The Final Lap Collection series logo, featuring Dexter Hoover waving a white flag.
- "It's the final lap and a race to the finish! Collect 40 new characters from the CARS movie, but don't speed by any classics you missed the first time around!"
- —Original tagline
The Final Lap Collection was a limited series of die-cast Character Cars by Mattel, that was exclusively sold at Target stores within the United States. Following the switch to "Lenticular" mainline cars late in Race O Rama and into the Drifting Series, the "classic" fixed-eye models were relegated to store-exclusive items and collections, with the Final Lap Collection designed to continue releasing lesser-known characters and appease longtime collectors.
The series was first released in October 2009, with its final assortment appearing in early 2011; beginning in April 2011, Cars models a whole were temporarily discontinued as marketing shifted focus to that summer's Cars 2 film.
History[]
Unlike all other store-exclusive collections in the line's history, Final Lap models included the character's respective collector number just as the mainline Drifting singles did, though it omitted the logo and label color to represent the character's segment designation. Final Lap singles featured a unified, brown nameplate, similar in shape to the "normal" one. They also maintained that year's core "Drifting" motif.
The cardback notably teased a total of 40 exclusive, never-produced characters from the Cars film, while encouraging collectors to look out for re-releases from previous series. While the first four shipping assortments contained low quantities of long-time models like Lightning McQueen and The King, boxes from "E" onwards exclusively contained new characters; no "new" model appeared in more than one case.
Starting from "Case G" onwards, the cardback bio was slightly modified:
- "It's the final lap and a race to the finish! Collect 40 never produced, 1:55 die-cast vehicles of characters from the CARS movie, but don't speed by any classics you missed the first time around!"
A final total of 34 new models were ultimately released, five of which were initially featured in the 2009 Collector Guide and poster but never distributed - these were joined by ten older re-releases.
Models[]
| Toy # | Col. # | Name | Model photo | Package photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R4362 | 1 | Lightning McQueen | 
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| R1957 | 2 | Radiator Springs Lightning McQueen | 
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| R1958 | 10 | Fabulous Hudson Hornet | 
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| R8676 | 17 | Ramone | 
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| R1959 | 19 | Brand New Mater | 
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| R4364 | 20 | Mater | 
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| R4409 | 24 | Chick Hicks | 
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| R4387 | 38 | Fillmore | 
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| R4413 | 46 | Sheriff | 
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| R4425 | 47 | The King | 
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| R8658 | 98 | Costanzo Della Corsa NEW |
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| R4376 | 99 | Blowing Bubbles Mater NEW |
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| R1955 | 103 | Skip Ricter NEW |
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| R4360 | 106 | Polly Puddlejumper NEW |
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| R4372 | 107 | Muddy Lightning McQueen NEW |
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| R4394 | 116 | Pit Crew Member Sarge NEW |
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| R4406 | 119 | Vern NEW |
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| R4416 | 122 | Jay Limo NEW |
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| R8664 | 123 | Lightning McQueen with Shovel NEW |
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| R8666 | 126 | Marlon "Clutches" McKay NEW |
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| R8668 | 127 | Lightning McQueen with Cone NEW |
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| R8671 | 133 | Duff Wrecks NEW |
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| R4359 | 138 | Antonio Veloce Eccellente NEW |
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| R4361 | 139 | Dexter Hoover with Checkered Flag NEW |
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| R4395 | 140 | One Eye Mater NEW |
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| R4383 | 141 | Donna Pits NEW |
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| R4384 | 142 | Nick Stickers NEW |
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| R4405 | 143 | Wet Lightning McQueen NEW |
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| R8667 | 144 | Race Damaged Mood Springs NEW |
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| T0646 | 145 | Johnny NEW |
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| T0647 | 146 | Jamie NEW |
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| R8727 | 147 | Bert NEW |
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| T0648 | 148 | Flo with Tray NEW |
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| R4417 | 149 | Artie NEW |
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| R8662 | 150 | Valerie Veate NEW |
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| R8722 | 151 | Marty Brakeburst NEW |
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| R8665 | 152 | Jonathan Wrenchworths NEW |
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| R8706 | 153 | Matthew "True Blue" McCrew NEW |
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| R8661 | 154 | Timothy Timezone Truecoat NEW |
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| R8669 | 155 | Marilyn NEW |
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| R8705 | 156 | Milo NEW |
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| R8673 | 157 | Coriander Widetrack NEW |
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| R8674 | 158 | Swift Alternator NEW |
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| R8677 | 160 | Derek "Decals" Dobbs NEW |
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| R8679 | 162 | Hooman NEW |
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| R8725 | 165 | Matti NEW |
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Mildred Bylane, Cora Copper, Percy Hanbrakes, Bennie Caliper, Dan Sclarkenberg, Kit Revster, Wilmar Flattz, and Bertha Butterswagon were also scheduled for the series, but never saw a release.[1] According to reputable blogsite TakeFiveADay.com, listings for "Leafy" Lightning McQueen, Race Damaged Leak Less, and the Rev N Go Pitty at one point appeared in early plans.[2][3]