Photo: Mattel
My first 944-related memory dates back to circa 2001. I was playing NFS: Porsche and had unlocked this car. I remember how shockingly fast it felt after a few upgrades in the garage. But it has never reached the same popularity as the 911s.
And there's nothing wrong with that. After all, it was meant to be a more affordable entry into the world of Porsche sports cars. Some people have poked fun at my FC RX-7 for drawing inspiration from the 944, but that doesn't bother me. I prefer the lines and drivetrain setup of the Japanese car. Even so, I'd jump at the opportunity to drive the turbo version of the 924's successor.
Mattel has been developing tiny Porsches since the early '70s, but it has accelerated the process several years into the 21st century. We got 24 new castings between 2006 and 2019 and 14 more from 2020 to 2023. Ryu Asada designed the '89 Porsche 944 Turbo for its 2020 Mainline release, and we just had an excellent Premium iteration in the Car Culture: Canyon Warriors last year. These days, collectors are more excited about the new 718 Cayman GT4 and 911 Turbo (930) castings. But it was only a matter of time until the diecast manufacturer developed a further 924 or 944 design.
The first hint of what was coming showed up at Porsche Rennsport Reunion 7 last year at Laguna Seca Raceway in California. Working with the German car company and Mobil 1, Hot Wheels unveiled an extraordinary take on the 944. Codename Dirtmeister, the designers tasked with the project envisioned a Shooting Brake variation of the popular sports car. At that point, Bryan Benedict, the Design Director for Matchbox and Hot Wheels, noted that this wasn't just a show car but a vehicle that could perform in the wild.
Once again, you can notice Mattel's marketing genius. Revealing the car at that event meant exposing it to over 90,000 Porsche enthusiasts months before releasing the tiny diecast replica. And now here we are. The Dirtmeister 944 goes live on February 27, 2024, at 9 AM PT, priced at $20. You're looking at a Pre-order model, which means you might have to be patient for up to a year before taking delivery. The problem is that the company has had some shipping issues recently, so you're only eligible if you live in one of the ten countries listed on the shopping page.
The 944 rolls on Baja Off-road wheels with Elite 64 Porsche 928 Safari tires. It further strengthens the idea that Safari-builds are increasingly popular these days- we've already seen two such tiny Porsche in the past several years. As you'd expect, given the price, this vehicle features a metal base and plenty of details all around.
But where are the moving parts? That would have been the cherry on top. Regardless, I'm sure most Hot Wheels Porsche enthusiasts will opt to add this to the shopping cart. The window is open until March 11 at 9 AM PT. But there's always the option of looking for it on the open market, where prices currently vary between $37 to $64.
Mattel has been developing tiny Porsches since the early '70s, but it has accelerated the process several years into the 21st century. We got 24 new castings between 2006 and 2019 and 14 more from 2020 to 2023. Ryu Asada designed the '89 Porsche 944 Turbo for its 2020 Mainline release, and we just had an excellent Premium iteration in the Car Culture: Canyon Warriors last year. These days, collectors are more excited about the new 718 Cayman GT4 and 911 Turbo (930) castings. But it was only a matter of time until the diecast manufacturer developed a further 924 or 944 design.
The first hint of what was coming showed up at Porsche Rennsport Reunion 7 last year at Laguna Seca Raceway in California. Working with the German car company and Mobil 1, Hot Wheels unveiled an extraordinary take on the 944. Codename Dirtmeister, the designers tasked with the project envisioned a Shooting Brake variation of the popular sports car. At that point, Bryan Benedict, the Design Director for Matchbox and Hot Wheels, noted that this wasn't just a show car but a vehicle that could perform in the wild.
Once again, you can notice Mattel's marketing genius. Revealing the car at that event meant exposing it to over 90,000 Porsche enthusiasts months before releasing the tiny diecast replica. And now here we are. The Dirtmeister 944 goes live on February 27, 2024, at 9 AM PT, priced at $20. You're looking at a Pre-order model, which means you might have to be patient for up to a year before taking delivery. The problem is that the company has had some shipping issues recently, so you're only eligible if you live in one of the ten countries listed on the shopping page.
The 944 rolls on Baja Off-road wheels with Elite 64 Porsche 928 Safari tires. It further strengthens the idea that Safari-builds are increasingly popular these days- we've already seen two such tiny Porsche in the past several years. As you'd expect, given the price, this vehicle features a metal base and plenty of details all around.
But where are the moving parts? That would have been the cherry on top. Regardless, I'm sure most Hot Wheels Porsche enthusiasts will opt to add this to the shopping cart. The window is open until March 11 at 9 AM PT. But there's always the option of looking for it on the open market, where prices currently vary between $37 to $64.
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