The Mattel Disney CARS line is unusual in that since Disney is the licensor, there are some crossover releases that are “canon” if they are in scale and is an acceptable placeholder if there’s no matching Mattel release  or in other cases, a better scale than a Mattel release (for instance, the Disney Store Combat Ship is in scale, huge and much more appropriate than the Mattel release).

So, how do the Queen release from the Disney Store & Mattel stack up?

For the longest time, there was only one Queen release from the Disney Store – so it was a mostly acceptable release … and if Mattel had not gotten around to the Queen, it would’ve been an acceptable stand-in, not great but acceptable.

At the end of the day, now with the Mattel release – the crown belongs to the Mattel Queen.

It’s the one on the right. It’s longer and heavier. It has much nicer smaller details such as the headlamps have a raised surface on the borders, it conveys that it’s a headlamp cover while the Disney Store are white circles painted on a flat surface. The Mattel ones are elements with a shadow on the edges giving you the impression they are real headlamps – nicely done! And as you can see, the grill is much more detailed as are other elements on the CAR.

While the DS one has painted eyebrows, it really doesn’t add or subtract much without it.

About the only element that is nicer on the DS one is that the crown has holes in the element to convey a much more realistic looking crown while Mattel saved a little by a design which didn’t require as much quality control with an easier design element but at the end of the day, neither convey a jewel encrusted headpiece of a royal so it is what it is.

The Disney Store Queen (left) has no license plate and again, much more lacking in detail. So in this case, the DS Queen was an appropriate stand-in but the real Queen is here – time for a swap.

Here they are with Sgt. Highgear (another Disney Store release with no Mattel release). That is Mattel’s Prince Wheeliam. He sent this pic before Sir Harley Gassup was released.

Thanks for all the great pics, “John H.” Clearly he is intent on creating the proper London look and feel. I’m guessing he’ll be buying massive amounts of the Mr. Chauncey, the black London cabbie CAR. 🙂

Thanks, “John H!”