It doesn’t disappoint. The new Hot Wheels Bugatti Chiron is in hand and truly spectacular.
The Chiron was undoubtedly going to cause a frenzy when it was first unveiled by Ryu Asada and the Hot Wheels Design Team. A Bugatti is a big deal in all aspects, large or small. The king of hypercars has obviously graced the Hot Wheels pegs before, 10-15 years ago when the Veyron hung and hung and hung on the pegs.
But times change. The subpar Veyron casting was mercifully retired 10 years ago and then took on a life of its own, going from perennial pegwarmer to a must-have for so many, and prices skyrocketed. I took mine from the loose car dump bin in the storage unit and put them in storage cases, treating the Walmart and Speed Machines versions like the gold they have become.
But that doesn’t change the fact that the casting was pretty badly executed. Hot Wheels needed a Bugatti do-over, and it is here. The photos for a HW Veyron-Chiron comparison post are done, but for now, let’s give the Chiron a full showcase.
It surely deserves it, because it is fantastic.
There isn’t much to say here. Hot Wheels basic models have never been better. The details are crisp, the construction tight, and most importantly, the proportions spot on. The window piece is also the rear, creating a nice break and would not look nearly as good if it were part of the diecast body.
Some have complained about the large rear wheel. I get it, but as it has been described, putting the same size wheel on the rear would actually make the proportions look off more than the large wheels. Hot Wheels works with standardized wheel sizes, and the Bugatti does have a larger rear wheel in real life. While the difference between sizes is more subtle on the 1:1, the size difference here adds to the proper dimensions. One thing I have learned since doing this blog, and getting to know some of the designers, is that shrinking a car to 1:64 is not as easy as it looks. Angles are very difficult to replicate, plus playability, cost, and safety for a $1 Hot Wheels all have to be taken into account. Surely Hot Wheels has add a rake and large rear wheels on models that didn’t need them – the 240Z comes to mind – but in this case I see why it was done. And frankly, on its own, the models looks great.
This will obviously be a hit. It already is. It is a significant model for Hot Wheels, thankfully beautifully executed, and easily a front runner for model of the year. I have said it before, but this year’s Best Basic New Model category in the Lamley Awards will be a heavyweight fight. There are some doozies.
Veyron v Chiron post coming next.
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