| Hot Wheels are known for producing licensed diecast cars, and for most of the time creates concept fictional cars based on its design team’s ideas. From obscure vehicles based on random things to sometimes based on a particular car that would become part of a videogame, which has become part of the brand to keep them relevant.
The Time Shifter is an original casting from Hot Wheels, and it is also based on another car. The 2018 mainline release is the second time it was produced and part of a subtheme HW Metro mini collection series as a Delivery Van that seems to need a little bit of adoration for its simplistic concept that is rarely seen in another original casting that was produced by Mattel for their diecast brand. |
The HW Metro subtheme features licensed and original casting that are in the urban setting uniquely as compared to its product sibling with Matchbox. The 2018 mini collection doesn’t have exceptions to which vehicle is included. But fits in the specific theme that you commonly see in the city.
This is the first time Hot Wheels has categorized HW Metro as a subtheme or mini collection up until 2020, which also includes the exclusive 5-packs as part of the mainline segment series mixed of fiction and licensed vehicles.
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Shifting Every Time
Like all Hot Wheels cars comes packaged in a blister card, features the artwork of the car’s current livery, and sometimes has a blurb that can be used for Hot Wheels trademarked orange tracks. It also shows which segment or series it is part of when you see it on the right side of the card
Since this is the second time the Time Shifter is released there’s no description on the back, and it is also an international card for the reasons details of the product are limited and there’s nothing much there other than the product art and the vehicle resting on the blister bubble.
Delivery by Design
The Time Shifter is the sedan/panel van version of the Time Attaxi with the “Pizza Delivery” graphics matching the yellow plastic base and red coat of paint over the metal body. Originally, the Time Shifter was a new model for 2017 as a tire-service delivery vehicle as you can see the interior through its tinted smoke-black window roof.
It’s less convincing to make you think it’s a pizza delivery van when you see all the interior details. The smoke black windows also are part of the van’s translucent non-opening rear doors. Besides that, the protruding filter on the vehicle’s hood is prominent similar to the Time Attaxi.
Features:
- Pizza Delivery graphics with toppings on the side
- Detailed interiors through the translucent smoked window roof
- RA6 wheel type 6 spokes that do not reach the center
Blending in the Metro
For its unique concept design, the Time Shifter is simple in design and not outrageously exaggerated like most original Hot Wheels castings. Despite being only available in the mainline twice, and only being sold as part of a separate series the Time Shifter is a modern delivery van and Jun Imai’s designs can blend in the real world as one of those high-speed panel vans.
It’s an underrated concept vehicle that deserves more variations the same way the Time Attaxi has had A LOT of releases since it was first introduced in 2016. Hot Wheels should give it a better livery for the next release in the mainline. But the pizza graphics certainly got its attention.
Overall the Time Shifter looks like a fast delivery van, and it translates to the real world just about right not as an obscure casting. It makes perfect sense why it came out as a Pizza delivery van than another random tire service, which has so much potential not just another original casting a livery of an Avengers that made no sense.
“Time Shifter” is a Hot Wheels Originals part of the HW Metro segment series and overall 248/365 released in 2018, which was acquired at Toys R' Us in Greenbelt Mall for ₱ 119.75 Pesos (** $ 3.24 AUD | $ 2.50 USD). Hot Wheels is locally distributed by Richwell Global Inc in the Philippines.
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