Why You Can Trust CNET This $1 Hot Wheels car works with GoPro -- but there's a catch
The most fun you'll have with a GoPro mount, as long as you have the smaller version of the action camera.
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The Hot Wheels Zoom In toy car holds a GoPro Hero5 Session camera to record close-ups of all your track tricks.
GoPro is hitching a ride with Hot Wheels, as the two companies team up to create the first die-cast toy car that attaches to a GoPro action camera. That means Hot Wheels fans can capture video of fast-flying toy car stunts from the driver's seat, so to speak.
The Hot Wheels car itself isn't high-tech. Called the Zoom In, the toy goes on sale this month for the same price as any basic Hot Wheels car, just $1.09. What makes it unique is that you can snap in a GoPro Hero Session or Hero5 Session camera, sold separately for considerably more. These cube-shaped cameras sit snug in the center of the toy, locked in place by a bar that grips the top.
The car has a folding bar to lock in the cube camera and keep it snug.
The car should be a hit with anyone who loves Hot Wheels -- or with GoPro fans looking to put a new spin on their action cam shots. Kids can follow livestreaming footage from a tablet or phone app. And the rugged camera shoots in high speed to capture epic crashes in slow motion.
(I just received one of these Zoom In cars from Mattel, so I'll be taking it for a test drive soon -- stay tuned!)
But here's something that may throw buyers for a loop: The two GoPro Session cameras that fit in the car are discontinued models. You should still be able to easily find the Session and Hero5 Session for sale, but supplies may be limited.
This month marks the 50th anniversary of Hot Wheels. The company has put cameras in its cars before. Back in 2011, Mattel released the Video Racer Micro Camera Car, a Hot Wheels car with a camera built inside to record 12-minute clips. You can still find it sold online for about $15.
Of course, that Video Racer car won't get you 4K shots or survive being thrown into water like a GoPro can, but the toy did have something a Session camera lacks: a mini LCD screen for instant playback.
The Zoom In Hot Wheels car rolls out to stores this month for $1.09. The GoPro, however, is sold separately for $200.
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