Mattel Disney Pixar Diecast CARS: Lenticular Review & Surprise Variant!
The new mainline is now the lenticular CARS … so if you’re just joining in on collecting this line, what are the differences? (besides the eyes lenticular effect and windshield area, obviously).
Clearly if you’ve been collecting all along, whether you will collect these or not is your call. But for newbies who only want to buy the townies as singles – some are not easy to come by so this might your first or infrequent opportunity (like Sally) or while easily available in other configurations but not necessarily as a single.
And for collectors who are ‘openers,’ it’s not exactly a crushing blow to have a lenticular version in place of a “classic” version as clearly these are all readily available so there’s not exactly huge value once it’s been opened – that you’re not exactly going to get huge value out of selling a set opened so having a mix of the two is not going to change anything by very much – value wise. Of course, sealed on card is a completely different story.
But a quick review …
Most are essentially identical … Chick looks and weighs about the same.
While the right side is 2006 Doc and the mold has been upgraded, Lenticular Doc definitely has a more pronounced different in the windshield area.
King might be the best of the lot with good lenticular eyes positions. CAR is essentially the same.
Mater might feature the worst of the lenticular eyes – it’s hard to find a position where he eyes are not closed all the way – basically any angle other than straight at a 25 degree angle produces mostly a brown closed eyes effect or mostly brown over open eyes (as above). Interestingly enough, Mater lenticular actually weighs about .08 ounces more than the last regular Mater. Guess the lenticular sheet weighs more than paint …
The Radiator Springs has a gorgeous Ransburg like paint job – the eyes are slightly different than regular RS McQueen but a solid option here.
Sally is another case where my 2006 Sally mold was upgraded when production shifted to China so much more detailing versus my 2006 so not really a fair comparison. The lenticular eyes effect is one of the better ones.
The Sheriff (along with Sally) is definitely one that is more rare as a single only by the fact it generally only gets one release so it’s a pretty good version (or placeholder). Mine been around for 3 years so the new lenticular is nice & shiny …
And now for the BIG SURPRISE.
The latest release version of #1 Lightning McQueen (right) with the new lenticular McQueen. I was not surprised they switched to a front piece plastic facial expression plate – it weighs about .3 ounces less … not much but if make 4 million of them, that .3 ounces of zinc starts to add up …
However “TG” gave me a heads-up that it’s not all as it seems …
Yep, both lenticular … yep, variant – lenticular Lightning McQueen is available as 100% metal body McQueen (left) AND as plastic front expression lenticular Lightning McQueen.
How about that.
But wait, it gets odder.
The Metal Lenticular Lightning McQueen has a production date of 1389.
The Plastic Face Plate Lenticular Lightning McQueen has a production date of 1429.
So far, pretty logical, somewhere after the first batch, they decided to switch from 100% metal to 92% metal … while not our first choice, you can certainly understand some bean counter making the change …
BUT NOW IT GETS WEIRD …
I have other 100% Metal Lenticular Lightning McQueen’s with a LATER production date of 1459.
So, have they switched back?
Based on this evidence, the two-piece McQueen’s are the variant and in fewer quantities?
I can’t say for certain because in my case with 9 Lightning McQueen’s, it seems about 50-50.
Until more evidence starts to roll in and either contradict or corroborate, hard to say …
We need one of those German words where they cram a phrase into one word …
In other words, what’s German for “Is Mattel just ******* with us?”
As the old cliche goes, “If you can’t beat them to join you … make it a variant to clear the shelves.”
Collect Them All.
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19 July 2009
60 Comments
I would say from watching the movie the lenticular line where the eyes move is more like the real character but i see the point in not liking them since the older toys dont have them that way. its just another way mattel thinks up to get us to buy more.
Does anyone know if they put out more of the lenticular will the originals still be sold?
I stupidly only bought a few and was going to go back they are now all gone, nothing on the pegs at all but 3 lightnings.
I need to get all the lenticulars even if I don’t like them, don’t want to be without any cars LOL.
And if I hadn’t been looking closely at those would not have seen the showgirls and chick/mia & tia sets sitting on the shelf behind the Cat tractors that were stocked wrong LOL.
Great find.
Hi all. Have to tell the story. My 5 year old son John likes to collect every variant, Hauler and Pitty ever made. He
also loves his SDCC Lightning, Bluray and Rollin Bowlin Mater(he dosen’t even play with those because he dosen’t
want to damage them). He also likes all the Mega size except the semis(calls them half a hauler). If you ask him his favorite, he will tell you he likes them all. So Dad picked up a couple of lenticulars for him. The result: he threw them
in the garbage(I took them out and he still has them) but he hates them. He does like the name that someone on take 5 came up with though. Googly eyes. He said not to bring him anymore. He said they stink. “no more lenticulars”. Well I
guess the best thing to come out of this line was kids learning a new vocabulary word. The jury has spoken. Bad idea
and creepy too.
Jack(John’s Dad)
😆
Its crazy. Last weekend the pegs were clogged of Lightning Mcqueens, at Walmarts and Toys R Us. Some stores got cases of all single diecast McQ, some got the segmented front end,
It seems to be 50/50.
I am thankful that the only duplicate car I saved and didn’t sell was Sarge, really thankful after the recall to find out ours are non-recalled.
I bought some lenticular eyes for 2.97 each and than went back for the rest NO more on the shelf but lightning.
Guess I go in search of the variant lightnings now LOL.
Our family decided to drive north to “the big city” which has one Wal-Mart.
Nothing much for toys including Pixar “CARS” – the pegs were empty except for 11x lenticular “Lightning McQueen” at $3.97 each + tax.
10x of them were the “plastic” front end mouth and ONLY 1x was the “all metal” version of McQueen!?
The stamp on the back of the card is #1249EAA.
These were the first and ONLY lenticulars we have seen here in Northern Lower Michigan.
The only other major store was a K-Mart which had several of the Pixar “CARS” Event singles left but, NOTHING else.
this may already be posted somewhere else, if it is..my bad. i found in walmart the lenticular DJ..along with two lenticular sarges. The DJ is different from the original..has a green graphic down the side of it..?
Lenticular eye Cars…Definitely Mattels worst move yet in this entire line. 😳 Stores couldn’t give em away around here.
MET and BMW:
I don’t think anyone cares as I have read the lack of support for the lenticulars… 🙂 However, I received two cases of Case B, and all 10 of the #1 LMQs are two-piecers. There wasn’t a single solid metal #1 in either case (5 per case). Odd or sign of the times? $200 later and 2 Chase Piston Cup cars, I have a question to ask … anyone want some lenticulars for a decent price? haha
Actually, I still care. I know I am the odd one here but I like the lenticulars and with the exception of the poor chose to put too many McQueens in the cases, all lenticulars I see are selling and selling fast. If they had done a better job with the case assortment we would not have clogged pegs with McQueens.
When I get too many McQueens or any other character I give them to my brother to hand out to kids at work while on calls. He works for the police department as a PSO officer and the kids love it. Many times it is these kids who get nothing. Anything new puts a smile on their faces.
Was that an offer to take some of these off my hands? 🙂 (Dangling a DJ and Sarge…)
Hey Eric, some care as you can see, and it always helps to understand the diecasts and how they are made and released.
Who knows in a hundred years on a future Antiques Roadshow, some expert might state:
“Oh thats a rare single cast Mcqueen, with intact plastic lenticular eye lenses which haven’t faded and still show good color change, we don’t see many of those.”
Or “Oh thats a rare two piece diecast and plastic Mcqueen with lenticular eyes….” “Lets consult our antique toys experts to determine a value.” 🙂
Yeah, well … I’m of the who cares about a hundred years from now mentality. 🙂 I will throw one of each in the collection and call ‘er good for now!
“Ist nur Mattel ******* mit uns?”=“Is Mattel just ******* with us?”
Hey MET I got my mojo back.
(MET: Glad to have you back!)
Mattel will alle unser Geld.
Kaufen Sie Alle!
Steve great points. Now that lenticular Sarge is out, classic regular sarge is going up even higher. current auction at $66.00 for Desert Art Sarge. I have a feeling that since Sarge is not a new car casting, we will only see him on lenticular from now on, and hence the higher prices.
http://cgi.ebay.com/DISNEY-PIXAR-CARS-MATTEL-SARGE-MINT-NEW_W0QQitemZ220452347769QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3353fbdf79&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C72%3A2124%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50
I think part of the potential increase in value for the Desert Art cards is attributed to Disney creating a twelve acre Cars Land. For years Disney has been trying to create a property marketed to boys. Girls have the Princess line, including Tinkerbell. The description of the Cars Land ride appears to be thrilling for little guys (and gals, Chuki Mama) which hopefully will create demand for like themed products.
I do believe, however, Sarge will be back in the non lenticular form at least in a boxed set at Target.
(MET: But most importantly, your Desert Art collection is not complete without the TakeFive magazine checklist 🙂 ).
Yep, got one from chuki_mama.
thats just crazy…. especially when one just ended today for $35.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Disney-Pixar-cars-original-Sarge-desert-card-NM_W0QQitemZ250464737508QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3a50dc98e4&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A13%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50
and most have been selling in the $20-$25 range….
more power to em…
The lenticular Cars do not do anything for me. The concept of opening and closing eyes without any sideways motion or independent blinking does not really represent eyes, but, Mattel is limited to what technology allows. Collectors new to the hobby may find it increasingly difficult to fill in the early editions. I am betting the crisper lines of the new molds will transcend into the Target line once the old castings are sold. Molds have to be ‘refreshed’. There are just so many times the mold can bang out a car before it wears out.
It will be interesting to see how the price point between the two lines holds. Kids smashing the Cars on the floor are not collectors and they may exhibit a distinct preference for one over the other. Of course, if there is no Target in your area, the choice will be easy.
Personally, I intend to only add the new castings of the lenticular line to my collection with the exception of Sarge (#30).
I noticed Sarge (#30) is available on eBay with the lenticular eyes. I await the Target line to see if Sarge (#30) makes an appearance.
Of course everybody makes there own decisions. Some collectors will want to obtain any and all castings, lenticular or classic, and all packaging variations. It will be interesting to see what Met has to say in fifteen years, when all the kids are driving dad’s car and all the dad are playing with the kids’ Cars! 🙂
Istmätteljust****innnmitaus?
I think the price says it all… BUYER: The price was marked up in hopes that we would go WOW something better and rare… It won’t last, better buy a couple million more of the same old things while the maker is holding off on making the ones WE ALL REALLY WANT THAT WAS IN THE MOVIE; Of course the seller says later when they BOMB…I can still reduce them and still make money on that piece of MORE THAN BEFORE plastic junk.
Gorgeous is *never* a word that should be spoken in any regard to those god-awful googly eyed Cars. Not to mention all the RS McQueens I’ve seen have been pink.
I decided to only collect the towns ppl in the lenticular. We’ll see how long that lasts..I think I need an intervention. The den where my wife and I work is slowly becoming my den where I will display cars 🙂 Victory is MINE!
that is where i started I with the main line. just the townies….
Yeah, this is what I am doing too. Plus the McQ’s for my office McQ collection. I like to have a little of each packaging in my collection.
The whole idea of creating a collection is this: The items within the collection have something in common, something that binds them together as a group. The common factor here is that these are really cool die cast cars with eyes painted on the windshield and mouths molded into the bumper. Then all of a sudden, the eyes are no longer painted on the windshield but molded into lenticular plastic behind a facade of curved clear plastic. This simple does not fit the collection definition. They do not belong.
The Sesame Street song, “One of these things is not like the others, one of these things doesn;t belong” is clearly playing in my mind right now!
LMBO
Off topic, but you just reminded me of ZOOM…
Wharr’s the Carr?
Ovarr tharr.
Wharr’s the Carr?
Ovarr tharr.
Wharr’s the Carr?
Ovarr tharr.
Wharr’s the Carr?
Ovarr tharr.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7gzHLKT5g4&feature=PlayList&p=646816782E0AF701&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=20
Also from Sesame Street – those aliens checking their book of words…Noooope nope nope nope nope nope! Va-ri-ant! Va-ri-ant!
LMBO… I can totally picture that!!!
Mein Gott! DoppelgängerMetalGesichtSpielautos!
(MET: It sounds like we’re on the right track 🙂 … How about a translation 🙂 ).
Whatever you just said I love it! Everything sounds more urgent in German. Is it true that it must be yelled?
Ditto that! I feel a little anxious just reading it.
Rough (very poor) translation: “My God! Metal-faced toy car variants!” Definitely not a real phrase, but fun to try and say nonetheless. 🙂
(MET: Still good – thanks!)
hahahahaha….!! I just got the 2 first words..
Met, based on the Sally sculpt alone, it looks like Sept 2006 is close to the date when the production started in China.
My Thai Sally looks exactly like yours. I also have a later 2456EA (Sept 2, 2006) China Sally that is the upgraded sculpt with the sharper detailing, like the new one in your picture. The two Sallys are clearly different, the bottom of the China car has high relief, and the different Carrera tampo as you have noted in the variant article. Best I can pinpoint so far for the country change.
who doesnt like the plastic mouth bits?
think it makes them look cheap, theres a very noticable gap between metal and plastic and i know it costs less and means changable expressions but..
…it looks cheap!
lenticulars look stupid, mattel change them back!!!
if the film was the originals then the lenticulars would be a puppet show about the film put on by robots directed by a gameboy…or sumfin.
Heres another date 1359 EAA for lenticular LMQ with single metal front. But there is more. Its a different sculpt all together. Look at the front wheel wells compared to #1 ROR L. MCqueen. The wheel wells are shaped differently; higher more U shaped on #1 and the front tires stick out, where the lenticular wheel wells are more oval and the tires fit under the wheel well.
I WANT ALL THEM………….sigh.
Do you really want them?? I have them if interested..
maroishka@hotmail.com
As do I if you need help with getting some. Whatever you can’t get from Mariela. Just let me know.
toyzindahood(at)yahoo(dot)com
I for one think the new “mainline” will be the Final Lap – koodos to Target for this still. Also, is anyone particularly “surprised” at a new variant, especially involving Lightning McQueen that comes 9 to a box..?? Let’s see.. how do we get rid of 25 LM’s sitting on a shelf… I know, let’s make a limited run variant.. whala…
I have absolutely loved this line until now, and will continue to buy the Final Lap. The lenticular serious is a mess, and should be put to rest already. I’m hoping the big gorilla throws some weight around and stomps out this line… Boycott this line, and it will hopefully go away.
I am still yet to see one but just looking at them baffles me. If it ain’t broke, don’t try fix it.
what is the story with the numbers? can someone explain what they mean to me pees!
The last number is the year produced and the first 3 are the day of the year, so the 143rd day of 09 is 1439. Hope that helps!
Just cannot bring myself to Recollect them all…my kids think the eyes are stupid and I have to agree, still VERY dissappointed in this switch!!!!
right there with ya bro….
Hi Shanon,
I have to agree with you. My son is just not into them at all. Maybe this was a good move for Target. They get to keep the line with the cheaper price and what appears to me to be the line most people on here want. Only time will tell. Let’s have a discussion about all this next July and see where we’re all at. I’m pretty much guessing I wont own 1 lenticular. The only way I would start collecting the lenticulars would be if the current non-lenticular mainline dies and Target keeps just the mini’s and the lenticular line steams ahead as the “new” mainline at WalMart. If that were to happen, then I would start buying the lenticulars just to keep our collection going. I’m certainly hoping THAT does NOT happen.
I think they’re okay. I’m not excited about the switch, but I think MET brings up a great point. These cars make great placeholders for those of us that got into the game late and are filling in gaps. Plus, if the kids don’t care … why not let them play with them instead of paying $20 or more for a particular townie that is becoming harder and harder to find? My son could care less that DJ’s eyes open and shut. He has a DJ now! I should say one that actually rolls – you want to talk dumb idea, let’s talk impounds! Sure they were in the movie for 10 seconds like so many other cars that have been produced, but they serve no function besides sitting in a collection. That’s like selling a big wheel with square tires. 🙂 Try explaining to a three year old that, “yes, that is boost, but you can’t play with him. Why not, he’s right there?!? Yes, but his wheels don’t actually turn. He is just for show.” haha Relax I already know what you are going to say about the impounds. I’m just playing devil’s advocate.
I like the assortment of the B lenticulars case, they are bringing out some cars that haven’t been on pegs as singles in a while. I’m not chomping at the bit, but we’ll get what we don’t have and wait patiently for the Last Lap and Cars Toons stuff thats coming!
Which Townie is going for $20?
It’s just an example. The older releases are getting more and more difficult to track down. Have you noticed how many people have been posting needs for DJ lately. Since you hold my feet to the fire…here are some on eBay. 🙂
Once you add in shipping, it can actually be quite silly what people may end up paying for these normal townies.
http://cgi.ebay.com/DISNEY-PIXAR-CARS-MATTEL-DJ-STREET-RACE-MINT-NEW_W0QQitemZ230357478338QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item35a2602bc2&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C72%3A2124%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50
http://cgi.ebay.com/DISNEY-PIXAR-CARS-DJ-WORLD-OF-CARS-52-DIECAST-NEW_W0QQitemZ220454519859QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item33541d0433&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C72%3A2124%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50
I thought I got smart and stopped duplicating the castings after the Supercharged series. Glad I was stupid and bought the entire run of DB & SC. Glad I bought Rollin’ Bowlin” Mater at the KB Toy liquidation center for almost nothing.
Sarge (DB) for one!
DB Sarge is currently going for $66 on eBay with 53 minutes left on the clock! Get in there and grab it now!
the inpounds wheels dont turn?
i thought they did…
(MET: Well, even the Boot ones roll but of course, it doesn’t really roll far – hence the boot 🙂 ).