Yep Roger, the best I can say is that it feels that Mattel pulled a 'Buzz Lightyear' on fans.  Who knows?  Maybe someday in the near future there'll be a 'Cars' aisle- 'And this is the PIXAR Cars Aisle.  Back in 2006, short-sighted retailers did not order enough product to meet demand.'

Actually, for the Apple Car, they'd have to create a new race-car body style.  The Apple Car's body is more inline with the current NASCAR body-style (I believe the Mood Springs car that goes flying past screen during the crash was the same body-style).

Personally, I've been amazed how much 'Cars' has been selling.  You go to the Discount and Toy Stores and you see row upon row of shelf-clogging 'Dead Man's Chest' and 'Superman Returns' toys.

Not only is Cars the #2 film of the year, but it's probably the most popular toyline out there.  Where's Disney's PR dept. to crow about this stuff when you need them?

I can't believe the number of cars in the product line!  I'm so happy Disney is selling so many!  That Hamm car is the cutest thing I've seen!!!  I hope they'll have the other Pixar cars...!  Thanks for the article, pictures, and link!!!

i wonder if they are making new cars to anticipate a sequel?

one thing that i haven't found are regular "cars" plushes...they have the ones that when you hit they talk, but not ones (that i've found) that are just plush.

good article, roger.  i prefer reading about disney related topics rather than non-disney.

Awesome: Hudson Hornet Doc was top of my wish list! One thing though, and it's hard to tell from the photo, but the Radiator Springs repaint of Lightning better include the all-important white-walls!

Now, if the next line-up includes Rusty, Dusty, Tex, Fred and Mrs. The King, I'll be a very happy fan!

By the way, the excellent Cars video game (the real game, not the Radiator Springs Adventures kids software) includes characters Pixar created, then cut from the film, including Mater's demolition-derby relatives and a monster truck named Count Spatula. It'd be fun to see these included in the die-cast line.

If you do play the game, which acts as a sequel, stick through the closing credits for a hidden ending. It's unbelievably perfect.

These are awesome.  I still need to get me a nitroade and a DJ to complete my set and my dads set.

Already got myself a couple extra model T lizzie and the luigi, guido sets that i will probably have to trade eventually.

Micky, Would you be willing to trade a lizzie for a nitroade.  I have an extra Nitroade and need a lizzie for my son's collection.  

Great article, Roger. This site and EZ has helped me and others tremendously.

And peoplemover, the physical Disney Store has some plushes that don't make noise. They have three sizes ... the largest I have seen is Lightning, which retails for around 99. The medium sized sells for around $16.99. Don't remember the cost of the smaller ones.

Great article again, Roger...I'm one of the folks that migrated over to the EZBoard site, so thanks for mentioning our little niche in cyberspace!

A couple of nitpicks, though: Nitroade does have a similar body style as Lightning McQueen, but I don't think Nitro is a "repaint" of the same die-cast. There's enough differences that I believe Mattel made a separate cast for him.

And as for Chick Hicks and Leakless: Even though they're about as close in style as two of the cars could be, there are still a few differences in the fronts of the cars, mainly the bumpers. But it does look like they used the main body of Chick and created Leakless.

Hey Rodger,
Go back to that other article about the cars diecast figurines and see how many comments there are.  I still post comments on that page.

Great article Rodger!!!

WOOO HOOO

Keep up the good work, Roger.  :)

Cars FOREVER!   ;)

Roger:

I enjoyed the article, too. And thanks for the mention of the Cars The Toys board and link to my Drive-In reference page there. As "amoore" has mentioned, Leakless and Nitroade are not repaints. Their sculpts--while perhaps similar in style to Chick and Lightning--are original. The eyes, face/bumper, length and width and several other small details differ.

Well, I am pleased to see these new additions.  Bummed, tho, cause we'll never see them in stores.  I have NEVER been more disappointed in a movie toy release than CARS.  They're great..........................................if you can find them.  I have wasted so much effort, and it shouldn't be that hard to spend money.

peoplemover:  To add a bit more information to Allie's post, the Disney Store has plush versions of Lightning, Mater, Doc Hudson, Sally, Luigi, and (at least in the beanbag toys) Guido, if memory serves.

It's been darn near impossible to find the die-cast toys in the Metro Detroit area; two of the three I own actually came from a business trip my dad took to Chicago (though I did find the Dinoco McQueen in a Toys R Us here).  It's not the end of the world - not for a kid in college, at any rate - but it'd be nice if I could find that Luigi/Guido/Tractor three-pack without resorting to eBay...

I dont care how well it was written - youre not sucking me into collecting these things, like you did with pins. Good thing I can't find them anywhere - guess that's cause the movie was such a disappointment.  ;)

The fact of the matter is that toy distribution in the US has gotten harder in the past couple years. I didn't start collecting Mattel figures until about 4 years ago, and every year it's harder and more dependant on ebay... and Europe. Their top licensees like YGO, Cars, Harry Potter... even their own MOTU line.

So,
Who is the coolest car?

I like Doc, Chick, Leekless, and Lizzie.

Coolest for me?

Doc, Sheriff and King. Perfect voices in the film, too.

Doc is definitely the coolest car ... he won me over that moment in the film when he straps on the old dirt track racing tires and flat tracks it around the Radiator Springs oval.

For whomever asked, there ARE Cars plush available. Trust me ... I have Lightning, Sally, Doc, Luigi, Guido, and Mater strewn across my living room floor from one of my daughter's recent "races".

Roger thankd for your articles.  Filmore is my favorite. Brings back great memories of college days. Someone told me that some of the specialty clothes stores are going to limit sales to bulk buyers. I guess a lot of people resell on ebay and they want to discourage that. I wonder if they will start including toy stores. If I was a retailer and selling my stock that's my main goal. I would be calling the supplier every day demanding more product. I think Mattel really missed the boat on the cars line. Who ever does marketing probably never owned a great classic car. After seeing the movie, wish I had my LeMans 350 V8 turbo back. I kept the window sticker from that car. I actually payed extra for fiberglass tires back then!

Good news if you don't have them yet ... ToysRUs has the Movie Moments in stock again. All but Stanley & Red. $7.99 ... and you can use this code for an extra 10% off which should just about take care of your shipping charge. TRUS10P_ZSNEsz

This collection of cars is really great. I've been enjoying searching for them. Searching for them is part of the fun, although it does get a little annoying that they are so hard to find.

But...

I went to my local KB Toys today (Aventura Mall, Miami) and they had all the cars except for Sarge and Lizzie (which are the hardest to find it seems). So if anybody is on the look out for them in South Florida, head out. They had racks and racks full of them. Some cars they had less than others (naturally lots of Maters and McQueens, less of the rest), but all of them were there as of today.

Can't wait to see the rest.

It says here that Nitroade is a repaint of Lightning Mcqueen but it's not. The spoiler is smaller and the body lines are different.

I put them next to each other and there are differences, they didnt just repaint Lighting with the Nitroade paint scheme.

In case you want to get caught up in the CARS diecast line, this will get you up to speed to 2008.

http://2aday.wordpress.com/2007/04/23/mattel-pixar-cars-checklist-its-what-to-collect/