10 Premium Cars That Celebrated 50 Years of Hot Wheels

That's right, I wasn't even born when the initial Sweet Sixteen set arrived. But I was already an avid collector for the 50th anniversary. And it was a massive deal for the diecast manufacturer. It released multiple sets, including the 50th Anniversary Black & Gold Collection, the 50th Anniversary Originals Collection, and the 50th Anniversary Zamac Flames Collection, to name just a few.

But I fancy a different release: the 50th Anniversary Favorites. It's a collection of ten castings, one of which has two variations to look for. I've done the math, and purchasing the entire set will cost between $146 and $544 before shipping. Getting them one by one can be time-consuming, but there's a way out of that.

Look for the Factory Sealed Box Set with all of them inside, which will set you back between $250 to $300—no more running around for multiple packages! But let's dive into the topic and see what exciting vehicles this collection included.

'56 Chevy

Mattel used castings from multiple designers for this release. The '56 Chevy is the only one to bear Larry Wood's signature. And it's also the second oldest vehicle on the list, debuting in 2008.

A complete collection includes 18 variations; only three have Real Riders wheels. The 2010 10th Annual Nationals Convention has to be the rarest of the bunch, with only 2,400 units ever leaving the factory. The 50th Anniversary Favorites iteration showed up after a six-year hiatus. It featured a Maroon finish with white and pink pinstripes and an anniversary logo on the rear.

It rolls on 5-Spoke Mag-Style Real Rider, as expected. We have not heard about an update for this casting since 2018. If we don't get a new release this year, I doubt we will ever see it again. Price-wise, this item will cost between $10 and $32, depending on the seller.

'71 AMC Javelin AMX

The '71 AMC Javelin AMX is Jun Imai's first of three castings in the Anniversary set. It's also one of the rarest/least-used ones. We saw the most recent iteration in the 2024 Ultra Hots series. And there are only three other Javelins to look out for if you're a completionist.

Up until 2024, it was a Premium-exclusive casting. I like the 2012 design in Metallic Dark Grey and Yellow. But the 2018 red, white, and blue variation is almost as good. The Anniversary logo is much more prominent this time than the '56 Chevy.

But at least the designer didn't make the Hot Wheels logo as big as the car is, which would have made it a lot worse. You can buy this model individually for as little as $6.

'60s Ford Econoline Pickup

The '60s Ford Econoline Pickup is the first truck in this particular set. Mark Jones designed this one, and it's his only appearance in the series. The Econoline Pickup is the newest casting, debuting in the 2017 Pop Culture: Star Wars Bounty Hunter set.

It's a Premium-exclusive with only four variations in all these years. It last appeared as a Collector Edition model in 2020, featuring a Spectraflame Purple paint job. Mattel opted for a Metallic Copper finish on the 2018 Anniversary model, and the Real Riders Steelies are a great addition to the package.

I have mixed feelings about the black flames, but it's a signature move from the manufacturer. Some people are willing to let go of their tiny Econolines for $4, which is quite a bargain.

Custom '69 Volkswagen Squareback

In a set of ten vehicles, Mattel only included two European models. And they're both Volkswagens. Phil Riehlman designed both the Custom '69 Squareback and the T-1 Drag bus, but he has one more casting at the end of the series.

Between 2010 and 2024, we've had 20 variations of the Squareback. Some were decent, and I enjoyed the 2012 Nostalgic Brands: Hershey edition. The diecast manufacturer hit the sweet spot with the 2018 release. The dark green paint job and VW Service decals felt like the perfect blend of visuals for a classic vehicle like this one.

I imagine a VW Premium Collector Set with the Squareback and three more vehicles. You'll see one with an asking price of over $70 on eBay. Do yourself a favor and look for the sub-$25 listings.

'71 Datsun Bluebird 510 Wagon

I'm starting to feel like this casting is chasing me around. I keep bumping into it every other week. And it's a constant reminder of how big a mistake I made a few years ago by selling the 50th Anniversary iteration.

It's undoubtedly one of the highlights of this set. But a fair warning is needed: set a decent budget aside if you want to get all 30+ variations. Hot Wheels Datsuns have a tendency to be pricey. Surprisingly, you can still buy the 2018 variation for less than $25. Mattel kept things simple with this Anniversary iteration, too.

The metallic light blue paint job works well with the white, red, and silver stripes. And you couldn't hope for a better set of wheels than the Classic 4-Spoke Real Riders.

Volkswagen T-1 Drag Bus

You shouldn't mistake the T-1 Drag Bus for the regular Drag Bus. The latter debuted in 1996, while the T-1 variation appeared in 2010. Naturally, you'll spot many similarities, as Phil Riehlman designed both castings.

It's another viral model on this list, the only one with a cool feature: the body lifts, exposing the engine and chassis. The complete collection includes 13 variations: they're all Premium models! Two are particularly rare, with 2,000 and 2,600 units available, respectively.

The T-1 Drag Bus is the only ZAMAC appearance in the 50th Anniversary Favorites set, and the flame livery strikes again. Given the current circumstances, $10 to $70 will buy you one of these, and we might never see a new release of this casting.

'78 Dodge Li'l Red Express Pickup

If you ask me, the '78 Dodge Li'l Red Express Pickup is the most boring casting in the entire set. It's Paul DeLorean's only contribution to this collection and one of only three Premium variations to come out of the factory.

It featured Mag-Style Real Riders, just like the 2020 Vintage Oil variation. You can pick it up for as little as $12, so avoid any listings for over $20. Mattel is developing a new variation later this year, which will be part of a Mopar-themed 5-pack.

'55 Chevy Bel Air Gasser

Few Hot Wheels vehicles are more popular than the Datsun and the Drag Bus. And the '55 Chevy Bel Air Gasser is one of them. Supporting that statement is that the diecast manufacturer developed two variations for the 2018 Anniversary set. The yellow and magenta Gasser can fetch anywhere between $10 to $180.

But it all gets more challenging with the dark blue and white model. You'll have a tough time finding one for less than $70, while some more brave sellers are asking $275 for it. In hindsight, paying under $300 for the Factory Sealed Box Set makes perfect sense now. I guess you could say that it's a big deal.

'69 Chevy Camaro

As we're getting close to the end of this set, we've reached the oldest casting on the list. Phil Riehlman designed the '69 Chevy Camaro for its 2007 Toy Fair release. It became a Treasure Hunt and Super Treasure Hunt model in 2008. It's the second most popular casting on the list regarding the number of variations, with 38 releases (compared to Gasser's 45).

I'll take a yellow car anytime, so I'm sold on the looks of the Anniversary Camaro. The 10-spoke wheels have a good amount of dish to gawk at, and the lack of a crowded livery reinforces the idea that this is an adult collector model.

'65 Ford Galaxie

The last item in the 2018 Hot Wheels 50th Anniversary Favorites collection also hails from the USA. It's Jun Imai's third casting on the list, with 13 variations available between 2011 and 2022.

The First Edition Galaxie is still one of the nicest ones money can buy. And I think the Team Transport model underperformed for some reason. Mattel hit the nail on the head with the Gulf Livery on the anniversary model: that always draws in a crowd! Just like the Ford Econoline, the Galaxie sits on Real Riders Steelies.

And I was surprised to see you can buy one for less than $10. But you'll need more than that to buy the remaining variations. Excuse me, I might head to the nearest toy store and see if they've brought in any new collectibles.