10 Most Exciting Hot Wheels Boulevard Big Hits

These days, you'll often hear adult collectors talking about Mattel's Car Culture and Boulevard line of tiny cars. The latter has been around for over a decade but has undergone some changes. I've recently looked at the Ahead of Its Time collection, and I want a Vector W8 Twinturbo for Christmas. However, Mattel had five more themes for the 2012 Boulevard series.

And today, I'm going over "Big Hits," a collection of 17 castings. I've chosen the ten most exciting ones for this list. But I would love to hear if you'd switch things up and select other models than I did. Excluding the seven vehicles was a challenging choice, but hear me out. I discussed the '69 Chevy Camaro in my Hot Wheels 50th Anniversary Favorites review. The A-OK and the T-Bucket were cool 20 years ago, but I wonder if I would pick one up today. The '55 Lincoln Futura Concept is excellent, but I may have seen too many Batman releases based on it.

Mattel never released another iteration of this vehicle after 2012, so that makes you wonder. The livery on the '65 Chevy Impala looks fresh, but I'd rather have a muscle car. That being said, I reluctantly excluded the '68 Olds 442 from this list. But you can read more about it in my 2011 Hot Wheels Super Treasure Hunt review. As for the '57 Chevy Bel Air, something about it almost makes it feel like a Mainline model.

And you don't want something like that in a premium series! Before I look at each casting individually, there's one more thing I'd like to say. For all 17 collectibles, you're looking at a budget of $300 to $700. But once you get a taste of these castings, you may go for the complete collection. I've done the math, and you won't like it. There are over 520 iterations to look for. I'm guessing here, but you might need more than $5,000 for that line-up.

1. '32 Ford

The '32 Ford is the only casting in this collection that Garry Saffer designed. It's also the second most popular model by number of variations after the Volkswagen Beetle (72 cars). That's because it debuted in 1998 and has always worked well with the fans.

Mattel threw a Gulf livery on it, making it a Super Treasure Hunt in 2022. But I would still choose the 2012 Big Hits release over it. The yellow paint job looks superb with a minimalistic livery and the Moon Disc wheels. And you can still buy one for less than $20.

2. '64 Pontiac GTO

The '64 Pontiac GTO was hot from the very beginning. What else would you expect from a Hot Wheels Ultra Hots release? Most of the 16 variations are unique in one way or another, and of course, you'll find a Treasure Hunt and Super Treasure Hunt GTO along the way.

Some of you may feel that the paint job on the 2012 Boulevard release was slightly dull, but the car more than makes up for it. And it has an opening hood, which makes it more attractive than some of the recent Red Line Club releases.

3. '65 Mustang

Larry Wood designed eight of the 17 Boulevard Big Hits series castings, '65 Mustang included. It is one of the cheaper models, as even the most expensive one costs a little over $20. It may be due to the Real Riders Larry Wood 5-Spoke wheels or the generally reduced interest on behalf of collectors.

After all, Mattel stopped producing this casting in 2019, after 24 variations in over ten years. Mustangs fans may disagree, but the Boulevard iteration needs more attention to detail. Of course, the diecast manufacturer has many more Mustang castings to show if that's your cup of tea.

4. '77 Pontiac Firebird

Jun Imai designed the '77 Pontiac Firebird almost 20 years ago, and the casting is still going strong. With 16 iterations to look for, one of the most exciting ones is coming up in 2024. That's right, the Firebird is finally graduating to the Super Treasure Hunt level!

But there are at least five more fascinating iterations to consider if you're a genre fan. And the first one showed up in the 2012 Hot Wheels Boulevard Big Hits collection. The black paint job looks great against the gold Turbine Real Riders wheels, which led to some sellers asking as much as $60 for this model.

5. Custom '56 Ford Truck

The Custom '56 Ford Truck is the only pick-up truck on the list today. Larry Wood designed this one, too, and Mattel released 29 iterations between 2007 and 2022. You won't find an STH release here, but at least ten or 11 of them are worth seeking out.

I'm a fan of the Series 5 Classic version in Spectraflame Dark Red, but the diecast manufacturer also did an excellent job with the Boulevard variation. The two-tone paint job and Moon Disc wheels are like a blast to the past, and paying $10 for this item sounds like a bargain.

6. Dodge Caravan

A Dodge Caravan differs from what you'd think when talking about cool cars. But having this diversity at the 1/64th scale is excellent, as it allows for complex and more life-like dioramas. Mattel appointed Phil Riehlman to design the casting but halted the project after just 14 variations.

And guess what! The 2012 Boulevard model is the last to come out of the factory and the sole Premium variation simultaneously. The Mag-Style Real Riders help it score extra points, so the cheapest one on the market costs more than $20!

7. Honda Civic Coupe

Being a Honda guy, I couldn't help but include both the Civic Coupe and the Civic SI castings on this list. The older Coupe has been on my mind for years and years, and I'd still buy one as a secondary fun car. Three designers collaborated on designing the tiny Civic, drawing inspiration from a tuned vehicle built in 1999. Despite including 32 variations over the years, Mattel has never made a TH or STH version of it.

The 2012 Boulevard release is one of the nicest Civics you can hope for, with a teal paint job, "carbon fiber" parts, and Real Riders eight-spoke wheels. And it is for that reason that prices vary between $50 to $100.

8. Honda Civic Si

The second Civic on the list is the second Japanese car in the series, which shows how much Boulevard has changed over the past decade. It's one of only a handful of models that Sei Cho designed during his tenure at Mattel (he is also responsible for the Ferrari F430 Spider).

Since 2006, the diecast manufacturer has developed 28 iterations of this casting. And the 2012 Pearl Green Civic SI is the only Premium variation we've seen. $20 to $50 will earn you one, and I wonder whether we'll see another release soon or not. It has been off the market since 2018!

9. Pontiac GTO Wagon

Driving up to your local meet in a Pontiac GTO Wagon could be an exciting thing to do. Everyone loves a sleeper, right? The entire collection will require you to purchase 16 iterations, which may be costly with all the Premium GTO Wagons out there.

I particularly like those with Spectraflame paint jobs, but the two-tone red and black version from 2012 isn't half bad, either. I've seen these items going for as cheap as $18, but it all depends on how good a negotiator you are.

10. Volkswagen Beetle

I am gawking at another Hot Wheels car with Moon Disc wheels on. I've never driven a Beetle or even sat in one before, but I understand why they're one of the most popular machines ever. Between 1989 and 2023, Mattel released 91 variations of this vehicle! Let that sink in for a moment.

The earliest one to have had Real Riders wheels was a black one in 1993, and you'll find many excellent variations along the way. I dare not dream of owning the complete collection one day, but I'm sure some Beetle enthusiasts would stop at nothing to get it.