Here is the original dealer sample Elite that I received from Replicarz.com. Note the mostly barren driver’s side dash. And the smaller detectoscope.

Now here (below)  is the current, regular production Elite. Note the new additions: Above compass lights array, Bat-Ram lever, 2 pushbuttons, the larger button. And the detectoscope has had a scalloped base added below it and the inset panel is up closer to the outer ring. Also note that the rollbar antlers are no longer made from the soft flexible rubbery material of the standard version but are a rigid plastic now.

I like the bat-ram lever, the 2 pushbuttons and the compass array lights but the detectoscope is still too small and the configuration with the buttons is all wrong. And we can only assume that maybe they’ll all be painted in the Super E. version? To date, for me, the single best upgrade that Hot Wheels has achieved is the smaller batphone.

So what’s remarkable or at least interesting is that – like with the older Corgi variations - there are some Elites out there that are slightly, but signifigantly different than the others. These aren’t just stuck on pieces, some of them are molded into the dash now. So the dealer sampler being a hybrid of sorts has to be Preeeeety rare. There were only rumored to be a handful when they came out (I only knew of 3) So do I have a unique one? I don’t think so. I think there were probably a few more that might have shared this lack of details, but we never heard much about it.

So anyone else out there got one missing these new Elite dash details? Let us know.

Figures – as mentioned previously, we got in a first small order of figures from the caster and are starting to assemble and paint them for those orders first. The next run is due soon and we will get them all out as soon as they come in.

As we’ve said all along – this was the first time we worked with an outside production company and we won’t make the mistake of taking preorders again. I will refund anyone who is sick of waiting. Otherwise – I have to keep saying hang on, we’re working on them.

I’ll be out of town from 7/20 – 7/27 so nothing will be going out that week.

-S

Please come over and post questions, photos, tips, etc. as often as you like. We only have a couple forums right now. If we need to – we’ll split them out later. For now – we basically have one for modeling, and one for collecting.

Hope to see you there.

S.