Mattel Disney Pixar CARS 2 Diecast: Ultimate Chase US Distribution Only?
“Saukoon,” an international collector was curious if there will be international distribution on the Ultimate Chases …
Ironically, even though they are on international cards, my feeling is they will not be packed in cases internationally – which pretty much includes everyone outside the US borders – even Canada … though keep in mind, I’m not even sure these will make it to US retail shelves …
First, there is no definite answer – as the Mattel international group does their own thing and avoids communicating with anyone here in the US but here’s what I’m basing it on.
From the number of cases left in the warehouse from several sources, it definitely seems to add up to less than 4,000 cases of CASE G produced. Based on what’s left in the US warehouses, it doesn’t seem like there’s many to send to international markets.* As the card states, there are less than 4,000 produced – it’s a firm hard number. It’s NOT a nebulous statement like in “regular” chases where at one point, it vaguely said that CHASE CARS were less than 1% of the CARS produced … which is so vague, it could pretty much mean 2,000 or 250,000 – if that was the month they were producing Finn McMissile’s – what’s 1% that month? Or is the 1% based on the entire factory run that year? 🙂
So, unlike a “regular” CHASE where other than saying it’s NOT COMMON and NOT RE-RELEASED (in theory), we have no idea what CHASE production actually is (for CARS 1, it was around 20,000) – here we know the stated number.
Yes, some of the cynics might not believe it’s true but Mattel has no real reasons to lie. These Ultimate CHASES are just repaints so it costs a few extra dollars/yuan to produce as all you have to do is design new tampos and packaging but beyond that, at the end of the factory year when all is said and done after making millions of diecasts, we’re taking a few extra dollars. Mattel makes nothing more on it than regular wholesale so it’s not even like an exclusive selling for $25 where maybe there’s an incentive to sneak another thousand or two. If anything, I think 4,000 is stretching it because they want to be certain they are not even approaching that number.
* International cases are different anyway and do not cross the same warehouse paths. So, it’s not like the US warehouses would send US cases overseas but that after accounting for the US cases, to create a case with these Ultimate CHASES for international would mean the US warehouses would receive way under the numbers reported, that is what I mean by “too few cases to ship overseas.”
As noted, international countries reported the Becky & Officer M cases way before we received them and no one outside the US has reported seeing Ultimate CHASES at retail on card.
So, my feeling is that these Ultimate CHASES released so far will NOT get an international release.
Now, Saukoon also asks whether he should buy now or wait – whether they will show up overseas … that is the great mystery and another one that makes collecting interesting and confounding. Why does Rescue Squad Mater on card go for $60? Will these retain their value because there are never going to be more than 4,000 of them on these cards? What do you think?
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9 August 2012
18 Comments
The super chase cars are definetly not in any case here in Germany. I went to TRU and searched for Chase Flash. They opened 9 cases for me just to find this one car. And none of them had a Flash inside. Only funny thing: every case here was packed differently.
Euro cases are not the same as the case contents in the US, sometimes the US cards and cases appear in the UK as in the Kmart1 racers and rubber Tires…tyres cars, but unless I am mistaken the case contents posted on T5 differ from what we will get in Europe Australia etc. Glad you managed to get an employee to open so many cases for you though…and what was the contents anyway?? Anything interesting?
Nope, nothing interesting. Just a few thousand McQueens (at least it felt like this) and Francescos in tons. Guess the only interesting cars Germany has got right now are Miguel and Francesco TRU exclusives.
So can anyone tell me if and what super chase Car appears in the UK, US, version of the film? or is that scene cut from the Dvd/blu-ray in some countries? thanks.
Not going to buy a whole case just to get these cars that weren’t in the version of the movie I own and my kids still watch all the time. If I see them in the store; Cool, I’ll buy one, but it looks like you won’t even be able to do that. Maybe they will all be released in next June’s Kmart day along with Rip with rubber tires. I just get them then.
If that’s the case, we’ll just get them backdoor.. Sorry
I’m proud to be an American.
Thanks for your advice! Guess I will have to action now before its too late 🙂
Its just too much for Mattel to release 2 super chase cars back-to-back, quite a damage to my wallet especially the value of my currency is small.
Please dont turn the next country cars (ie Russia) as another Super Chase!
Th next Russia Car is also a Super Chase. And to make things worse, the Australia Super Chase Car will be only available in Australia.
This whole Super Chase thing is really dumb IMO.
I agree. The whole idea of Super Chase would work if stores actually get new product in and aren’t overflowing with trash that nobody wants even for $1. That would be an okay Chase program. But at the rate that one will have to buy a case for a Super Chase, it isn’t practical at all. Such a shame. Would’ve love to get one or at least have the chance of finding one in the wild.
guess I’ve crossed fingers too late. Its okay for a chase cars to be something special.. but what Mattel is doing now is just having a different deco and paints using the same mold!?
Will they retain their value? They certainly aren’t of the highest interest like a Bessie or Frank.
Since Disney Store is releasing Memo Rojas chase does that mean that DS will have Flash and Long Ge?
(MET: Since the DS ones are 1:43, it shouldn’t affect the price yoo much but yes, you’re right, its interest and perceived value is based mostly on its limited production version and not the character itself … so that will be the big test – does “artificial scarcity” trump desireability).
It’s a little strange that these Cars don’t appear in the US release of the movie, but the only place to get them is in the US…
Shouldn’t be a big deal for kids, as they would have no way of knowing these guys even exist unless an adult shows them pics from the .com
Or, they see a foreign version of the film…
Winterbottom and Nilsson are the only ones that strike my fancy. It would have been cool to see some great drivers though. Winterbottom, Nilsson, Rojas and Petrov aren’t exactly hall-of-famers…
…. sigh …..
So there has been ultimate chases found in the wild but only in the US..where when?
I am glad I started trading for these as I didn’t expect to see them on UK shelves and unfortunately I seem to be right:(
Mattel seemingly only selling these cases to resellers is like rich people having exotic animals delivered to a reserve so they can “hunt” them. Where’s the thrill of the chase?
Very well said John and I agree. Interestingly John L himself said at the Super chase introductory press conference that these would be available in stores. John said you had Better make friends with the stock guys at the stores in hopes of having a chance to find a super chase car.
So far it seems John didn’t have a clue as to how the Super chase cars would be distributed. Guess he was just assuming they would be in stores and collectors would have a chance at finding them. Well so far no one anywhere that I know of have found any in the stores.
So far it’s order a case and get a Super Chase. Like you said John in Mo. There is nothing chase about that. Oh well hopefully Mattel will at least keep the classic line going. Cars 2 from movie to distribution has been one big mess and discombobulated.
I would just love to find one for my son. It stinks that sometimes the chase stuff hurts the kids.
It is great for collectors and helps make a great collection but when it comes to the kids I wish they would make more due to the fact that it is a toy.