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2023 Hot Wheels 'Speed Machines' Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden Gem

If at first you don't succeed, you mustn't give up! It wasn't long ago that we witnessed Mattel's take on this idea. The company brought back the Ultra Hots series, in an attempt to attract two different generations of collectors at the same time. And we're likely to see more of these actions soon enough.
Hot Wheels Speed Machines Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden Gem 28 photos
Photo: Ministry of Diecast
Hot Wheels Speed Machines Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden GemHot Wheels Speed Machines Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden GemHot Wheels Speed Machines Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden GemHot Wheels Speed Machines Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden GemHot Wheels Speed Machines Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden GemHot Wheels Speed Machines Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden GemHot Wheels Speed Machines Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden GemHot Wheels Speed Machines Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden GemHot Wheels Speed Machines Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden GemHot Wheels Speed Machines Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden GemHot Wheels Speed Machines Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden GemHot Wheels Speed Machines Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden GemHot Wheels Speed Machines Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden GemHot Wheels Speed Machines Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden GemHot Wheels Speed Machines Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden GemHot Wheels Speed Machines Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden GemHot Wheels Speed Machines Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden GemHot Wheels Speed Machines Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden GemHot Wheels Speed Machines Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden GemHot Wheels Speed Machines Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden GemHot Wheels Speed Machines Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden GemHot Wheels Speed Machines Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden GemHot Wheels Speed Machines Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden GemHot Wheels Speed Machines Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden GemHot Wheels Speed Machines Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden GemHot Wheels Speed Machines Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden GemHot Wheels Speed Machines Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden Gem
It just so happens that the newest appearance isn't quite as innovative as you'd think. The Hot Wheels Speed Machines series has been a thing ever since 2010. Mattel wanted a different approach to the world of 1/64th scale model cars, so this line didn't include any fantasy machines. As the name suggests, Speed was the key feature so all of the collectibles released were either sports cars, supercars, or race cars.

In a relatively short period, there were over 80 variations of these vehicles on the market. And they all had at least two things in common: a similar blister card design, and the co-molded CM6 wheels. As you'd expect, the revival of the Speed Machines series means that those two defining elements are still part of the equation today.

While the CM6 design has been updated, some people have complained that these are not Real Riders which means the tires are plastic. At least they look better than the standard, mainline wheels, and the base is made out of metal. And it's good to see that this new series also has a hidden Chase model to look for. And, at the end of the day, you can always choose to skip buying a new set from Mattel, as there's a good chance that something more interesting will pop up in no time.

Porsche 911 GT3

Hot Wheels Speed Machines Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden Gem
Photo: Ministry of Diecast
The first vehicle to come out of the box is the Porsche 911 GT3. Lindsey Lee designed this casting for its 2022 debut, and everyone was excited about it. After two standard variations were unveiled last year, Mattel was quite fast with creating a Premium model.

Not only is this 911 GT3 the highlight of the 2023 Speed Machines, but it was also chosen to be the hidden Chase version too. Of course, the only way to find one is to get a factory-sealed case of 10 cars, at least if you don't want to pay a small fortune for it.

There were quite a few Porsches included in the 2010 series too, namely the 911 GT1-98, the 911 GT2, the 911 GT3 Road, the Carrera GT and the Cayman S. The 2013 series was less than successful, and it was mostly a mix of Ferraris, McLarens, and Lamborghinis any way. Overall, the 911 GT3 doesn't stand a chance of becoming a peg warmer anytime soon.

McLaren 720S

Hot Wheels Speed Machines Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden Gem
Photo: Ministry of Diecast
The Mclaren 720S is the second collectible in the new Speed Machine series, and we've already seen two previous Premium versions of it by now. The casting was designed by Ryu Asada and released back in 2018, as part of the Factory Fresh mainline collection.

Looking back at previous Mclaren items, the 720S just doesn't feel as exciting as the F1 GTRs unveiled back in 2010. The only problem with those is that you might have to pay as much as $300 for a single Speed Machine.

Looking at this British supercar, the color combo is probably what drags it down the most. The wheel gap is also bigger than anyone would like it to be, and we would rate this as the second most boring car in this collection.

Pagani Zonda R

Hot Wheels Speed Machines Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden Gem
Photo: Ministry of Diecast
It wasn't long ago that we had a look at all the Pagani castings ever to be released by Hot Wheels. And it didn't take long to conclude that there aren't that many of them around. So everyone was excited to see the Zonda R making its mainline debut back in 2022.

The Nero Ossidiana (Obsidian Black) race car was one of the coolest collectibles of the previous year, but there was still one question on everyone's mind. "When will it get a metal base and Real Riders wheels?" It seems like the new Speed Machines has that covered partially, and it's not bad overall.

Sure, it would have been nicer to see a replica of the original color scheme used by the Italian race machine, and we can only hope that Mattel will come up with that kind of variation sometime soon. The original Speed Machines didn't have any Paganis inside, as the first casting appeared a few years later, but nobody can deny that the Zonda R is more than worthy of being part of such an exclusive line-up.

Ford GT

Hot Wheels Speed Machines Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden Gem
Photo: Ministry of Diecast
The Ford GT is the oldest casting selected by Mattel to be part of the 2023 Speed Machines series. John Violette designed this almost 15 years ago, as it made its debut back in 2009. This new white version with black stripes is the third appearance of the model in Speed Machines, as it was also part of the 2010 collection.

Back then, those were painted in Turquoise and Metalflake Black respectively. You'll only find a few other Premium variations of the Ford GT, even though the total number of iterations is up to 25 right now.

Many collectors have expressed their desire for a wingless variant of the iconic American supercar, but you can always get an older GT-40 if that's the look that you're aiming for. Either way, this might be one of the least popular appearances in the 2023 Speed Machines series, seeing that it's almost identical to the 2018 Gran Turismo release.

Lamborghini Veneno

Hot Wheels Speed Machines Series of Five Cars Reveals Sixth Hidden Gem
Photo: Ministry of Diecast
The final item included in the set is the Lamborghini Veneno. It feels almost surprising to see it back in the mix, as Mattel didn't deliver a new variation of it in 2022. While you might have expected to see the new Sian instead, the Veneno is perhaps even more impressive.

The casting made its mainline debut in 2014, as part of the HW City: Speed Team collection. The only premium model on the market is the 2016 Gran Turismo machine which was painted Pearl Yellow and featured Modern Concave Real Riders wheels. Interestingly enough, you might find this to be less expensive than the 2019 Forza Horizon 4 car which is sometimes listed for around $100.

Mattel chose Rosso Mars for painting the car, and the Italian flag decals are a nice touch indeed. If you're keen on getting your hands on this set, you'll probably have to wait until March or even April. But that won't stop you from pre-ordering it, which will cost about $66 for all five items. Good luck finding the Chase version!

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About the author: Dragos Chitulescu
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The things Dragos enjoys the most in life are, in no particular order: cars, motorcycles, diecast cars, and drifting. He's seen (and driven) many vehicles since he started his writing career back in 2009, but his garage currently houses a 1991 Mazda RX-7 FC3S Turbo II and a 1999 Suzuki SV650-S.
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