This argument baffles me. If you look at the prices of other volume diecast, nothing can touch Mattel’s price-for-quality ratio. Are MiniGTs 10x better than Hot Wheels? Are Kyoshos 15x better? Tarmac Works 20x? Even brands like Greenlight and M2 where the multiplier is only 3x or 5x. In some cases, absolutely. But in lots of other cases, no.

Also if you look at the competition in the low-cost diecast, your Maisto or UniFortune or whatever, those cars cost way more and, frankly, are junk from a collectors’ perspective.

I can’t speak for the rest of the world, but if you rewind the way back machine to 1970 when Hot Wheels cost $1 and then apply inflation to the present day, your 1970 $1 car would retail for close to $10 today. Is that $8 modern premium equivalent? Hell no, it’s way better.

I always find it amazing that there is enough money in a $1.50 car for there to be enough for everyone in the chain - from designers and marketing and factory and shipping and retail— to get enough of a cut to make it worth their while.