Quick Look: Hot Wheels The Fast and Furious set

It's not often that I look at a full release set, though there's a few times that I do feature the full set.  Pretty soon that'll be the Greenlight Hitch and Tow (hopefully soon).  For not, it'll be this set of cars from all six of the Fast and the Furious film franchise from Wal-Mart.  Last year was the first release of the eight car series at Wal-Mart, but not every Wal-Mart got them and if they do the selection was small.  This one carries over from last year except for a few changes:  '69 Charger Daytona from the sixth film and '72 Torino from the fourth film replace the gray '70 Chevelle SS from the forth film, as well as the 2009 Nissan GT-R.  Since some are (or will) be profiled soon, here's a quick look at the eight:

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The Fast and the Furious

The first movie in 2001 was the beginning of the series that proved to be exciting for all gearheads alike, even those who don't like those so-called 'ricers'.  While mostly focused on modern street racing, there was a few American muscle also thrown into the mix.  The most famous scene is the Toyota Supra vs. the 1970 Dodge Charger with supercharger poking out of the hood.  The Charger was introduced in 2011 and was no surprise that this was eventually going to be done in all-black, and so it did: simple black with R/T logos on the door scoops, chrome interior, bumpers, base, and 5-spoke wheels.  Very similar to the basic version from 2013 except for the black grille details.

The Supra was introduced last year with a less-detailed version in the mainline, but a highly-detailed version in this series with detailed headlights and taillights, hood scoops, silver on the rear wing, and PR-5 wheels.  It looks much better with all of the details, though it's still inaccurate to the actual movie car; then again this is built to be modified in several variations outside of the movie.  It looks good and fast, all while still preserving the classic shape of the last-generation Supra.

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2Fast 2 Furious

It's surprising that the cars in the Hot Wheels line that could be used for this sequel was fanned out again for just one vehicle: the Nissan Skyline R-34.  This version has a tuner look, but is more stock by following the NISMO version, with silver paint, blue stripes, and 10-spoke wheels.  Just like the 1970 Charger, when this first came out in 2010 again the movie car comes to mind.  Now it finally comes alive, but this year the rear wing is now part of the metal body.

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Tokyo Drift

On the contrary, there's not many options for this movie, with more focus on the JDM cars than American cars.  Then there was a beat-up 1967 Ford Mustang fastback that was restored to pristine condition in highland green with white stripes and, shriek Mustang fans, powered by a 3.5L DOHC V6 from a Nissan 350Z.  As for this casting it's a very popular one that is gobbled up by collectors as soon as this series comes out.  It looks good in the dark green (Bullitt anyone?), stripes, and 5-spoke wheels.  The headlights are detailed, but the taillights are not and the stripes inside of the rear cove tend to blur out.  As mentioned before with the blue version, this 1967 Mustang is a great fit for the Hot Wheels line with fantastic details.

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Fast and Furious

This movie has more vehicles to do, but this year the line loses one for another one.  The car is the 1972 Ford Torino in green with chrome interior, Y-5 wheels and, unfortunately, a habit of raking the rear and slamming the front.  It looks good, don't get me wrong, but the wheels and the plain-Jane rear-end (with a bumper that must've came off a typical 1970's big sedan) are turn-offs for me.  Then again I never was a big Torino fan, yet still it's a nice casting.  For 2014's Retro Entertainment series the 1970 Charger gets the primer black look for a second addition to this movie's line.

Fast Five

Two cars carry-over again, and both Dodge's.  The first is the 2008 Challenger SRT-8 in black with light-black HEMI billboards on the sides, detailed headlights at the front and taillights at the rear, and blacked-out PR-5.  It looks good and makes this Challenger look aggressive, but this year's Retro Entertainment ups the ante more with blacked out 5-spoke with rubber tires and a metal base.  Plus this casting is getting old and is stuck with the 5-speed automatic only.  Time for a Hellcat?

While the other is the 2011 Charger R/T in the blacked-out profile that even makes the Greenlight Black Bandit version seem a bit short on the blacked-out look.  The paint is primer, the wheels blacked-out, the headlights and taillights detailed.  It looks good, as does the grille details, but it's lacking rearview mirrors, the dashboard a bit big, and the headlight and yellow signal lights that tend to mismatch too much (think headlights/front corner lights on the 1990 Honda Civic HF from this year).  This is one of my favorites of the eight, but it's a hard pick from the Supra and Charger from the first film!

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Fast and Furious 6

Finally is a new addition to the series: even though it was new last year  (it arrived too late for the new movie.  This year it takes the place of the GT-R from the fifth movie.  It's the 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona wearing the same dark red paint, dark chrome base, wheels, headlights, and hood pins from the 2013 mainline release.  It's nice and big, but I don't like the fact that the ground clearance is way to high (both the movie car and the stock Daytona's don't sit this high!) and the exhaust should poke through the body (but then again, just like the Supra, keeping it universal for future variations).  The only worthwhile way of getting this was for the movie poster on the car or otherwise i'd pass this one.

Great set.  Now let's just hope next year's group features eight new and unique castings for each movie.