Hot Wheels Dodge Mirada Stocker and Matchbox Peugeot Quasar

Here are two castings that are very unique to each diecast manufacturer and have a unique story to tell despite limited use.

Hot Wheels Dodge Mirada Stocker

It is unfortunate that today's NASCAR stock cars are less appealing as they all look similar and only relate to the real car in decals, which by the way are two-door race cars based off four-door sedans!  More about sponsership with countless decals and graphics than the cars and drivers themselves.  Different story back in the 1980's when NASCAR started to gain popularity thanks to new TV viewers and yet still the cars were based on the street versions, though heavidly modified for track duty.  Also back then you had a plethora of American car companies racing on tracks including Plymouth, Pontiac, Buick, Oldsmobile, and so forth.  One of those unique cars is the Dodge Mirada stocker.  So far no one else has made a replica of the sleek Dodge Mirada so this NASCAR version from Hot Wheels is unique in its own right.  So is other Hot Wheels stock cars of the time ranging from a Ford Fairmount to an Aero Thunderbird.  Based on the J-car platform the Mirada replaced the Magnum as the new downsided large coupes that didn't last long in production: only three years!  The Mirada has a sleek wedge profile with optional targa tops for an open air experience.  The interior has an angled-back design similar to the 1968 Camaro with a center console and controls in the center.  The engine is a 360 CID V8 that produced 185 horsepower through a three-speed automatic transmission.  The Mirada was the car that would get Richard Petty back to Dodge, though not so much as the cars were slower than the GM or Ford rivals; as it turns out despite the aerodynamic shape the cars created more drag at higher speeds.  Petty and Junior Johnson backed out and went to GM, while the Mirada's soildered on in a few other teams before the cars were retired and Dodge opted out of NASCAR until 2001.

Painted in red with racing decals on the hood and sides the Mirada looks ready to race.  My tester was a bit worn out so some sections of the decals are worn out and I tried to revive some of it.  The front has a wedge-shape nose with center grille that is part of the metal base and rectangular headlights and signal lights.  The sides show off the wedge-shape roofline with side exhausts and larger rear tires to add more aggression to this stock car.  At the rear is a lip spoiler, taillights that are part of the base, and even support strips over the rear window.  The base is pure metal and shows off the large engine, drivetrain, rear axle with leaf springs, fuel tank, and exhaust system of a stock car.  The interior is definitely a race car with one seat for the driver, a full roll cage, dashboard with gauges on top, steering wheel, and battery on the passenger-side.  Odd that a driver's side window net is not there.  I am surprised these Hot Wheels NASCAR stock cars of the 1980's are not as popular since some of them are based on models that have rarely been ever made in diecast, but then again the limited run of this Mirada Stocker in the Hot Wheels line has risen the value up slightly for this one.

Matchbox Peugeot Quasar concept

What is the deal with this odd car?  I pondered whenever I see the brown one back in 1994.  Well like the Oldsmobile Aerotech you have to turn back time and go to the very first release of the casting to find out more.  This is Peugeot's first concept car introduced back in 1986 and was designed as a way to bend the rules in Group B racing.  The car started life as a Group B Peugeot 205 Rally car and as redesigned with a new and sleeker body.  The front has a futuristic look with a front-end that would preview future Peugeot styling in the 1990's and an all-glass canopy.  The rear has the exposed engine bay and a familiar one: the 1.6L DOHC turbocharged I-4 that produced 600 horsepower through a 5-speed manual transmission and to all four wheels.  The interior has a futuristic look with a clean layout, digital gauges, and a TV screen in the center for additional controls.  Despite the canopy design the doors open scissors-Lamborghini-style.  Despite the coolness and potential for production it never happened and instead the 205 hatchback continued on in Group B to wind 1985 and 1986 races.

This all-white car has the proper concept car's color and looks down pat compared to any other recolor that was offered by Matchbox later on.  The front has that hunkered down look with aggressive flush headlights that are part of the window trim and center grille with Peugeot badge.  The roof design is nicely done with the large wiper blade up front, but I had to use a Sharpie to add the blacked-out areas of the glass roof found on the real car.  On the sides are 8-dot wheels, large side vents, and QUASAR on the doors, digital '80's style.  The mostly naked rear end has a few areas of detail that include square taillights, dual center exhaust, and PEUGEOT across the back of the rear spoiler.  Thanks to the chrome engine the interior is also chrome and not the red that would be correct.  The dashboard design and two-seats are nicley done even though headroom would look tight thanks to the curved inwards side windows.  The back area has some incredible engine detailing that starts with the valve cover to the right with the exhaust headers leading out to the center turbo before exiting as twin pipes in the center.  Before the spooled air enters the engine it goes through an intercooler to the left of the engine, and anyone who has the Matchbox Peugeot 205 GTI rally car would recognize the engine.  They would also recognize the base with the all-wheel drive layout, engine and transmission layout, but at least this time it has non-treaded tires.  This allows the Quasar to handle extremely well on the track with no tire rubbing and make good use out of the 205 Group B platform.  This is an excellent concept car one you get to know it more, and the only way to do that is to get this first example in white.