Hot Wheels Renault Sport R.S. 01

Hot Wheels has not had a fair chance at Renault:  The LeCar was only sold in France and other international countries except the U.S., while the recent Renault Megane Trophy has not had much success compared to the real car's unique features.  With the Renault Sport RS01 Hot Wheels hopes to turn that around.

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The Renault Sport RS01 is the car Renault designed for the track and not for the street.  It has the low, lean look of a race car with styling that is far from any Renault production vehicle.  The RS01 was also part of a line that uses styling touches that recall the successful Alpine Renault race car.  The RS01 is part of the Renault Sport Trophy series where this car competes in.  The engine, like the Megane Trophy, is Nissan-based, but unlike the Megane's 350Z 3.5L V6 the RS01 uses the Nissan GTR's twin-turbocharged 3.8L V6 that produces 550 hp thorugh a 7-speed automated manual transmission.  The difference with this and the GTR is lighter weight and rear-wheel drive only, so expect even more blistful speeds.

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Hot Wheels has made a decent job with the RS01 starting with yellow that really stands out.  The front-end has the aggressive look with BMW-like headlights below the black decals (those are not the lamps) that flow into a center grille with the Renault badge and side vents with added aero wings.  The sides mimick the McLaren P1 with the inner door panels that double as the air intakes for the rear engine, and unlike the P1 it is more shaplier and noticeable.  Also nice is the side racing decals and even the blacked-out FTE2 wheels look great on this car.  The rear, like the Megane Trophy, has a covered rear engine shell with a metal wing that has a nice touch: RENAULT stamped on the top of the rear spoiler.  The rear has the same aggressive look as the front with taillights that attach to a central bar and dual exhaust that exit out the rear bumper.

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The base underneath shows not much for the sake or aerodynamics, while the interior has a racing car interior with seating for one driver, racing steering wheel, and digital gauges that face the driver.  This is not a car for the road.  Still the execution of the Renault Sport RS01 by Hot Wheels is much better than past Renault castings by Hot Wheels and will definitely stand out in the line.