5 Best Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt Cars of 1997

The world met Eric, Kyle, Stan and Kenny for the first time in 1997. It was a tough one for Cartman. But I won't go into any further details. This memory triggered the main topic of this story. My most recent Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt analysis took me back to 1998. So we've got three more years to cover the entire series history.

Before choosing the five best TH vehicles of 1997, let's allow some more nostalgia to settle in. James Cameron's Titanic debuted that year, becoming the highest-grossing film in cinema history. But 1997 gave us some other impressive titles, such as Benigni's Life Is Beautiful, Besson's The Fifth Element, and the Zemeckis-directed Contact.

Princess Diana sadly lost her life that year, and so did famous rapper Christopher Wallace, aka Biggie Smalls. Listening to his hit single Hypnotize might help set the mood for the rest of this story. If you want to reminisce about video games that made our childhoods awesome, I have a few titles in mind. I spent at least 1,000 hours playing Diablo and Age of Empires in 1997. But most of you can say the same about the first Grand Theft Auto.

Gran Turismo only showed up in the last few days of the year. It must have been one hell of a Christmas present for those with a PlayStation console at home. 1997 was a good year for car enthusiasts, too. We got a preview of the second-generation Mazda MX-5. BMW introduced the fourth-generation 3-Series. And Honda introduced the first-ever Civic Type R! Ford also unleashed its first all-electric production vehicle: the Ranger EV.

It only had about 90 horsepower and a range of just over 100 miles (160 km). Using an inflation calculator, you'll discover that its initial price would translate to about $100K in today's money. You could buy two entry-level F-150 Lightning trucks for the same amount now. And EV technology has come a long, long way since.

Over at Mattel, 1997 was the first time Real Riders were off the plan for any TH models. But I've still found some exciting castings for your collection. I might have considered the Blimp for this list if it had any other livery. And I hesitated about the Olds Aurora for a second before realizing there was nothing remotely interesting about it.

'56 Flashsider

It may or may not come as a surprise, but Larry Wood designed four of the five castings on this list. The famous Hot Wheels artist drew inspiration from the 1956 Chevrolet Task Force pick-up truck.

I remember seeing a highly modified, 1/4-mile (402-meter) ready version of one in the Palace Station Casino parking lot in Las Vegas over a decade ago. Mattel developed over 50 variations of the Flashsider between 1992 and 2015. The first one to use Real Riders wheels arrived as a 1995 The Toy Club Exclusive model. In 1997, the diecast manufacturer used it as the first vehicle in the Treasure Hunt series.

Metallic Teal was an excellent choice for the exterior paint job. The Flashsider even featured a simple orange and magenta design on the hood for more hot rod points. The 5-spoke wheel design differs from what you'd hope for on a Treasure Hunt item. But they had proven to be effective with previous iterations, too. Prices for this TH range between $8 to $40, depending on how pristine you want it to be. While at it, look for the 2005 Flashsider TH, too.

Mercedes 500 SLnjh

Here is a casting most young collectors might need to be aware of. It looks outdated by today's standards. And I'm sure I'm not alone in craving for an update. Better yet, if you work at Mattel and are reading this, please develop a replica of the SL 73 AMG instead.

The 500 SL debuted in 1991 (I was only two then) with a two-tone chrome and black finish. The manufacturer alternated between two different rim designs. But I'd much rather have the one rolling on Ultrahot wheels. The casting seemingly fell off the grid for the next three years. But it returned with a red variation in 1995.

The 1997 Treasure Hunt release featured a Dark Blue paint job and the same wheels as the Flashsider. At least it had a contrasting white interior and SL 500 decals on the side. A $8 to $40 budget will be enough for this collectible. I'm surprised I couldn't find a loose item, although I could spend more time digging one up.

Street Cleaver

I won't lie to you. I'm just as surprised as you are that I picked the Street Cleaver for this list. But boys will be boys. Most of us like heavy machinery, and speed is only sometimes of the essence. I used to play with Dump Trucks before drooling over GT cars. Seeing this reignited an old flame, and I'd probably attempt to operate one just for fun.

A hot-rodded road-grader casting is just what you'd expect from Mattel. Its 1996 debut marked the release of several seemingly identical variations, all sporting a yellow paint job. The company gave it the Treasure Hunt treatment in 1997, mixing black, gold, and red for that unique look. That big engine sitting behind the operator looks excellent.

And I'm surprised I didn't notice this casting while exploring the world of Hot Wheels Six-Wheelers. A machine like this would bring diversity to any collection unless it were already a construction works-oriented one. Over the next 15 years, the diecast manufacturer only developed five more iterations of this casting. And if you want to buy the Treasure Hunt one, the price range is slightly more hectic this time. While the cheapest long card will cost barely over $6, the short card is more challenging to find. Someone in Germany has listed this product for $75.

Buick Wildcat

The Buick Wildcat was the ninth Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt model for 1996. And it's the fourth item on my list today. Buick's concept car was fantastic when it came out decades ago.

It featured an opening canopy instead of doors and a heads-up display system. I'd be surprised if there isn't a Turbo gum collectible of this car. If you were born in the 21st century, you may be familiar with the more modern Wildcat EV Concept, and that's just as interesting. This casting debuted in the 1993 Demolition Man series alongside the Corvette Sting Ray III concept.

Even with the Black Wall wheels, it still looked appealing in Candy Red. It's a shame Mattel opted for a Silver finish on the Treasure Hunt model. The Metallic Green Wildcat from earlier that year would have been a more extravagant choice. You'll sometimes see listings for less than $4, but prices can still go up to $30 with some sellers.

Avus Quattro

I had doubts about owning a Turbo Buick Wildcast collectible. But I vividly remember the day I saw the Avus Quattro. I didn't even realize it was an Audi back then. And I would love to start a collection based on this casting today.

Bruce Bauer designed this casting, debuting in the 1993 Mainline series: the metallic silver paint job, red interior, and Ultrahot rims made for the perfect combo. Mattel switched the Futuristic setting to 110% with the 1996 iteration that rolled on Sawblade wheels.

Luckily for us, the team of designers opted for the same choice on the 1997 Treasure Hunt model. They even painted it in Metalflake Gold to emphasize how special it was. But my favorite part is that you can still buy one for less than $10 today. That's about it for my 1997 retrospective. Be sure to check back soon for the 1996 line-up.