Hot Wheels PREMIUM Pop Culture Kool Kombi Barbie

The Hot Wheels Kool Kombi Barbie, product number HXD96, is a 1:64 scale collectible model car from the Hot Wheels Premium line, released in 2024 as part of the Pop Culture: Barbie series. This die-cast toy is aimed at collectors of classic Volkswagens, fans of the Barbie brand, and collectors of the Pop Culture line. The Kool Kombi Barbie HXD96 collectible model comes on a premium card with a protective box. The Kool Kombi casting was designed for Mattel by Tony Martino and made its debut in 2013 in the HW Showroom: HW Hot Trucks series. The casting depicts a first-generation split-window Volkswagen Type 2, modified into a shortened "Shorty" delivery van version with an open tailgate and protruding surfboards. At the rear of the body, there is also a large stinger-style exhaust pipe and two small stabilizing wheelie bars. The 2024 Barbie version features a white and turquoise body. Decorations include the "Barbie" wordmark and Barbie logo on the sides and tailgate, turquoise stripes on the roof, and detailed headlights and taillights. The base of the toy car is made of metal and painted white, the windows have a yellow tint, and the interior is pink. The model rides on pink WLRR10SP rims with Real Riders rubber tires featuring a white stripe. Production takes place in Indonesia. Compared to the earlier Barbie release, number HCP03, the HXD96 version has more accurately rendered headlights. The model was created as part of a collaboration between two Mattel brands – Hot Wheels and Barbie. Barbie is a doll introduced to the market by Mattel in 1959, created by Ruth Handler, a co-founder of the company. Over the decades, the brand has become one of the most recognizable toys in the world and has spawned numerous film, animated, and collectible series. The model's decorations are kept in Barbie's signature white, turquoise, and pink color scheme, and the entire release is available exclusively in the limited premium Pop Culture line. The prototype is the Volkswagen Type 2, a family of utility vehicles produced by Volkswagen since 1949. The first generation, designated T1 and designed by Ben Pon, was distinguished by a split windshield and a rear-mounted engine driving the rear axle. Production of the T1 generation ended in 1967, and this bus became a symbol of surfing culture and the automotive counterculture of the 1960s. Pop Culture releases are distinguished by a metal base, rubber tires, and limited availability. The combination of the iconic Volkswagen bus with the Barbie brand makes the HXD96 a sought-after addition to both Hot Wheels collections and Barbie-themed sets. Does the Hot Wheels Kool Kombi Barbie HXD96 have rubber tires? Yes, the model rides on Real Riders rubber tires with a white stripe, mounted on pink WLRR10SP rims. How does the HXD96 differ from the earlier HCP03 release? The HXD96 version has more accurately rendered headlights than the HCP03 release. What car does the Kool Kombi casting replicate? It is a first-generation (T1) split-window Volkswagen Type 2, in a shortened, custom delivery van version.