Let’s face it… information on variations can be found all over the place (especially the Internet), and by the time you get to read the info in a magazine, it’s usually old news. So, here’s the plan: In each issue of CRM (and now, the web site), I’m going to pick a rare variation, talk to the people that worked on the model, and discuss whatever it was that caused the changes, using the information that came straight from the proverbial horse’s mouth. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many of the people behind the scenes at Mattel over the years (many of whom, like the company’s then-Senior VP at the time, Amy Boylan, were noted in the back pages of the Second Edition of my Hot Wheels Variations, The Ultimate Guide). Whether you’re a die-hard Hot Wheels collector - or a collector who just wants to learn about these highly collectible members of the Hot Wheels series - I think it’s going to be a great time, and a lot of fun.

Let’s get started.