Attention diecast enthusiasts: the Tomica brand is available once again in America! The lineup started out relatively small but will grow in the future.
The catch: You have to journey to your local Walmart if you’re interested. And they’re not available online.
My local Walmart actually isn’t that bad, aside from the horribly designed parking lot, so naturally I headed right to the toy section to purchase a Mazda CX-5 Tomica. I think the 2017+ CX-5 is the best looking crossover thus far, which is why I wanted to buy one. Unfortunately they didn’t have it. I’m also not sure the Tomica lineup is worth the $4.99 per car price, especially when the much less expensive Hot Wheels lineup is right there. Then again, Tomica’s cars are a bit more detailed and have an actual suspension. And some of them have working doors, which is rare for 1/64 scale cars.
I didn’t leave empty handed though. Sitting only several inches away was this Model 3. I’d been searching for one since they came out earlier in the year. A Tomica Model 3 would probably be a bit more premium, but for .99 cents you really can’t go wrong. Anyway, I look forward to getting that CX-5 and I’ll share my impressions with all of you once I get it.
I think this is an opportune time to share what Ed sent to me a little while back:
I took it off-roading and it was much more capable than my Promaster. So I took a look at its undersides and found that it has four wheel drive! A driven rear axle. No wonder it’s so capable.
So when do the scale modifications start, Paul? ;o)
The offset powertrain is interesting. While it certainly simplifies the driveshaft to the rear axle, I wonder what it does for weight distribution.
Ha! I’ll have to pull out some of the ones I picked up during various trips to Japan – starting with my Debonair Executive. They have a great vintage line I’m guessing Wallmart won’t bring to this side of the pond.
I do hope they’ll make a Mitsubishi Lancer in Octane Blue.
I have a little diecast of my Mustang, and a little key-chain that the dealer sent me of my Civic, but my wife’s 2009 Lancer still eludes me.
Get this:
I, the one always ragging on new SUVs, got that Mazda CX3 months ago when these first appeared in Wal-Mart. It is an attractive toy and real car. I also got that GTR that day. The only other choice was a new Prius. Gak! No thanks on that one, though if you like the car it is a really nice scale model of it. The only problem with the Mazda is it has the traditional Tomica wheels, which are too small for a modern SUV. But the hatch opens and the suspension is nice. The Nissan is very well done, but unfortunately has an orange interior and the cheap black wheels. But the doors open with quality like Majorettes. It’s nice to see Tomica back. I wouldn’t mind that blue FR-S or whatever it is when I see it. If I like a particular model, price is almost irrelevant to me. I’d pay $50 if anybody would make a Cordoba in 1/64 scale. But they never do. Well, maybe $25….I like that the toy car world is occasionally covered here. Oh, and Paul’s miniature ProMaster is neat!
Slightly smaller at 1:87 scale Oxford Diecast have been building up a good range of American cars which currently range from 1936 (Buick Special) to 1969 (Dodge Charger Daytona). They’ve not touched the ’70s yet, but I suspect they will in the next few years.
https://www.oxforddiecast.co.uk/collections/1-87?page=1
As an HO scale model railroaded these are are great to have.
This is exciting! I collected Tomica cars in the 70’s because I appreciated the detail. Here is a picture of my collection… including a Cadillac police car and ambulance, Dodge Monaco taxi, Old Toronado… all kinds of variety and fun stuff!
Picture
Cadillac police car and ambulance
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The police car is a typical foreign aspect of American automobile:
a typical American automobile ( that is actually visible sometimes in international market, often as one of the only representations in the area ) in a typical American livery ( that is something often seen on TV ) but the combination is almost non-exist in America.
It looks very American and very foreign at the same time, just like this Lincoln.
I have four surviving Tomicas
1) The Cadillac police car which I converted to a Fleetwood 75 limousine by removing the light bar, filing in the holes and painting it black
2) Rolls Royce Phantom VI
3) Lincoln Continental Mk 5
4) 1978 Oldsmobile Toronado
We don’t have a local Wal-Mart. I’ll have to check Target. Or see what they say at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s if I ask if they can stock them … we have two of each. But no Wal-Mart. I have a bunchnof Tomy/Tomica Toyota’s.
I thought there was a local Wal-Mart everywhere.
I bought one of the new Tomicas at WalMart – the Lexus RC F.
It is good and made in Vietnam.
Decades ago I worked in Japan a few times and bought several Tomicas then. They were made in Japan and nicer – more crisp and usually with metal baseplates. I’ll see if I can attach a photo of the two that sit on my desktop. F3 is a 911S indicated 1/61 scale. F45 is the Seville indicated 1/69 scale.
Posting photos at this site no longer works for me; hasn’t for months.
Have you tried reducing the picture size? I don’t know what the site’s size limit is, but when I reduce pictures to 1,200 pixels or less, they always go through. When I try uploading large pictures, they don’t go through and don’t give an error message either.
I had to reduce mine to 1200 today as the site would not load up the original larger images. I wish that could happen automatically as it does within the actual WP pages.
OK, I’ve resized my desktop classic Tomicas. Thank you.
Looks like we have the same Seville on our desktops. This is mine — like yours, but with more, um… patina.
This was my favorite diecast car when I was a kid, and it has the wear that shows it. A few years ago my folks gave me a bucket of all my old cars, which I passed on to my own kids, but I kept this one. I instantly recognized it — like being reacquainted with a long-lost friend. I now has the place of honor on my desk.
Just waiting for a model of my ’16 Forester XT. Couldn’t even find one in Japan last fall sad face…..
I work at walmart so that’s not a problem.
Tomica made a beautiful 1/64 Audi 80 which I regret to this day not trying to buy
I always enjoyed the detail of Tomica models. I acquired a rough sand beige FJ40 in a trade with a friend back when I was a kid.
Now I’m on a mission to get as many different manufacturer’s examples of the white A80 Supra. Hopefully Tomica makes one, I’m sure they do/will.
With a sense of humor, one of the vehicle is a “potato car” as scanned in Walmart.
Traditionally, Tomica likes to make Hamburger car, Tea house car, kindergarten van, such models rarely represented by other makes.
I enjoyed the Tomica talk and dug up my closet classics. These were all from around 1979/1981 and purchased at various locations in Japan.
450SEL, F7, scale 1/67. 300SL, F19, 1/65.
Ferrari 308 GTB, F35, scale 1/60. Lancia Stratos Turbo, F66, scale 1/62.
Willing to sell the Lancia?
VW Golf GLE, F5, scale 1/55. Jaguar XJ-S, F68, scale 1/67.
936 Turbo, F43, scale 1/59. 930 Turbo, F1, scale 1/61.