12 Hot Wheels Cars Any Person With a Sweet Tooth Will Love

Driving around the continent for international drifting and drag racing events had several downsides. Besides feeling tired for 11 months a year, I gained almost 90 lbs in 6 years. How did that happen? Being inside a car for 30+ hours will do that to you. My recipe for staying awake was a mix of sweets and energy drinks.

And most often, we didn't have time to stop and eat healthy food, so it was McDonalds, Burger King, or Doritos to keep us going. If you haven't figured out how all this information ties in with today's story, keep reading, and you'll find out. I've mentioned this before, but playing the Hot Wheels game can keep you entertained for days.

And I'm not talking about Unleashed here, as you can't use a computer while driving. My version of the Hot Wheels game goes like this: ask a friend to think of a specific vehicle, commercial brand, or pop culture character. And then check if Mattel if Mattel has ever built a collectible related to any of the three. You'll be amazed by the results. So, if you couldn't imagine how the connection between Mars, Incorporated, and Mattel would work out, this story will clarify the situation for you.

'29 Ford Pickup

The '29 Ford Pickup is the first of 12 items on our list today. They all showed up in the Pop Culture series, which means this is a Premium-exclusive line-up. This Ford was part of the Mars set in 2013, right before the Hanna-Barbera mix. Larry Wood designed it, and Mattel developed 17 iterations between 2009 and 2018.

The Mars iteration features a beige and sky blue color scheme, reminiscent of some well-known Dove Chocolate products. For once, the White Line Real Riders Larry Wood 5-Spoke wheels fit right in, even though I don't like them on newer models.

'70 Chevelle Delivery

The '70s Chevelle Delivery is Phil Riehlman's work and a variation of the Wagon version. While we last saw the latter in 2022, the Delivery came up in 2023 as part of the Mandalorian Concept Art mix.

Interestingly, the Wagon had plenty of Mainline iterations, while the Chevelle Delivery is a Premium-exclusive. And you'll find at least two other "sweet" designs for this casting besides the Mars release (think Count Chocula and 5th Avenue Chocolate).

The 2013 Chevelle Delivery features a 3 Musketeers livery and Redline Mag-Style Real Riders wheels. For me, it's the least exciting vehicle on the set, but some of you may feel differently about it.

Anglia Panel Truck

The Anglia Panel Truck debuted in the 2000 First Editions series and waved goodbye to the community a decade and a half later with the 2014 Hanna-Barbera mix (yet another Hong Kong Phoeey release).

The Mars iteration was the last but final model, sporting a Snickers theme. And it was this chocolate bar that I felt helped me keep going driving at night. Maybe it was the extra-sugar, self-suggestion, or just the chewing that contributed to that impression.

But I probably consumed hundreds of Snickers bars in just a few years. The Deep Dish, Real Riders wheels, are a perfect fit for this classic vehicle, and you just have to love the opening hood.

Bread Box

The Bread Box caught my eye recently as I looked at the Disney/Dumbo variation that showed up in 2019. You can always count on seeing a good casting from Jun Imai, and we're lucky Mattel hasn't shelved this one yet.

Of all the 30+ variations, I am most fascinated by the 2013 Mars model. Milky Way bars were my favorite! My uncle would bring a bunch of them whenever he wanted me to let him play Doom or Quake on my PC.

I'm more familiar with the white and blue color scheme, but Metalflake Green looks spectacular on the Bread Box. It's on my Top 10 must-have Hot Wheels as of today, and it's a good thing you can get it for less than $10.

Deco Delivery

I haven't had Skittles in at least a decade, although I'm not sure why. But you can never forget the tangy, fruity taste of it all. The original brand colors work like a charm on the tiny Hot Wheels cars, and I'd say this is the second-best collectible in the Mars set.

Larry Wood's Deco Delivery has been around since 2009, and there are more than just a few interesting variations to look for. One of the reasons I enjoy the Skittles model is that it rolls on Moon Disc wheels, even though you can barely see the ones on the rear.

Smokin' Grille

I've almost completely stopped eating Snickers bars in recent years. I will only buy one when I need to drive for more than 10 hours. But I can't say the same about M&Ms. Every 3+ hour-long drive, I will get a bag of them to keep me "company."

I even visited the M&M Museum in Las Vegas while there for SEMA a few years back. So, I think this variation of the Smokin Grille is a must-have for anyone with a sweet tooth.

If you're not familiar with Abe Lugo's casting, there's a good reason for that. It debuted in 2011, and Mattel gave up on it in 2014 after just four iterations. One seller on eBay is asking $46 for the first set of six Mars collectibles, which sounds like a reasonable price to me.

Volkswagen Drag Bus

Some say a Hot Wheels collection wouldn't be complete without at least one variation of the Volkswagen Drag Bus. So, I still have a long way to go before my display at home will be even remotely impressive. This item was part of the 2015 M&M Mars set, and it's at least two levels cooler than the Smokin' Grille.

Mattel is bringing back a new iteration of the Drag Bus for 2024 after a no-show in 2023. The yellow and brown version from 2015 marked its Pop Culture debut, and finding one for less than $40 is a challenging task.

'55 Chevy Panel

With two exceptions, the brands in the 2015 Mars mix are the same as those in the previous line-up. Mattel changed the castings, which was enough for most collectors to make another purchase. And I think the '55 Chevy Panel is much better than the '70 Chevelle Delivery.

This 10-spoke wheel design isn't the best in the company's portfolio, but it works well with the rest of the car, especially with the Red Line finish. At least it's more affordable than the Drag Bus, and a sub-$10 budget will still do the trick.

Quick D-Livery

The new Skittles machine featured a darker shade of red. You can also fully enjoy the Moon Disc wheels this time, as the Quick D-Livery doesn't have a panel covering the rear rims. We'll see a SpongeBob version of Abe Lugo's casting this year, the first non-Premium iteration since its 2013 debut.

As far as I'm concerned, the Skittles D-Livery is right up there with the Scooby-Doo and the Star Wars variations. In an unexpected turn of events, I could only find three listings on eBay for this model. And one of them had a $69 asking price.

'66 Dodge A100

Starburst is one of the two new brands in the 2015 M&M Mars set. I haven't tasted these candies so far, but I'll look for them the next time I'm at Walmart. Red and yellow always make for a nice Hot Wheels color combo, and you'll notice the interior matches the theme, too.

Jun Imai's '66 Dodge A100 casting debuted in 2010, and we've had nothing but Premium iterations so far. The Starburst A100 isn't by no means the rarest one on the market, but some of those could cost well over $1,000. I'd be almost as happy with the $20 version; thank you very much!

'49 Ford F1

Interestingly, Mattel chose a Ford again for the Dove-themed item. Most of us are probably more familiar with the '49 Ford F1 than the '29 Ford Pickup. The M&M Mars variation is the second in the line-up, as the first paid tribute to Hanna-Barbera and Yogi Bear in 2013.

The cream/light blue combo would work great even for a SEMA car, but I would still much rather have the Real Riders Steelies seen on the First Edition. After looking for this collectible on the open market, I spotted one auction and another listing with a fixed price of just under $50.

Combat Medic

The final item on today's list is the Combat Medic, and it's much older than most people might expect it to be. Larry Wood designed it for its 1977 debut, and I'm afraid to think how much the complete collection would cost.

But today, I'm only focusing on the 2015 Twix edition, which looks so good that I want to grab a caramel shortbread chocolate bar right now. Besides the great graphics, there's one more thing I love about this iteration: the Real Riders Exotic wheels!

I can think of only one other variation with the same setup, but the color combo wasn't as good. I found just one complete M&M Mars set on eBay, and that person's asking $373 for it. Do you think it's worth it?