By Brad on October 28, 2024• ( 2 Comments )
Well this was a surprise! Mattel Creations sent me a very nondescript white box the other day. I contemplated what to do with it, but impatience got the best of me and I tore into it. Inside was a rigid box with a magnetic closure wrapped in yellow tissue paper. Upon opening the box was a 1:64 Scale #Mercedes-Benz Project G-Class Past II Future with a foil-stamped note from the Mattel Creations team:
In preparation for the reveal of this year’s Mercedes-Benz Project G-Class Past II Future, please enjoy this playful gift from Mattel Creations. We collaborated with Mercedes-Benz, Moncler and NIGO to create this bespoke Hot Wheels tribute. It’s a miniature token (literally) of our appreciation of your fandom, as well as a sneak peek of the NIGO-designed art piece.
To celebrate the partnership between Mercedes-Benz, Moncler, and NIGO for Moncler Genius, the skilled artisans at Mattel Creations meticulously crafted every prototype in this extremely limited series to capture the essence and exquisite design details of this vehicle in miniature.
We encourage you to create content with this Hot Wheels prototype replica of the Mercedes-Benz Project G-Class Past II Future, and please tag @mattelcreations, @hotwheelsofficial, @mercedesbenz, @moncler, and @nigo on Instagram so that we can see your love for this product!
You got it, Mattel Creations! Thank you for recognizing OTD as one of your places of choice to celebrate Hot Wheels fandom!
Let’s dive into this!
Beyond the details in the note above, no other details were provided. Release date, price, final packaging, are left to you to speculate on…
Since this is a 3D-printed #prototype, the vehicle is extremely light and fragile. If you’ve seen the other 3D-printed prototypes before, they are typically made from a blue resin, and are rarely hand-painted like this one. I have to assume that this one was designed, printed, and painted (with hand-applied decals) all in El Segundo, California, at the Mattel Design Center by the model shop team. And since this is in-fact a prototype, I have to further assume that this vehicle is still in the development stage for a Mattel Creations collaboration with Mercedes-Benz, Moncler, and NIGO, which we will be released in 2025.
The amazing fact behind my appreciation for Hot Wheels — showcased by this piece — is all the talent behind simply bringing us “toy cars”. You have the original automobile designers at Mercedes-Benz who designed the original G-Class. The word “team” cannot be taken lightly, as some designers spend years on something as simple as headlights. In automotive design, these features will influence public perception of the vehicle, and add to the legacy of the brand. Then, in the case of the #Mercedes-Benz Project G-Class Past II Future, you have a completely new vehicle that encompasses a period and silhouette of an iconic brand like #Mercedes. Moncler is a French fashion brand known for their outerwear including their iconic puffy down jackets. You can see the quilted roof is a direct reflection of Moncler’s design DNA. For more information on the 1:1, make sure you read the article on MercedesBenz.com.
Furthering the design of this 1:1 (and 1:64) scale release is NIGO, a Japanese fashion designer. NIGO was the creator of A Bathing Ape (BAPE) — a previous Hot Wheels collab. He brings with him an appreciation for ’90s design with a modern twist. Lastly, the designers (casting, graphic, and model shop) at Mattel deserve some credit. I can only imagine how tight the deadline was to put together this replica and distribute them to folks like me to showcase to you. The appreciation for all the artists involved in this project goes beyond words.
This new Hot Wheels casting goes beyond taking the existing Hot Wheels #’91 Mercedes-Benz G-Class and changing some details. This new casting was designed from the ground-up to properly replicate the new #Mercedes-Benz Project G-Class Past II Future. Most noticeable is the quilted roof which is the statement piece it is meant to be by Moncler. This new casting also appears to be slightly longer.
When you look at the #Mercedes-Benz Project G-Class Past II Future from the front, you being to see more of the modern take on the classic silhouette. I’ve place it between the Hot Wheels #’91 Mercedes-Benz G-Class and #Mercedes-AMG G 63 4×42 castings so you can see how the face of the vehicle blends the eras. Additionally, the silver-painted skid plate is a nice touch that hopefully carries forward to the actual release.
From the rear, the #Mercedes-Benz Project G-Class Past II Future looks completely different as the quilted roof wraps around while the spare tire cover features the Mercedes X Moncler logo and “PAST II FUTURE” emblazons the spare gas canister. Various latch points adorn the sides of the casting and large fender flares round up the modern touches on the exterior.
Being that this is a 3D-printed prototype, I did not want to try and remove the top to shoot the interior. I’m not sure if it is meant to be removed at this stage, so I left it intact. I will note that the interior is extremely details and features the modern amenities found in the actual 1:1 vehicle. The plaid seats are encompassed with this Hot Wheels release.
Ultimately, this Hot Wheels X Mercedes-Benz X Moncler X NIGO #Mercedes-Benz Project G-Class Past II Future appears to be the latest collaboration that will hit Mattel Creations sometime in 2025. If you have feedback for Mattel, I’m sure this is your chance to give it. I, for one, am excited to see another brand-collaboration coming our way as these pieces tend to be extremely unique and the ones non-collectors ask about most while viewing my Hot Wheels collection. Make sure you follow the #Upcoming Sales page here on OTD to keep an eye out for when this one will go on sale.
Categories: Showcase
Tagged as: '93 Mercedes-Benz G-Class, Hot Wheels, Mercedes, Mercedes-AMG G 63 4×4, Mercedes-Benz Project G-Class Past II Future, Moncler, NIGO, Prototype, Real Riders
