5 Best Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt Cars From 2018

Treasure Hunt models are often items a lot less interesting than the STH ones, but there's still a big fanbase for them around the world. They're easier to get any way you look at it, and some people take pride in having dozens of TH cars in their collection. In the past few months, we've talked about several such items, and today we'll be examining what Mattel came up within 2018. 2019 gave us a few good ones, including the Custom Ford Bronco, the '67 Camaro, and Corvette Stingray.

But it seems things weren't as good in 2018. It just so happens that we decided to give up on ranking the 10 best Treasure Hunt items and opted for a Top 5 instead. That's because all 15 releases were fantasy cars. That's right. Mattel didn't include a single licensed design that year, even though certain items bore some resemblance to the original designs.

We excluded collectibles such as the Sting Rod II, the El Viento, the Street Stealth motorcycle, and the Zombot, to name just a few. If you must have the complete collection, you shouldn't have any problems finding all of these and more, but for today's story, we will stick to the more interesting models. Still, that doesn't mean we are completely ecstatic about the current Top 5. There's a good chance we'd only consider buying the one on top of the list, but then again, we're quite picky about our Hot Wheels selection.

5.Tanknator

It's not hard to tell where Mattel drew inspiration for this casting. And it's also no surprise that another Ryu Asada design is up on top of our list once again. This tiny tank on wheels first appeared back in 2016, and we've only seen eight variations of it so far.

The last two iterations were released in 2021, and we aren't sure at this point if it will be used again in 2023. It's interesting to point out that each variation has had the same Off-road 6-spoke wheels on the rear axle, while the front axle has featured three different wheel designs so far.

The 2018 Treasure Hunt model was painted black with green elements and PR5 wheels up front. You can get it for as cheap as $4.50 today, but there's always the option of buying a bigger lot for a smaller price per unit. If you ask us, we'd probably opt for either one of the 2021 variations, which had Deep Dish 8-spoke wheels on the front axle.

4.Blitzspeeder

We don't think we would have ever chosen the Blitzspeeder for a Top 5 Hot Wheels list if we weren't short on options. This casting debuted in the X-Raycers series back in 2018, and Mattel came up with four variations before deciding to upgrade it to Treasure Hunt status.

Five more iterations were released afterward, with the latest one showing up in stores in 2022. The 2018 TH version was only memorable due to its Gold Chrome finish, which made it feel somewhat special.

Still, this is a fantasy vehicle, and the only thing worth noting about it is that it's supposed to be powered by a V8 engine with 700 horsepower. Is that enough to make you want to spend as much as $15 for one? We'll let you be the judge of that. Just remember that you can always try to buy it for as cheap as $3, given the right circumstances.

3. Quick Bite

Here's one Treasure Hunt that might work up an appetite for you. This is the oldest Hot Wheels casting on our list today, as it will be celebrating its 40th anniversary soon. While Larry Wood designed the original version, Mattel had Ryu Asada working on the Retool, which was released in 2018.

If you were actively looking for Treasure Hunt models in 2022, you'd know that this casting has featured the Flaming logo twice in its four-decade history. Last year this truck "served Hot Dogs," but the 2018 version offered a mix of "Sushi Burritos," paying tribute to its new creator.

The Metalflake Dark Green paint job was complemented by yellow-tinted windows. And the van was rolling around on Chrome Green DD8 wheels. These vans are as cheap as other TH models, with prices ranging between $5 to $16 per unit. Still, with about 50 variations on the market, we wouldn't be surprised if the complete collection would cost you over $1,000 today.

2. Rockster

After three less-than-impressive Treasure Hunt items, it's time to turn up the heat a bit. The Rockster is the second oldest casting here, having made its debut back in 2004. Eric Tscherne designed this, and it feels like a Hummer-Jeep hybrid if you think about it.

Mattel upgraded it to Super Treasure Hunt status in 2008, almost a decade before including it in the TH "hall of fame," too. For the second time ever, the Rockster was rolling around on Beadlock Off-road wheels, which were painted white to make it look like the truck had been driving through snowy roads.

That links up to the HW Ski Team decals on the side, and this would probably make for some cool winter shots if you're into diecast photography. One eBay seller has listed a lot of nine Rocksters for just $31, but if you only want one, you'll pay $3 or less for it.

1. Kool Kombi

The Volkswagen Kool Kombi is on top of our list for today, and for good reason. We've known collectors who almost worship this casting, which was designed by Tony Martino. We're guessing it reminds them of simpler times or perhaps even of the famous Beach Bomb that's worth a fortune today.

This tiny VW first showed up in Metalflake Green, and it's probably one of the few "tooned" Hot Wheels designs that have captured the world's imagination. In 2013 Mattel came up with a rare M&M edition of it, and there are only 4,000 units around. Be warned, it may be impossible to buy one of those for less than $1,000. A Super Treasure Hunt variation appeared in 2015, and it had Surf Shop decals on the side.

But the 2018 TH is almost equally as cool, even though it doesn't have Real Riders wheels. The Metalflake Purple body is adorned with Hippie graphics, Peace signs, and flowers, which all click together quite well despite all the different colors involved. Given how popular the Kool Kombi casting is, it's no wonder some people are asking as much as $50 for two units. If you can find one for less than $10, you can consider yourself lucky! But if you happen to get a Kool Kombi addiction after seeing this model, you'd better be prepared to spend about $2,000 or more for the whole collection!