Four Years of Hot Wheels Boulevard: Who Is the King?

This hobby can be so exciting, thanks to the sheer diversity of Hot Wheels castings. Look at one collector's display of cars, and you'll learn quite a few things about him. In recent months, I've explored the Treasure Hunt series going back to the beginning of the 21st century. I was also curious to learn which manufacturers had the most representatives in the STH, Team Transport, and Car Culture 2-Pack series.

Nissan dominated the latter two, while Chevrolet was miles ahead in the Super Treasure Hunt race. Thinking about two of the most exciting HW Series today, most people will tell you to look for Car Culture and Boulevard. I've looked at the 2-Pack releases in Car Culture, so let's analyze Boulevard first. Mattel used this name in 2012 and 2013, and quite a few exciting collectibles exist.

But it revived the series starting in 2020 using a slightly different approach. Four whole years of releases have added up to 90 vehicles. As the diecast manufacturer created this series with adult collectors in mind, you'd expect it to be free of fantasy castings. However, exceptions are allowed, and five out of 90 items are unlicensed models. I counted 28 different manufacturers, or 30 if you want to look at Datsun and Acura separately from Nissan and Honda.

13 companies, including Audi, Mitsubishi, and Koenigsegg, only have one representative in the Hot Wheels Boulevard series. Five companies, including Mazda and Dodge, are currently at two collectibles, while Pontiac and Subaru are on par with three vehicles each. As four Porsches and four Hondas are in the collection, these two brands didn't make the Top 5 list either. Even so, there are six manufacturers here, two of which are on the same level. So, let's get to it.

5. Mercedes-Benz & Toyota: 6 Cars

The 1991 Mercedes-Benz G-Class is the 15th collectible in the Hot Wheels Boulevard series. It appeared in 2020 with a Metalflake Silver finish, Real Riders 8-Dot wheels, and a black hardtop. MB enthusiasts had to wait until Mix 4 of 2021 for the following item, but it was well worth the wait. The 1997 Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR is one of the most spectacular Hot Wheels castings ever, but I might be biased as I'm a massive motorsports fan.

Boulevard marked this casting's debut then, and we only recently saw a second variation. The third and fourth MB collectibles arrived in 2022. While the reception for the Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.8 AMG was ok, people damn near lost their minds when they saw the Mercedes-Benz AMG E 36 Estate Special Edition.

You'll need help finding one for less than $40, but I've also seen some asking $340 for this model. Mattel took notes, and after launching the '12 Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG Coupe Black Series in Mix 3 of 2023, it came up with the Evergreen Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.5-16 in Mix 4.

But let's switch to Japan for a bit before looking at the manufacturer in P4 on this list. The AE86 Sprinter Trueno was the first Toyota in the Hot Wheels Boulevard series. Mattel launched it in Mix 4 of 2020, and we got another one in Mix 4 of 2021: the '18 Toyota 4Runner. Then we saw two consecutive releases in 2022, with the '20 Toyota GR Supra coming first and another 4Runner. Yawn! I'm much more excited about the 2023 releases, which are iconic sports cars. I bought the Advan Toyota AE86 Sprinter Trueno while on vacation in Greece. But I still need to get the white '95 Toyota Celica GT-Four.

4. Ford: 7 Cars

The grey Ford GT came first in Boulevard, and you might remember that Vaughn Gittin JR had one of these a few years ago. That car sold for $910,000 in 2021, and I have no clue where it is now. No Ford model appeared in the 2021 Boulevard series, so it was time to pick up the pace for 2022. The Matte Black '71 Mustang Mach 1 landed in Mix 4 alongside the '78 Ford Escort RS 1800 MK2. Then, Mattel came up with a replica of Chelsea Denofa's RTR Mustang for Mix 5. We had seen this vehicle before in Car Culture, but it had the previous BC Racing livery instead of the yellow Pennzoil one.

That leaves us with three cars for the 2023 Boulevard line-up, and the start was fabulous thanks to the Oxford White '20 Ford Shelby GT500. Older Ford fans will likely choose the '93 Ford Escort RS Cosworth instead, and I know for sure that my buddy Mike used to have dreams about this car. If you're even older than that, the '67 Ford Anglia Racer that came up with Mix 5 might be the perfect Hot Wheels item for you.

3. Nissan: 8 Cars

The remaining three manufacturers on this list were part of the debut Hot Wheels Boulevard mix in 2020. Mattel represented Nissan via the Skyline GT-R (BCNR33), which will cost more than $60 today. The Nissan Silvia (S15) arrived in Mix 2 with two card variations. These two could cost over $120 if you insist on having the complete collection. But the year wasn't over, and the 20th and final Boulevard item was a black Skyline C210.

Fortunately, there wasn't as much hype around this model- so it's cheaper! The Custom '93 Nissan Hardbody (D21) unexpectedly appeared in Mix 4 for 2021, surrounded by three race cars and an SUV. I'm sure the Laurel 2000 SGX that showed up in 2022 would look great next to the Skyline C210, but Mattel hit the jackpot with the white LB-ER34 Super Silhouette Nissan Skyline.

It's as coveted as the MB Estate mentioned earlier, but you might spend less if you play it smart. 2023 provided two more Boulevard Nissans. While the '23 Nissan Z was decent enough, it's the Nissan Silvia (S15 NISMO R-Tune Proto) that people were waiting for. S-Chassis Hot Wheels are almost as famous as Skylines, but even more so if you ask the right people.

2. Volkswagen: 9 Cars

The white Volkswagen T1 Panel Bus was item No. 3 on the Boulevard list, and it's another example of how close the connection between Mattel and Magnus Walker is. The yellow Porsche 356 Outlaw in Mix 2 further reinforces that statement. If you ignore the Kool Kombi, a fantasy take on a VW bus, there was only one other car from the German brand in Boulevard's debut year: the Volkswagen "Baja Bug."

It looked phenomenal in white with multicolored strips and white Real Riders 8-Dot wheels. The 2021 iteration of the Volkswagen Drag Bus featured the same livery as the little Kool Kombi, and Mattel released a second iteration in red the following year. Before that, you could have purchased a forgettable Volkswagen "Classic Bug" featuring a Candy Apple Magenta finish.

The Volkswagen Kafer Racer was slightly better due to the Classic 4-Spoke Real Riders wheels. The Volkswagen Deluxe Station Wagon was also part of Mix 1 for 2022 with the Drag Bus, but I'm more fascinated by the red Caddy that showed up in 2023. The Porsche decals on the sides and the fender flares make it even more attractive, yet you can still buy one for less than $20. The T1 Panel Bus is the latest VW Boulevard item, but I probably wouldn't have noticed it without the two-tone teal finish.

1. Chevrolet: 11 Cars

Does it surprise you that Chevrolet is currently the Hot Wheels Boulevard series king? It was the same for the Super Treasure Hunt collection, and you have to remember that Chevy has been part of Mattel's line-up from day one. The first Boulevard mix included two models from the American manufacturer: the '67 Camaro and the '83 Chevy Silverado 4x4.

Mix 2 arrived with the Custom '62 Chevy Pickup and the '18 COPO Camaro SS, which are not remotely interesting to the younger audience. The '55 Bel Air Gasser was the final Boulevard Chevy model for 2020. The paint job was tedious, but you must admire the wheel setup and the Hoosier tires. The Metalflake Purple '63 Chevy Nova made an exciting appearance in Mix 1 for 2021. This Rob Matthes-designed casting has only had three other iterations since 2009, and the Lil II Short decals reference the Altered Wheelbase style of drag racing.

Boulevard included two variations of Alex Laughlin's Z06 Drag Racer, and I'd probably opt for the 2021 model if I needed to get only one of them. I didn't care much for the Custom '70 Chevy Nova at first, but the second iteration looked a lot better in Metalflake Green. 2023 was pretty slow for Boulevard Chevrolet models, but I'm glad Mattel used the '96 Chevrolet Impala SS instead of the same old models. It was this casting's first appearance with Real Riders wheels, and I think we haven't seen the last of it yet.