Mattel Pixar Diecast CARS: The Storyteller’s Book & Full Story …
Thanks to CollectorMom who found the book at Target, we know everything there is to know about this Expanded Universe line … the reason the book as not listed was that the book is called WORLD OF CARS (nothing about Storytellers) and what we thought were individual books was actually chapters with this book.
So, to avoid any confusion, here is everything you wanted to know about CARS Expanded Universe: Storytellers and you were not afraid to ask – repeatedly – all together in one post 🙂
First, the bible of the this Expanded Universe:
This deluxe jacketed, hardcover storybook reveals all this and more in five delightful, brand-new adventures! Find out about Flo’s glamorous life before Radiator Springs and how Doc Hudson escaped the racetrack’s limelight to become a doctor. Plus there are two elaborate gatefolds (including a map following Guido and Luigi’s crazy road trip across the United States!) and an introduction by the film’s award-winning director John Lasseter.”
There are TWO VERSIONS of the book – the regular version (shown above) $10.87 – available at most bookstores including Amazon in the US.
At Target, there is an EXCLUSIVE version with a read-along CD – $16.99
SEPARATELY …
To accompany the books, there will be 15 CARS (4 NEW) released as 11 singles and as 5 different 3-packs. retail price is $5.99 & $14.99.
And to REPEAT, the books are sold separately from the CARS. I’m presuming eventually they will have some sort of standee or endcap so you will know to buy both but for now, you might have to look in two places.
Some pics of the inside pages by CollectorMom:
The full list of 15 CARS in the STORYTELLER series – of which there are 4 NEW CARS (in RED):
Brand New Mater
Doc Hudson
Dusty Rust-Eze
Fabulous Hudson Hornet
Flo
Fred (re-scaled)
Guido
Luigi
Retro Ramone
Red
Rusty Dust-Eze
Smell Swell Lightning McQueen
Sponsorless Lightning McQueen
Tractor
Wedding Day Ramone
(Yes, all 1:55 scale – the other 11 not-new CARS are directly from the “mainline.”)
Some of the chapters of the book that tell the “prequel story” are represented by the following 3-packs:
AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR
(3-Pack of: Dusty Rust-Eze, Rusty Dust-Eze & Retro Ramone)
“Mack delivers Rust-eze across the country and Lightning McQueen has a different sponsor. How did they team up to make it to the Piston Cup?”
BANGED UP
(3-Pack of: Smell Swell McQueen, Fabulous Hudson Hornet & Fred)
“The Fabulous Hudson Hornet was a three-time Piston Cup winner. How did he go from racing champion to life in the slow lane as a Doctor of Internal Combustion?”
CIAO, AMERICA!
(3-Pack of: Guido, Luigi & Red)
NO DESCRIPTION AVAILABLE YET.
HOOKWINKED
(3-Pack of: Wedding Day Ramone, Brand New Mater & Tractor)
“Mater wasn’t always a rusty old tow truck. Find out why he started driving backwards and how he lost his hood while having a truckload of fun”
SHOWSTOPPER
(3-Pack of: Sponsorless Lightning McQueen, Flo & Doc Hudson)
NO DESCRIPTION AVAILABLE YET.
Again, CARS & BOOK available separately.
Front of Singles Card
Singles Card – Opened.
Beyond the 4 new CARS … this will to be the first opportunity to own Tractor, Red, Flo, Rusty & Dusty on their own card though with the special clasp packaging.
Also, for some reason, if you only want Dusty or only want Rusty, here’s your chance to buy just them separately (or of course, in a 3-pack with Retro Ramone).
Back of Singles Card
One of the 3-packs …
(OPENED – LEFT SIDE OF THREE-PACK CARD)
And this also seems be an extra opportunity to own the new ‘re-scaled” Fred.
(OPENED – RIGHT SIDE OF THREE-PACK CARD)
(BACK OF THREE-PACK)
Wedding Day Ramone
Retro Ramone (that is his listed name – not a guess)
Smell Swell McQueen is also available with The Simpletown Speedway track (track currently available with two-piece McQueen). Presumably also a Target exclusive.
Intro to other CARS books.
It is hitting a few of the shelves of Target. Is it up early? Probably. The official publication date of the book is October 21 – conveniently around the day of the Target holiday reset so you might need to wait a few more weeks.
Since this is an exclusive, most information regarding it is unavailable … Target generally does a good job of supporting its broad-based exclusives so I would imagine we should see an endcap or a standee with the books and some of the CARS. I imagine that the initial shipment should be full and they should be stocked through December but its success is difficult to gauge outside the new CARS. It does cost $2.50 more for a single CAR for what is essentially slightly nicer packaging and in the case of the 3-packs, about $4 more than the other 3-packs. During the holidays and if the book is next to it, it should sell fine as a gift giving item as it’s a nice combo … and while Red should garner interest at $5.99 … I can’t imagine a great run of Doc costing $2.50 more just for a velcro clasp packaging version even during the holidays (regardless of the economic malaise about to hit).
The link above is for the online link for the book alone but don’t forget to check back at Target.com to see if these are available online in a few weeks.
And down the line, will we see some of the 4 CARS only available here available as part of the regular line? I think it will depend on the success of the Storytellers … if it continues, I think those 4 (and other new ones) will stay in this expanded universe but if not, they might create a new “ticket color” for 2010 for these … but either way, I would not anticipate seeing these as part of the regular for a while …
From PistonDad69 …
The Single DCPI number is #087071794 – $5.99
The 3 Pack DCPI number is #087071730 – $14.99
The UPC & ISBN number for the Target book with the CD is: 9781423119265
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metroxing
10 October 2008
Advertising, CARS, Checklist, collecting, diecast, Film, Internet, Marketing, Mattel Disney Pixar CARS, Media, Retail, Toys, TV
42 Comments
