ERRATUM: We Finally Found the REAL Golden Promo Lightning McQueen assortment in France!

A few weeks ago, I published an article announcing that the highly anticipated “Golden” Promo Lightning McQueen had finally arrived in France. At the time, I was convinced that I had identified the correct shipping assortment — but it turns out I was wrong!

So, it’s time for an important erratum.

How I Got It Wrong

When I first came across the assortment, one particular detail immediately caught my attention: the words “GOLDEN PROMO.”

That was exactly what I was looking for. I had been actively searching for the 20th Anniversary Golden Promo Lightning McQueen, so seeing those words printed on a Mattel shipping carton naturally made me think I had found the right assortment.

And things became even more convincing when I opened the box and actually found several Golden Lightning McQueen cars inside!

At that point, I was pretty much convinced that this was the Golden Promo assortment.

There was, however, one detail that should have made me stop and think: the assortment clearly identified the contents as “HW MT 1:64 GOLDEN PROMO.” In other words, it was referring to a Hot Wheels 1:64 product rather than the Disney Pixar Cars 1:55 scale release.

The reference printed on that assortment was also JJB12-9796.

In hindsight, the clues were there. I simply focused too much on the words “Golden Promo” and on the fact that I had found some Golden McQueens inside.

My original article therefore incorrectly identified this assortment as the dedicated Golden Promo Lightning McQueen assortment.

And Then… The REAL Assortment Appeared!

Fortunately, my good friend B. Marceau came to the rescue!

While visiting Smyths Toys stores in France, he managed to find the assortment that actually corresponds to the 20th Anniversary Golden Promo Lightning McQueen.

And this time, there is absolutely no ambiguity.

B. Marceau kindly gave me permission to share his photographs, and they finally give us a proper look at the official promotional assortment.

The assortment clearly advertises the promotion:

“Dès 20€ d’achat sur la gamme Disney Cars = UN VÉHICULE ANNIVERSAIRE 20 ANS OFFERT”

In other words, spend €20 or more on the Disney Cars range and receive a 20th Anniversary vehicle for free.

And this is indeed the promotion we were waiting for!

24 Golden Lightning McQueens Per Assortment

There is another interesting detail revealed by these photographs.

The official Smyths Toys assortment contains 24 Golden Promo Lightning McQueen vehicles.

That is quite a contrast with the assortment I originally reported, which contained only eight pieces.

The correct assortment is also clearly associated with the Disney Pixar Cars 20th Anniversary promotion, rather than a Hot Wheels assortment.

The Golden Promo Lightning McQueen itself is the 1:55 scale Cars release, catalogued as JMJ86-9633, rather than the Hot Wheels 1:64 item indicated on the assortment I originally found.

So, for collectors trying to identify the correct packaging, this distinction is particularly important.

The Promotion Is Now Officially Underway

According to the promotional assortment, Smyths Toys stores in France are offering the 20th Anniversary vehicle from August 18 through September 7, 2026.

The offer is available when spending at least €20 on the Disney Cars range.

The promotional vehicle is identified on the assortment as reference 261128.

This finally explains why the Golden Promo Lightning McQueen has been turning up in France in a rather unusual way: it isn't simply being released as another regular Cars single.

Instead, it is being distributed as part of a special promotional campaign.

And, of course, this makes the Golden McQueen even more interesting for collectors.

What Happens After September 7?

There is one question that remains unanswered:

What will happen to the remaining Golden Promo Lightning McQueens after the promotion ends?

At the moment, the product listing for the Golden Promo Lightning McQueen has disappeared from the Smyths Toys website.

That makes me wonder whether the remaining stock will eventually be put on regular sale once the promotion is over.

Personally, that's my prediction.

If Smyths Toys still has Golden McQueens left after September 7, I wouldn't be surprised to see them become available for individual purchase, just like the other Cars models.

Of course, that's only my speculation for now — we'll have to wait and see what Smyths decides to do with the remaining stock.

The REAL Golden Promo Lightning McQueen has arrived in France!

And there is another interesting development: over the past week, collectors in the United States are now starting to find him in their local stores as well, suggesting that the release is becoming much more widespread than initially experienced.

Happy hunting, everyone — and this time, make sure you're checking the right assortment! ⚡🏁