How Much Is That Doggy in the Hot Wheels Package?

I'm a sucker for dogs of all shapes and sizes. Always have been. Most of the pictures I have of myself as a young child show me surrounded by stuffed dogs. I loved dogs even when I was afraid of them. Heck, I was born in the Year of the Dog, so it's probably destiny. Therefore it goes without saying that I was curious as to whether Hot Wheels had ever made a cssting based on a dog. They've certainly made enough creature cars based on other things. So it was with great joy that I happened across the white and black "Supdogg" a few months ago (shown above). It was a 2008 model (Hot Wheels 40th Anniversary), which made it even more appealing. The casting features a mock-studded collar and a front end that resembles the scowl of a bulldog. Which is, of course, absolutely adorable. There was never any question as to whether or not I'd be buying this one. Upon looking it up online later that night, I only had one lament -- that I would proably never find the brown "New Model" version, which had been introduced in 2007. I could count on one hand the number of 2007 cars I had happened across that were still languishing on store shelves for whatever reason in the summer and fall of 2010. Finding any additional 2007s so close to the debut of the 2011 offerings seemed highly unlikely at best.

Fortunately for me, I'm always lucky when it comes to dogs. I had found the first Supdogg at a local target that has been good about mysteriously offering older model Hot Wheels from time to time. But in recent months I've been paying more attention to stores' two-pack sections. I started doing that when I discovered a 2006 "Track Stars" Cul8r inexplicably packaged with a 2010 Ford Shelby GT-500. No, it's probably not as desirable as the singular, carded models, but beggers can't be chosers. And it was in such a two-pack that, lo and behold, I found my brown Supdogg. Once again, it was in a Target. God love 'em. I didn't even care that the package was damaged (the hook at the top was off and the store had attached one of those clear plastic pieces with a hole for hanging. The car that came with it was also something I didn't have yet -- a blue, gold, and silver "Flathead Fury" from 2007. But make no mistake; it was the puppy dog in the clear plastic window I was after.

Interestingly enough, about about a month before that, I had stumbled across another Supdogg -- a Color Shifters Creature Car version that still hasn't been added to the online collectors' sites I frequent. It turns blue when hot. Trouble is that at both room temperature and freezing it looks more or less purple. Not a lot of change there. And no, neither purple nor this shade of blue is even remotely realistic. Unless, of course, it's just come from one of those dog grooming places in Japan where they dye the pups in all sorts of ridiculous colors. You'd think a bulldog would be too dignified for that.

Now that we've had the Supdogg and the Rig Dog, what Hot Wheels really needs to make is a car based on a greyhound. It could chase their Easter Egg-sclusives that are decorated with rabbits around the track.

The Ghost of Holiday Hot Wheels Past

One thing worth noting about Walmart's various holiday series Hot Wheels cars is that they don't sell very fast. They aren't like the latest shipment of newly released mainline cars, which often seem to disappear within days. This is probably due to the fact that Walmart's holiday Hot Wheels cost $2 apiece instead of $1, but it certainly doesn't help that they make them so hard to find. But after whichever holiday it is, the remaining stock is moved to a nice, easy-to-find spot right next to the main display. Expect the cars to be marked down after the holiday? Ha. It doesn't matter how old they are or that they have Easter bunnies on them in mid-December, there is never a discount on these babies. Never. So just get that thought out of your head right now. Meanwhile, Target seems to go through their lower priced multi-packs of holiday cars fairly efficiently. You won't find old Christmas, Halloween or Easter releases there -- no sir. Therefore Walmart's apparent inability to move their holiday Hot Wheels can, in fact, be a boon for collectors. Here are just a few of the seasonal cars I've come across after the fact since I began my own collection.

Easter "Egg-sclusives":

The Dodge Charger R/T Concept car from Easter 2009. This was the first holiday car I ever purchased, and one of the first Hot Wheels in my entire collection. What can I say? I loved the bright colors and bold paint job. And no, at first I didn't realize that the white thing on the side was meant to be a rabbit. I thought it was just a white swirl. The price took me by surprise as well (to put it in family-friendly language). Since it was hanging right next to the regular Hot Wheels, I never even noticed that it cost twice as much.

The '67 Ford Shelby GT-500, "Eleanor" style. I had to get this one because the other versions I had seen of this Hot Wheels' casting had failed to impress me. But this blue and black Easter 2010 one... This one has flair. I considered myself very fortunate to come across it -- the last one on the shelf -- in late summer.

And then there is this '67 Pontiac GTO Convertible, also from Easter 2010, featuring what I like to refer to as a demonic rabbit on the hood. Fun car, with a real metal base to boot.

Valentine's Cars:

Be still my beating heart, we have to go back to Valentine's Day 2009 for this Porche 959. Granted that at the time it was new, Target was offering a red version of the same car. Valentine's cars sell better when they are red rather than white (or other colors for that matter). I've noticed this. Still a very nice car, though.

Halloween "Fright Cars":

Another early addition to my collection was this Sir Ominous from Halloween 2009. It was also one of the first cars I bought that wasn't modeled after a real car. Something about the gold with red tinted glass and purple bat wings appealed to me. Besides, it seemed appropriate that a holiday that is so often celebrated by telling ghost stories by firelight should see the release of a Hot Wheels car that looks creepily distorted in form.

It's easy to feel like "Somebody's Watching Me" with this super-cool Pontiac Banshee (also from 2009) and it's many eyes looking on. The turquoise looks even better in real life than it does in images. While pairing it with hot pink-tinted glass might seem like an unusual choice, it works. A very nice little car that I never expected to find until I happened across one in mid-November.

"Clover Cars":

'Twas surely the luck 'o the Irish that was with me when I found this C6 Corvette from St. Patrick's Day 2010 in mid-November. Considering that I recently saw one being offered online for no less than $25, who needs a pot 'o gold? The little shamrock detailing by the front tire is a nice touch.

"4th of July":

This Ford GT-40 from Independence Day 2010 was another early purchase of mine. As a girl, it was right around the bicentenial that my interest in Hot Wheels was at its highest. Stars and stripes were everywhere back then. My favorite car featured red, white, and blue with stars. So when I saw this car, it just made me feel very comfortable.

Later I found this SS Express, also from 2010. Besides the fact that I loved the black enamel paint job with the patriotic stripes on the side, this car immediately impressed with its weight. That's all metal right there, believe it or not, making it quite a value for $2. Normally, this model would be in one of the higher priced Hot Wheels lines that I stay as far away from as possible.

Holiday Hot Rods:

Nothing like the Ghost of Christmas Past to spread holiday cheer, and I thought this Austin Healey (from 2009) in red, green, white and gold was one of the holly jolliest cars I had every seen. And from the looks of the smile on the front grill, it was happy to see me, too.

This '65 Chevy Impala from 2009 had special meaning for me when I found it. My mom drove a '68 Impala that looked very much like this this when I was little. Granted that it was gold and not a low-rider, but still. This pale blue snowflake detailing makes me long to jump in it and return to those days when Christmas meant just a little bit more. Of course, the Impala I found has a little factory dent just above the right window. That's why it was still on the shelf. Hey, nobody said the past was perfect.

This Sweet 16 from 2009 was a fairly recent purchase. What impressed me most about it was it's weight. Yes, it's another all metal car (except for the seat, of course). It also has a trunk that opens, something we're sure to see less and less of in the future. But I also couldn't resist the wreath painted on the trunk or the red and green flames set against metal-flake gold. A true Holiday Hot Rod if ever there was one.

Of course some of Hot Wheels special series cars don't even need an official holiday to exist. For example...

Summer Racin':

This Jaguar XK8 convertible from summer 2009 at least looks the part, even if the series was a somewhat obscure one. Summer, in my mind, should always be painted in tones of burnt orange and gold. This car can drive me off into the sunset anytime.



Happy Birthday cars:

Happy birthday? Seriously? When do these cars come out? Maybe if they had cakes and candles painted on the sides, it would make sense. This Deora II is from 2008. I've developed a certain fondness for this casting, but let's face it, it would be much better served as an Easter Egg-sclusive car. C'mon. You know you're thinking the same thing. The darn thing looks exactly like a big bunny rabbit with those surfboards hanging off the front. Just make the glass black (for the eyes and nose), the body white, the surfboards pink outlined in white, and stick a fluffy tail on the back. Voila!

Just an idea, Hot Wheels. You're welcome. ;)