November 2010 Notable Toys — Vehicles - Small Toy

Harry Allen loves trucks. His immaculately restored 1964 Willys Jeep was recently featured in the New York Times, but it was his fond memories of playing in the dirt that lead him to the idea of "Pickup". The beauty of any pickup truck is its utilitarian aesthetic - four strong wheels and the capacity to haul cargo. Harry had function on his mind as he cast a toy truck and turned it into a catch-all bowl.  "Pickup" is functional art for the home.  Available now in chrome or white, coming soon in gold, neon orange, and Limited Edition blue chrome.

  The GeoTrax Christmas In ToyTown RC Train Set features working lights in each of the cars that automatically activates lights in the mini-sites as it passes by, 2 moveable street lights, a bridge that plays holiday music and lights up 4 lamp posts along with the track underneath the bridge, and a skating rink w/spot lights.  Also included are 16 Pieces of durable, Snap-Lock track, holiday decor that snaps onto the guard rails, street lamps, a bridge, a Station, and Signs that can be placed throughout the set.
— As of 10.25.2010, this product had 4 out of 5 stars from 4 reviews on ToysRUs.com and this product was listed No. 25 in ToysRUs.com's best-selling toys.  PROS: Easy to assemble.

Cruise on the surface or dive for underwater fun, with this replica 1942 Balao/Gato class submarine. The submarine works in the bathtub and the pool and features adjustable diving planes and an adjustable rudder, so one can control diving, surfacing and steering.

Built from the vaults of history this replica of the Titanic cruises on the water surface. This Titanic works in the bathtub and the pool and features adjustable rudder, so one can control its voyage.

The Strong Arm Fire Engine is a new free-wheeling vehicle with a multi-action trigger-lever built right in. Pull and rev up the lever and watch the sparks fly in the arm’s window as the siren wails. Squeeze the lever’s trigger to raise the fire engine’s ladder. This sturdy vehicle is kid-powered with plenty of playtime action.
Awards: Dr. Toy 100 Best Children's Products - 2010

Kids can watch Chuck the Dump Truck as he zooms and flips through this stunt park play set. This stunt set features lights, sounds, moveable track pieces, and a hand-crank elevator. The toy also comes with a Tonka Chuck & Friends storybook.

Air Hogs MotoFrenzy is designed to be the world's smallest remote-control motorbike. Measuring 3.25" x 2.25", it comes with an action figure and can do jumps and sharp turns without losing its balance.

This collection includes four scenes including County Roads, Hot Pursuit, Hitchin’ a Ride and new to the bunch, Road Racers. These replicas feature opening hoods, detailed engines, real rubber tires, metal body and chassis, detailed graphics and custom license plates, and are officially licensed.

Kids can take a drive on the wild side with this full-size Blue T900 Truck. This big blue truck features a universal connector system, enabling the rapid interchange of parts so that drivers can expand their creative play to take on new adventures.

This Automoblox pack is designed to make playtime fun and creative. The Automoblox hot rod minis feature a universal connector system that enables the rapid interchange of parts, and are conveniently sized for on-the-go car design. The set includes a red/black HR1, a black/gray HRw and a red/chrome HR3.
— Jeanette Lauture, owner of Aunt Jean’s Toys & Treats in Montclair, N.J., sells approximately 4 to 10 per month.

With realistic, modern details shrunk down to a size that fits in the palm of a child's hand, the Service Center 5-Pack of Matchbox cars from Mattel brings the excitement of city streets within reach.  Tow truck, fuel tanker semi, heavy duty pickup and the other members of the set are completed with believable branding.  Matchbox cars can be collected or traded, and their durable die-cast construction will stand up to plenty of play.
— “[Matchbox] is a good price point for our store,” said Mike Snyder, manager of The Game Place in Charlottesville, Va. Snyder said his wife refers to Matchbox cars as “reward toys”.
— Out of 38 retailers, four said Matchbox cars from Mattel are their top-selling die-cast item, reporting sales averaging 40 per month during a July 2010 survey.
— In a Summer 2012 survey about die-cast toys, Dean Smith, owner of JaZams in Princeton, N.J., told TDmonthly that they sell about 12 of this Matchbox car 5 pack each month.

The Hot Tunerz 5-Pack of Hot Wheels cars from Mattel features five different models and five sharp paint jobs on realistic street racing cars.  The free-rolling cars are modeled to a detailed 1:64 scale, and are a great starter or addition to a collection of other Hot Wheels cars.
—“You can't have a toy store without Hot Wheels,” said Sue Hottel, owner of No Kidding in Mattapoisett, Mass., in July 2010.
— Six out of 38 retailers said Hot Wheels are a best-selling item during a July 2010 survey of top-selling die-cast items.
— Gwen Bowden, manager of Doodlehopper 4 Kids in Springfield, Va., told TDmonthly in a Summer 2011 survey that her best-selling die-cast is "Hot wheel cars, both singles and 5 or 6 packs." She sells about 36 each month.

Few vehicles on the city streets captivate children as much as the garbage truck.  This big modern semi, detailed at a 1:43 scale and complete with an opening back hatch, lets kids have their very own to drive around the towns of their imagination.  The pull-back motor sends it zipping off on its route.
— Eight out of 38 retailers surveyed in July 2010 by TDmonthly said Schylling is their top-selling die-cast line.
— "We sell the small cars and trucks by Schylling every day," Grafton Stine, owner of Toys on the Square in Hummelstown, Pa., told TDmonthly in a 2011 survey.
— Diana Nelson, owner of Kazoo & Company in Denver, Col., told TDmonthly in a Summer 2012 survey that "Schylling has some of the best die-cast pricing along with Toysmith."

The 320D L delivers power, durability and pinpoint control. It’s a workhorse machine at construction sites the world over. Model dimensions: 4-3/8 x 1-1/2 x 2-3/8 in.

With its large, centered operator station and expansive glass area, the 772 truck sets the standard for operator visibility in a 50 ton truck. It’s also the fastest Cat off-highway truck, with a top loaded speed of 49.5 mph. Model dimensions: 4 x 2-3/8 x 1-3/4 in.

Caterpillar recently introduced the 374D to replace the 365C excavator, one of the most popular machines in the company’s history. The 374D combines improved fuel efficiency with higher performance, easier serviceability and greater operator comfort.

Cat F-Series Mining trucks combine a heritage of global leadership with today’s most advanced technologies for performance, safety, durability and comfort. The 793F truck has a nominal payload capacity of 250 tons.

Cat pipelayers have been the standard of the worldwide pipelining industry for decades. The 587T is the flagship of the line, having a 202,000-pound lift capacity.

M-Series motor graders set the worldwide standard for performance and precision. The 24M model is the largest in the line, with a gross vehicle weight of more than 137,000 pounds and a 24-foot-wide moldboard.

Caterpillar’s Governmental & Defense Products division supports military customers with earthmoving and construction machines developed specifically to deliver high productivity and exceptional durability — while working in some of the world’s most demanding environments. This detailed 1:50 scale Cat® machine die-cast model is precisely presented in the “Desert Tan” paint scheme one would see at bases camps airfields and other military locations around the globe.

Caterpillar’s Governmental & Defense Products division supports military customers with earthmoving and construction machines developed specifically to deliver high productivity and exceptional durability — while working in some of the world’s most demanding environments. This detailed 1:50 scale Cat® machine die-cast model is precisely presented in the “Desert Tan” paint scheme one would see at bases camps airfields and other military locations around the globe.

Caterpillar’s Governmental & Defense Products division supports military customers with earthmoving and construction machines developed specifically to deliver high productivity and exceptional durability — while working in some of the world’s most demanding environments. This detailed 1:50 scale Cat® machine die-cast model is precisely presented in the “Desert Tan” paint scheme one would see at bases camps airfields and other military locations around the globe.

Caterpillar’s Governmental & Defense Products division supports military customers with earthmoving and construction machines developed specifically to deliver high productivity and exceptional durability — while working in some of the world’s most demanding environments. This detailed 1:50 scale Cat® machine die-cast model is precisely presented in the “Desert Tan” paint scheme one would see at bases camps airfields and other military locations around the globe.

Caterpillar’s Governmental & Defense Products division supports military customers with earthmoving and construction machines developed specifically to deliver high productivity and exceptional durability — while working in some of the world’s most demanding environments. This detailed 1:50 scale Cat® machine die-cast model is precisely presented in the “Desert Tan” paint scheme one would see at bases camps airfields and other military locations around the globe.