Hot Wheels Car Culture 2-Pack Mix Is Your Best Chance of Waking Up With a New Bugatti

In recent years, I've started giving up on Hot Wheels Mainline cars. It makes more sense to me to buy Premium items instead. And I find most Car Culture and Boulevard collectibles fascinating. I've already picked up three Team Transport pairings: a Mazda, a Porsche, and a Mercedes-Benz. But I have yet to buy any 2-packs. I've had my eye on some for a while now.

In one of my recent stories, I discovered which manufacturer is the King of the Car Culture 2-Pack series. Three years in the making, Nissan leads the way with 11 cars. Ford is second with seven vehicles, and Plymouth has five representatives in the collection.

Meanwhile, Subaru and BMW have both scored three points each. I already included Mix K of the 2-Pack series when I performed this analysis. I had already seen its contents. So, I'll return with a similar study in 12 months. Let's see what Mattel uses to lure us into the Hot Wheels universe again.

Bugatti Veyron

Bugattis are rare, even at the 1/64th scale. You'll find fewer than ten castings in this category; some haven't had a new iteration in years. Mattel has made efforts in this direction: a new Veyron and the Bolide debuted in 2023.

And the Type 59 is coming up in the Elite 64 series this year. That explains why this Veyron, which is an older casting, is the first Bugatti in the Car Culture 2-Pack collection. Siri, play "I woke up in a new Bugatti" by Ace Hood. Swap "in" for "with": buying the Hot Wheels set is, for most of us, the best chance we have to say those words out loud.

Mark Jones designed this Veyron for its 2003 First Editions release, and Mattel introduced nine variations until 2009. The 2021 retool looks considerably better; it was about time to see a new iteration. Interestingly enough, it's the first Premium one. It's stunning with the Ebony Metallic finish and the Real Riders 10-spoke wheels.

'16 Bugatti Chiron

The Ryu Asada-designed '16 Bugatti Chiron has had eight variations on the market since its 2019 debut. The first special one arrived in 2021 as part of the iD series. I'm surprised you can still find this one for less than $30.

The first Premium Chiron showed up that same year with a two-tone French Racing Blue and black combo. The black Real Riders Exotic wheels were a perfect match for it.

At that point, I wondered how Mattel could ever live up to that standard again. But the new two-tone silver and black Chiron comes close, especially if you do not like in-your-face colors. Still, I would love to see a replica of the light blue and white design soon.

'91 Nissan Sentra SE-R

Moving from a multi-million dollar Bugatti to an old Nissan feels rather strange. But you'll find that Hot Wheels enthusiasts often love both just as much. Mark Jones designed this casting for its Japanese Tuners Collector Set release, and nobody saw it coming.

The simple blue and black combo worked great for this JDM young timer. The new metallic silver paint job is just as good in contrast with the white Mini Real Riders 6-Spoke Modern rims.

It's just the second iteration of a car most Nissan enthusiasts hope to see more of in the future. It is still a Premium-exclusive collectible at this point, but it's bound to debut in the Mainline series sooner rather than later.

Nissan Silvia (S13)

Dmitriy Shakhmatov's Nissan Silvia (S13) debuted in 2020 as a replica of a car that a KW Automotive employee owned. I should ask Chris Marion if he still has it in its collection, although I last saw him years ago.

Mattel even promoted this design to Premium status in 2023, integrating it into the Team Transport series. So far, that has been the only iteration of the S13 to use Real Riders wheels.

But the wait is over, and the people in El Segundo couldn't have opted for a better paint job. The two-tone finish reminded me of the S13 that Team Akina Speedstars member Iketani-san drove in Initial D. The 5-spoke wheel design fits the S13 better than the seven-spoke mesh rims, but the car must sit lower.

Subaru Impreza WRX

There are only so many Hot Wheels Subaru cars to begin with. And I've recently analyzed the best five ones you could buy today. Mark Jones designed both collectibles in the new Subaru Car Culture 2-Pack set.

The WRX has been around since 2017, and it's strange to see a lack of interest on Mattel's side. Three iterations in seven years is less than expected for a car like this.

Two of them were blue, which suits the theme. And the third one was a Gumball 3000-ready machine. Silver fits the Bugeye well, but the gold 10-spoke wheels are its strong point. This collectible will never become a peg-warmer. So don't hesitate to pick one up if you're a fan of the genre.

'16 Subaru WRX STI

The first item in the Subaru set might remind you of the 2022 Boulevard edition of the '16 Subaru WRX STI. It was the third consecutive release in three years and the first to avoid the 10-spoke rim design.

This casting is a Premium-exclusive, too. And we should have seen it coming. Mattel often uses older iterations to "fill in the blanks" in the Car Culture 2-Pack series. The first item is highly desirable, so the second one didn't need the same appeal. The latest STI looks strikingly similar to the 2021 Boulevard variation.

We shouldn't be surprised, as we've seen this strategy before. Ultimately, we're still looking at a 5/6 rating for the new mix. And I can barely wait to see what the diecast manufacturer has in store for us this year.