Hot Wheels Pedal Driver and Turbine Time

Ok, now let's start with your childhood fantasies:  You probably would imagine something ambiguous like two jet-powered afterburners on the back of a tractor-trailer rig.  Sounds cool, right?  Well, you could never afford one, and you don't have a driver's license yet.  So what's your next best option to cure your small gearhead mind?  A pedal car that looks just like the real car.  Well Hot Wheels now has you covered in both areas.

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Turbine Time

One of the most extreme parts of drag racing is hurling a big rig at 200 mph. on a 1/4 mile dragstrip.  Yes, it sounds crazy but it's possible as there are racers out there who put on a show with two jet motors pushing a big rig at blitzing speed down the track.  That's the whole concept behind Turbine Time, designed by Larry Wood.  Yes, the body is plastic, but unlike Mig Rig the weight of the casting is still heavy thanks to the large amounts of metal used for the base.  The cab looks very familiar to the Mack B-series, with the low front fenders and round headlights alongside a grille that features a large turbine fan.  The bumper features several holes for either the lights or for ventilation, while the chopped round cab features a rather large windshield visor.  The rest of the cab features the steps, external air filter housing, and Elwood's Garage on the sides.  The fuel tanks are rather large and they should be as they're carrying a lot of jet fuel that will be burned of rather quickly in seconds as it hurls this truck down the track at three-digit speeds!.  The back bumper features the tri-taillights, but the real meat-and-bones of this casting is the two large jet motors in the back.  They are wonderfully detailed in chrome and look ready for attack, though there's a question about the motive of thrust:  Which end does the thrust come out, from the large twin stacks or the rear vents, and if it comes from the rear vents why are they pointed sky upward???  The normal setup for the afterburner thrust is straight toward the back.  Underneath is some meaty axle work, while the interior, sadly, is a blank canvas.  For those looking for a all-metal version, stay tuned for a premium one in the future.  Mig Rig got the metal body recently in the General Mills premium line, so should this one eventually.

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Pedal Driver

Hot Wheels is no stranger to odd parodies:  Go Kart, Hot Tub, Bump Around, Radio Flyer Wagon, Baby Bouncer (Stroller), and Hot Seat (Toilet).  The latest is a no-brainer: a pedal car, though why it took this long for Hot Wheels to make one is a head scratcher.  Hallmark made plenty of these classic Pedal Cars in the 1990's to pay tribute to the ones sold to kids back in the 1950's.  These pedal cars are all-metal with the real look of an actual car of the era.  The child sat in the middle with a large steering wheel to turn and pedals to move the car.  Remember this was a time long before the plastic, electric-powered Power Wheels came to fruition.  The Hot Wheels version goes for a generic Hot Rod look in red with great flames and side chrome trim detailing.  The front grille and headlights look close to a late 1940's Lincoln or Chrysler.  The fake engine scoop joins the small windscreen and large steering wheel.  The back has small taillights and a seat with the Hot Wheels logo emboised (and man that would hurt my butt after a while if I was to actually sit in this thing!).  The sides have fake exhaust, while the base has cut-outs for the pedals.  It's not much to describe, but man what an amazing (and cute) thing to look at!

Compare to the Matchbox Mack Fire Pumper (above, right)

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