Spring Fever

The latest round of 2026 Hot Wheels are appearing on the shelves and along with the standard die cast, I picked up one of the larger Pull Back Speeder series - the 1969 Ford Mustang.

A classic design, this one has been modded a little with side pipes and peek-a-boo intakes in the bonnet. Hot Wheels do tend to be a little heavy handed with the decals in recent years, and the Mustang was no exception. Both doors were painted a light blue and plastered with pointless tampo stickers. For me, the beauty in a classic American muscle is the sleek shape and silhouette, so caking it in stickers does nothing to add to the appeal. I covered both doors in black, having to leave the front wheel arches pale blue and to tolerate the rest of the little decals.

Next up are two standard HW models, ‘Flippin’ Fast’ in its latest colour variation (4th) and the ‘Polestar TRX’ truck. Flippin Fast is a double sided car, which can happily roll just as easily on either top or bottom, with a swivelling pilot in the middle.The large wheels engage the track and the thin body works from both aspects.

The Polestar looks a little like a modern take on the classic Deora, with a flat bed carrying two surfboards. Unlike its 1968 forebear, the boards are molded into the casting.