Hot Wheels Ultra Hots Mix 2 Feels Like the Perfect Way to Relive Your '80s Childhood

Mattel relaunched the Hot Wheels Ultra Hots series in 2022, almost 40 years since its original release. Following the same idea of using Spectraflame paint and special UH wheels on the cars, things seemed to kick off right away. It all clicked for both collectors that have been at it since the '80s, but also for the younger generation that was keen to experiment with a new line of diecast cars.

After we got just one mix of eight cars in 2022, the first set for 2023 made an appearance back in December of last year. And now, it's time to look at Mix 2 for 2023. With any luck, we should be seeing at least two more of these by the end of the year.

'64 Chevy Chevelle SS

The '64 Chevy Chevelle SS is the first car included in the new mix. And right off the bat, you'll notice the mismatched wheels. The ones up front are the classic Ultra Hots rims you'd expect to see in a set like this. But on the rear, it makes use of a regular set of 5-spoke wheels instead.

And that leads to an interesting conclusion. In Mix 1, the '70 Pontiac Firebird was the only vehicle that didn't use UH wheels. But for Mix 2 it seems like Mattel has shifted the strategy so that every car has at least two UH rims on it, to better fit the theme. Even though this isn't a Real Riders kind of design, it's still special in its way. The Chevelle SS casting was designed over a decade ago by Brendon Vetuskey, for its 2012 release.

We've seen 13 variations of it up until 2021, with no new model coming out in 2022. And we've only seen one previous Spectraflame version before, as it was elevated to the rank of Super Treasure Hunt in 2020. The 2023 design was painted Spectraflame Aqua and features the classic afterburner flame tampos that are a defining element of the Ultra Hots series.

'68 Plymouth Barracuda Formula S

The second tribute to the '60s comes in the form of a '68 Plymouth Barracuda Formula S, which was designed by Phil Riehlman. This casting made its debut in the 2013 HW Showroom: Muscle Mania series, when it had a Metalflake Purple body with Mopar decals on the side.

Mattel has created 14 variations of it up until now, but this is the first one to feature a Spectraflame color. Granted, black isn't the most exciting color ever, but the flames manage to spice things up a bit.

This is a genuine Ultra Hots design, with UH wheels on all four corners. Last year Hot Wheels unveiled a convertible '70 Plymouth Barracuda, but we would most likely go for the '68 model if we had to choose between the two.

'71 Dodge Demon

Moving on to the '70s, we get to see the '71 Dodge Demon. This is the oldest casting used in Mix 2, as it was first introduced in 2009. With that in mind, it comes as no surprise that there are over 20 variations of it to collect if you're a completionist by nature.

One of its highlights is the 2013 Super Treasure Hunt appearance when the car was painted Spectraflame Blue and rode on Real Riders 5-spoke rims. One of those will set you back between $25 to $50, depending on whether it's carded or not.

We didn't get a new variation for 2022, which feels like a strategy to build up hype around the casting for the new Ultra Hots release. The Spectraflame Watermelon paint job features a rather subtle livery, making this one of the cleaner designs in the new set.

'71 Plymouth Road Runner

The '71 Plymouth Road Runner is one of the rarer castings included in this Ultra Hots mix of cars. Since its debut in 2012, Mattel has only created nine variations of it not including the new UH appearance.

Neither of these has been particularly special, but you'll probably enjoy either the First Edition in Metalflake Magenta or the fourth iteration in Metalflake Black. As for the new release, Hot Wheels has opted to paint it Spectraflame Green.

Just like with the aforementioned Chevy Chevelle, this car is also rolling on mismatched wheels which are meant to provide a bit of diversity to the series. Still, we don't think it stands a chance at being the most popular casting in Mix 2, as it faces stiff competition against some of the following models.

'73 Ford Falcon XB

Both Mad Max fans and Australian collectors are going to love the '73 Ford Falcon XB that was designed by Rob Matthes. This casting was first featured in the 2010 All Stars series, and it has quite an impressive history to back it up.

After three premium releases in 2011, a Super Treasure Hunt version came up in 2012. And it reached that status again in 2013, which is quite rare to see these days. So the new Spectraflame Orange iteration isn't likely to become the most special '73 Ford Falcon XB of all time.

But it also has zero chances of ending up as a peg-warmer. Using the Spectraflame paint job was a brilliant idea, as it can make almost any car so much more desirable from the get-go. Still, the best is yet to come for Mix 2 of the Hot Wheels Ultra Hots, and it isn't until the end that we get to see the crown jewel of this set.

Custom '69 Volkswagen Squareback

Seeing the Custom '69 Volkswagen Squareback in this set feels a bit odd, and some of you might even think that this is a rather obscure casting. The First Edition was a premium model that came out in 2010 as part of the Hot Wheels Delivery: Slick Rides series.

Up until today, there have been 18 variations of it, several of which had metal bodies and Real Riders wheels. One of the first things you'll notice about the Ultra Hots release is that Mattel opted for a ZAMAC presentation instead of the classic Spectraflame paint job.

A similar approach was used in 2022 for the '69 Mercury Cyclone, and it doesn't feel like a bad idea at all. ZAMAC models are always quite popular among collectors, and some people have gone as far as customizing regular cars to get that unpainted look. The '69 Squareback is the second Volkswagen appearance in the Ultra Hots series, following the Spectraflame Apple Green SP2.

Nissan Fairlady Z

In a rather unexpected turn of events, Mattel opted to use only one JDM car in this Ultra Hots mix. The previous one included both the Nissan Silvia (S14) Drift and the Honda Civic SI, but there were no such vehicles in the 2022 series.

At least the Nissan Fairlady Z is an excellent choice for the current line-up. Jun Imai designed this casting for its 2016 release and we've already seen 16 variations of it so far. The 2017 Super Treasure Hunt was the first special one to hit the market, and then collectors were awed by the Car Culture: Japan Historic 2 release in 2018.

The 2019 Fast & Furious: Fast Rewind was equally as amazing, and in 2020 the Fairlady Z even made it to the iD series. Even though the new iteration does not have Real Riders wheels, it still looks like something you're bound to see at the Tokyo Auto Salon or even at Daikoku Futo PA during a late-night car meet.

Porsche 934.5

Last but not least, here's the star of the show! Of course, not everyone is going to agree that the Porsche 934.5 is the most spectacular appearance in the new Ultra Hots mix, but online communities are already raving about it.

Ryu Asada collaborated with Jun Imai on designing this casting, which first appeared back in 2017. Three variations and one year later, collectors were already on the lookout for the Super Treasure Hunt version in Spectraflame Aqua. A ZAMAC model was up next, and then it finally made its way into the Car Culture series in 2020. That means that the Ultra Hot appearance is the seventh one so far, and the first one after a two-year absence.

We all know how important the choice of color and livery can be with these collectibles, but Mattel hit the nail right on the head this time. The 934.5 looks spectacular in Spectraflame Orange, with minimal intrusion from the Ultra Hots afterburner flames. One thing's for sure, you may have a hard time coming across one of these in stores as people will rush in to buy more than just one item.