Mattel Disney Pixar CARS: Hydro Wheel CARS & Splash Speedway Track Set
This plastic line is clearly intended for kids-toddlers but actually seems like fun …
“Hydro Wheel CARS’ that not only float but have some of propulsion – it doesn’t actually say but my guess is some sort of pullback …
The original Hydro McQueen sported yellow tires, not sure if they’ll come in variety of color wheels or that was just a proto.
There will also be a Hydro Nigel and a Hydro Miguel – each sold separately.
The floating water trackset set is actually reasonably priced …
Kid’s favorite characters from Disney•Pixar Cars make a huge splash with this bath-time play set! Not only do the tubes float in water, but they are bendable and expandable to allow kids to customize the track. They can create a different shape or lengthen the track to its full extent. With side-by-racing and a finish arch, the winner can be celebrated and the loser left all wet. Includes 1 Hydro Wheels Lightning McQueen vehicle.
ARP $15.99 
So, you “pullback” on the CARS, load them in the gate, flip the gate down and off it goes shooting through the water. 
This might finally be the long sought after line extension they’ve been trying so hard to create … this one actually makes sense, has play value and is reasonably priced … obviously not intended for collectors but for all kids-toddlers who enjoy the bath time, this one looks a winner.
There’s also a yacht that might be canon for 1:55 collectors.
FIRST IN: John H. has already found some and here are some additional non-PR photos … here’s a card example and a 1:55 Francesco as a comparison.
So they are not quite 1:55 in scale – maybe close to 1:64 but since they are all plastic, it doesn’t really matter as a collector measurement – and yes, they operate on the pullback principle … you push & pull them back 2-3 times to temp store the “potential energy” (transferred from the 9 oreos you ate – see, not so empty calories! 🙂 ), drop in water or on a flat surface and off they go.
Compared to 1:55 diecasts …
And a nice art shot of them floating in water …
Thanks for the great pics, “John H.” and here’s his review.
Picked up all four Hydrowheels at Walmart, about $6 each.
Kids are enjoying them in the bath. Typical Mattel, they don’t seem to ever test the toys; flotation is in the bottom and they are all top heavy so they run OK along the top of the water, but if they get turned over they don’t right themselves. That’s a fatal flaw in my opinion.
Pull back motor operates on the rear axle, rear wheels have an O-ring tire for traction; Cars will run on dry land too. Placed in water the rear wheels act as paddle wheels and do an OK job of pushing the Cars across the tub. (but no farther)
Graphics are all stickers so no telling how long they’ll last before they deteriorate.
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12 February 2013
11 Comments
My son who is six has been getting very pruney playing with these. He really likes them and he has the Porto Corsica boat too. My son plays with his cars every day too.
We just bought the new reissue of Lightning McQueen with cone and Sally. We never got a chance to acquire a Sally with cone. Guess what my very first custom is…yep Sally with cone and my son really likes it and it was not very hard to do. I just needed my Exacto knife and some super glue. It looks almost like the original Sally with cone except for the rear pinstripe, spoiler and eyes…but we can live with that for a toy.
Hey Met you should do a post on this maybe we can help to recycle or get some more McQueens off the pegs…huh?
(MET: Well, Sally is still a go but Lightning with Cone just got re-released! 🙂 ).
Yep, that’s what I said too they are both in the case with “Tubbs” the new AMC Pacer.
I saw at Walmart that there is a larger speed boat as well as part of the line….looks like a boat in Porto Corsa in the movie (not sure what that type of boat is called).
These look cute for toddlers… but other than that, it’s garbage for the rest of us. If I have a toddler, I’ll probably buy maybe just LMQ… other than that, I’ll wait for the lenticular version of these 😀
They look awkward in a cute kind of way, I like Max especially
Ahhhh! Their shadows make mushroom clouds! It’s a sign of the apocalypse!
ok. Well maybe Francesco’s is a butterfly.
They’ve been at the local Meijer since the latest reset, 4 to 6 weeks ago… easy pass for me… they’ve sold 4 of the 12 from the case since they’ve been on the pegs… and the stunt racers aren’t selling well either.
Mattel – we want diecast Cars… new diecast Cars.
Picked the cars up without the track for the kids and they love them. It was the first new thing I’ve seen on our shelves in months so I think I was more excited than the kids. They work as good as any other bath toy but I’m not sure ill pick up the track, hard to control the speed or direction they go.
Looks like good bath/kiddie pool fun. May have to try a couple.
No thanks, MATTEL.
I saw these last night in Walmart. Good thing the kids weren’t with me so this was an easy pass. They would probably want them. They would play with them for about 5 minutes, then get bored of them. My kids got enough bath toys.