Celica” Hot Wheels custom

One of the great things about customizing Hot Wheels or building model kits is that you are free to create cars that you can’t build in real life. In the modern automotive universe, drifting is probably as close to the epic … Continue reading

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MINICARS: 2015 Japanese Model Kit Roundup

It’s summertime, time to go outside and play! Or, whip out those Tamiya paint cans and spray the plastic bodies of your favorite JNC model kits. Do it outside when it’s sunny and dry to avoid accidentally painting your furniture or … Continue reading

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MINICARS: “Barn Find” Hot Wheels

For almost as long as there’s been Hot Wheels, there have been customizers. Lately the trend in modified Hot Wheels, especially with the new generation of collectors, has been the use of patina to emulate worn out, barn find, or … Continue reading

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MINICARS: 2015 Hot Wheels Datsun 510 Bluebird Wagon coming soon in black

An image for the a recolor of the Hot Wheels Datsun 510 wagon was revealed online today. The second issue of the 2015 graphic scheme (the first one having been released earlier this year in yellow) is a sinister black with beige … Continue reading

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MINICARS: Should Lego make an official Land Cruiser kit?

Do you want to see a Lego Land Cruiser set? There’s a 40-series up for evaluation right now, and if it gets enough votes it could become an official Lego kit.

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MINICARS: How J-tin will save Matchbox

The news came down this morning, dropping like a bombshell in the diecast world. For 2016, Matchbox will add two Japanese icons to its lineup. The first is a no-brainer: the ND Miata is Mazda’s latest sportster and the most … Continue reading

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MINICARS: A history of Japan’s insanely detailed subscription model kits

We recently showed you the ultimate Hakosuka Skyline model, a 1:8 scale wonder with 400-plus pieces that will require $1500 and two years to complete. Available only by subscription, the model is fed to you week by week, piece by piece, like body … Continue reading

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MINICARS: The ultimate Hakosuka Skyline scale model will take you two years to complete

Only in Japan could something so obsessed with detail, patience and completism exist. This KPGC10 Nissan Skyline GT-R scale model is, quite simply, astounding, measuring over 21 inches in length at 1:8 scale and comprised of over 400 individual pieces … Continue reading

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MINICARS: Hot Wheels X JNC Datsun 240Z, now in white

We are very proud to announce the latest Hot Wheels car to have the JNC inkan. The Datsun 240Z will soon be available in its second color this year, white with red and blue stripes, gunmetal wheels and gray interior.

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REMINDER: Red Line Club BRE Datsun 240Z on sale today

That mystery car on the Hot Wheels Collectors website a couple of weeks ago? It is indeed the BRE Datsun 240Z, and it goes on sale today at 9am Pacific Time. Just head over to the Hot Wheels Collectors website and … Continue reading

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MINICARS: 2015 Hot Wheels Nissan 180SX Type X

S13 fans rejoice! The 2015 Hot Wheels lineup will now include a 1996 Nissan 180SX Type X! Now you can act out your drift fantasies in 1:64 scale. 

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MINICARS: Complete 3D-printed Toyota 22RE engine and W56 transmission

A crazily talented engineer by the name of Eric Harrell of Santa Cruz, California has gone and cold printed out a 22RE engine and W56 transmission. Yes, it’s just like the one you’d find in a Toyota Hilux or 4Runner, and … Continue reading

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MINICARS: Mysterious “?” Datsun 240Z appears on Hot Wheels official site

A mysterious “?” appeared on the official Hot Wheels Collectors site today with no explanation but a countdown timer to March 31, 2015. Below it are the words “HWC Special Edition Datsun 240Z” and “Spring Race Week.” No images or further details … Continue reading

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MINICARS: Happy Valentine’s Day from JNC

It’s become a tradition for Tomica to release a series of chocolate cars every year, just in time for Valentine’s Day. In years past we’ve seen chocolate classics like the Toyota 2000GT, S30 Nissan Fairlady Z, hakosuka GT-R, TE72 Corolla Levin, and … Continue reading

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MINICARS: 2015 Hot Wheels X JNC Datsun 510 Wagon

We can probably all agree that there’s nothing cooler than an old Japanese wagon. With that in mind, we’re proud to announce the next Hot Wheels car to bear the JNC inkan is, once again, the 1:64 scale representation of designer Jun Imai’s Datsun … Continue reading

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Detroit Auto Show: Acura NSX scale model

The new Acura NSX will retail for approximately $150,000. If that’s too rich for your blood, we spotted this scale model tucked away in a corner of the Acura booth at the Detroit Motor Show. It will, according to the company, … Continue reading

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MINICARS: 2015 Hot Wheels Heritage line loaded with nostalgic Nissans

When we called 2014 the Year of the JNC, one of our arguments was that Hot Wheels was using every Japanese nostalgic casting in their lineup for that year. This was the personal goal of the godfather of JNC Hot Wheels, Jun Imai, but … Continue reading

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MINICARS: Igniton Models 1:18 kenmeri Nissan Skyline GT-R

What you are looking at here is not a kenmeri Skyline. It’s an insanely detailed scale model of a kenmeri Skyline made by a new outfit out of Shizuoka called Ignition Models. They make a variety of 1:43, 1:18 and 1:12 … Continue reading

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