Beginners Guide to Collecting Diecast Movie Cars
Diecast movie cars are one those collectable items that crossover between two different collecting groups. They are collected by diecast car collectors, as well as by movie memorabilia collectors. Regardless of which is your primary collecting focus, there are several things any collector needs to know about this specialized genre of diecast model cars.
Created to scale
Diecast cars are exact replicas the original cars and created to scale. The 1:18 scale diecast cars are one of the larger scale cars, and are quite popular, particularly for the diecast movie cars. Some of the other popular scales, in addition to the 1:18 scale model cars are the 1:24, the 1:43 and the 1:64. Collectors who want good detail, but also want cars that don’t take up too much room, often choose the 1:43 size over the 1:18 diecast cars. The cost savings can be a factor in selecting the smaller scale models of diecast cars, as well.
Diecast Movie Car Brands
There are several different companies that sell diecast cars, and some of those companies tend to be preferred over others by serious collectors. Since diecast movie cars fit into a more specialized genre, you will find the range of brands to select from quite a bit narrower if this is your focus. Hot Wheels is one of the most popular brands for diecast cars. This remains true in the diecast movie car genre, as well. Sunstar, AutoArt, Welly and Johnny Lightning are several of the other diecast brands that are well known for producing diecast movie cars, in addition to diecast race cars.
Mattel’s Hot Wheels have always carried the lead in popularity and sales for diecast cars of all types. However, Johnny Lightning cars have carried on a strong rivalry since the very beginning, especially in the area of diecast race cars. Because Johnny Lightning cars have not been produced in the same quantity as the Hot Wheels cars, this has become a benefit for them; making them very desirable among collectors. This difference between these two brands shows up in the models available from each of them in their diecast movie cars. You will be able to find a much larger selection of Hot Wheel’s diecast movie cars, representing many different movies. You will find them listed under the Hot Wheels Elite series. Johnny Lightning has a very little selection of diecast movie cars, their biggest selection being from one movie, their Dukes of Hazard collection. Hot Wheels collectors will find diecast movie cars from: “The Italian Job”, “Bad Boys II”, “Batman”, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and others. As to price, you’ll usually pay twice as much for the average Hot Wheels diecast movie car than you will for a Johnny Lightning diecast movie car.
AutoArt
This diecast car manufacturer fits in the same category as Hot Wheels and Johnny Lightning as far as popularity. It also boasts the biggest collection of 1:18 scale models of all the diecast manufacturers. However, when it comes to diecast movie cars, AutoArt has not attempted to advance very far into this category. If you have an AutoArt diecast movie car, it is likely to be one related to the Mad Max movies, as they have several versions available. The Ford Mustang GT 390 from Steve McQueen’s movie “Bullitt” would be another AutoArt diecast movie car that you may come across, but you’ll pay a good price to add it to your collection.
Sunstar and Welly
The Delorean’s from “Back to the Future” movies I, II and III are available from these two smaller contenders. Definitely some popular models in the diecast movie car category. Welly’s Delorean is available in a 1:24 scale, which is smaller than the Sunstar’s Deloreans, which are 1:18 diecast cars.
Resources for Collectors
For the most part, collecting diecast movie cars is very similar to other types of collections. Determining the value of a specific item or a full collection will depend on the condition of the cars. Still in the box and the box being in ‘like new’ condition will of course be the most desirable for any diecast movie car. Limited Edition items will have more value than cars which were manufactured in a greater number. Beyond these normal collectable standards, the value will simply depend on how popular a particular diecast movie car is with collectors. There are resources available where you can learn more about the availability and prices of these diecast cars. The site isn’t limited to diecast movie cars. It includes all types of diecast cars that people collect, including diecast race cars, diecast classic cars and every category imaginable. There are forums where you can learn from other collectors.
Conclusion
Diecast movie cars make up just a very small portion of diecast cars that are considered collectable; diecast race cars, diecast classic cars are also considered very collectable. Most of the diecast movie cars will come in a larger scale, usually as 1:18 diecast cars and, if you’re looking for variety, you will want to look at the Hot Wheels Elite series of diecast cars, but if you’re more focused on rarity, you may want to look at some of the other diecast car brands. In the end, it is up to the collector. You have to determine which cars will add the most value to your particular collection.
Car Models Made More Popular By Movies
Whether specifically designed or appropriated by the movie, car models often receive a boost in popularity after appearing in a high profile film.
James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5
Before James Bond was a stoic badass portrayed by Daniel Craig, the role belonged to Sean Connery. In Connery’s time as Agent 007, the MI-6 asset had one of the coolest cars in cinema history: The Aston Martin DB5.The DB5 was the perfect British spy car. It was made in the same country, displayed true beauty, and imitated its womanizing driver. During production for Gold Finger, the movie where the DB5 made its debut, directors/producers had to pay a crazy cost of a couple thousand for the car (a lot for the time). If only the price had stayed the same, because, nowadays, a real Aston Martin DB5 can cost more than a million dollars.
The 10 Best Cars From James Bond Movies, Ranked
James Bond movies are known for the dashing main character and, of course, the suave car he drives. Here are the ten best James Bond vehicles.
The name is Bond, James Bond. And this one line has launched many a hit movie with many stars living the best phase of their lives – David Niven, Roger Moore, George Lazenby, Timothy Dalton, Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan, and the more recent action-oriented Bond, Daniel Craig.Of course, popular as the actors became in the indelible 007 franchise, the cars shown in the movies became legends in their own right. The not-so-common man (or woman) who could afford these beauties must have had quite the role-playing fun in them as they sipped on martinis, shaken, not stirred. Here go the ten best wheels that starred in James Bonds flicks, ranked.
10. The Lotus Esprit S1 In The Spy Who Loved Me
Somehow, this title always makes me think of the Mike Myers spoof, The Spy Who Shagged Me. Nevertheless, it was the original movie which starred Sir Roger Moore that featured the Lotus Esprit S1 – a car with the magical ability to turn into a sub underwater. There was an actual Esprit S1 that is driven on the road and when the car is shown underwater, it was in truth a fully functional submarine with an Esprit S1 shell. Even so, when it reappeared after being considered lost, it was whipped up by Elon Musk of the Tesla fame, or should we say infamy?
9. Mercury Cougar XR7 In On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
It does not bode well if you bite the hand that feeds you. The Mercury Cougar XR7 was technically not even driven by Bond but by the very classy Diana Riggs who played Bond’s romance as Tracy di Vicenzo in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (OHMSS). The 428 Cobra Jet Ram Air fitted Cougar XR7 was a re-bodied Mustang, and supposedly jetted out a whopping 400bhp. No help from Q here though, as in the movie, it is shown to be a stock car.
8. Renault 11 TXE In A View To A Kill
The Renault 11 managed to stay in the market only for seven years, and technically, it seems like such a step down from Bond’s usual Aston Martins. In A View To Kill, it was Roger Moore trying to make a getaway from a very scary Grace Jones and hijacks a Renault 11 taxi to do it. While the car has all the appeal of a dying tree stump, it is its indestructibility shown in the movie that puts it on this list. The roof is lopped off, then the back end of the car is chopped off but this French wonder keeps on revving. And it is good entertainment for sure.
7. BMW 750iL In Tomorrow Never Dies
And yet not flashy enough to belie a spy’s work. A V12-powered sedan, this was perhaps the last time a BMW 7-Series looked this good. 10 of these beauties were used in production, two of which had roof rockets, tire-shredding thingummies, and re-inflating tires. These two were worth it all.
6. Aston Martin V8 Vantage In The Living Daylights
Two of the Bond movies featured Timothy Dalton as a cleft-chinned 007, and while they may not have been the best of Bond movies, one did feature an Aston Martin V8 Vantage. This was the car so known as the first supercar by the Brits, considering it managed a 170mph top speed with its 5.3-liter V8 engine. Though the stock car did so with carburetors, the one in the movie had fuel-injection fitted into it. 0-60mph happened in 5.3 seconds which was pretty impressive, considering it topped the Ferrari Daytona by a tenth of a second. Of course, had everything that Q described been fitted into the car, it would have weighed as much as a blue whale.
5. Aston Martin DB5 In Goldfinger To Skyfall
In GoldenEye Brosnan even manages to drive the DB5 fast enough to catch up to a Ferrari F355, which makes the DB5 look pretty good even if it isn’t that good. Of course, with Q getting his hands on the car, it had to be as cool as cool can be.
4. BMW Z8 In The World Is Not Enough
3. Aston Martin Vanquish In Die Another Day
More muscular and bullish than most other Bond cars, the Aston Martin Vanquish replaced the Virage range in real life. The strangest thing about the Q-spec car in the Brosnan flick Die Another Day was its invisibility cloaking, like what Harry Potter does, only more tech, and less magic. A V12 engine managed more than 450 horsepower but even so, the Vanquish was eventually vanquished by, or succeeded by the DB5; having lasted only four years in the market. The automatic transmission was held to blame so if you still wanted a Vanquish, Aston Martin would retrofit a manual gearbox for the car to do what it was supposed to do, move.
2. Jaguar CX-75 In Spectre
Finally, we move on from Brosnan and onto Daniel Craig as Bond. Technically, the Jaguar CX-75 is not a Bond car, but one has to appreciate beauty even if it belongs to the bad guy. If Bond can take baddie’s woman, why be averse to a good car? Anyhow, the CX-75 is Mr. Hinx’s car is this movie and this is the car Bond chases around in Rome, driving an Aston Martin DB10 himself. The CX-75 in the movie was not of stock specs, and a total of 7 such cars were provided for the shoot. With a very limited production of the CX-75 between 2015 and 2017, more like a teaser, everyone seems to be waiting for the full production.
1. Aston Martin DB10 In Spectre
Finally, the crème de la crème of them all – Daniel Craig’s very able-bodied 007 drives a fantastic DB10 in the Spectre and manages to successfully chase the Jaguar CX-75. The DB10 is what the future of Aston Martin may look like, and a total of 10 such cars were made, bespoke for Spectre. There’s more than just a nod to the 2017 Aston Martin V8 Vantage when it comes to the exterior styling because the DB10 is also muscular and bullish, perfectly suited for the brutishly beautiful Craig’s 007. While many are clamoring for this car to turn to production, its more of a wait and watch for now with what Aston Martin brings up next.
Bullitt Mustang
Throughout Hollywood’s expansive history of action movies, few did it quite like Bullitt. Bullitt is a cop movie that can be slow at times, however, succeeds in picking up the pace and delivering some of the coolest/most authentic action scenes ever. For example, the renowned chase scene involving a 1970 Dodge Charger and Detective Bullitt’s Mustang.
The chase is, arguably, one of the best chase scenes in all of cinema. The stunts were done practically, as C.G.I. wasn’t prevalent back in those times. The hard work and effort that went into this sequence really shows. Due to this amazing piece of film, the Bullitt Mustang became a staple of classic Mustangs. Even now, Ford offers a Bullitt version of its newest Mustang model.
Fast & Furious’ MKIV Supra
Back when the car modding scene was in its infantile stage and everyone loved underglow, the Fast and Furious movie series made its way into the limelight. With its debut, came a litany of soon-to-be world-renowned movie cars.Of the several famous cars in the Fast and Furious series, a few stand out. Specifically, Paul Walker’s Mark IV Supra. Walker’s Supra was heavily inspired by other tuners of that decade: Bright colors, underglow, lots of stickers, and neon all over the place. Although this look may not be popular anymore, the F&F Supra is still beloved by car enthusiasts to this day. Not only for its outstanding looks and appearance in a movie, but its power and engineering quality as well.
10 Dream Cars From Fast And The Furious Movies
Even if you have never seen them, everyone has heard of The Fast and the Furious. The movie franchise centered on illegal racing and heists has produced 12 movies over the course of 18 years, each movie being more exciting than the last. During the course of production, director Rob Cohen attended illegal races to ensure the authenticity and many actors were sent to driving school in Las Vegas. Ironically enough, leads Jordana Brewster and Michelle Rodriguez were not previously licensed to drive.
While many get wrapped up with the adrenaline rush the race scenes typically induce, most forget to notice the most important part of these movies, the cars. Here are ten dream cars from The Fast and the Furious franchise.The Fast and Furious have showcased some incredible cars over the years. Most fans dream of owning one of these.
10. Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII
The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII made its first appearance in 2 Fast 2 Furious. The car was driven by Paul Walker’s character Brian O’Connor and Ludacris’ character, Tej Parker. The Lancer in the movie was produced by Mitsubishi in 2002 and has since been discontinued. If you manage to find one of these for sale, keep in mind it was available in a 4-speed automatic and a 5-point manual transmission.
The Lancer is powered by a 2.0 L 4-cylinder engine that produces up to 120 hp and gains a respectable 33-miles to the gallon. It is important to mention, however, while portrayed as a luxurious racing car in the movies, in real life it is anything but.
9. Koenigsegg CCXR
This Swedish car is a dream come true. The Koenigsegg CCXR is not only one of the most beautiful, but also one of the most powerful and rarest cars to ever be produced. The car made its first appearance in Fast Five, in which Roman Pearce (Tyrese Gibson) and Tej Parker show their cars off. As described in the movie, the CCXR is one of the rarest cars on the planet, with only four ever being made. The car is run by a 4.7–4.8 L twin-supercharged V8 that has been modified to burn E85 and E100 Ethanol Fuel. The CCXR produces an unbelievable 1,004 hp, but is harmful to the environment. As far as supercars go, the Koenigsegg CCXR takes home the prize.
8. Nissan Silvia S15 Spec-R
This Japanese automobile made its first appearance in Fast and Furious but has also been brought up in later movies such as The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. This 2000 model is considered by many to be, “The Mustang of Japan,” and is illegal in the United States. The reason for the ban is that the car does not conform to American safety and emission standards. The unofficial reason? Drifting.The Spec-R was redesigned to include a larger brake booster than the Spec-S. As a result, the Spec-R is much easier to drift than any other car on the market. So, while this beautiful car is a beast on and off-screen, it’s a pity that you can’t buy it.
7. W Motors Lykan Hypersport
The Lykan Hypersport was featured in Furious 7, and like the Koenigsegg CCXR, it is a real-life supercar. The Lebanese auto, produced by W Motors cost about $3.4 million, and only seven of them have ever been made. The HyperSport is powered by a 3.7 L twin-turbocharged flat-six engine and is capable of producing up to 780 hp. The Hypersport also does 0-60 in less than 3 seconds and has diamonds in its headlights for some mysterious reason. The Hypersport featured in the seventh Fast and the Furious movie remains to be the first and only Hypersport to be destroyed.
6. Acura NSX
The 2003 Honda NSX marketed in North America as an Acura Luxury Vehicle, was driven by Mia Toretto (Jordana Brewster) in Fast & Furious and Fast Five. The car shown in the film was heavily modified from its original state, including but not limited to new brakes, wheels, and exteriors. The NSX used in the film has been noted to be sophisticated and elegant, yet powerful when the need arises. The NSX puts out 252-290 hp and is powered by a 3.0 L V6 engine. The 2017 Acura NSX produces significantly more power at 573 hp and has an updated 3.5 L V6 engine.
5. Mazda RX-7
The 1993 Mazda RX-7 was Dominic Toretto’s (Vin Diesel) car in The Fast and the Furious. The car in the movie initially came with a roll cage but had to go when Vin Diesel’s muscular frame failed to fit inside of it. The RX-7 spanned across three generations from 1978-2002 and was discontinued by Mazda.This sports car has a 1.3 L R2 front engine capable of producing 255 hp, and a rear rotary engine. The two-door coupe can be bought today at just below $20,000 on numerous websites. With a 20-gallon fuel tank and 24-miles to the gallon, the RX-7 is an impressive feat of 20th-century engineering.
4. Mitsubishi Eclipse
Like the ’93 Mazda mentioned above, the Mitsubishi Eclipse also appeared in The Fast and the Furious. Despite its age, this ’95 car not only produces a tremendous amount of energy but also offers an impressive 32-miles to the gallon. The 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse is powered by a 2.0 L 4-cylinder engine and can produce upwards of 210 hp. If you are interested in purchasing this vehicle, you may be out of luck considering it is no longer in production, but not all hope is lost yet. Due to public demand to bring back the Eclipse, Mitsubishi released the 2019 Eclipse Cross, which has outraged its users. Who knows? With enough time, the Eclipse may just come back.
3. Toyota Supra Turbo MKIV
The 1993 Toyota Supra Turbo MKIV was presented in the movie, 2 Fast 2 Furious. The ’93 Supra was the first Toyota brand vehicle to include airbags, but only in the United States. The ’93 Turbo MKIV was part of the fourth generation (A80) of the Supra line. The end result was a car with a naturally aspirating Toyota 2JZ-GE engine and a twin-turbocharged Toyota 2JZ-GE engine.Due to the popularity of the Toyota Supra A80, the company recently released plans to market the next Supra. The A90 generation. The new line of resurrected Supra’s is the brainchild of a Toyota-BMW partnership.
2. Nissan R34 Skyline GT-R
The Nissan R34 Skyline GT-R appeared in 2 Fast 2 Furious, and like the Silvia S15 Spec-R, is powerful, sleek, and illegal to drive in the United States. Like the Silvia, the reasons for the GT-R ban are very similar. Both cars are extremely powerful, have won numerous races, and are some of the best drifting cars in the world. The Skyline, however, also has All Wheel Drive (AWD). While this may seem like a silly reason to ban a car, consider this. The Skyline’s engine can achieve up to 1,000 hp. Most police cars only gain 292 hp.
1. 1970 Dodge Charger
When you began reading this list, I bet you were looking for this car. Well, here it is folks. The classic 1970 Dodge Charger. This baby was driven by Dominic Toretto through the Fast and the Furious franchise and is usually the first car associated with the film series. The Charger second generation came out in 1968 and was the muscle car associated with cool and powerful. With 1970 came mild alterations to the ’69 model. These changes included the united bumper grille, electric headlight doors, and the 440 six pack engine. The charger had 10 wins in the ’70 NASCAR season, more than any other car, and it held on to this accolade for 13 years.
DeLorean DMC-12
To see one of the most iconic movie cars in history, we need to go back in time; literally and figuratively. Back in 1985, the DeLorean DMC-12 would become the coolest movie car ever after its first showing in the blockbuster movie, Back to the Future.
If any car in the ’80s could be a time-machine, it was the DeLorean: A car with gull-wing doors, a supercar design, and unique characteristics. Similar to the Fast and Furious Supra, the DMC-12 was a modified version of the standard Delorean. However, it wasn’t modified in terms of speed, but aesthetics, as the Back to the Future DeLorean had a time machine built into it.
If you look on the market today for DeLoreans, you will see one of three things: A standard DeLorean, an ad that references Back to the Future, or a full-blown replica of the movie car (fake time machine and all).
Eleanor Shelby Gt500
Carroll Shelby had created perfection with his Shelby Mustangs. So much so, even today, these same cars sell for hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. However, some brave souls work towards perfecting it even further. Hence, the creation of the Eleanor Shelby GT500.
The Eleanor got its name from the old movie under the same name: Eleanor. What really catapulted the Eleanor into the minds of consumers, though, was Nicolas Cage’s Gone In 60 Seconds. This particular Shelby is a modified alternative to the standard GT500 with a completely reworked exterior.
Apparently, car enthusiast really loved the Eleanor Shelby. As a result of its popularity, many view the Eleanor Shelby to be the best Mustang ever made.
Ghostbusters’ Cadillac Miller-Meteor
When you think about a film involving catching ghosts, saving New York, and comedy, you may not understand how a certain vehicle can play a big part in all this. However, for die-hard fans of the Ghostbusters series, the answer is as plain as day with the movies classic Cadillac Miller-Meteor.
If the need arises, the Ghostbusters, of course, need to be able to get somewhere quick (and in style). So, what better way to fight off the odd ghost and make your presence known than with a classic “Cady” covered in anti-ghost propaganda. Even though it isn’t the fastest car on this list, it has still been replicated time and time again by film and car lovers alike.
Iconic: Chevrolet Camaro (Transformers)
The Transformers series has created plenty of iconic cars throughout the years but there is nothing more iconic than Bumblebee, with the black and yellow Chevrolet Camaro being the first thing people think about when the movies are talked about.Bumblebee is arguably the most popular character from the movie franchise and Michael Bay did a fantastic job in choosing the Camaro as the car for the singing robot, with a stylish look suiting the playful character.
Transformers is known for fast-paced car chases and therefore it isn’t a surprise to see a vehicle like this used in the movies and it will now forever be known as the Bumblebee car to most people.