Hot Wheels and Lamborghini, the set

I always like when Hot Wheels creates special sets to mark a certain company and making some European brands like BMW, Honda, and Porsche is very sweet.  Last year Hot Wheels released the Lamborghini set of eight sleek models from the Hot Wheels line and while I did get a few I didn’t get the whole set so I substituted a few of them for some unique ones from my collection, including one that is hard-to-find and in demand.

Lamborghini Countach

The oldest Lamborghini is only just a couple of decades old yet still looks with the modern counterparts and started the iconic look of Lamborghini as a status symbol, the Countach.  The first Countach, named after a fighting bull, was introduced in 1974 with styling done by Bertone and based on the Lancia Stratos Zero concept of 1971 as an angular, cab-forward design that started off clean with no wings or scoops but over the years they were applied to keep the appeal of the Countach.  Scissors doors were also a first for a car and helped bring awareness to the Lamborghini brand at the expense of easy entry and exit; they did help aid in reverse maneuvers as visibility out of the rear was really compromised.  The interior has laid-back front seats and a dashboard with gauges that float above the dashboard, yet over time the design would look dated.  Unlike the Miura the Countach uses a longitudonal V-12 motor, a 4.8L DOHC V-12 motor that makes 350 horsepower, and a 5-speed manual transmission that was in front of the engine and to the rear wheels.  Future Lamborghini’s would improve on performance and styling, yet still bear that famed wedge-shape look of the Countach.

It is interesting to see this casting return and still keep its metal base, now red matching the red paint of this car.  The front has detailed signal lights (headlights are hidden just above), Lamborghini badge on the hood, and a lower chin spoiler with grille scoops.  The sides have flared fenders, side NACA ducts, and taller scoops just behind the side windows with mail slot opening, while the rear has a tall rear spoiler, trunk louvers, and tri taillights on a rear decklid that lacks the quad exhausts that should be visible.  Add gold 5-spoke wheels and a simple side stripe and you have one stylish looking Countach!  The metal base has some engine details at the rear but a nice circular body stamps just below the rocker panels, while the interior has the visible seats and dashboard with not much details.  For an old casting this new release is the best that this Countach casting has ever been!

Aventador and Reventon Roadster

Joining the fray is the successors that include the Aventador and the Reventon Roaster.  The Reventon started the Aventador looks when it was introduced as a show car first then a 20 car limited run in 2009.  Based on the Murcielago platform it gets razor sharp looks influenced by jet fighters in a nice matte gray finish.  The interior is very similar to the Murcielago as is the 6.5L V-12, six-speed semi-automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive.  A roadster was also offered and here it was the first Lamborghini roadster for Hot Wheels!  This version goes for a silver color with gray 5-spoke split wheels and a black stripe in the center of the front hood.  While the coupe casting was modified off of the Murcielago casting this roadster was an all-new tooling that looks better and fits the style of the Reventon’s aggressive looks like the pointed front-end with V-shape headlights and side grilles, smooth Murcielago side profile with added sharpness, and the rear with LED taillights hidden in the rear side grilles.  The interior offers detailed seats and dashboard with a few controls, while the engine that is barely visible in the small rear window compartment is still there.

The Aventador coupe was introduced a year after the Reventon Roadster and continued the look even if styling was pretty much carried over from the Reventon concepts.  Here it is painted a simple black with two gray stripes on the roof and hood and gray 5-spoke wheels.  The front has a more chisled down look than the Reventon with larger and more flush side scoops, and taillights that are now above the rear scoops and a central exhaust tip.  The interior is a big improvement with detailed front seats and a dashboard that sits lower and places the central controls further down the rising center console.  The 3-spoke steering wheel sits ahead of the gauge pod and the rear engine is still there though blurred by the ribbed window pattern.  The 6.5L V-12 makes nearly 700 horsepower to all four wheels with the only transmission a 7-speed automated manual transmission.  This blacked-out version looks good for batman and speaking of that Hot Wheels has released the 2003 Murcielago in the Batman series in a matte gray color, not blacked-out but still cool.

Lamborghini Estoque and Urus

While Lamborghini has always been for the rich as play toys there are some practical Lamborghini’s out there, though most have been concepts at best.  Here are two that are recent concepts by Lamborghini and only one is destined for production, the SUV Urus.  The Estoque was Lamborghini’s take on a four-door sedan to go after the Mercedes S-class and Aston Martin Rapide, but with familiar Lamborghini features.  The wedge-shape look is a laid-back sedan that borrows familiar cues from the Reventon concepts, the interior is more practical with seating for four and a simple dashboard layout with a bit of Lamborghini touches, and the powertrain is a 5.2L DOHC V-10 and 7-speed semi-automatic transmission from the Gallardo (speaking of which how come the Gallardo and Huracan are not represented in the Lamborghini series?!?!?).  This casting has been out many times including the original gray version but all of them look yucky in those tacky wheel designs.  This one, however, may be the best one yet in pearl white with gold 10-spoke wheels that look perfect on this car.  The car has detailed headlights and two slim black lines, but I had to add more details to the front scoops and rear taillight bar and lower bumper scoop just ahead of the center exhaust tip for a more finished look.  The base shows off the engine and transmission details and either the transmission is at the rear or someone goofed and copied the engine and transaxle details from a Gallardo.  Interior is nicely done, if simple, and overall this white Estoque better represents the real car than any other variation of this casting has ever done.

On the other hand the Urus was perfect from the start and is going into production to hopefully boost Lamborghini sales.  The stance is higher, the sharp bodywork of typical Lamborghini is there, and yet it still has room for four and the performance of a Lamborghini.  This red version has dual hood stripes in black and blacked-out 5-spoke wheels that overall give a good impression on this casting.  The front has detailed headlights, hood vents, lower bumper with larger side scoops, while the sides are clean and simple and meet at the rear with a full width taillight bar, quad exhaust tips, and Urus license plate.  The interior has seating for four with a familiar dashboard layout of the Aventador with controls mounted lower in the center console and the 3-spoke steering wheel with paddle shifters.  Like the Estoque it uses the Gallardo’s 5.2L V-10, 7-speed automated manual transmission, and all-wheel drive.  The production version for 2019 tones it down with softer styling, seating for five inside, and a twin-turbo V8 from Audi.

But Wait, there’s more!  Lamborghini Diablo and Murcielago SV

Now here’s two that are not part of the Lamborghini set yet are past Hot Wheels models, one has ended in the Final Run line in 2003 and the other has not been used since.  The Diablo was the successor to the long-lived Countach with similar bodylines that are now smoother with integrated vents on the sides, signal lights and foglights moved to the bumper, and round quad taillights with a visible rear bumper.  The interior is cleaner with a more flowing dashboard design that looks more integrated if still a bit cheap looking.  Rear wing and scissors doors remain as does the V-12 motor, now a 5.7L producing 529 horsepower through a six-speed manual to the rear wheels; by 1996 a new all-wheel drive system was offered to finally combat excessive oversteer from the rear-wheel drive V-12 power.  The last addition before retirement was new front-end with exposed headlights and more power with 6.0L V-12.

This Diablo shown here is the Final Run version and it’s a nice one decked out in red with black hood, roof, and rear engine cover, black plastic rear spoiler, and Lamborghini across the sides.  This is the only version where the front headlights are detailed as the exposed units alongside detailed front signal lights and quad foglights below the bumper.  The sides have a rising beltline with visible scoops and exterior mirrors, while the rear detailed taillights and a blacked-out rear bumper.  The base is still metal and has the detailed frame and engine detailings, while the interior has the detailed seats and dashboard with little to no details.  It is a disappointment to see this casting go, but hopefully one day we can see another updated Diablo make a return to Hot Wheels.

On the other hand is a casting that is not gone, just not used that often: the Murcielago SV.  First introduced in the Decades Wal-mart line in 2010 it has made one appearance in the Speed Machines line before disappearing and that’s a same since it’s a nicely done casting.  The Murcielago SV was introduced in 2009 just as the regular Murcielago underwent updated exterior styling along with the Gallardo for an improved look and the SuperVelocite was built around less weight and more power for a better track experience.  The front and rear bumpers are carbon fiber with revised lower side scoops also adding carbon fiber and a fixed rear wing that reduces 220 Ib’s from the car and is aided by more power from the 6.5L DOHC V-12 that produces 661 horsepower through a 6-speed semi-automated manual transmission (only 5-6 were made with a 6-speed manual) and to all four wheels.  No one knows why this casting disappeared but as you can see it looks good in white with black carbon fiber accents.  The front has detailed headlights that lead down to an aggressive lower bumper with honeycomb scoops, side profile with separate lower black scoops and SV badge that joins the blacked-out 5-spoke wheels with white outer rim.  The rear has detailed taillights on a black plastic rear with Lamborghini badge, larger scoops with honeycomb pattern, center exhaust, and a rear spoiler that is part of the metal body.  The interior has the same dashboard details as the Murcielago except for the shifter that is replaced with buttons for the automated transmission, while the engine window is squeezed down to a smaller port yet the engine details are still there.

Hopefully the Murcielago SV would make a return as it would go along nicely with a second set of Lamborghini series as this first one was very impressive from the start and advertises the cars with less graphics and dare I say glitter (ask the Diablo casting, it’s been through that suffering!).