I’ve been featuring one car from the #2018 Hot Wheels #Car Culture / Circuit Legends every day this week. Why, you ask? Well, I have to say that I am quite impressed with how this series turned out. I’m sure many of you that saw that the Car Culture / Dragstrip Demons are next (after this series) glazed right over this list of Circuit Legends in anticipation of what will surely be a hit. Cool, I get it… get your preorders in for that (I did). BUT, like I said all this week, don’t sleep on the Circuit Legends…
Hot Wheels 2018 Car Culture / Circuit Legends series: Porsche 962, Mazda 787B, ’16 Ford GT Race, Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe and ’69 COPO Corvette
I can tell you that the #’16 Ford GT Race was the first car to jump out at me when Hot Wheels Graphic Designer, Steve Vandervate first sneak peeked the FEPs of this series on HotWheelsCollectors.com. Why? Well, it replicates the Ford Chip Ganassi Racing Team livery that drove in the 24 Hours of Le Mans race from 2016 to 2018. There are four Ford GTs on the team and all wear this same design. They are numbered #66, #67, #68 and #69, and if this design is based off of the 2016 teams, it was the #68 car that won the race — while this #66 car finished 4th. So its kind of a similar situation as to yesterday’s article about the Mazda 787B, where the winning car was not produced. The 787B situatution was explainable though since Hot Wheels doesn’t have the Renown license to produce the winning car. What is the excuse for this Ford GT though? …since the livery is the same. Could it be that one of the sponsors didn’t want that winning car produced?
Hot Wheels collectors will notice the #2018 Hot Wheels #Car Culture / Circuit Legends release looks strikingly familiar in comparison to last year’s #Replica Entertainment / #Forza release. I can only assume that release was done to replicate the livery in the Forza game itself, which definitely borrows from the real-life, Ford Chip Ganassi Racing Team design. Even in comparison with that variant of the #’16 Ford GT Race that was done just last year, you can see the level of detail being put into these recent #Car Culture releases.
Hot Wheels ’16 Ford GT Race from the 2018 Car Culture / Circuit Legends series with 2017 Replica Entertainment / Forza release (forward view)
The #Car Culture / Circuit Legends release of the Hot Wheels #’16 Ford GT Race is by far the best version of this casting thus far. With that being said, there really are no slouches when it comes to designs on this casting that is in its second year of production. Its a casting that I didn’t think to collect, but all 7 variants so far have found their way into my collection… so why stop now… I think this may be one of my new favorite casting collections.
Look for the #’16 Ford GT Race (appearing with the other four vehicles) in the #Car Culture / Circuit Legends series, at retail now. Is it your favorite from this series? Let us know below.
RELEASE DETAILS: Blue/White/Red Body (metal). Clear Windows. Black Interior. Black Real Riders 10-Spoke Wheels. Black Base (metal). Made in Thailand. Toy# FLC26. Released in 2018 as #4 of 5 in the Car Culture / Circuit Legends series.
Categories: Showcase
ORANGE TRACK DIECAST 
I don’t know why they couldn’t just produce the Ganassi livery first, instead of a generic, copy, wannabe model. But maybe due to licensing and the timing or all the above.
When I get the real life Ford GT.. it will easily replace the Forza model which pales in comparison. I may just hold on to the Forza edition to maybe use as a wheel donor!