Today in the United States, we remember and honor our servicemen and women who have sacrificed so much for our country. Memorial Day in the U.S. is full of cookouts, festivals and parades to honor those individuals and it also serves as the unofficial start to summer.

Hot Wheels has supplied us collectors with numerous releases that feature the #American Flag so we can showcase our patriotism through our hobby. Most recently, the #Walmart Exclusive #Stars & Stripes Series was released here in the U.S.-based Walmart stores. Before that, there were other series that showcased the stars and stripes of the #American Flag. Back in 2002, the Star Spangled Series was part of the Hot Wheels mainline and featured four American vehicles: a Chrysler, a Ford, a Chevy and a Hot Wheels original design in the #Deora II. Two years later, the 2004 Star Spangled Series 2 was also released as part of the mainline, this time as a 5-car series featuring 2 Ford cars, 2 Chevy cars and this #Unlicensed Hot Wheels vehicle designed by Larry Wood: the #Purple Passion.

Based of a Custom ’49 Mercury, the Purple Passion has been a collector favorite since its initial release in 1990. For this epic mainline release, it featured that patriotic deco with “INDEPENDENCE” on its sides AND was the first & only time the casting wore #Co-Mold Wheels.

After the #Highway 35 World Race line was discontinued, a few special mainline cars got to wear these semi-premium wheels. Some wore them as limited wheel variations and others, like this Purple Passion wore them for the entire run of that release. As you can see, they are fabulous wheels and make just about any Hot Wheels car look better as they are one of the more realistic wheels that Hot Wheels makes — they are actually quite fast on that orange track as well!

RELEASE DETAILS: Candy Apple Red Body (metal). Tinted Windows. Black Interior. Blue-Chrome Rim, Gray Co-Mold 5-Spoke (CM5) Wheels. Chrome Base (plastic). Made in China. Toy# B3847. Released in 2004 as #4 of 5 in the Star Spangled Series 2.