Mattel Disney Pixar Diecast CARS: Lenticulars – Eyes On!
The lenticulars are coming … and as noted before, I have nothing against lenticular in general or when applied to CARS – I only question the way they are being distributed but some look very nice straight from Mattel’s photo studio.
Of course, to no surprise, it’s not easy to photograph them – how is a still image supposed to capture a moving object? There are a mix of high-res and lo-res images – so some might look better than others and oddly, most of the McQueen’s are lower res … so some might look a bit off as a still image but will probably be fun live in person.
Not everything coming out was available so it’s not a comprehensive look.
The revised card design photo is still coming but for the first waves, they will definitely be a RACE O RAMA motif of some kind.
The CHASE CARS will be discussed in more detail in another post coming …
Here are the lenticulars – eyes on!
As you can see on some, they definitely matched up the eyes to the “facial’ expression.
(Dirt Track definitely low res, they allowed bright lights to bounce off the red of his hood so his eyes are a tad too red).
Whereas the DJ eyes are a nice fit with his expression.
Nice exasperated look on Doc’s face.
This is an oddity, I don’t think their eyes can actually close … not sure if this is just some reflection?
Sally looks nice – full of personality.
So, keep in mind, some are low res shots and honestly, I’m not sure the photographer was told that the eyes were different as a bunch of them have shadows over the eyes or they are half hidden – weird …
So, the lenticulars are an amusing concept for CARS with eyes … the only problem is the squirrel who packed these cases AND then decided that only Target gets to sell the ‘classic mainline.’ That’s my only problem with them – I don’t mind collecting these, I just don’t want to work that hard to collect the ‘classic mainline.’
The rumor seems to be that these will shipping around June 20, 2009 … more info as it comes in … Case assortments for the first few cases HERE.
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metroxing
13 May 2009
Advertising, collecting, diecast, Film, Internet, Marketing, Mattel Disney Pixar CARS, Retail, Toys, TV
58 Comments
so im guessing where getting correct dj soon?(w/o boot)
That is a good point…makes that case a little more attractive… nice job!
What the?!?!?
my internet goes out for one day and this is what happens?!?!?
What the?!?!?!?
I’m also of the majority who will not dip into the ‘lenticular well’ for Cars, unless they are a model I do not have.
Sad given the images we’d seen previously of the exclusives like the larger scaled and detailed Doc Hudson. I had images in my head of a super-detailed large-scale Sheriff with curb-feelers and antenna.
Of course, now one has to wonder: if Mattel created new molds for the ‘lenticular gimmick,’ one has to wonder what will be next.
My guess is ‘light-up’ Cars, where you press down on them and their headlights turn on and off.
Everyone,
I think the plan was at one time was to have Matty offer all the Classics non lenticular, not sure what happened…………..but seems like it didn’t happen 🙁
That was almost a year ago, Oh well. Guess we will just keep trying 🙂 I hope we’ll get there someday and keep Flea-bay guy’s at tail pipe length.
We will buy them because they are a different car and since I collect only in my son’s memory I think they will be fun to have sitting next to the original.
I am still praying that cars will be available everywhere. I am 2 1/2 hours from any major city including a Target and NO vehicle to get there it sucks.
So if Target will be the only one selling the original cars we probably will have to resort to escalper NO fun.
I guess I am the odd duck again. I like them and I am sure I will buy them. I am not sure where I will be putting them but I will buy them. I like that there is something new and different about the older characters.
Oh, and I also think I’m gonna get DJ, for corrected decals, and Fillmore.
Gosh, I guess I’m the odd one out. I actually like these quite a bit. But I think for the sake of my pocketbook, I’m going to only collect regular original cars. I’ll continue collecting as I do, in other words.
For collectors, such as me (I am an opener and buy 2 of any chase/store exclusive– One to open, one to save), this is bad news. They look good to me, but I don’t wanna get hooked.
I think what I’ll do is collect only my favorite characters– Mater, Dinoco Hicks, Snot Rod, and then Sally. Maybe 2 of each, one for opening and one to keep in package… Oh, no! It’s starting again!!!!!!
DJ looks like he is trying to wake up. Kind of looks like the face I make in the morning 🙂
One word Terrible!
These look bad, and not real at all, I will take my classic cars anyday over these monstrosities.
Sorry Mattel.
once again the intl market gets shafted. guess i can sign my collection off as “finished” and just work on buying the cars we didnt get during the WOC/ROR lines. mattel… this idea sucks big time. i will NOT be buying these… they seem a waste of space and money to me. mattel would have been better spending money to increas the cars sent intl and creating characters that WE want, like new sarges.
I prefer my cars without the built in “paranoia complex” they’ll give me with all that following me with their eyes…
once again when i thought they couldent get any worse and change any more metal to plastic they did! big mistake now they have no reason not to put metal like underneath the car or places that could change from plastic =D
deal or no,
That’s what I meant, the Classics. Was told the rest of Classics will not be avail Internationally. Not my call.
Fan-blinking-tastic!!!!! Not your fault Martin but what the £$%* are Mattel’s marketing people on? Don’t they realise there’s a whole world outside of the continental USA? Once again we get the pointy end stuck somewhere uncomfortable.
Not that it’ll do any good but who can we yell at?
That is craziness for sure. Once again… wouldn’t Matty make complete sense here? UGH!
Well I would be willing to help any international buyers with anything they need, non profit for me of course! We will just have to see what happens I guess.
Does Mattel knows that at least 65% if not more, of all Disney Cars items Sales from Re-Sellers ans Scalpers from Ebay.US goes directly to International Market ..cause Mattel doesn’t meet the demand outside USA.
The people responsible for International Mattel Marketing & Distribution have their heads so far up their rear bumper bar that they can brush their teeth and perform a colonospocy at the same time.
The statement International Mattel Marketing Division is intelligent is an Oxymoron. In fact International Mattel Marketing put the moron into oxymoron.
This is no sleight on you Martin either for it is one thing to design and create a wonderful product but another to bring to market. It seems you can handle your part but the circus clowns in International are incapable of playing their part.
I am such a sucker, that I will probably get these too. Collect ’em all, right?
Plus, it will give me something to buy when the ‘classics’ hit rough patches 🙂
I am really glad to hear that they have different expressions. I kind of thought they were just going to move back and forth… not blink, etc. So that is a big plus to me! Sounds kind of fun really!
On another note, Nathaniel – I got my new car today!!!! THANK YOU!! She is beautiful 🙂 My personal racer – Mia Senorita !
im scared they look strange here im scared this could ruin the cars franchise,i hope how there eyes move or whatever looks at least “ok”
I was opened minded towards the lenticular cars themelves although somewhat bemused at Mattel’s decision to go down this road. But after seeing these photos I can honestly say I am not impressed and I won’t be getting these with the possible exception of new characters if only available in the lenticular version. I hope there will be an arrangement with a UK retailer to continue the “classic” line.
Not going out and buying these… Will only probably just try to get the Chase ones only… My Sarge (Original Line) has been lonely since it came out and wants another Sarge. They look okay but Mainline is all I need.
BTW is the new case of 24 cars will start with those Lenticulars for sure??
And will it be Worldwide or USA will get 24cars/case and International will stay with 30cars/case ?
(MET: Yes, lenticulars 24 to a case – classics also switching to 24 Target only? (unknown) … Int’l which of course, includes anyone outside the 50 US states … completely unknown as they live in a land where the sky is green and they claim all is well and thanks for asking but all is well – please go away).
lol …
Indykit is correct instating that these are new molds as the old molds wouldn’t couldn’t accomodate the new plastic windshield lens. Believe me these were not easy to do/plan around.
As far as not being able to get these Internationally, not sure yet. Let me double here at the ranch and I’ll get back to youse…..
BTW, these photos really don’t show a before and after flip. Some eyes move left to right, some blink, etc. I really depends on the curveature of the windshield, and how to best eliminate ghosting or what is known as beaming. Lenticular technology works best on completely flat surfaces. These windshields are slighty curved.
“As far as not being able to get these Internationally, not sure yet. Let me double here at the ranch and I’ll get back to youse…..”
I thing you missed the point here.. WE DO NOT want these LENTICULAR Internationally…
WE WANT the regular ones to continue here.. But since REGULAR ones are suppose to be Target exclusif , we just hope that we’ll be able to get the regular one INTERNATIONALY cause there’s no TARGET outside USA!
I hope the eyes WILL open & close as well as move side to side. Maybe Mattel is trying to bring the Cars line ALIVE with this look. Don’t know if it’s going to work though. I personally will not buy duplicates just to get the moving eyes.
I’m surprised the photographer had not taken multiple shots from different angle just to show the progression of the lenticular effect. it really isn’t much information given by just taking the pictures from one angle.
But from the looks of it, Hudson Hornet looks like it has a blinking effect.
I’m wondering if all the cars have blinking effects? or do some of them look left to right, or up and down. they might look interesting on some of the cars…
Or at least post a video of these on YouTube. Maybe MyDogCallZero will pocket some soon and post them for us!
Ugh, well those look as bad as I figured they would…
So now instead of having our WM get the new Cars by the dozen I have to wait until I can drive 30-40 minutes to the nearest Target only to see the scalpers have gotten there first.
I think it’s unanimous. Give Matty the job of selling the lenticulars!!!
Keep the classics everywhere they are now.
Am I the only one that noticed that what they’ve done is RECESS the “windshield” deeper into the body, trying to give a more 3-D appearance to the “eye” area?
It looks to me like they’ve removed the windshield area from the metal body so that the plastic shows through. If you have ever dis-assembled a CARS diecast, the plastic insert that makes up the side and back windows extends to the front as well. They stuck the lenticular eye stickers onto the recessed plastic windshield.
I don’t like them. Another horrible idea from the doofus Matty kid.
yep . . . rrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Doc is looking at me… Met, please make him stop!
pouahhaha Kev’s got a secret lover! lol
Ummmm… I don’t know whether to be flattered, or creeped out even more.
They look better than I thought they would, but if I have the regular one, I’m not buying it again just to get these goofy eyes on it. There are already enough side lines to try to keep track of, although there haven’t been any new movie moments for 18 months. Instead of making googly-eyed cars, how about releasing some of he ones that NEED to be released, AKA Sarge? And enough of the “coming soon” stuff; Sarge needs to be physically on store shelves very soon, not in someone’s mouth as a promise. How long does it take to find non-leaded green paint? I know, I’ve already heard the stories of how Mattel has to get all the paperwork signed, but come on, it’s been long enough already.
EXACTLY. Well said. Look at the Hot Wheels and Matchbox lines. There are dark green, british racing green, army green cars all the time. Tell the plant people to go next door and borrow some stinkin’ green paint. Geeez.
The pictures look kinda rough to me . . . I guess I will wait until I see them in person . . . but it doesn’t look real promising . . .
Guido and Sheriff don’t show up for me!
I liked CRAZY eyes pictures better!!
This is over all very dissappointing, to change a line in overtime, just seems silly…we can;t get the regular line to begin with fast enough and now there is less of it to get and in less places…sheeeesh!!!
Same here — bad hyperlinks Met?
(MET: Everything looks okay here – ??).
Can’t see them here either!
Seeing those two I cannot.
i will pass, even though the pics are of high resolution, they look terrible. i have no interest in these cars. just continue the diecast line as is matel.
‘Exasperated Doc?’ I think you mean ‘Intoxicated Doc.’ 🙂
LOL!!!
I would imagine that the majority of people here won’t repurchase cars they already have just because of the eye change and since the cases over the past year are already packed with 95% cars we already have that we wouldn’t have bought anyways why is everyone so upset about the eye change?
I’m glad mattel is finally going to slow down on producing the original cars. The beauty of cars collecting is that there are always 2 year olds discovering the movie for the first time. To this new group of cars collectors their mommys and daddys may even start to collect the non-leticular version of thier favorite cars that will now be harder to find which in turn will do what a bunch of us want anyways for the collection of cars – TO MAKE THEM LESS COMMON. Who knows Mattel moves like this could make us look like real smart for collecting these cars some day.
Oh yea also the cars pretty much look the same, only now a wider range of people will be able to pick out the older ones at a garage sale someday just by looking at the eyes.
Come on guys you have to admit they are pretty much starting to run out of characters to make cars of from the movie anyways.
Really……….. have you seen the movie?? There are hundreds of cars they could make for this line instead of going the repeat rout. How many McQueen Pitty’s have been made? Where are the rest of the Crew Chief’s and Pitty’s.?? Other haulers, fans, people in the stands, etc.?
Are you kidding me. This is a ploy by Mattel to package the same items that have been clogging the shelves for the past year… but hey with brand new eyes!!! BTW, here are your 9 COUNT THEM 9 (or whatever the ungodly number is) McQueens in the first case.
The only way to stop this is to boycot this particular line. Then they will get back to business as usual. Do the movie doubles ring a bell. Yeah, that went over real well, and are done. Those ridiculous versions still clog the TRU shelves even when previously discounted to almost free.
Its time ti get the line back in order or it will be done. Good luck finding a Saluting Sarge given that each store will probably get two cases that will sit on the shelf for the next year.
Although I see your point with some of this,I think part of what we are missing here is the fact that these lenticulars will likely all be new molds, as the eye piece is seperate now, and not part of the body any longer.
If you look at the newest releases, such as Chuck and Todd, the eyes are seperated… but for most of the other older models, they are not.
I know this won’t make a difference for most of us collectors as to whether we buy them or not, just an interesting point that I think is being overlooked in a way. That makes it seem as if Mattel’s intent isn’t to try to reuse what they already have, because they can’t
This line is being refreshed for kids, which is the target group for Mattel, not us collectors. Again, in my opinion, we are overestimating the collectors as a group of buyers, versus the the general audience.
I don’t think I’ll like this line as a collector… but I’ll wait until I see them in person.
Mattel could keep assembly lines busy 24/7 if they wanted to:
Make a die-cast of every fan in the stands, every RV in the infield, every car on the highways!
Quit filling the cases with Lightnings, get busy making all of the little characters that make up the rest of the movie!
But it may not be a big moneymaker if Mattel makes all the “hundreds of other cars.” Mattel is in business to make money off of this line, and who buys most of the CARS? The parents of the kids. And the parents are more likely to buy the major characters of the film that they recognize, like McQueen, Mater, Doc and so on. If the parent doesn’t recall the character easily, then they aren’t likely to purchase.
I have noticed that the local stores (mostly Target) now have plenty of Greta and Hank “Halloween” Murphy on the shelves – they’re not selling. In fact there are more these than Ramone! This is because these characters are not on-screen very long and aren’t as recognizable to the average CARS fan.
Of course the CARS collectors and fanatics on this list will grab one (or two) but in the long run the CARS line will die if Mattel only gets money from the collectors. So my conclusion: lenticular eyes in the familiar CARS characters makes good business sense. 🙁
I still don’t see myself buying a lenticular Car that I’ve got in the classic line… I definitely won’t be buying the cases, not for one new Car… Still, Martin and his design team have done their usual exceptional job. Thank you, Martin.
Said it before! Target gets to blow out the remaining Cars ‘classic’ line, which is a nice way of saying Mattel is not going to dump millions of overproduced McQueens, et al in the dump. I’m sure there are some new castings that have been produced that have not yet been packaged.
No target .. outside USA..
So International market have to quit collecting regular version???
“REALLY I hate those lenticulars already!”
And Mattel Decision / Target will help Ebay scalpers to gain MORE money once again!
Regular version Mud Mouth McQueen from Target 3.49$ will end up 15 – 25$ on Ebay cause we can get those worldwide.. ?*%$$%?
Let’s wait and see. ROR Movie Moments are supposed to be Target exclusives, yet WM Canada is getting them. It may be the same for lenticulars.
Just SAY NO