Eight Upcoming Hot Wheels Items We're Eager to See

But diecast photography can make things interesting. Here's a tip for you: use natural light! Go outdoors and take photos of your favorite car by relying on the sun, not artificial light. Then, watch out for the focus, exposure, and framing, and you're on the right path. I was just out for a quick session with the yellow FC RX-7, but I'll do a more extensive take on a future story.

I want to discuss Mattel's upcoming castings for the Mainline series this year. As I reviewed Case G earlier today, I expect some to pop up in Case H or J, with others taking more time to reach their final form. The first item instantly reminded me of a hilarious Deadpool scene where Wade is about to run a bad guy over in a Zamboni. I've seen a lot of quirky designs from Mattel, but I did not expect an ice resurfacer to be next on its list.

The Rink Racer will make its Mainline debut soon, and it's better than castings like Gotta-Go or other made-up machines. Hockey fans might be interested in it, and I'm sure many collectors will pick up the First Edition, too. But will it still hold its own after that? Only time will tell. In recent years, the diecast manufacturer has developed quite a few new buses, and I'm a fan of the Ain't Fare design.

The Kowloon'd Hypervan gives us a sample of Asia, and that's likely where it will enjoy the most significant sales. I may be wrong, though, as people have been going mad about the Proton Saga, even in countries where it never sold officially. Ronald Wong designed this casting, and I like that it uses mismatched AeroDisc and Deep Dish 8-spoke wheels.

If you plan to set up a diorama and fill it with cars, vehicles like this mini-bus are essential for a realistic effect. Whereas Mark Jones designed the '66 Porsche 906 Carrera 6 for the Car Culture: Team Transport Premium series, Fraser Campbell designed the Porsche 904 Carrera GTS for the Mainline collection. I knew Mattel would increase the number of Porsche castings, but I didn't expect a deep dive into the company's racing history. Can we get the 917/30 next?

It's hard to believe that the 904 Carrera GTS will be as famous as the 911 models, but I'm likely underestimating the number of Hot Wheels Porsche enthusiasts. I'll pick at least one up, that's for sure. I recently showcased some of the most excellent F-150 castings you can buy, and the whole thing made me want one badly. Seeing the new '22 Ford Maverick Custom further amplified that feeling.

I'll be curious to see how big it is next to the F-150 Lightning Custom. I love that it uses L4 wheels, as found on the Alfa Romeo GTV6 3.0 and the Datsun Bluebird Wagon (510). The designers haven't overcooked it using a complex livery; we will see plenty of these over the next few years. The new Tooned cars are obviously doing well on the market. Bryan Zhao used Ryu Asada's Nissan Skyline 2000GT-R LBWK as a starting point for this brand-new casting, and it will look great next to the other vehicles in the series.

Brian's Supra is my favorite, but the Porsche 911 is just as good. And now I'm stuck thinking what's next in line for this series. When I first glanced at the next item, I was under the false impression that it was a Ferrari. The licensing deal ended years ago, and there's no hope we'll ever see a new Hot Wheels replica of the Italian supercars. But the DeTomaso Mangusta fooled me there. The Gruppo 4 racing version of this model showed up in Boulevard (2022) and Car Culture (2023, and they're slightly different.

I've gathered that this vehicle will be part of a Fast & Furious collection. That means it should feature a black paint job like it did in Fast Five. Honda fans will instantly recognize the following item: the S800 racing. It wasn't long ago that I thought about it and why Mattel hasn't made a replica of it yet, and here we are.

It would look great next to Jun Imai's collection of Fairlady 2000 cars. And I've already spotted two or three liveries that would be fantastic for it. Another diecast manufacturer is currently making a Spoon version of this car, which may be the most impressive version.

I've saved what's best for last, a vehicle that has been attracting attention lately. I have yet to see Gemballa's Marsien on public roads, but the Porsche 911 Dakar is already touring the world and doing a fantastic job. Mattel's replica goes by the name of the 911 Rallye, and it is a Fraser Campbell design, too.

The safest bet for the First Edition would be the Rally Design Package in White and Gentian Blue Metallic, which brings back memories of the company's Dakar adventures in the '80s. The next obvious step is for the El Segundo-based manufacturer to develop a replica of the 911 GT3 RS (992). But something of its level should go straight to the Premium or the Red Line Club exclusive collection. Don't you agree?