Hot Wheels Germany Promotion

Got this on the weekend via Marktkauf, Weil am Rhein:

Simple:

Buy 6 HW, get the below free:





OK, it's a baseball with the HW logo printed on it, but as blogged in a previous post it a nice freebie.

Incidentally the peg space allocated for Matchbox is non-existent.....2 pegs with old 2011 stock. Was in Zurich yesterday at Letzipark - Manor had 1 peg of old 2011 stock as well.....and this is a major department store.

More evidence that Mattel are pushing Hot Wheels as the brand of choice?

Getting narked with Norev.....

I do a food run every two weeks in France - for the simple reason is that there is more choice than there is here @ CH....and it is cheaper!

As i have written before, the Geant in St Louis is the most expensive one in France, but without a actual set of wheels, I am a little limited in going exploring further afield.

The last run brought about these 4 models from the 1/64 Norev Showroom range. The Peugeot RCZ has got to be one of the best little castings of late - I absolutely love the detail and accuracy that this model represents.



The BMW X3 is also a nice little model - you could even mistake it for a Siku from afar.





HOWEVER -

There are two blights - first one is the Racing Touerag. As you will be able to see from the pictures, the model suffers from the old suspension issue, and does not sit right. It almost looks like it is broken, and the model hardly runs well. I suspect that for a child, they would not care less - it would end up with paint chips, and semi-destroyed within a short while, but for a collector, despite the well detailed tampos, the model simply cannot be displayed well. I may have just picked up a duff one, but should we be content with these quality issues at almost €3 a pop?



and then we have the Fiat 500 CC - looked like someone has just ripped out the rear end suspension!



I get really annoyed about stuff like this - the tramline suspension is a cheap and effect method of creating suspension, but I think that at this price point, Norev really need to re-think this in terms of quality. It is not really acceptable - to a child who knows little better it might be OK, but for the collector - nil points.

But again, am I making more out of this than I should be - after all, they are just toys - it is the collector who makes such items be elevated to a higher podium. So should we just accept that this is just life, and get over it?

Hot Wheels Shelby GT-500

OK, the HW line is completely saturated with Mustangs both of yesteryear and today. I mean how many SuperSnake variations can you milk out of a casting? And thus I have got one new Mustang casting and that is your lot.

But this is a casting that I really like. More for the fact that it is a ragtop rather than a hard top and for a European, this car is not normally seen. So hence the appeal.

The GTs lost their Cobra tag for 1969 and once again were marketed simply as Shelby GT 350 and Shelby GT 500. The GT 350 and GT 500 for the 1969 model year received an extensive face lift, the body alone increasing in length by 4 inches (100 mm). Ford was heavily involved with design and style decisions, with Shelby having very little input. The GT 350 was now equipped with a 351 cubic-inch V8. Carroll Shelby terminated his agreement with Ford in the summer of 1969.

What is pleasing is the good standard of detailing including the tampo’s for the model. Nicely done.

Lego Star Wars Endor Rebel Trooper & Imperial Trooper Battle Pack

This set complements well the Ewok Attack and Battle of Endor sets very well.

Simple and nothing to it really, I made this up within 5 mins.....

I simply have not got my arse into gear and got around to getting the Battle of Endor set created yet, NOR the Ewok Attack (!!) - so yet another project to do over this summer.

There is a nice bit of green outside where we live - methinks these three will look good within natures surroundings.

My only grip is that for less than 100 pieces within the set, the RRP of €16.99 / £11.99 is a little steep.

Apologies for the "Dark" photos).