I've seen panels that rotate into accident dents, PIP cars with rust, different color panels, primer etc. All if done correct really make for a cool additional option casting. Still waiting for someone to actually mold a flat in the tire and since many only want real rubber and don't roll them anyway, this too could be cool but the question is, how about "season castings"

Winter castings - Has snow air brushed/pad printed strategically on the casting including the windshield/glass along with wiper marks and heavier white on the roof, hood trunk just like you see in the snow belt. Closer to the bottom, correct snirt (snow & dirt combo for those lucky enough not to know) on the rockers, around the wheel wells, even the tires, etc.

Fall casting - This could be trickier but done well very cool and cutting edge. Pad print fall color leaves peppering the casting along with frosted windows for dew with correct wiper marks on the front glass. Perhaps for a touch of realism, a child message written on the inside of the window (parents, you know what I mean;) )

Spring casting - A little trickier and perhaps a whole new concept in die-cast. Take a regular casting and produce small droplet size beads of clear acrylic and have them pad printed on the car to create 3-d rain drops. The key is to puddle it in some places and drops in others to look like real sheathing rain. Have the windshild wiper swashed clean in the front.

I'm betting the first guy to go to his design team and say, "Hey lets do a junkyard" version of a casting probably got the same raised eyebrows I'm getting now but the devils in the details and just look how many companies now do a version such as this not to mention all the customs you see in contests doing this type of thing as a PIP. This is a "show me" world we live in and I bet many who aren't sure would be "wowed" by it if done right.

I may come out of retirement in the customs world just to do this very thing. I'm going to have to find four of the same casting to give this a try myself. I have a an idea for the "rain" product. Let's see if it works?

all set with the "crack ups". They were cool when I was a kid.

PIP's seem to be successful for JL, but I'm hoping GL doesn't copy any of JL's programs.

It sounds cool but variations of a mainline product start appealing to smaller or even specific audiences and can end up being costly for young companies. I would like to see something like this as a custom order item where GL takes the orders in advance and then if it looks profitable produce a limited run for all who ordered (similar to the limited edition process used by some OLD's now).

Oh, Hot stove = Flat tire :p