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When simply EVERYONE is in TEAM TRANSPORT MOOD – FEATURETTE
Truck Mania: Hot Wheels has just launched the Hot Wheels Elite 64 Freightliner Cascadia Truck on their Mattel Creations platform, the first truck from Hot Wheels in the Elite 64 series. This series is only available online until they’re sold out. And yes, it took less than 45 minutes for the double decker trailer with working ramp, moulded grille and 16 edges to sell out. There is space for up to 6 vehicles on the trailer. This Truck Mania though gave us the opportunity to take a closer look at the Team Transport phenomenon. Hot Wheels has been selling Team Transporters from its Premium Car Culture range very successfully for…
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The legacy of the MASERATI MC12 – FEATURETTE
The legendary MC12 in a nutshell: The MC12 (Maserati Corse, 12 cylinders) represented Maserati in its most extreme performance form. The Stradale – the road version – was created to homologate the model for GT racing. With the MC12, Maserati returned to international GT racing and the GT1 version was the car to beat on race tracks around the world. The MC12 is the fastest Maserati ever built: acceleration from standstill to 200 km/h in less than 10 seconds. The top speed was 330 km/h. The technology of the MC12 was based on the Ferrari Enzo, but significant changes were made to the engine, chassis and aerodynamics. At the end…
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Chibi Cars: A tooned modelcar world FEATURETTE
What the heck are CHIBI CARS? They are literally rising from absolutely nowhere: Chibi cars. Numerous different manufacturers have them in their programme, such as Hot Wheels, YM Model or, more recently, MGA. But what exactly are chibi cars and why do we need them? We get to the bottom of it here. In short: the origin of the whole thing can be traced back to Japan, as chibi is a form of illustration from the Japanese manga and anime genre. Chibi means like ‘tiny’. This character illustration depicts figures in a very childlike form. In the illustration, the head puffs up while the body becomes smaller. The chibi is…
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In Memory of MARCELLO GANDINI – FEATURETTE
Design language for eternity! Marcello Gandini designed the Lamborghini Miura and Countach, but also everyday cars for BMW, Citroen and Renault. He now died in Rivoli at the age of 85. If his father had had his way, Marcello Gandini would have become a pianist. But he invested the money he had received for a Latin book in a book on cars and engineering. Fortunately, Gandini rebelled against family tradition and took a different path to his father, who was a well-known conductor. The automotive world would be poorer for some of the most spectacular cars. Lamborghini Miura and Countach In 1965, Marcello Gandini joined Bertone, succeeding Giorgio Giugiaro (legendary…
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Hot Wheels Cars made by AI – FEATURETTE
Photoshop, the measure of all things! AI is changing the way we do things, and this also applies to art. I remember like it was yesterday when I was in front of the computer generating virtual design renderings via Photoshop on the computer. It was a tedious process, all done by hand. The idea behind it was to design car models and matching packaging that would serve as inspiration for model car manufacturers! Over the period from 2018 to 2021, I generated more than 200 works, each one more ingenious than the next! Left: Lamborghini Revuelto Hot Wheels Premium Concept, right the Mercedes-AMG One as a rendering as well I…
