New wooden toys created of “Cars” characters

Those who love to collect the massive amount of memorabilia from the 2006 Disney/Pixar animated movie “Cars” will have a new bunch of toys to acquire.

Toys “R” Us and Disney announced today it is launching its first series of wooden vehicles from the film, much of which uses the fictional Route 66 town of Radiator Springs as its setting.

According to the news release:

[…] The current collection of 15 items consists of a variety of collectible Cars vehicle 2-packs, destination playsets and a track set giving kids a unique way to recreate the storyline from the 2006 blockbuster movie.  The wood line will soon be expanded with vehicles and playsets based on the highly anticipated release of Cars 2, in theaters June 24, 2011.

The Disney-Pixar Cars Wood Collection is one of this year’s first Toys”R”Us global exclusives with the full product line available in the U.S., Canada, Japan, Australia, U.K., Spain, Portugal, France, Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Cars enthusiasts, both young and old, can collect all of their favorite, four-wheeled characters like Lightning McQueen, Mater, Doc Hudson and Sally, and race through an adventure-filled wood world of ramps and tracks down the iconic Route 66 to end up at original Cars destinations, such as Tow Mater’s Yard or Luigi’s Casa Della Tires.  Customers can find the distinctive wood vehicles, playsets and track set in the Imaginarium® department of Toys”R”Us stores.

The toys are available at Toys”R”Us stores and here at ToysRUs.com.

The series includes:

Disney-Pixar Cars wood collection vehicle 2-Packs (with photos below): “Radiator Springs Lightning McQueen and Sally; Doc Hudson and Dusty Lightning McQueen; Fillmore and Sarge; Flo and Ramone; Mater and Hudson Hornet Doc; The King and Chick Hicks; Dinoco McQueen and Tex; and Wingo and Boost.

“Additionally, the following Disney-Pixar Cars Wood Collection Vehicle 2-Packs will be available exclusively at Toys”R”Us this spring: DJ and Snot Rod; Cruisin’ Lightning McQueen and Ramone; Tractor and Young Tow Mater; Red and Guido.”

Luigi’s Casa Della Tires Playset (photo below): “While visiting Luigi’s, kids can spin his tower of tires, stop by the air pump for a “fill up,” or crank-up the vehicles onto the mechanic’s ramp for a quick tune-up before launching them onto the track.  This playset includes a Luigi vehicle.”

Tow Mater’s Yard Playset: “Kids can use the working crane to grab, lift, swing and drop the vehicles into the fenced-in tow yard or head out into Radiator Springs through the quick-escape ramp that exits through the garage. This playset includes a Mater vehicle.”

Sheriff’s Race ‘n Chase Track Set: Cars fans will be delighted to relive one of the film’s classic scenes – when Lightning McQueen first raced through Radiator Springs frantically searching for Mack with Sheriff hot on his bumper!  Kids can race through the set, knock down a row of cones and topple a tower of Luigi’s tires.  This set includes a special edition metallic Lightning McQueen vehicle, a Sheriff vehicle, a Radiator Springs billboard sign for Sheriff to hide behind, a race ‘n chase ramp, interchangeable track pieces and four tires.”

All told, the entire set likely will cost about $200.

Although “Cars” was a modest hit by Pixar’s lofty standards, the film has proven to be a bonanza for memorabilia sales. In just the first year the film was released, it was estimated that “Cars” memorabilia generated about $200 million in sales.

(Photos courtesy of Disney, Toys”R”Us)

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