First Look: The Datsun 510, 240Z, and the rest of Hot Wheels Cool Classics Batch L...

It must be odd to be the little Hot Wheels Datsun 510.

You came into existence a few years ago, and hung on the pegs while kids, who didn't know what you were, and collectors, who bypassed you for the latest Camaro, largely ignored you. You felt unloved.

You got new clothes each year, and the same thing happened. You even got a fabulous red, white, and blue outfit with the number 46 on the door, and you hung on the pegs even then. Soon you started hearing rumors of a sibling coming out soon, your wagon brother. You worried about how long he would hang, after all wagons aren't cool at all.

Then you heard that your wagon brother hardly even made it to the pegs. But after that things started changing. You heard that people were actually looking for the wagon brother, and getting mad when they couldn't find one. Soon your wagon brother was apparently very popular.

And things started changing for you too. Your older versions started getting pulled from old boxes and put on eBay, and people wanted you! And your #46 version, which you now had two outfits for, was on everyone's want list, and people were paying big money for you.

Now you don't even know what to do with the fact that your newest version, in the Cool Classics line, is being gobbled up by everyone

like you were a Super TH. Those same grown men are bypassing Camaros to get to you.

Weird.

But it is true. The 510 will be on everyone's want lists, and seeing how fast the Cool Classics sets sold out on eBay, and how many Canadian collectors are buying up as many as possible, it is already widely popular.

And it makes sense. This is the first 510 release since the popularity of the model skyrocketed. People want it, and they want to find it on the pegs.

The thing is, t isn't even the best model in the batch. That goes to the BRAT, followed by the Chevette. But that isn't a complaint. The gold color with understated design looks nice, and those wheels are the best "non-real riders" we have seen on the 510.

We will maintain that the Cool Classics were a bit of a bland line, and we are not sad to see them go. After the awesomeness that was the Boulevard line, it seems Mattel has swung and missed with the Hot Ones, Flying Customs, and Cool Classics. That makes three strikes, so we think the Heritage Line should be a totally fresh start. We hope it is.

But at least the Cool Classics line is complete. The best batch of the line is the last, and we are glad it saw the light of day...

Hot Wheels Cool Classics Batch L:

Datsun Bluebird 510