Did you know that Hot Wheels made a '71 Mazda Cosmo?

So in diecast nerd conversations everywhere, this question is bound to come up:

"What JDM casting is next from Hot Wheels?"

There is bound to be a slew of answers. There will inevitably be that one guy who "liked JDM before everyone else" who will give the answers intended to impress like "it makes NO SENSE that they haven't done a Sunny" while everyone else rolls their eyes. (Japanese friends, this only applies to we diecast nerds here in the US.)

But everyone else will have a variety of answers, some less likely and some more. My guess is the members of the Hot Wheels Design Team have a wide array of ideas up on their board, but ultimately the models chosen have to have at least some universal appeal. Many of the no-brainers have been done - Datsun 240Z, the Hakosuka and Kenmeri Skylines, the R32 and R34, some Celicas, the EF Civic, and even a couple of 510's that no one seems to care about.

But there are a lot more that could, and most likely will, join the fray. The DR30 seems a logical choice, the Datsun Roadster another (yes, I know), and maybe another classic Honda or two. The list is large.

But maybe the most logical is one that pairs beautifully with the beautiful replica of the Toyota 2000GT. The Mazda Cosmo is a complete no-brainer. It shows up time and time again on the car show circuit, it has penetrated the car collector crowd, and its unique silhouette and rich history make it one of the most recognizable classic Japanese cars around.

So why has Hot Wheels made a Cosmo? Maybe because they already have.

In the early 2000's, Hot Wheels created a special line exclusively for Japan called Charawheels. As far as I know all the castings were original to the series, and all the models were from popular TV shows and movies. Some Japanese shows, others from elsewhere like the US. Before there was Hot Wheels Retro Entertainment, and all the mainline models like the Batmobile and The Homer, there was Charawheels. Models like the Back to the Future DeLorean, Airwolf Helicopter, and Speed Racer. And there was a ton of cars from Japanese series, most of which I have no clue about. I hope someone can help fill me in. You can see many of the models on eBay:

Charawheels on eBay...

One of the models was from the Japanese kids series Ultraman. I don't know much about Ultraman, other than he is from space, protects humans, and fought Godzilla when Godzilla was in his upright collar phase.

Outside of that, I know Ultraman's allies at the Monster Attack Team (MAT) at one point drove a Mazda Cosmo, only because Hot Wheels created a replica. And a damn nice replica at that.

Other than a large metal spoiler on the rear, and a stripe outline built into the casting, it is pretty accurate. The silhouette is there, as is the unique front and rear detailing. It seems to me a little tweak here and there and this is a casting that would fit right in with other Hot Wheels models.

That is, of course, if the tool still exists. I have no idea, and I wonder if anyone at Mattel knows. But it would be worth looking into. One of the Mattel brands needs to do a Cosmo, even after one of the Mattel brands already did...