Here is a Hot Wheels casting that I never thought I’d collect: the #Nissan Skyline 2000GT-R. I can’t recall ever seeing a real one on the road, and when the #First Edition of the casting was released as part of the #2011 New Models, I didn’t even know it by its nickname of “Kenmeri”. So, after picking up the initial 2011 New Models release that year, I ultimately sold it in 2014 when common Hot Wheels #JDM cars like this started selling for $10+. Since 2014, we have seen seven variants of this generation of #Skyline GT-R, and I have accumulated them all.

The #Nissan Skyline 2000GT-R releases prior to 2014 were the 2011 New Models variant and the 2013 Flying Customs one. I still don’t have either (1-seat/2-seat) variation of the Flying Customs release, but I did recently score the 2011 New Models release off eBay for what I figured to be not much more than what I initially sold the one I found for in 2014.

Hot Wheels Nissan Skyline 2000GT-R CASTING COLLECTION (Truck Unloading, September 2019)

Ask any Hot Wheels collector who designed the Hot Wheels #Nissan Skyline 2000GT-R, and I bet most would say Jun Imai. If that is the case, then they are correct. Jun is responsible for bringing several historically popular #JDM cars to the Hot Wheels world, and the Kenmeri is certainly one of them.

Jun was responsible for bringing us some cool designs during his tenure at Mattel, and the #Nissan Skyline 2000GT-R is certainly growing on me. Currently, its not my favorite of his, but it is definitely climbing the ranks. He did an exceptional job capturing the American muscle car feel of the Kenmeri. He designed the front and rear grills to be part of the interior, creating a nice color break in those sections, eliminating the need for those massive areas to be tampo’d.

Hot Wheels Nissan Skyline 2000GT-R from the 2011 New Models series (reverse view on orange track)

The cool thing about the 2011 New Models release is that it actually has rear detail on it, giving it a nice look from the backside. Whats kind of odd though is that most of the mainline versions of this casting have that same rear detail, whereas the three premium releases (Flying Customs, Heritage / Redlines, and Car Culture / Japan Historics) don’t.

REAR DETAIL on several Hot Wheels Nissan Skyline 2000GT-Rs

After finally getting back that 2011 New Models release and putting this collection of eight variants together, I think I may chase down that lone piece that I am missing — if I can find it for a good price. It is not going to be easy as the more common “2-seat” variation of the car doesn’t come up for sale very often these days and one can expect to pay over $50 for it. The less common “1-seat” variation is even pricier with the last one on eBay topping $200. So, we will see if I ultimately add that release to this collection, but for now, I leave you with the family that Ken & Mary ..and Nissan …and Jun made: the Hot Wheels #Nissan Skyline 2000GT-R.

Hot Wheels Nissan Skyline 2000GT-R CASTING COLLECTION (Family Photo, September 2019)

Nissan Skyline 2000GT-R COMPLETE CHECKLIST

1. 2011 Mainline / 2011 New Models (white)
2. 2013 Flying Customs (metalflake light blue, 1-seat interior)
3. 2013 Flying Customs (metalflake light blue, 2-seat interior)
4. 2014 Mainline / HW City – Nightburnerz (metalflake teal)
5. 2015 Heritage / Redline (red)
6. 2016 Car Culture / Japan Historics (white)
7. 2018 Mainline / Then and Now (metalflake blue)
8. 2018 Mainline / Then and Now (spectraflame dark blue)
9. 2019 Mainline / HW Rescue (white)
10. 2019 Mainline / HW Rescue (red, with chrome-rim ST8)
11. 2019 Mainline / HW Rescue (red, with white-rim ST8)