Photo: Mattel
Sometimes, you just need to stop and smell the roses. Stop comparing yourself to other people. Someone will always have a bigger house, a faster car, a nicer bike, or a more impressive bank account. But that doesn't mean that person is automatically happier.
A few years ago, one of my friends came to my house and brought me a surprise for my birthday. I was excited to see that it was a Hot Wheels car for my collection. But I wasn't so happy when I noticed it was a fantasy collectible: the Street Wiener. Still, I decided against selling it or passing it on to one of my nephews, as I never do that with presents from people I care about.
Looking at it, it feels kind of exciting: it's a hot dog on wheels, with a barbecue grill in the back and a spatula upfront. And if you pay attention to other fantasy vehicles in Mattel's line-up, you'll spot plenty of interesting details each time. For instance, you can use the Carbonator as a bottle opener. There's a hidden meaning behind the Tooligan, too: it can serve as a multi-purpose tool.
And there's bound to be at least another dozen more examples, but I'll leave that for another story. Let's focus on Mattel's HW Celebration Racers Mini Collection, which is part of the Mainline series this year. It features collectibles such as the 1978 Dodge Li'l Red Express Truck (celebrating Valentine's Day), the Supercharged electric funny car (celebrating Earth Day), and the HW Braille Racer - Twin Mill (celebrating World Braille Day).
Given that we will be celebrating Autism Acceptance Month in April, the diecast manufacturer is unveiling a brand-new casting for the occasion. Fraser Campbell designed this one, and I think I've already seen glimpses of it a few weeks back. The Flippin' Fast goes beyond the conventional way of playing with a Hot Wheels car, as it intends to deliver an "open-ended, soothing, and sensory play experience."
If you've been in the game for more than 30 years now, it may remind you of the Flippers series. You can race the Flippin' Fast upside down if you want to, and it also doubles as a fidget spinner. According to Mattel, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) validated this design, ensuring it meets the unique needs of all.
It's again proof of how much thought goes into designing a new casting, as the process implies more than just creating a chassis on wheels with a certain color combo. Playing with the Flippin' Fast looks like having two cars in the same package, and we can probably expect another color variation coming up later this year. The Suggested Retail Price for this casting is $1.25, and I think I'd like to have one on my desk too!
Looking at it, it feels kind of exciting: it's a hot dog on wheels, with a barbecue grill in the back and a spatula upfront. And if you pay attention to other fantasy vehicles in Mattel's line-up, you'll spot plenty of interesting details each time. For instance, you can use the Carbonator as a bottle opener. There's a hidden meaning behind the Tooligan, too: it can serve as a multi-purpose tool.
And there's bound to be at least another dozen more examples, but I'll leave that for another story. Let's focus on Mattel's HW Celebration Racers Mini Collection, which is part of the Mainline series this year. It features collectibles such as the 1978 Dodge Li'l Red Express Truck (celebrating Valentine's Day), the Supercharged electric funny car (celebrating Earth Day), and the HW Braille Racer - Twin Mill (celebrating World Braille Day).
Given that we will be celebrating Autism Acceptance Month in April, the diecast manufacturer is unveiling a brand-new casting for the occasion. Fraser Campbell designed this one, and I think I've already seen glimpses of it a few weeks back. The Flippin' Fast goes beyond the conventional way of playing with a Hot Wheels car, as it intends to deliver an "open-ended, soothing, and sensory play experience."
If you've been in the game for more than 30 years now, it may remind you of the Flippers series. You can race the Flippin' Fast upside down if you want to, and it also doubles as a fidget spinner. According to Mattel, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) validated this design, ensuring it meets the unique needs of all.
It's again proof of how much thought goes into designing a new casting, as the process implies more than just creating a chassis on wheels with a certain color combo. Playing with the Flippin' Fast looks like having two cars in the same package, and we can probably expect another color variation coming up later this year. The Suggested Retail Price for this casting is $1.25, and I think I'd like to have one on my desk too!
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