Hot Wheels’ real-life Darth Vader car

Published Jul 24, 2014

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San Diego, California - Ever wondered what kind of car Darth Vader would drive? So apparently, has toymaker Mattel, parent company of Hot Wheels toy cars. The result: a collaboration between Hot Wheels and LucasFilm, custodian of the Star Wars brand, on a whole new line of Star Wars-inspired character cars, replica die-cast starships and playsets.

Including the 1:64 scale Darth Vader car, neatly boxed in what looks like a light-sabre handle for $40 (R420). The new collection is having its world premiere this week at the annual San Dieo Comic-Con, so Mattel commissioned the Picture Car Warehouse to create a full-size version for its booth at the convention.

The show car's 'Vader mask' front treatment - in genuine carbon fibre - is mirrored in the dash-board layout; it's based on a Chevrolet Corvette C5 chassis with a tweaked LS3 V8 that's good for 392kW, running on custom rims from MHT and special red-line tyres - but apparently it's limited to 130km/h for safety reasons.

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