Mattel Disney Pixar Diecast CARS: The Lenticular CAR Asterisk*
Yesterday, “Mike-1202mcgowan,” was kind enough to send us great photos of what looks the great switchover – CHASE CARS going to be lenticular only.
On the surface, this is not particularly surprising – it was an oddity that the “chase” CAR in a box of lenticular CARS was in the non-lenticular/classic eyes design.
And it looks like the LAST non-lenticular CHASE will be Hydraulic Ramone with Metallic Finish …
As “003” was kind enough to send the CHASE King with Metallic Finish that is also LENTICULAR …
AND if you’ll notice the asterisk next to the words CHASE …
What does it all mean? Again, “Mike-1202mcgowan,” was kind enough to send along special requested photos of the cardback …
And a closeup …
In the last 24 hours, we have had a bunch of theories being bandied about so let’s look them all over and see what holds water, what quacks like a duck and whether inflammable or flammable is more flammable.
First, sit down, Take your heart medication. Put down the bacon. Turn your TV to the fish screensaver channel. Begin a calming koan chant.
Because I may utter the phrase ‘Super Treasure Hunt’ at some point in the next few paragraphs and I don’t want anyone having an embolism.
So, what EXACTLY does “*Chase vehicle comprises less than 1% of vehicles in this assortment?”
It means?
Before we begin, we have to understand that the phrase “this assortment” in that sentence holds ZERO LEGAL DEFINITION. Why is that important? Because other passages and phrases on a product can fall under real & legal definitions …such as ‘this product falls under the safety requirements of ASTM, etc, etc …’ That has REAL & a LEGAL meaning but the phrase ‘this assortment’ has no legal definition, it does not mean ‘this box,’ or even ‘this shipment.’
So, it’s incredibly vague … it is EXACTLY the same LEGALLY as saying, ‘hours of fun.’ Bottom line – you can’t really sue on “assortment.”
So, “assortment” can certainly and almost certainly means every SINGLE CARDED CAR made during this CARS (Night Skyline motif run) … so 33,000,000? (17 cases times 24 CARS per case x 20,000 cases?)
Plus any other “singles” CAR made available in other configurations? How many more millions?
What is an assortment? It can mean pretty much anything Mattel wants it to mean.
‘SUPER CHASE’ ? (AKA: Super Treasure Hunt?)
Why would I say that? Well, going by the strictest definition of an assortment being a case dash code, that would mean approximately 160 are available. CRACKA LACKA HIGHLY, HIGHLY UNLIKELY and CRAZY but it had to be said. I am presuming that there are only 16,000 cases made of the lenticulars as the Final Lap cases are separate and do not contain CHASE CARS. So by the strictest craziest definition – 1% of 1 case dash code is approximately 160 … of course, statistical evidence already makes this highly, highly unlikely as we have photo evidence of 4-5 releases and ALL have been lenticular. So, don’t believe it.
‘SAME AS BEFORE’
Yes, this 1% phrase would work if you count up every single carded CAR as the base measurement number so 16,000 lenticular CHASE CARS is statistically and legally valid measured against 33-million. And remember, it’s a very narrow definition as they only promise never to re-release Bling Bling McQueen with gold rims AND a Piston Cup on card ever again – all that is part of the equation to make it valid.
‘TWO IN EACH CASE?’
It was plausible for a while but it seems that the only available Gold Rims Bling Bling has been lenticular so unless someone offers photo proof otherwise, this seems unlikely there is a non-lenticular CHASE version and a lenticular CHASE version though legally and technically, it would fit under the 1% of 33-million umbrella.
‘SUMMARY’
So, the 1% thing sounds intriguing but at the end of the day, it seems to be there is no real change, there is still one CHASE in each case and while 1 out of 24 is most definitely not 1% … by adding up EVERY single CAR (including Final Lap CARS*) that is released under the Night Skyline motif, since each particular CHASE CAR is only released once and calculated against the TOTAL releases of that year, it is a 1% percenter and really, more like a .5% percenter.
* Again, assortment presumably means single CARS release even though we see them as separate – technically, they are single carded CARS.
Okay, pick up the bacon and turn the Golden Girls back on.
Thanks for the nice photos, “Mike-1202mcgowan,” and “003.”
So to recap, the next CHASE CAR, (Hydraulic) Ramone with Metallic Finish appears to be the LAST non-lenticular CHASE CAR. After that, King with Metallic Finish will be released next followed by Bling Bling Lightning with Gold Rims & Piston Cup … though presumably, since it has been found at Walmart, WM may have gotten another special endcap display shipment (early).
| « Mattel Disney Pixar Diecast CARS: Chase CARS Go Lenticular? | Mattel Disney Pixar Diecast CARS: Tanya Says … » |
27 January 2010
96 Comments
I think Dunroamin and I are 2 of the few people that actually LIKE Lenticulars.
No! They sid Chase cars wouldn’t be lenticular. And look! Chase King was what I reaally wanted, and well. No! Stop them. At least we can’t make Bessie lenticular. Or Marco and Stu Bop, since their eyes aren’t visible. Since chase King has lenticular disease, San Diego Comic Con Lightning “Storm” McQueen (Which I don’t have) still holds title as nicest looking, based on pictures.
Oops, I spelled said as sid. And I’m still MAD!
Case H has this car.
Bling Bling McQ Crosseyes: Found and bought a lenticular today! 🙁
I am not impressed, but, if I collect by the numbers I’m stuck for the moment. Hopefully, all the lenticular first castings will make it to the Final Lap.
Met Are you sure Chase Bling Bling Lightning McQueen is out now?
I found 4 of them at Wal-Mart on Saturday
i’ve just purchased a bling bling mcqueen it has bling bling wheels on the front and dinoco wheels on the back – is this rare?
Totally! Actually, at this point ANY Chase Bling Bling McQueen is rare! 😆
its actually a lenticular eyes not a chase
Still rare — how much do you want for it? My email address is JohnJurgovan @ aol.com
Yeah, that is pretty rare. I’ll buy it from you if you’re willing to sell…
Service@PitStopToyShop.com
I found 4 of them tonight so they can’t be that hard to find.
most hot wheels collectors dont buy pixar cars because the price is to much for them.so i get a few of those guys to pick up chase cars for me while there fighting for t hunts .it works out now and then but alot of times they just leave these chase cars they just dont like paying 3.99 or 4.99 a car.
You know, I always thought that having one painted-eyed car in a case full of googly-eyed idiots made it a chase car. It kind of cheapens the moniker by making all the cars googly-eyed. I still very much enjoy the hunt and the thrill of finding new stuff, but with my recent exposure to the Hot Wheels world I pray that our “chase” cars never reach the point of the T-hunts and Super T-hunts. They are impossible – unless of course you work for a carrying retailer, know someone on the inside, or camp at the store and than race to the diecast section. At this point, I will keep hunting down any painted-eyed car that comes to market and since I have gone this far, I will add the googly-eyed chase cars to the list, but that’s it. No desire for the lents and if that is the way things are headed for CARS 2, then I guess we still have MTT and CARS hunting just got a bit easier.
Unless, of course, Mattel decides to produce future MTT cars as lenticulars as well. Don’t want to feed the Mattel troll here, but I’m just sayin’… 😀
I think I’m going to start a “Mattel Die-Cast Car’s Collectors of the World Association” (MaD-CCOW) and take a 6 hour drive down to El Segundo, CA to get the final verdict out of those people!
Obama, please tell Mattel this is NOT the CHANGE we want! 😛
Yeah Obama!
Regarding the whole Lenticular issue — at least Mattel isn’t moving towards Pullbax as the main character line! 😆
well those are fun but I’d certainly wouldn’t want hundreds of them.
Great John …. now you did it … someone from Mattel will read this and they will think PULL-BACK GOOGLY EYES are next years hot toy! 😆
My brain hurts! Thanks for the info, MET. Looks like I will be saving lots of $$ in the long run. Do not like the “follow you around” eyes at all.
*Gag* You can keep em Mattel. I’m not even bothering to look in the direction of the mainline cars anymore.
Long live fixed eyes!!Really hate those LENTICULAR!!
They only exist for A few months and allready you have 2 or 3 different versions of some cars(closing eyes,eyebrow lifting and eyes moving from side to side)!!
And 2 different cards allready!!
I do not care if Mattel thinks they are important,most people started collecting way back with fixed eyes and would love to finish that line!!
So produce lenticular all you want but keep making fixed eyes versions for the majority of the collectors!!
And even the chase cars,what does this really mean!!Like in the classic hot wheels line some regular cars are much more desired and worth then T-Hunts or even Super T-Hunts!!
For example the Fabulous Hudson Hornet with white rims on A supercharged card is to me worth more then McQueen impound chase!!
And this latest news on the final lap being only available in the U.S.wauw,very funny,nice to cut off the rest of the world like that!!
I really wonder what the people at Pixar have to say on all this!!
Getting hard to keep feeling good about collecting these!!
Ban Googly Eyes
http:/msp43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/takeitatthepeak/googly.jpg
HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
My Walmart had four Bling Bling Chase* with Gold Rims today. Houston, Texas.
Wow that was quick! What case was he in?
I could not tell you what case, as I don’t collect lenticulars, but do collect the Chase cars.
I saw him on Ebay a few times today. Did he come out early?
WOW these chase ones seem to be more plentiful than the others. I can’t wait to find him.
Found one today at WM. Shrugged. Frowned. Sighed. Set it down and moved on.
My theory on the 1%… Mattel figured they should explain what the heck “CHASE” means to the general public since collectors aren’t hot for the lenticulars. As Met said, the statement has no legal basis. It just describes what it means to be a CHASE car. Assortment can mean a case, box, or what’s out on the pegs. Mattel is saying, “Hey clueless parent, this car is rare! Buy it! For the love of God, buy it, please!”
Mattel insults hard-core collectors (not me) by demanding more cash from them with the Lenticulars. Then, Mattel sinks further by trying to entice less-knowledgable buyers with the vague CHASE explaination. Mattel… kind of like a drug dealer diluting his product for hard-core users and attempting to hook new users with an exotic mix. I must leave now to enter a “12-lap” program. 😉
Related item of confusion… Where does Lent. Bling-Bling Chase fall in the case distribution? Here’s my list of lent. chases and their cases:
E- Ransburg Cartrip
F- Ransburg DJ
G- Ransburg Hydraulic Ramone
Help?
My guess is a palette drop or end cap. Pretty sure the other stores (and Wal-Mart) will get him in a later case.
That is stupid!
So much for the 1%. I just picked up 5 of them at 1 WM.
I’m so glad that you got the 2 that I need! 😉
So that must mean you left behind 495 Lenticular Pegwarmers.
Actually, there didn’t look like 5 cases worth of cars there. There were alot of Race Official Tom’s though.
Found 4 today at WM in Houston.
Ok, I did it today at lunch and it felt good. I broke down at Target and I bought the 4 pack of Lenticular racers $9.99 with View Zeen and also picked up singles of Leakless and Nitroaid. If you can’t beat them – then join them. I’m having too much fun collecting these for my boy. I don’t think I’m going to buy all the lenticulars but I’m going to buy the racers. If you really think about it you’re not mad that the cars are now lenticular – you’re mad that there are no new cars being made. We have tons of cars that could be made – lets say some MSOS campers for instance. If lenticulars never existed we would be here complaining about all the old castings of townies and McQueens clogging the pegs. I think Mattel knows they can’t keep this going without making changes to the line to keep it fresh. Most of us that are upset about the lenticulars can probably remember back in the day when the pegs were clogged with Buzz and Woody and the Monsters Inc cars. Remember once we buy them they are all peg warmers to most of us here. Really why would you buy them again. New little kids are watching the movie for the first time every day and when they’re parents go to the store to pick up some cars they don’t want to see 35 McQueens and 15 Buzz & Woody. I think we can all agree that the different Cars available in store at any one time has improved. We are just going to have to wait if we want the rest of the pitties/haulers/crew chiefs/campers/reporters/fans in the stands/classic flashback cars and all the rest. Forget the chase cars – they were lame anyways.
Maybe, someday, we’ll actually get to buy “McQueen’s Biggest Fan”, the giant RV! Frankly, I wouldn’t care if he IS lenticular at this point.
I just want him to have “working” air horns!!! I know, now I’m asking too much.
I could see that one being made. Maybe the disney store will do it.
I’ll meet you at the GLC store when they get them in!
speaking of the 3 sets of final lap cars you took back to the store – did you find those at the Target on Brown rd which henceforth I will refer to as ‘My Target’ on T5? My Target has be totally stripped of the final lap cars.
That would be a “no”, don’t get there much.
Hmm if it’s not you then who?
Gee, you don’t suppose there might be other people who buy CARS at that Target, and live a lot closer than me?
I agree with you for the most part.
The thing that could really be improved at this point is the distribution of Final Slap, specifically, more cases per store and more often. A good aleternative to this would be for the new castings to be offered in plentiful amounts on Mattel.com. Also, I am dissapointed by the Chase Cars going googly, especially Rans King :(.
Which is why quite a few people successfully made the argument against the final lap cars being Target only. The final lap thing has been really tough on the long time collectors. Mattel has made the case assortments somewhat heavy on the new castings but Target just isn’t receiving enough cases.
LOL @ “Final Slap”! Good one. I bet there will be plenty o’ Slaps yet to come though.
If I found Buzz & Woody I would definately buy! One of few I’m missing.
No joke they were absolutely the original mega peg warmer. If MET ever does a list of the biggest pegwarmers they are sure to make the top 5
They still keep the pegs warm around here!
I’m really getting frustrated with the lenticulars and the way Mattel has handled things. I will NEVER stop collecting, but this is probably the least fun I’ve had in Cars diecast hunting history. I’d also like to quote Michele in that “just about everything has been chase for me.” Mattel needs to get a clue! I see people who have collected for years are now ready to leave because of Mattel’s latest decisions. All of us at TFAD make up Cars diecast’s biggest consumer base: if we start leaving, the line will definitely suffer. Again, if Cars 2 diecast are all lenticular a lot of us will leave and the line will probably fade away.
Try living 100 miles from the nearest ONE Target!! That’s CRACKA LACKA frustrating. (love that phrase) Not interested in googly eyes (unless they’re made by hubby) so I guess my collecting is drawing to a close but I’ll keep it forever. One grandson has already asked for it when I’m d**d.
And to quote Michele “just about everything has been chase for me, not just final lap. kinda gettin’ tired of runnin’” It’s been fun.
hahahaha, Cracka Lacka! Good one for sure!
I agree too… I am not too fond of Lenticulars because the eyes are hard to see… always moving.. getting 4 eyes.. just makes playing with them less fun if you ask me. The eyes are the lifeblood of the cars… and usually what makes crappy attempts at cloning cars hard.. people never get the eyes right. The fact that these cars have eyes is what sets them apart from other cars….. they are just not the same with the moving eyes that are hard to see clearly at most angles. I love this line… but not loving lenticulars….
I am holding on as long as I can.. hopefully to Cars2 to see if my spirit is rejuvinated with the new movie and hopefully the cars aren’t all lenticular….
I vote we start a petition to send to Mattel-“NO TO LENTICULAR FOR CARS II”
We’ve still got a lil while befor ethey start into pre-production i believe
I’ll sign it!!! I think they distract from the real beauty of the cars – the detailed paint…. detailed sculpts….. the character behind the eyes.
You’ve summed it up for me. The eyes are what makes these cars come to life. Without the painted eyes they are just another “Hot Wheel”. The lenticular makes them look really cheap…something you’d get in a box of cereal or craker jacks!
I’ll sign it too! Cars 2 stuff should be non-lenticular!
“The Phrase ‘this assortment’ in that sentence holds zero legal definition.”
Not true. If you look closely at the text near the Mattel logo, you’ll see that this package is part of Asst. P7001. I submit any reasonable person would conclude that the “Asst.” abbreviation stands for “Assortment” (henceforth referred to as The Assortment). Furthermore, since it can be asserted that a reasonable person would assume that the assortments referenced by both the phrase “this assortment” and The Assortment are one and the same, and do not refer to different assortments, then the true number of items in The Assortment may be calculated and the veracity of the statement “less than 1% of the vehicles in this assortment” accurately determined.
Even though I completely agree I still don’t think it would ever hold up in court.(i.e. someone complaining case assortments were incorrect and couldn’t get their required chase car).Besides Mattel has all my money to hire the best lawyers and I would probably end up with Jackie Chiles.
Long Live Target!
Daniel, you slay me.
🙂
Well if this is true then it makes it easy to stop “collecting them all” for me as my collection of non-lentuculars is almost complete. Wow, Mattel keeps helping us save our money. Thanks, Mattel! So far the Chase has been easier to find then non-Chase for me. I think the average parent is not going to buy the same car over again for their child just for a 2-cent plastic bundled “accessory”/fancier paint job and they are skipping over these because I always see these laying around at my stores. I’m lucky in that I have around 25 Targets in my area to choose from though. I could see how it would be difficult if you lived in a single Target town though.
just about everything has been chase for me, not just final lap. kinda gettin’ tired of runnin’
same here.
riddle me this: if the lenticulars are so great, then why has Lasseter issued the mandate that there is to be no lenty release before a classic release???
answer: b/c he knows that the classic line is the bread & butter, true lifeblood of cars, not some cheap googly-eyed, sideshow gimmick designed only for the purpose of creating another offshoot to the line, in order to separate people from their money. just like the minis.
You are right Indykjt …the entire Final Lap series has been “Chase” around here.
We’re losing the battle to lenticulars, there’s no way around that.
If the Cars 2 line is going to be “all-lenticular”, I might just pull the plug on collecting those. 🙁
same page here
I can almost hear “Taps” playing very softly…..just like Ralphie did when “the old man” was burying the pieces of the broken Leg Lamp in the back yard.
But, for us, it’s for the end of the “normal” Cars line. 🙁
I wouldn’t be all suprised at this point to see a “chase” car in the final lap mix. I know that the final laps have all been pretty “chase”, but this seems like things may head that direction.
Either way, the lenticulars, chase or not, hold zero interest for me personally as a collector. To each their own, just not for me!
The lenticulars seem to be selling around here the same way the classics did, new ones disappear quickly, the others hang around a bit but eventually sell as well. Still too many McQueens in each case, but at least Mattel has been consistent with that, huh?
Met, could it be that the Mattel legal eagles are just now getting around to requiring a definition of “Chase”? Remember all the legal changes on the packaging during the DB era? No time for panic. Time will tell if these are one to a case, or less.
So if these are only 1% of all lenticular assortments it to me does NOT mean NO more non-lenticular chase cars.
1% is an tiny tiny amount in the millions of cars sold and if only 1% of these are lenticular it seems chase is going to be very very very hard to find if its only lenticular.
Seems like the hunt is on.
And nope wal-mart in our area did not get a huge endcap. We have so many lenticulars I doubt we ever see these as chase.
yesterday’s rant was interesting and funny at the same time LOL but not anymore why change the ransburg king to lenticular? why are these not lenticluar from the start?there in a linticulare box so they should be lenticular but changing in the middle of the game is just stupid.
On the back of that cardback, instead of the speech bubble saying “Look for more of my friends on the flyer inside!’ it should say “Make Cars 2 cars non-lenticular right now or we’ll sue!” Also that asterisk should have ment Now with dumb lenticular eyes.
I for one am kinda glad there won’t be anymore non-lenticular chase, yes, they were nice and if they were to continue them that would be okay too. if I see a lenticular chase I might buy it, but it won’t be a must have. I just don’t like the limited part of the idea, there should be enough for everyone.
But that’s the idea behind the “chase” cars, that they are limited in number. The Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt/Super Treasure Hunt vehicles are the “chase” cars of that line, so is there anything wrong with doing the same thing with the Cars line?
I don’t know if I’d pay too much attention to that 1% figure, it’s actually closer to 4.5% if you do the math of 1 in 24, as Met pointed out. If the case count stays at 24, 1 in 24 is no different than what we’ve been dealing with already, I see CHASE Darrell Cartrip(for example) on pegs on a regular basis. As more recent cases appear, we’ll see Chase DJ in higher numbers, and the same will happen with Chase/Ransburg King and Bling Bling McQueen w/Cup.
thats the problem enough for everyone!!! thats means in the way waiting waiting waiting to sell Idon’t care for lenticalurs at all if u couldn’t tell
Yes, try ‘chasing’ a Milton Calyper or a Lizzie, never minda Gaskits.
Not with a ten meter cattle prod…
I don’t see these being any harder to find than the other chase Cars.. but the 1% mumbo jumbo will probably have people looking even harder for them, and trying to charge higher premiums on fleabay..
I call BS, and seriously folks….. fool me twice, the yolk is on you. To each is own, but if you guys keep buying into the BS, and collect them all, you will be the suckers for it.
Once again, I’m not trying to be debbie downer, but Mattel is just trying to drive up their profits on a lenticular line that 90% of us hate. But hey…… now let’s buy the whole box to try and get a super duper treasure hunt car……. It is pure genius.
Don’t fall for it…. save your money… and put it away in a real savings plan for your kids education..
The relationship has soured for me. It was kind of fun in the beginning, but now the love is fading fast.
I would never buy a case for one car. I will patiently wait for them and if I can’t find it I ask take5ers to help out. That’s what I love bout this board everyone willing to try to help out a fellow Cars lover.
What is interesting is NOwhere on the package does it say look my eyes move. The car photo does not look like it has lenticular eyes so it really does make me think these will be the rarer chase and they will still make regular chase cars.
Maybe wal-mart would get these, target the normal.
Who knows all the move fun to keep hunting.
huh??? I knew I should have gone to law school.
I did…. and that is why I am out….
My wife asks me, “When will this end?” She might have her answer.
[WORDPRESS HASHCASH] The poster sent us ‘0 which is not a hashcash value.
This is like the SUPER PLOT TWIST that no one sees coming ….. the moive will be ending soon …. chances of a happy ending ….. hmmmmmm …. 🙂
Happy ending if you are willing to drop huge bank to acquire the now super-elusive Chase cars…gonna make having 2 of every chase car a bit more difficult…”sniffle”
Ebay sales’ profits a gogo! Seriously though, the words ‘chase’ mean little to me, I collect them all anyways and they are all ‘chase’ cars in my eyes.
Regarding “Mike-1202mcgowan” and “003”, I’m going to paraphrase Jack Nicholson as The Joker in 1989’s “Batman” movie by asking…
Yikes! Bring on the chase cars!