Hot Wheels X-Wing Fighter Carship Debuted at San Diego Comic-Con 2016

Galactic Motorsport - When fans gather at pop culture conventions, they usually expect superheroes, cosplayers, and exclusive collectibles. But back in 2016, San Diego Comic-Con gave visitors something far more unusual—a life-sized car that looked like it had driven straight out of a galaxy far, far away. Mattel’s Hot Wheels division, already famous for pushing creativity in diecast cars, surprised the crowd with their bold take on one of Star Wars’ most legendary spacecraft: the X-Wing Fighter.

The X-Wing Fighter Carship, a full-size Star Wars-inspired creation by Hot Wheels, was engineered like a real race car, merging sci-fi imagination with motorsport precision. (Picture from: Motortrend)

This wasn’t just a static display or a flashy shell for photos. The X-Wing Fighter Carship was engineered like a real race car, blending sci-fi imagination with motorsport precision. Beneath its striking fuselage-inspired body sat the heart of a racer: a 2.0-liter 16-valve DOHC engine. 

The X-Wing Fighter Carship stayed true to the essence of the Star Wars starship by adapting it into a drivable form with two shortened wings permanently locked in attack position as a nod to its battle stance. (Picture from: Motortrend)

With jet-style intakes and custom racing slicks, the car could reach an impressive top speed of around 288 km/h (180 mph). AP Racing dual-piston caliper brakes and hollow rotors gave it the stopping power needed to balance its aggressive performance, proving that the car was designed for more than just standing still on a show floor. 

The X-Wing Fighter Carship stayed true to the essence of the Star Wars starship by adapting it into a drivable form and appearing alongside its 1:64 scale diecast version. (Picture from: Motortrend)

Visually, the vehicle stayed true to the essence of the Star Wars starship while adapting it into a drivable form. Instead of all four signature S-foils, the Carship carried two shortened wings permanently locked in attack position, a nod to the ship’s battle stance. 

The X-Wing Fighter Carship cleverly disguised its open-wheel racer base beneath a fuselage-shaped body, with a top-hinged canopy enhancing its futuristic feel. (Picture from: Motortrend)

The open-wheel racer base was cleverly disguised under a body shaped to mimic the fighter’s fuselage, while the cockpit featured a top-hinged canopy that added to its futuristic feel. It looked less like a movie prop and more like a machine ready to tear up a racetrack, even if it couldn’t actually join the Rebel fleet against the Death Star.😃

Of course, this wasn’t just a one-off spectacle. Mattel, always thinking of collectors, followed up the Comic-Con showcase by releasing a 1:64 scale diecast version later in 2016. With both the Rebel Alliance emblem and the iconic Hot Wheels logo stamped on it, the miniature became one of the fastest and most memorable additions to the brand’s orange track lineup. Fans who couldn’t see the full-sized car in person at Comic-Con could still take home a piece of that excitement in miniature form. 

Nearly a decade later, the X-Wing Fighter Carship still stands out as one of Hot Wheels’ most daring crossovers. It proved that imagination has no boundaries when car culture and pop culture collide, and it left fans with a reminder that even a toy brand can build something that feels larger than life. The project may have started as a tribute to Star Wars, but it ended up becoming its own legend among Hot Wheels. *** [EKA [05082016] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | AUTOGUIDE | MOTORTRENDS ]

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