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Hot Wheels has always been a favourite with children but some of their cars have found their way into adult fan collections as well. Newest in this list is the Darth Car, and as you guessed it, this one is a big one for the fans of the Star Wars franchise. This coupe is not your usual miniature plastic toy but it’s life-size, black and a fan’s dream come true!
The location for the unveiling of this car is no website or grand hotel but it will have the wraps taken off its dark bonnet at the Comic-Con 2014 which opens tomorrow.
The car has been built by Mattel in collaboration with Hot Wheels. So if you happen to go to San Diego or have a friend going to the convention make sure they get a look at this beauty.
While we so wish we were to witness the madness, we will have to be content in just digging up some information on this launch.
Car and Driver blog had a word with the creators of the car and here’s what they gathered.
• Inspiration for the car: A C5 Chevrolet Corvette. This vehicle of the Siths has been made using carbon fibre for the front splitter and as a result the finished Darth Car is said to weigh nearly 50 per cent less than the donor Corvette.
• Road legal—and fast: The car has been road-tested at speeds up to an 80-mph cruise. There’s more: Billy Hammon, CEO of PCW Brands, which built the car, says it is capable of reaching velocities in the neighborhood of 150 mph.
• Underneath the mask: A GM LS3 V-8—the C6 engine from 2008 onward—is fitted and makes a claimed 526 horsepower. Gear changes are executed via a six-speed manual.
• Drift power: Now, obviously Darth Vader will love the smoke and the screeches. The coupe gets a secondary, hand-actuated brake on the rear axle for this very purpose.
The bad, bad stuff: The one-off car also features Lightsaber side pipes to go with the cockpit and the grill has been designed to resemble Vader’s mask. To complete the car’s transition to the dark side, the creators incorporated Lord Vader’s signature breathing into the car.
Well, like we said, this beauty may not fit in your garage but that does not stop you from getting one of the miniature models, on sale at their booth in San Diego. Plus it’s super cool to have one of those to make other fanboys jealous.
