5 More Hot Wheels Six-Wheelers the World Forgot About

I noted some honorable mentions in part one of this story, including the GMC Motorhome. I wanted to add a few more castings here to make it easier for you to decide on the future of your collection. The Mack Hauler could be an exciting addition if you are okay with the Basic Wheels present on the five iterations.

The Mars Rover Curiosity isn't your typical Hot Wheels product, but it will work fine if you're a space enthusiast. Considering the following two items on the main list, you can also look up the six-wheeled Motor Coach. It debuted in the 2003 Pro Racing Luxury Rides series, with 15 variations to look for. And some of them are pretty darn good!

Kenworth T2000 (1999-2011)

The Kenworth T2000 is the longest-running truck of the three. It outgrew its NASCAR duties to go on and haul Monster Trucks and rock bands. There are over 100 variations to collect, so good luck hunting them all down!

I stumbled upon the First Edition of this assembly for just $30 on eBay. Terry Labonte fans will think this is a great gift! If I could pick some of my favorites, I'd go for the 1999 M&M, the 2002 Caterpillar, and the 2003 DeWalt iterations. In 2010, Mattel used this casting for the Monster Jam Heavy Duty Haulers, and the second version of the Grave Digger assembly is the best.

I couldn't find this exact item on eBay, but the black model can sell for over $100. You'll even find six variations in the WWE collection featuring names like John Cena, Mysterio, and the Undertaker.

Freightliner Columbia (2002-2005)

The Freightliner Columbia was only around for four years between 2002 and 2005. But that was enough time for nine variations. Choosing the most exciting one is a matter of preference, but I'd choose the black Sprint hauler from 2002 or the 2003 George Pacific in red, white, and blue.

Purchase costs aside, do you realize how much space these collectibles require? You'd need one of those dream mansions with a tiny garage just for your Hot Wheels items. And once you've gotten to that point, you must have a NASCAR race track diorama. And that's going to be costly.

Fast Fortress (2007-2017)

Here's something you might have never seen if Hot Wheels didn't exist. Mattel has come up with many strange concepts in its history, and this is one of them. Mike Finizza designed the Fast Fortress for its 2007 New Models debut.

The name might sound familiar if you like World War II documentaries or airplanes. The design department in El Segundo re-envisioned a tiny B-17 Bomber with six wheels, and it all clicked together. The First Edition model is one of the best, with its Olive paint job. I think diehard enthusiasts would likely choose to own a realistic replica of this bomber.

But that will be slightly more expensive and difficult to store. You'll see 13 variations of the Fast Fortress on the market; even the most expensive ones will cost at most $35. Some color schemes could be more appealing, and the casting lost some of its charm once it switched to a single axle in 2015.

'75 Kenworth W900 (2013-2014)

I'm this close to selling my entire Hot Wheels collection to start buying some of the trucks on the list. And then this '75 Kenworth W900 only made things worse. Abe Lugo designed this casting about a decade ago, and it's a Premium-exclusive model.

It debuted in the Retro Entertainment series as part of the Smokey and the Bandit set. It's wild to think that Burt Reynold starred in that movie almost 50 years ago. The new generation might think little about it, as they're too tied up in modern films. But a class of enthusiasts will jump at any occasion to own a replica of a hero car from that flick.

The Real Riders Drag Dish wheels are spectacular on the W900, and the black and gold color combo completes the look. This truck's second and final iteration was a Pop Culture: Looney Tunes release. It paid tribute to Marvin the Martian, which I vaguely remember seeing on TV in the early '90s. It's easy to understand that the Smokey and the Bandit editions were more popular so that the price can increase to about $100 apiece.

Steam Punk Truck (2018-2019)

Larry Wood worked for Mattel for about half a century before retiring. Reportedly, the Steam Punk Truck was the last casting he designed before moving on with his life. That brings a whole new dimension to this quirky little vehicle. But most people probably didn't know it existed. We only saw three variations in three years; neither was particularly accessible.

It debuted in 2018 at the 32nd Annual Collectors Convention, featuring a Metalflake Copper finish and matching-color 10-spoke Real Riders wheels. With 4,000 units, prices vary between $90 to $300, which is still sensible. The movable tow hook is the neatest part here, and it's always great to have moving parts on a 1/64th-scale item. The second variation was rather intriguing, as it was a handmade model with only 250 units made in total. These sometimes pop up on the open market, but I have yet to see one for less than $200.

While I get the jist of it, I would buy the 2019 RLC release in Spectraflame Olive instead. It features five-spoke wheels instead of ten-spoke ones. It's more common than the First Edition but is the last of its kind. And that has to be worth something. If I've opened up your appetite for Hot Wheels six-wheelers, I'm unsure if I should be happy or sorry for you. It provides a great new perspective on collecting diecast cars, but it will swallow up more resources as you dig deeper and deeper through thousands and thousands of different models.