Photo: Mattel
I went shopping for Christmas presents today. But as I passed the Hot Wheels aisle, I had to stop for a minute. The store had restocked hundreds of cars, and I found a replica of Vaughn Gittin JR.'s old drift-spec Ford Mustang.
We're less than two weeks away from New Year's Eve, and everyone is looking for the proper presents for their loved ones. I've discussed this before, but I'll repeat: getting the perfect item for a diecast enthusiast can be tricky. Well, at least that's valid if they already have an extensive collection at home. Your best chance is to buy something that's bound to be more memorable, like a Red Line Club exclusive model.
But since December of last year, Mattel has come up with another solution: the Hot Wheels Elite 64 series. At $20 a piece, these aren't as basic as the Mainline models, and most collectors will be happy to receive them. But for now, some of them are still unconvinced by this series. It's not entirely unexpected for the people in El Segundo, as any new line-up of tiny cars is bound to suffer heavy scrutiny from potential clients worldwide.
We have seen five different Elite 64 items so far. Mattel always tries to bring some diversity to the table, and that's obvious for multiple reasons. Season one of the series contains one Japanese vehicle, one American, and four Euro cars. I guess the marketing department still gauges customers' interest in these cars: three feature moving parts, while the others don't.
On the one hand, the ones with an opening hood or doors might cannibalize the RLC market. On the other hand, it's hard to convince people to pay $20 for a 1/64th scale car with no particular feature. But the Land Rover Defender 90 Pickup had an extra wheel in the back, while the 1996 Toyota Chaser JZX100 was bound to appeal to hardcore drift fans. I don't know where that leaves the new '21 Audi RS 7 Sportback.
Sure, Mattel knows a lot of people are asking for new Hot Wheels Audis, as there have only been 13 different castings so far. From a model year perspective, the RS 7 is also the latest vehicle in the Elite 64 series. Mark Jones designed this casting, and it's brand new, as you can tell by now. The Cool Gray paint job features a high gloss finish and works well with the gloss black open 5-spoke wheels.
There are plenty of details to admire, including the grills, front and rear lights, and the side mirrors. I was a big RS 7 fan and drove a wide-body A7 for a few years. But the last item of the 2023 Elite 64 series is the least desirable one, at least if you ask me. It goes live on December 19 at 9 AM PT, and it will be interesting to see how long it lasts in Mattel's online shop. You can still get the Modified '69 Ford Mustang, which appeared in September. I wouldn't be surprised if the Elite 64 series will disappear if sales aren't that good by the end of 2024. But let's not get ahead of ourselves just yet.
But since December of last year, Mattel has come up with another solution: the Hot Wheels Elite 64 series. At $20 a piece, these aren't as basic as the Mainline models, and most collectors will be happy to receive them. But for now, some of them are still unconvinced by this series. It's not entirely unexpected for the people in El Segundo, as any new line-up of tiny cars is bound to suffer heavy scrutiny from potential clients worldwide.
We have seen five different Elite 64 items so far. Mattel always tries to bring some diversity to the table, and that's obvious for multiple reasons. Season one of the series contains one Japanese vehicle, one American, and four Euro cars. I guess the marketing department still gauges customers' interest in these cars: three feature moving parts, while the others don't.
On the one hand, the ones with an opening hood or doors might cannibalize the RLC market. On the other hand, it's hard to convince people to pay $20 for a 1/64th scale car with no particular feature. But the Land Rover Defender 90 Pickup had an extra wheel in the back, while the 1996 Toyota Chaser JZX100 was bound to appeal to hardcore drift fans. I don't know where that leaves the new '21 Audi RS 7 Sportback.
Sure, Mattel knows a lot of people are asking for new Hot Wheels Audis, as there have only been 13 different castings so far. From a model year perspective, the RS 7 is also the latest vehicle in the Elite 64 series. Mark Jones designed this casting, and it's brand new, as you can tell by now. The Cool Gray paint job features a high gloss finish and works well with the gloss black open 5-spoke wheels.
There are plenty of details to admire, including the grills, front and rear lights, and the side mirrors. I was a big RS 7 fan and drove a wide-body A7 for a few years. But the last item of the 2023 Elite 64 series is the least desirable one, at least if you ask me. It goes live on December 19 at 9 AM PT, and it will be interesting to see how long it lasts in Mattel's online shop. You can still get the Modified '69 Ford Mustang, which appeared in September. I wouldn't be surprised if the Elite 64 series will disappear if sales aren't that good by the end of 2024. But let's not get ahead of ourselves just yet.
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