he name Speed Racer brings forth memories of early Japanese animation—an exciting story of a young race-car driver and his family and their attempts to demonstrate the supremacy of their home-made racing wonder, the Mach 5, the fastest car on earth.
As much a household name as Star Trek or Star Wars, Speed Racer continues to occupy the thoughts of fans worldwide. In recent years, a revival in this show's popularity has spurred a new wave of merchandising. Many models of the Mach 5 have been made available through the efforts of several companies, including Playing Mantis, which released several series of Speed Racer die-cast cars at 1:64 scale, ReSaurus, which released a plastic fully-functional Mach 5 playset a couple of years ago, and Polar Lights, which released snap-kit and level 3 plastic models of the car, to name but a few.
With so many versions available, one might think the market flooded, but the truth is that no matter how good these past models have been, they were not perfect. Each lacked something.
Today, Racing Champions/ERTL have produced (ironically in their American Muscle line of cars) what may be the definitive 1:18 scale model of this extraordinary car, complete with features that would make Speed himself jealous.
Measuring approximately 11 inches in length, this die-cast and plastic model boasts features as standard as rubber wheels, opening doors, trunk and hood, tilting seats and front wheels that steer via the steering wheel, but it also sports such fantastical features as an opening panel for the bird-like flying probe, raisable periscope, protruding front saw blades and power jacks.
Beneath the hood is a highly detailed V12 engine, the dash is highly detailed, including printed gauges, and the steering wheel sports the familiar button-dial which activates all of the Mach 5's hidden features.
With this model comes a soft plastic figure of Chim Chim, a monkey belonging to Speed's younger brother, Spritle, who often stows away aboard the Mach 5.
State-of-the-art Speed
ERTL has long been one of the finest manufacturers of die-cast models in the United States, noted often for its excellent farm equipment, tractors and other detailed construction vehicles. A few years ago, its General Lee car from the Dukes of Hazzard show was a popular item for collectors of entertainment-based vehicles.
Racing Champions ERTL may have surpassed itself with this fine car. Not only does this model capture the sleek stylings of the original anime model, but it does so without forgetting to add functionality and fun. Rather than shying away from play features, which often cause manufacturers to compromise form for function, this car is packed with them, while leaving the sleek look intact.
The car sports clear headlights and a hood that tilts forward, revealing an excellently detailed engine. On the hood is a panel that pops up to reveal a non-removable aerial probe. The side doors swing open smoothly and the seats tilt forward, though for no apparent reason. Behind the driver's seat is a periscope that raises and retracts with a push. The rear trunk opens to reveal a storage area.
The real fun of this model is underneath. While some models may include the saw blades often seen in the show, most have them as add-ons that snap into place. This model brilliantly has the blades on a sliding rail that extracts them, separating them as they move forward, and retracts them, hiding them from view. Beware, however, as the blades and their shafts are made of plastic, and may break if mishandled. The blades spin freely.
One of the other cool features is the set of four "ion jacks" that retract from near the wheel housings. Cleverly, these stay hidden until rotated, then they are retractable, telescoping down with three moving segments each. Rotating them again locks them in the open position, though the smallest segments are thin. The jacks can support the car's weight, but care should be taken to avoid breaking the thin legs.
The real fan of Speed Racer need look no further for the perfect Mach 5. It has arrived.
