Mattel Disney Pixar Diecast CARS: The Race O Rama Year in Review + My Favs of the Year
Keep in mind the year of Year of Race O Rama really started in October 2008 and ended when the first WOC: Night Skyline CARS were released in calendar year 2009.
For those who still go by the Georgian, Lunar or Hebrew Calendars … the CARS Calendar is cycle based, fraught with rapidly changing seasons, tidal waves of feast or famine and finalized only when the diety forces of Disney, Pixar, Mattel, El Retailo, Factory Chinois, Sea Dragon of Pacific Shipping & Le Distribution are all done drinking their lattés and have scrubbed for action …
Year of the Desert Art (April 2006 to October 2006)
Year of Supercharged (November 2006 to October 2007)
Year of World of CARS (November 2007 to October 2008)
Year of Race O Rama (November 2008 to October 2009)
Year of the WOC: Night Skyline (Now)
So, to recap Race O Rama …
74 SINGLE CARS on card, with 29 NEW CARS never previously released as a single.
15 MEGASIZE CARS on cards, with 9 NEW MEGASIZE CARS never previously released as a single megasize card.
12 GIFT PACKs released – 7 GIFT PACKs of NEW configurations – now in a horizontal box instead of a vertical card. Of the 36 CARS released in the 12 GIFT PACKS – 8 were never previously released in any configuration (includes ‘aggro faced Lightning McQueen’ though he is simply listed as Lightning McQueen).
We welcomed and I mean really welcomed the first Haulers – and we ultimately got 12 releases under the Race O Rama series & design motif.
There were 8 Box Sets with the Race O Rama design – 5 which were never released before and 2 contained nearly all NEW CARS (Sarge’s Boot Camp & CARS Ultimate Gift Set (DVD) – though the Rescue Squad Mater technically falls under MTT (see below)). Of these two Box Sets, there were 5 NEW CARS never released before (TJ in his new megasize and McQueen in Ransburg Gold).
While the “Piston Cup Nights” motif is not technically Race O Rama, we will count the 3 Box Sets (Crew Chiefs & Pitty’s) as NEW and part of Race O Rama. Out of the 12 CARS that comprise of the 3 Crew Chief & Pitty sets, you can quibble over the exact count since some of the Pitty’s are “repeats,” but have slightly different eye positions or colors AND they were available in a multitude of pack-by-size, we will go with the broadest measurement. We will subtract out Leak Less Pitty that looks like Stacy and the Leak Less crew chief. You can also subtract out 1 Pitty from Dinoco and 2 Pitty’s from Chick-HTB (two Pitty’s released in 3-pack) so out of the 12 CARS in 3 boxes, we can safety say that 7 are NEW & un-released prior.
And while the Kmart CARS Day Piston Cup racers with rubber tires are really just a variant, they are a significant variant so add another 16 to the list.
For those who are only collecting CARS from the 2006 film, your “new” count stands at 86 for 2009. Hope I’m right on that – anyone want to proof my count? 🙂
We also welcomed the first EXPANDED UNIVERSE CARS, first with Storytellers (based on the book) only at Target. There were 11 releases in Fall 2008, of which, 4 were never previously released in any configuration (there were several CARS released as Storytellers never previously released as singles including Tractor, Red, etc, etc …). In 2009, there were an additional 7 NEW Storytellers never previously released in any configuration.
Plus there were 6 NEW releases from the Christmas Storytellers or or a total of 17 NEW CARS in the Storytellers Expanded Universe.
Of course, we cannot forget the Mater Tall Tales portion of the Expanded Universe – since it’s hard to draw the line based on distribution release , we’ll just randomly call the Mater the Greater & the Rescue Squad Mater CARS part of 2009 so counting the SDCC Box Set, there are 5 Box Sets to start with or 20 NEW CARS never released before – and yes, SDCC Ransburg Rescue Squad Mater CARS are different than the “regular” Rescue Squad Mater box set (Mia & Tia have rubber tires also). There are 7 Megasize MTT’s with 2 available in no other configuration. There are 8 Mater Tall Tales singles only available as singles. Add in the “different” CARS Ultimate DVD Box Set Rescue Squad Mater and you have 33 Mater Tall Tales Expanded Universe releases. (Pitty single releases count as two each).
Or 120 NEW CARS available in 2009, the Race O Rama Common Era.
This is of course is the minimal count – I did not really count some variants nor the whole Pitty issue but 70, 86, or 120 is your basic starting point for a complete Race O Rama “NEW.”
The launchers are not really counted as all the Piston Cup racers are all re-releases. And since the launcher devices (either one) are not canon to the film, they are not counted as separate ‘items.’
Just for the record – by the time the Race O Rama Movie Moments were released in the US, all of the CARS were available in other configurations.
And just to note, Final Lap and all new releases with the Night Skyline motif (including Octane Gain Team hauler) count as 2010.
Again, this is not a official collector number. You are free to collect everything, sometimes or whatever as you like. We are not here to decide what should or should not be in your collection.
And now some of my choices of the best of the best (From the GREATEST DIECAST LINE EVER).
BEST ACCESSORY OF THE YEAR?
1″ Inch plastic cup – detailed like it’s a WORKING spy camera.
MOST WELCOME RETURN
FAVORITE CUSTOM OF THE YEAR (little bias) 🙂 Thanks, Nate.
BOX SET OF THE YEAR
BEST CARS (NON-MATTEL)
A Tie ..
And now, my choices of the ten best new releases in the Year our Race O Rama … of 120 New Releases this year, it is hard to pick the Top 10 so I cheated and went with the Top 12. :-0
#12 Jerry Recycled Batteries
As a fan of ALL the haulers, the more the merrier and bring them ALL on – it’s hard to say if one is truly better than another but it’s hard to argue against Jerry Recycled Batteries.He’s got the great expression, a grubby face plate, cool graphics and is a perfect capture of the dimensions and look and feel of the iconic and classic Peterbilt truck. So, even if he didn’t have any eyes, he’d be perfect … as it is, he’s perfect and he’s got personality.
#11 Clutch Aid (Rubber Tire version)
The rubber tire MSOS additions are great – only 20 more to go 🙂 … so this choice is really a choice of all 16 and while Clutch Aid didn’t get a lot of notice in the film nor as a diecast release, if you look closely, he’s just what a race car should look like. What’s often overlooked is how nice of a job Pixar did in capturing the essence of a race car’s paint and decaling scheme. There is a art to it that you don’t question it. It’s like seeing a green open top British roadster of the 1960’s with an big Helvetica typeface number on an oval decal – it just looks right and Clutch Aid is simply – just right. He’s not a high profile race car, just a number really – a flash in the pan – yet, he is perfectly styled to be AND more importantly, like no other Piston Cup race car – as if Clutch Aid race team spent months toiling over the right color and decaling … and this diecast perfectly captures that. He is luxurious blue with crisp white striping and green lettering. He’s a ‘nobody’ but designed, created and re-produced in tiny diecast scale as if he’s McQueen. #121 but #1 in our Clutch Aid hearts.
#10 Laverne
Of course, the audacious car designs of the 1950’s were great but it’s more fun to see them stretched into further outrageousness and to give them personality and life. And then to take simple drawings from a book and re-produce them in 3D form – making them fit in perfectly with the rest of the diecast line? Just great. Now if it would come as a lemon popsicle …
#9 Showgirl
We have also waited years for the Showgirls. She has no lines and yet, she is packed full of details. And when they could have simply cheated and packed two of the same in a 3-pack (after all, what were you not going to buy it?) – they did not. Instead, the “other” Showgirl has a different expression and eyeline … and great molded feathers and more detailing on the crown to go with a brand new sculpt “just” for a showgirl.
#8 High Dive Mater
In a way, he’s an embodiment of the Mattel Disney Pixar Diecast line. He is FUNNY. He is SPOT ON. He is WHIMSICAL. He is ARTISTRY. He is MANUFACTURING GOODNESS. He is DETAILED. He has PERSONALITY. He makes you LAUGH. He makes you SMILE. HE makes you BUY. To be honest, you would be hard press to name a typical release in a diecast line IN ANY YEAR that is this great. In most diecast lines, something this extravagant and a release this detailed would not only be a ‘special release’ that not only would command a huge premium but also easily outshine the other releases that year … but in this line where the extraordinary is the everyday, he’s just ‘another release,’ 🙂
#7 Frank the Combine
Ho hum, just another release 🙂 Yes, he falls a couple notches because he’s not as big as he can to be 100% proper in scale but that’s like saying there’s no 7th gear in your Lamorghini … it’s a minor quibble because of not just the sheer goodness but the sheer capture of the personality of Frank along with the detailing of a mean ole combine. He is greater than the sum of his parts – a design that works on many levels including function, personality and details. When it’s right, it’s called art and this is artistry. So, while the Disney Store Frank is nice in its larger scale and is functionally correct, that’s its best complement – it’s nice but it’s not art. It’s not the Mattel Frank.
#6 Snow Day Sally
This might not be an obvious choice in the Top 10 but this too is the embodiment of the care that Mattel delivers for this line. Here is a short term release that could’ve just been slapped together – after all, it would be on the shelf for a few weeks, who would notice … but new earmuffs, upgraded body sculpt, nice decaling but even the rims have been changed to the proper snowflake motif. That’s attention to details and attention to the artistry. But back to earmuffs … it’s easily overlooked but again, they could’ve slapped on anything resembling the illustration from the book but instead, as usual, care was given so you would INSTANTLY buy that a Porsche would wear earmuffs – and you don’t give it a second thought. You are given NO REASON to question the earmuffs because they are perfect in every aspect. Small, unimportant in some senses but there’s no better word than perfect.
#5 Reindeer Mater
What I wrote about High Dive Mater could simply be written here – just check out the snow accumulation detailing along the wheel panel … or the tiny flakes of snow and dirt on the wheel rims. Anyone doubt for a millisecond this truck did not just drive a 20-mile high country trek through a snowstorm? What more could you want?
#4 Mater the Aviator
Like I said, in most releases, High Dive Mater at #8 would be enough for a diecast line to celebrate but Aviator Mater simply ups the ante to another level. It’s EVERYTHING High Dive Mater is – funny, cool, detailed, whimsical and great … not only are the goggles perfect so again, you don’t question for a second that Mater is wearing 1920’s barnstormin’ gear BUT how about that the vinyl plastic actually feels like leather! And again, it’s not you would not buy it even if they cut some corners on the look & feel of the helmet and goggles but how about some plastic that looks and feels like leather. Um, that feels like perfection.
#3 Dustin Mellows
He is just everything great about the film and the Mattel diecast line. The character of Dustin Mellows is a great tribute to the hardworking delivery guys of simpler times but also a homage to the design of those old trucks – form follows function – and that design is timeless. This diecast captures EVERYTHING about the time through its proportions and its attention to details. You expect it to roll up and the milk delivery guy hops out … or a milk delivering Guido. Again, EVERYTHING looks and feels just right. From the different hubcaps to its painted window lines, is there another word for perfection? Now, all we need is a deluxe version with a rollup door in the back and mini crates of Burma Shave.
#2 Rescue Squad Mater (SDCC)
Rescue Squad Double Ransburg Mater is the Bugatti Veyron of CARS. It’s not about whimsy but about how a team of designers and manufacturers at the top of their game can bring you the best of everything. You want Ransburg, we’ll give you TWO COATS. You want detailing down to the freakin’ hubcap nuts & bolts – you got it. Chrome ALL OVER? You bet. Two stage ladder? Yep. 6 rubber tires? Sure, why not … an LED light up box. And enough metal packed into 4 cubic inches to concuss anyone who dares to grab it out of your hand? Done. Rescue Squad Double Ransburg Mater is the no holds barred-T2 of CARS.
#1 Todd, Pizza Planet Truck
This is the most beautiful CAR ever.
Well, in addition to being everything you’d want in a diecast CAR – fun, funny, whimsical, cute, sweet and brimming with personality – it’s also everything you’d want in a diecast CAR – design detailed to the 15th degree, spot on manufacturered to perfection – wearing all the years of road rashes, bumper bumps, scraps, close calls, rust, dirt, grime & all sunbaked to perfection.
And it’s a daily reminder of the joy of the Pixar films, not just CARS.
You get it all for less than $4 bucks.
Feel free to disagree with me in the comments 🙂
And WHAT DO YOU MOST WANT IN TO SEE in 2010?
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4 January 2010
47 Comments
Just a question for some of you. Does anyone know how many times Leak Less appears on the back of the WOC cards? It seems like Leak Less and Nitroade were not produced in great numbers when they were released.
Anyone? I recall only seeing Leak less on the back of one WOC Card and found it very odd.
(MET: While Nitroade and Leak Less have pretty much appeared in every series … generally the ‘carded’ Piston Cup racers (outside of the big three, of course) do not make frequent appearances and with the growing number of CARS – they are now mostly reserved for box sets and launchers).
Great post and great website. Thanks Met!
Not one of these top 12 have made it to this side of the pond. I have all of these but they were sourced from my good friends on this site. Mattel sucks when it comes to international distribution. (Yet we suddenly got all the lenticulars!) As to what I would like to see foe 2010 maybe the completion of a given grouping ie all the missing chiefs, pittys, haulers. Also Santa Car and a proper Christmas LMQ with snow tyres and lights. And Albert Hinkley and Tach O Mint and Mitch.
Actually I would trade all of them for Mitch, the absolute best hauler ever!
im in australia i have seen frank and jerry in a few stores in sydney but none of the others.
cool
Glad Todd hit the front of the line first. He represents so much for Pixar as well and I have to say a close tie between him and Elvis that is for sure! I don’t know if we can all remember the anticipation of havin’ that sweet lil’ RV in our hands. And when it did come out… Meow!!!!!!
Elvis was the first CARS that I actually felt bad for leavin’ our second minty mint on card back in its blister!!!
But lookin’ back at the whole year/line-up, I can see you must have had a great time judgin’ and a hard time stoppin’ at only a top twelve!
And to you DUde-Met-Dude,
Happy New year to you and your circle of friends and coworkers that all make this site possible and of course, keep your fingers crossed for HYDRAULIC RAMONE (In 1:55/MEGA/And SUPER-SIZED Disney store quality too!)
Thanks for this post MET, fun reading.
Elvis and Bubba would have made my list too but I mostly agree with your list. 2009 was indeed a banner year for Cars and, as you rightfully proclaimed at the outset, the Golden Era.
I am loving the expanded universe, even little Mator which I thought was going to be dull.
Made some rounds today. WM had about 4 pegs dedicated to Cars, 4…depressing (did score Chase rans DJ though). Meanwhile, Target had nothing but lenticulars and MTT singles. What is wrong with this picture?!?!?! Target garnered all the exclusives and yet their pegs are clogged with the Cars you can get ANYWHERE ELSE!!!!! Duh. I definitely need to have a talk with the toy dept manager. As if that would do any good, but it would at least make me feel better.
Take note Mattel, not one lenticular on the list, as it should be!
Visited my local Target the other day, and for the first time the CARS pegs were full! Then I realized, every last one of them was a lenticular — even the Costanzo della Corsa/Michael Shumacher Ferrari/Antonio Veloce Excellente multi-pack that I was excited to find at first. Even my 7-year-old said, “what’s wrong with their eyes?” Put the multi-pack back where I found it, and when I ended up making another Target run the next day, it was still sitting right where I left it.
great post and I agree with most of those in the top 12, especially Todd. Keep up the great work in 2010 guys!
Go Todd!! Love him and love the post Met!! 😀 And again, love that Wingo with the Boost nameplate! 😉 Happy New Year and keep up the great posts!!
TODD is #1…No Doubt.
Jay limo, Apple, Faux Wheel Drive, Tach o Mint, Fiber Fuel KMART, Sidewall Shine, Milton Calypeer, Apple hauler pitty and chief, Tank Coat Chief, Bumper Save Hauler and Pitty, and the list oges on forever.
faux wheel drive is already out 🙂 and so is milton calypeer! 🙂 thats 2 on your list! 🙂
I Know about Milton Calypeer but i havent found him yet!! And when did Faux WheelDrive become a release i thought he was only a promo
I agree with your #1, although I’m still a bit disappointed because the prototype looked even better.
Re: Clutch-Aid and other Piston Cup cars. Can anyone explain why all the cars have decals of all the other team’s sponsors ? Is that normal in NASCAR? And if so, why are the top-3 sponsors (Dinoco, HTB, Rusteze) missing on all the other cars ?
(MET: There is the main sponsor of course but then sponsors can buy other positions on the car and they vary by cost … for companies such as motor oil – it’s usually easier as they will trade X amount of product for a side sticker, etc … and so they will “sponsor” dozens of racers even though they might also be the main sponsor of one particular car).
Met wrote, “The launchers are not really counted as all the Piston Cup racers are all re-releases. And since the launcher devices (either one) are not canon to the film, they are not counted as separate ‘items.’”
It reads as if the MSOS is being counted as the previously released version, which although technically accurate, does suggest that a #61 asterisk be stuck to it as the MSOS was not widely available to everyone. That would mean that the following were first releases as they were all released well before the KMart Day singles (except for Fiber Fuel, which has not been released as a Kmart single and its only other release was in a Racing 4-Pack):
ROR Pit Race Off Launcher Easy Idle
ROR Pit Race Off Launcher Mood Springs
ROR Pit Race Off Launcher Fiber Fuel
ROR Pit Race Off Launcher Retread
ROR Lightyear Launcher Rev-N-Go
So, in my opinion, add 5 more to the total for Race-O-Rama 2009 new releases!
Oops, forgot a couple, Add:
ROR Pit Race Off Launcher Tank Coat
ROR Pit Race Off Launcher Vitoline
ROR Pit Race Off Launcher Shifty Drug
So, including the 5 above, add a total of 8 more! 😀
plus clutch aid too.
But Clutch Aid was released at Kmart Day #2 first, before it’s launcher release. I believe that’s why Lil’ Torquey Pistons didn’t make it there either…
Yep, that’s right. I didn’t count any launchers that were released first at a Kmart Day. Shiny Wax was released as a ROR Pit Race Off Launcher but was first released at KMD1. Clutch Aid and ‘Lil Torquey Pistons were both released at KMD2 while Rev-N-Go was first released as a Lightyear Launcher and then re-released with rubber tires at KMD3.
Plus Shiny Wax was released in a WOC 3-car gift pack before as a launcher too.
Couldn’t Agree more 🙂 but my Final Lap Fave is Polly Puddlejumper
Excellent choices. Couldn’t wait to open the Snow Day Sally, same thing with the three Motorama girls, SDCC RS Mater, Todd, Frank, Aviator Mater, High Dive Mater, Dustin, and Todd for sure was #1. Gauging by the irresistable “can’t wait to open” criteria,you picked really top choices, as all of the choices on your list I had to open in order to see the details from every angle.
The 2010 Collector’s guide is missing some significant releases that should be in it. Hopefully that will not be the last word for 2010.
Met, do you consider Impound Lightning McQueen and Ron Hover as the first releases of 2009 from Case A? Is that the starting point, since these were Race O Rama?
One sculpt I would have added to the list of top 12 singles was Race Damaged King. He was an amazing example of diecast excellence to detail.
(MET: Yes, everything in Race O Rama was considered).
Does anyone have the 2010 guide in PDF?
Todd would be my favorite pick as well and just finally got him a few weeks ago. Coming in close would be Dale Jr., Red, and Ferrari.
What I found funny was that they left out the headlight detailing in the normal Sally release but they included it in Snow Day Sally. Now that I look at the original Sally she just doesn’t look right. 🙂
Going forward I would like to see more newer releases in at least half the amount that they release of the lenticulars. Scale back the lenticular line and put out the cars we all want (remainder of the racers) and some fresh faces. Even if they came out as Launchers and gouge us for $10 for that extra peice of plastic I would pay it to get a complete lineup. There are so many characters in Cars this line could go on for a decade and not run out of options to sell us. Giving us at least 2 RVs would be nice. When is the last time they released Lizzy? I have yet to collect her and she’s a main character.
Apple 84 released exclusively at Apple Stores/www.apple.com would be nice. Make it a hauler/car/pitty/crew chief package and (get) even more money out of us poor souls.
I’ve offered a few Lizzys on the trading forum before. The Supercharged card back is the only way I’ve ever seen her offered.
Should be Lizzie, not Lizzy……he’s got me doing it too! 🙂
She made it on WOC back as well… Rare though cause I seem to recall she was only shipped in two cases and never internationally…
Lizzie was in the Walmart case W in the first shipment. Not sure if she was packed in the second Walmart case W shipment. Anyway she was only in the very last case/cases released on WOC, before ROR came out. I found 2 of her on WOC, so she was definitely rare on WOC.
Much more common to get her on SC as she was shipped in 6 different cases in 2006-07.
Rob got me a woc lizzy! 🙂
Note: This IS a family site, could you watch the language in that last sentence?
The word “is” shouldn’t be capitalized in your sentence. Yeah…get over it or “just keep scrolling”
Technically, that word did have a definition that fit what he said, but whatever 🙂
I don’t see how a violent crime relates to buying Cars so no, it does not
That’s why I said another definition 🙂
2. Destroy and strip of its possession
That’s the second definition other than what we all usually think of. But anyway, still doesn’t sound good! I agree 100%, still shouldn’t be used.
On another site:
Elvis was # 1 Mega, which I would have to agree with.
Jerry # 1 Hauler I was a little disappointed with Jerry after seeing how out-of-scale from each other the cab and trailer are….Jerry seems too small.
Todd # 1 Single I can’t disagree with that choice, it’s just hard to believe how long ago he was released!
Why don’t you consider the “WOC: Night Skyline” as actually being “Final Lap”? And why include the “WOC”? It doesn’t say “World of Cars” on the packaging. Just curious.
Nice top 10 (12) 🙂
Not to nitpick, but 1″ Inch is One Inch Inch and $4 Bucks is Four Dollars Bucks. 🙂
Dude…
I have to add the “Rocket” or Stuntman McQueen!!!! Love it!
GREAT POST!! Thank you MET!!
but i like Radiator Springs Mcqueen,also… 🙂
What?! Elvis is not on this list?! You have got to be kidding me. Anyways, I’m looking forward to all the new cars this year: New Final Laps, New Mega size, New Haulers, New Cars Toons, etc.. I’m glad Todd is #1.
I’m looking forward to race damaged FHH but would love to finally see jay limo as well.
This is such a great list and couldn’t agree more with the #1 pick being Todd Pizza Planet, this was my favorite and my sons favorite this year. We just opened the SDCC rescue squad Mater gift set this weekend and my son was having a blast pretending to put out fires with Mater.
Great year and thanks for the recap. I will have to review for accuracy 🙂
For 2010 like many I am hoping that they stay true to their word and finish out the classic line of cars that were displayed movie game. I didn’t want to get the haulers, but now love them and really am looking forward to vinyl toupee, but of course who wouldn’t be looking for a re-release of Sidewall shine in a launcher and of course Tach-o-mint.
I also am anxious to see the Tokyo Mater line of cars. Happy New Years everyone and lets hope this is another great year for the Cars line.
Interesting choices!
No love for Elvis RV?
(MET: Elvis is great – just outside the Top 12).