The Beach Bomb is a VW microbus with a pair of surfboards poking out the rear window. This design failed preliminary testing, proving to be top-heavy and not practical with the Power Booster observe accessory. A widened version with the surfboards mounted in facet slots was designed and launched for the 1969 model year, making the “rear loader” model a rarity and really sought-after piece. As of 2018, there are about 50 “rear loaders” recognized to exist.
Hot Wheels’ main competitor for years was Matchbox until Mattel purchased Tyco in 1996. During the fledgling Hot Wheels period, Mattel wished to ensure that every of the cars could be used with any of the playsets and stunt observe sets. Tooned (vehicles based on the larger Hot Tunerz line of Hot Wheels created by Eric Tscherne), Blings , Hardnoze , Crooze , and Fatbax (super-wide rear wheels and brief bodies). Fatbax fashions included automobiles such as the Toyota Supra and Corvette C6. These autos did not promote in addition to Mattel expected, and lots of could nonetheless be present in stores throughout 2005.
In 2008, all the series and vehicles were comparatively similar to 2007’s cars. Also in 2001, Mattel issued 240 mainline releases consisting of 12 Treasure Hunts, 36 First Editions, 12 Segment Series with four vehicles every, and 144 open stock automobiles. Popular models that debuted embrace the HyperMite and FrightBike. In 1974, Hot Wheels launched its ‘Flying Colors’ line, and added flashy decals and “tampo-printed” paint designs which helped revitalize sales. Hot Wheels is a associate and sponsor of the Australian stunt rider Matt Mingay’s Stuntz Inc staff, and likewise sponsors him within the Stadium Super Trucks.
In 2006, a Series 3 line of Classics was introduced, again containing 30 models with a quantity of colours of each vehicle. Models included the ‘sixty nine Pontiac Firebird, a Meyers Manx dune buggy, and the Richard Petty ’70 Plymouth “Superbird”. This automobile was designed by the staff of Car Craft Magazine in 1961.
Hot Wheels additionally launched several collector-focused strains for that year, including Favorites, which was a collection that consisted of eleven highly-detailed automobiles , all with metal bodies and rubber tires. For this 12 months, Hot Wheels additionally launched a show case, which could hold as a lot as forty eight automobiles, and could either stand up on its own (via attachable “feet”) or be mounted on a wall. Eric Tscherne and Fraser Campbell together hot wheels with former designer Paul Tam’s son, Alec Tam, joined the design group. Tscherne’s Seared Tuner (formerly Sho-Stopper) graced the mainline packaging from 2000 to 2003. The Deora II, one of solely two Hot Wheels concept automobiles ever made into full-size, useful cars, was additionally released this yr. Handler discovered his son Kenneth playing with Matchbox cars and decided to create a line to compete with Matchbox.