HOT WHEELS
Elite “Presley” Dino 308 GT4
1:18 | $90
It comes in a window box, but Hot Wheels’ Elite model of the black 1976 Ferrari Dino 308 GT4, a vehicle that was once owned by Elvis Presley, all but disappears against its black packaging. No worries; this one comes alive once it’s been pulled out and put on the table. The crisp wire wheels have disc brakes behind, and realistic tires around them, and the shape of the Bertone-bodied 2+2 is right on beneath a smooth black finish. The brightwork is a combination of hard chrome and foil trim; add-ons like the photo-etched wiper arms and “Ferrari” script on the rear deck easily bring this $90 car into $120-plus territory on display. The Dino’s opening doors and boot and two hinged rear deck panels work well on tight hinges; the rear trunk is scarcely big enough to fit a fried banana sandwich, but the other panel covers a highly detailed, labeled and wired-up 3-liter V8. The dash is possibly HWE’s best to date, and the rest of the cabin is just as sweet, with photo-etched buckles and textile seat belts; under the louvered boot lid, a cabled-in and labeled battery, a wind- shield washer reservoir, and a be-clamped radiator hose are impressive inclusions, even if the spare is MIA. What makes this neat little Dino Elvis’s are the driving lights and Tennessee plates—issued, curiously enough, in February, 1978… six months after Elvis supposedly shucked off his sequined cape for good. Can we expect a signed edition soon? Highly recommended. – Joe Kelly, Jr.
hotwheels-elite.com
