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Lamley Poll: What was the BEST & MOST DISAPPOINTING Hot Wheels New Model in 2018?

November 4, 2018

Hopefully you have voted on Best & World Super TH. Now it is time to vote on one of my favorite polls for the Lamley Awards: Best & Most Disappointing Hot Wheels Licensed New Models in 2018. So watch the video reviewing all the models, and then vote down below.

Why Licensed only? I don’t think there is a need for that explanation. We rarely go fantasy models here at Lamley, and none are going to win anyway. It just clogs up the space.

And why “Most Disapointing?” Best speaks for itself, but it is different than “Favorite”, although they can be one in the same. “Most Disappointing” is different than “worst”. Somebody who hates JDM might just pick a Skyline, even though it is a nice casting. I am more interested in the model you were looking forward to that just didn’t cut it.

So watch and vote. And tell your friends.

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jtl46

23 responses to “Lamley Poll: What was the BEST & MOST DISAPPOINTING Hot Wheels New Model in 2018?”

Jeff’s
November 4, 2018
Come on people. The Audi has been hyped by John to death on here and look….it’s leading in the poll for best new casting. Not saying it’s not deserving but I’m thinking a lot of you voted for it because of how hyped it was by John. Also……John has voiced his displeasure for the McLaren 720S casting and oh look…it’s almost leading for most disappointing. I could have bet the farm the Audi would win and the 720S would be most disappointing. Think for yourselves!

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1. jtl46
  November 4, 2018
  That’s a lot of assumptions. MAYYYYBEEEEE people like the Audi.
  
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2. Ben
  November 4, 2018
  Yeah, calm down Jeff. DISCLAIMER: I did NOT pick the RS6 as best OR the 720S as most disappointing, so I have no stake in this, but really…you think people did an anonymous survey just to reinforce or try to impress John? That’s a pretty low opinion you have of people. It could just be that a lot of people agree with John’s assessment of the castings.
  
  Cool it with the conspiracy theories.
  
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  1. Jeff
    November 5, 2018
    Did I say they did it to impress John? No. I think people are just easily influenced.
3. JC
  November 12, 2018
  You’re right Jeff. Seems these polls are mostly going the way of whatever John has said is cool. Hivemind mentality.
  
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cars4dylan
November 4, 2018
I don’t get the infatuation with a hausfrau’s grocery getter and I love station wagons. But the folks on this site tend to lean heavy import. Which is ok I guess but I don’t see how the Audi Avant beats the Dodge D100. C’est la vie…

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1. Jon Mower
  November 5, 2018
  That Dodge is awful – END OF – I voted for the Audi, as we actually owned one, and i like it, i voted for the worst as the Jeep because it really is dire, they should have stuck to a stock one without the rust holes all over the place….
  
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  1. Chris
    November 6, 2018
    But it’s a Chrysler product. Rust holes are appropriate.
Ben Kiehn
November 4, 2018
I voted for the Land Rover double cab as the best new model. The Audi got my vote for the best super, and as wonderful as it is, just didn’t want to vote for it twice. The Land Rover is perfect! I’ve been dying for someone to make that model and it looks great. And the green one take it over the top as it matches the Boulevard 510, Fairlady 2000 and Datsun 620, making a really nice set of matching colors.

For the most disappointing I went with the Mercedes AMG GT3. I love that car, but the casting just doesn’t do much for me. It looks too much like a blob and not as distinctive as it could. I know you can’t compare a brand like Tarmac with Hot Wheels, but they did such an excellent version of that car, that the mainline HW just seems irrelevant.

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Ben
November 4, 2018
I went curveball for my personal favorite: the Countach pace car. Would’ve been even better as a stock version of the car (something Hot Wheels still needs an updated casting of) but even as is, it’s awesome. Considering they can no longer do a separate piece for the roof-mounted light bar, they came up with a great solution that looks awesome, and the new disc wheels really give the car a great look.

Most disappointing for me was the 2018 Mustang…these modern muscle castings really scream out for headlight and taillight tampos for the first couple releases, and I think this casting suffered because of its lack of these. It was much harder picking a favorite than a least favorite this year…there’s not a single new licensed casting that I dislike.

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BlackWind
November 5, 2018
Best new model for me: BMW M2. Its literally the only perfect casting of this year. Many of the other models that people are voting for lack important details like side mirrors, front and rear light tampos or lack proportions on the casting but the M2 has everything perfect. I love the R33 Skyline, RS6 and even the Defender but when considering all those details the M2 beats everyone else.

Most disappointing: McLaren 720. Just didn’t turn out how I hoped for. Too high, too narrow, wheels too small, no rear tampos, no side mirrors…. its a bit of a blob. Especially compared to the P1 which they almost nailed.

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1. Jon Mower
  November 5, 2018
  The BMW M2 is not in proportion at all and in certain angles looks well daft, I am not surprised the Nissans are at the top, god knows why, they were awful cars as stock, it is about time that Mattel really got their finger out and started to do some other brands, that are world wide known, that they have not bothered with.
  
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Land Ark
November 5, 2018
I knew this day would come. Skyline vs. Skyline. Red Panda vs. the car that will one day fill a bay in my garage. The R33 is perfect. The stance, the scale, and even the wheels are completely appropriate. And the first release is in (nearly) Bayside Blue? It is exactly what I am saving my pennies to buy when they start hitting the US in just over a year.
But I voted for the R30. It was the one that got me in my car and to the store to try to find. I bought several and it actually convinced me to do a customer for the first time in over a year. It looks amazing in white, by the way. I was super excited to find it and then super excited by the execution. It is a welcome addition to the HW Skyline family. It was not an easy button to push though.

This year’s crop did not yield anything that jumps out as me as the worst, or bad. So disappointing, maybe. Even that is a stretch. I bought all the Matchbox 1M releases and I really expected to continue that with the M2. But once I saw it, I held it in my hand to take to the checkout, and put it back. There’s something about it that just doesn’t do it for me. It’s not bad at all, just missing something to get me to bring it home.

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1. Land Ark
  November 5, 2018
  Oh my, I meant to say: it actually convinced me to do a custom for the first time in over a year.
  
  Those two letters completely change the meaning of the sentence.
  
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Robb Ferguson
November 5, 2018
surprise by the amount of love for the audi. This year is chock full of great new castings, so hard to pick between the r33 and r30 and the lambo countach. so many great new castings this year. really top notch stuff from mattel, even the worst one ( 720s ) i agree with the whole heartily , it looks liek the real deal but it doesnt mean it is a great car to look at .

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Mikhail Frost
November 5, 2018
Loved even the 720s, but the audi is a bit hyped for sure. For me the best place is taken by the gulf 917 Porsche. Great casting, wish it got a premium treatment. The new direction hotwheels is going with actual real life race cars of racing pedigree, and culture is what cars are about. For me it was very difficult to pick the best when this year has by far been the best. The most disappointing one for me was the City turbo. Why? Becuase we need more Nissan Porsche and BMW castings, that’s why.

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Samson
November 6, 2018
Best for me was the Lamborghini Pace Car (though I don’t like the red windows in the re-colour). However I also loved the Land Rover double cab, Dodge D100 and the Porsche 917LH. The most disappointing for me was the Chevy Trail Boss followed by the Porsche 911, Camaro and Mustang which I found were all uninspiring.

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closedcl8
November 6, 2018
Oh god, there’s billions of them! There’s no way I can vote so conclusively, so I’ll just go Cool Wall with this and separate the ones I like from the ones I don’t.

THE SHORTLIST

==================================================

HAWT:

Honda City Turbo II
Porsche 917LH
Nissan R33 Skyline GT-R
Audi RS6
Land Rover Defender Double Cab
Nissan DR30 Skyline GT-R
Porsche 918 Spyder
Cadillac ATS-V.R
Sung Kang’s Custom Ford Maverick
BMW M2
McLaren 720S
Lamborghini Countach Pace Car

NAWT:
the rest

That cuts down my picks to the ones that I think really shone.

Underrated Pick: Cadillac ATS-V.R, because the black release alone is simply perfect. Accurate body, thin pylons, perfect proportions, and it looks like a premium body. If Kyosho or other S-grade model-makers ever make the car, I think the HW wouldn’t look too shabby. We’ve seen Mainlines compare well to super-premium. The fact that only 1.66% of you voted for the win is, while unsurprising, quite disappointing. I would wager it is the best model of 2018, but there really are better choices. Still, I think the whole lot of you are sleeping on the ATS-V.R as a possible Top 5 Best Licensed new model.

Best JDM: Honda City Turbo II. Technically, it’s tied with the DR30, but the Honda is the more charming, endearing model to me, and it’s that little extra that kicks it ahead in the mention. Don’t get me wrong that DR30 is brilliant, but the City is just as accurate, and strip the hype for both and the Honda just is the more personable little toy for both kid and adult alike. I know because my little brother and cousins all passed on the Skyline, but requested me to but extra Honda City for them.

Best Truck: Land Rover Defender Double Cab. The easiest choice I would ever make. It’s simply an insanely good mainline cast, and a damn good truck. So good, the base S3 Defender coming 2019 looks tame by comparison.

Best Supercar: McLaren 720S and ’16 Porsche 918 Spyder. Both, yes both. Because they look representative of the real thing. Yes, even the 720S. I’ll fight all those votes with the simple proof that I can replace a press shot of the real 720S with the toy and it wouldn’t look too strange. Same goes for the 918, but it is disparaging to see you crap on the 720S, because that might mean even less supercars. You want the Chiron? Valkyrie? AMG Project ONE? Koenigseggs? You want that to happen? Vote properly. The 918 retool, meanwhile, speaks for itself.

Actually Disappointed Me: R33 GT-R. Yes, I’ll go there, but for one reason: it isn’t enough. I don’t think stock is enough. If anything, stock is disappointing–that’s Matchbox’s job. Hot Wheels should be HOT WHEELS SON, and while I understand that stock caters to customizers’ taste, I’d rather see the R33 NISMO LM, road or race trim, along with the base car. Go full-on, I say! Don’t settle for a stock 300ZX, call for the IMSA GTO 300ZX too.

Most Disappointing Model: Mercedes-AMG GT3. I didn’t vote the R33 in because as a casting, on its own, without the hype, it stands on its own. The AMG-GT3 doesn’t. Bad initial release colors, metal-moulded grille, thick wing, J5 wheels. It would look like a Chinese knockoff against itself. They’ve at least rectified the livery woes for next year, but the AMG-GT3 is a letdown across the board.

Top 5:

5. ATS-V.R
4. 918 Spyder
3. City Turbo II
2. RS6 Avant
1. Defender Rally

Feel free to go further with your barbs against me.

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1. Jeff
  November 6, 2018
  @CLOSEDCL8 Totally agree on the 720s and 918. They are both representive of the actual cars. Could the 720S have used some tampos? Yes but other than that I don’t see what the problem is. Only other thing I may change about the casting would be to have the spoiler raised, but I don’t have a problem that it’s down. I think the 720S is an amazing looking car either way. Hope to see Hot Wheels do more of it in 2019 and hopefully we get a premium version of it.
  
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2. Ben
  November 6, 2018
  I agree about the ATS-V in theory, but the real disappointment for me about the finished product is that Hot Wheels can’t seem to figure out how to consistently do decent tampo over black paint, or at least the type of black paint used here (seems to be thicker than on some other models perhaps?). The problem is that the tampo colors are always dulled, with the body color showing through it somewhat. I also had a hard time finding one where the tampo was aligned correctly. I’d rank the ATS higher up my list of favorites if these tampo issues were sorted (taillights would be nice too).
  
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Don
November 6, 2018
Wish I could have picked 3 favorites. The GULF decoed Porsche won for me because I love the GULF deco so much and it is a pretty cool casting! My next two would have been the FORD Maverick and the Dodge D100. Again it was the deco on the Dodge that put it over the top for me. Picking a loser was a bit more of a challenge as these really were all winners.

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Connor McCollum
November 6, 2018
For me, I chose the ’18 Dodge Demon as the best new model. I seem to be the only one that made this decision which I’m surprised about. I figured since JDM is over-hyped and someone might want to choose something a little more underrated, I figured muscle cars would have a good chunk in the vote. Maybe it’s because before JDM at Hot Wheels, muscle cars were too over saturated? I don’t know. However, this casting is great! I love the detailed rear end, the black skinnys in the front and fats in the rear, the yellow paint job, and it was released as a Zamac. Very well executed in my opinion. I hope to see the signature Rallye Red or Destroyer Grey in the future.

For most disappointing, I chose the ’18 Camaro SS. The casting is why too thin, terrible paint combo, absolutely horrible wheel choice, and no detailing! Not a very well proportioned or executed car. I’ll happily take Matchboxes version more especially since next year they have the hard top with an opening hood.

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Speedeeone
November 18, 2018
This was a lot harder than I thought it would be, both for Best and Most Disappointing. For Best, it was a toss up between R30 Skyline, City Turbo, ATS-V R, 911, 917 LM and RS6 Avant.

My vote ultimately went to the ’85 Honda City Turbo II. I’ve been a Honda fan from a young age and this little mighty mite was a hit out of left field. So unexpected and so perfectly executed. down to the deco and wheel choice. Although the R33 may be my favorite Skyline, the R30 was again a sweet surprise. Love the execution and the perfect red/black deco with gold wheels. The follow up metallic gray/black was no slouch either.

I’m a sucker for race cars, especially endurance and GT. The Cadillac is a real beauty! The gloss black paint is so right and I love how they pulled the red/yellow/blue from the Cadillac crest for the racing graphics. The follow up red model was less impressive. The Porsche 917LH is so iconic. So glad Hot Wheels added it to the catalog. And what better way to do it than with the equally iconic Gulf Oil livery. Even the follow up white model looks right.

Don’t ask me why, but I’ve been enamored with wagons as an adult. Car lover, check. Active lifestyle, check. Not won over by the trend towards big, heavy, cumbersome SUVs, check. OK, I know why. This Audi RS6 Avant was a pleasant surprise and oh so right. I can’t wait to hopefully see some additional colors in 2019.

I wasn’t always a fan of the Porsche 911. What I now admire as a distinctive and iconic look, I once dismissed as weird and dated. The ’71 was the forebearer of many great generations of 911 to come. While I do enjoy these particular white/blue/red decos, I am tiring of so many Porsches havining the Magnus Walker stamp on them. How about some stock clean paint?

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