2024 Hot Wheels Premium Collector Set Reveals a New 911

My Premium collection is still in its infancy, as I've got less than 20 of them to show for. I'd think twice before giving one out for free, but then again, they're just toy cars. Recently, I've been giving the Premium Collector set a lot of thought. You get an entry-level diorama with each one and four castings at once.

Until the end of last year, Mattel released 16 sets, adding up to 64 vehicles. Nissan and Ford have ruled the series so far, with Mercedes-Benz and Chevrolet coming up next. But I knew some changes were coming up for 2024, and here they are. This collection has only featured one Porsche thus far: the 917KH as part of the Iconic Racers set (alongside a Jaguar and a Mercedes-Benz).

Porsche 935

The Porsche 935 is the only Ryu Asada-designed casting here. It has been around since the 2021 Mainline Race Day series, debuting with an Urban Outlaw livery. The following two iterations used the same theme, but at least the last one was a ZAMAC model. That one will cost about $12, which shows it has yet to have that big an effect on collectors.

I've seen the Toy Fair variation in Spectraflame Cyan on some platforms for as much as $1,000. But it all feels like Mattel hasn't given its best shot with this casting. The Best Buy Exclusive was the best-looking one, but everything has changed. The 935 has moved into the big leagues and is now a Premium model with all the added benefits.

We've seen the Brumos Porsche livery before, on the 1986 959. It doesn't have white Real Riders Aero wheels on all four corners, and for once, I have mixed feelings about the mismatched rims. Moving to Premium will likely come with further iterations throughout the year, and I hope a Vaillant or a Jagermeister livery will be emerging soon.

1967 Porsche 911 R

The newest addition to the Hot Wheels Porsche roster is the 1967 911 R. Dmitriy Shakhmatov collaborated with Ronald Wong on designing this casting, and it's a rather unexpected appearance. The yellow finish is always a superb choice for these cars, but I would have gone for a different set of wheels than the Larry Wood 5-Spoke Real Riders.

Mattel kept it simple with the livery, adding two "67" decals and a pair of arrows running down the hood. While looking at this car, I'm listening to the Original Soundtrack from Need for Speed: Porsche. And that's how you get a solid craving to play a two-decade-old videogame.

With the release of this casting, I expect the diecast manufacturer to come up with its modern successor, who bears the same name. It's good that Porsche's vast history allows for countless model and livery variations. And things are headed that way, as the community's demand for 1/64th-scale Porsche has increased.

Porsche 917 LH

The 917 LH is one of the oldest castings in the new Premium Collector Set. That's a relatively strange thing to say, considering it debuted in the 2018 Legends of Speed series. I still have that Gulf First Edition model in my collection, but it's the only one I've ever found in the wild.

Mattel developed four more variations of the 917 LH and a ZAMAC one before upgrading the casting to the Car Culture: Team Transport Premium series. Using the Gulf livery again did little good despite having RR 5-Spoke Modern wheels. We have a re-release of the iconic livery (the first one arrived in 2020).

I would love to see them both side-by-side for an accurate comparison. For once, I'd like to see a design from another Porsche race car on this 917 LH. If it was possible for the Fast & Furious cars, it should also be achievable here.

Volkswagen Transporter T1 Pickup

The Volkswagen Transporter T1 Pickup was the obvious choice for the Hauler position in the new Premium Collector Set. After all, they're all related. I'd take a licensed casting over an unlicensed one 99% of the time. So far, this series has featured ten different transporters, but only two were closer to real life: the Ford C-800 and the 1955 Mercedes-Benz "Blaues Wunder." I've just spotted the latter joining the Team Transport line-up, which was expected. The T1 Pickup feels tiny next to the C-800, but have you seen how small classic Porsches are?

As you can see in the attached photos, the VW can carry the 911 R with ease. The moving trailer bed is a bonus and always lovely for added realism. As for the casting, Mark Jones designed it several years ago. The neat part about it is that it's a Premium-exclusive model. We've seen three iterations so far, all of which were part of the Car Culture: Team Transport line-up.

The Porsche livery is easily the best yet, and the red paint job looks great in contrast with the black Real Riders 8-spoke wheels. And for some people, it may rival the '67 911 R for Best Casting in this German Racers Premium Collector set. It may take a while until it arrives in stores worldwide, but I've already seen one seller in Japan asking $43 for it. As always, I advise you to be patient and careful before buying a product that is this new.