5 Best Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt Cars From 2012

I noticed that the new basic collection of Fast & Furious cars had arrived in a well-known toy store near me as someone posted a photo on an online community. I arrived at the store the day after that, and all the stock had been depleted. Someone bought hundreds of these vehicles for one reason or another. So I sought to find a store manager so I could order one or two sets for my collection as well.

She was shocked at my request but ultimately helped me get what I wanted. Buying older models isn't as easy, but it will be possible too. And today, we will be talking about the 2012 Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt collection, which included 15 collectibles. I will focus on the coolest five models in this collection, but this list reflects my preference, and yours might look completely different. I will also pay attention to the other ten models, which should help you track them down if you're a completionist like that.

One of the vehicles that didn't make it on my list is the '41 Willys. Larry Wood designed this casting for its 2009 release, and there are 18 variations of it on the market. You could buy one of these for anywhere between $5 to $25, and that's an excellent way to start collecting a new Hot Wheels design. If you don't like Mattel's current-day motorcycle castings, you should see the older models. Usually, I'd love to ride or own a Ducati 1098, but this 2010 design doesn't do anything for me.

It doesn't surprise me that the company only made use of it between 2010 to 2013 and that you can buy one for as cheap as $3 if you are okay with it being a loose model. I have mixed feelings about the 2009-designed Ford GT LM casting. I debated whether to include it in the Top 5 list but ultimately chose not to. There are 25 variations to collect, and you might remember the most recent Speed Machines appearance. You'll likely have to pay around $10 to get this particular Treasure Hunt item, but you can negotiate a better price for a bulk order.

Three less attractive TH vehicles from 2012 are the Surf Crate, the '70 Chevy Chevelle Convertible, and the Ford Shelby GR-1 concept. And that leaves us with four more items before we can delve into the main list for today. I'm not that big of a Mustang guy, so don't be surprised that I ruled out both the '67 Custom model and the '92 one. Still, if I had to choose between the two, the older Pony car feels much more appealing, although the color combo is still a mess.

It also has a more extensive history behind it, as the early version of the casting surfaced in 1998. A retooling occurred in 2010, and there are over 50 variations of both designs today. While the graphics on the '52 Chevy are decent enough, I would rather have a '69 Corvette with a better livery. Using orange and yellow stripes on a Metalflake Dark Blue body seems inappropriate. Let's move on to the best Treasure Hunt models for 2012.

5. '65 Chevy Malibu

Larry Wood designed the '65 Chevy Malibu, a casting Mattel only used between 2007 and 2013. The early models featured a metal body and Spectraflame colors, a combo that always works well with avid collectors. The final versions of this casting used PR5 wheels, which isn't essential, considering they are tucked away under the fenders. The Hot Wheels Malibu must have been a hit with lowrider fans, and it's a shame we haven't seen a new variation in 10 years. I have seen some people asking as much as $40 for this collectible, but that doesn't mean sub-$10 listings don't exist anymore.

4. '65 Ford Ranchero

The '65 Ford Ranchero has a similar vibe, with the same stance and colors as the Malibu. But it gets more points for the white roof, tonneau cover, and Wire Spoke wheels. There is even a hint that it hides a tiny V8 under the hood, and you would almost think this is a premium model and not just a mainline variation. Mike Nutall designed the casting for its 2011 release, and you can find a few metal-based versions of it if that's what you want. As for the price of the Treasure Hunt item, it's still in the same $5 to $20 range as most of the other ones.

3. ’69 Chevelle SS 396

This is the third and last piece of American Muscle on our list today. I haven't placed it here because I'm a big fan of the Chevelle SS, but instead, I was stunned at how good and fitting the livery for it is. Phil Riehlmann designed this casting for its 2008 release, and the most recent variation came out in 2022. The Pearl Silver and Metalflake Teal combo looks great with the red accents and matching color 5SP wheels, and I can't help but feel that I've seen this car in real life before.

Prices for this item are higher, and one eBay seller is asking $175 for a lot of six vehicles. That's not to say you can find one for just $20, so steer clear of anyone trying to take advantage of you. And if you'd like my recommendation on this casting, look at the 2008 Metalflake Yellow iteration; that one is just as good!

2. Ferrari 430 Scuderia

Up next, we have the Ferrari 430 Scuderia. You should sit down if you're new to the game and are wondering where all the Hot Wheels Ferraris went. Mattel lost the license to the Italian brand years ago, and there's no sign that it will ever get it back. That means most, if not all, the former castings are more expensive than you would expect.That's why this Treasure Hunt Ferrari is estimated to fetch between $20 to $50 today, even though it's not as spectacular as you'd want it to be.

It's not likely anyone would ever want to have yellow wheels on a red Ferrari, but I can understand the matching-color way of doing things. Aside from the Treasure Hunt aspect of the story, I'd rather have the 2014 Metallic Dark Blue iteration instead, but I'm sure other collectors would go for the Ferrari Racer models. If you want them all, there are seven variations to get, but beware of becoming tempted to purchase all the Ferraris Hot Wheels ever created, as that may become expensive.

1. Tyrrell P34

If you want to know how many different Hot Wheels castings and variations Mattel has made since the last '60s, the simple answer is many! So many that, occasionally, I am surprised to discover older collectibles that I needed to be made aware of. I've seen plenty of F1-inspired open-wheelers from Matel, but I was today years old when I discovered an actual replica of the Tyrrell P34 at a 1/64th scale. I'll have to spend some more cash later today. Luckily, this Treasure Hunt is less expensive than the Ferrari we discussed earlier, and you can still get it for less than $10.

Jun Imai is responsible for designing the Hot Wheels Tyrrell P34, which was only available between 2010 and 2013. Someone drove this six-wheeler in Formula One in the late '70s and to some success. Hardcore F1 fans will tell you this is a legendary machine, a remnant of a bygone era when people were still experimenting with crazy ideas that could help them win races and even championships. That's about it for the 2012 Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt line-up; let me know if you'd rank them differently!