Inside the 2023 Hot Wheels Case K: '69 Shelby GT-500 Is the New Super Treasure Hunt

And today, we'll give you a glimpse of case K, which happens to be the 10th one for the ongoing "Diecast Hunting" season. It may take a while until it arrives in a store near you, but there's always the option of ordering one online if you have a good source for that thing. As we've done with previous mainline-related stories, we'll look at the two most special items inside first.

The hunt is on!

The Treasure Hunt series could have been better this year, with six fantasy items and two motorcycles out of nine releases. Once the '95 Jeep Cherokee TH showed up, newfound hope awaited. And it looks like Case K will arrive with a similar release in the form of a Toyota Land Cruiser pickup truck.

Ryu Asada and Manson Cheung designed this casting for its release in 2021. While most people would choose the 2022 Mud Runners color scheme instead, the new color combo isn't all that bad, either. You at least have to appreciate that the chassis now sits on a set of Baja5 wheels instead of the old BLOR ones.

But let's move on to the star of the show: the new Super Treasure Hunt collectible. We have been expecting the '69 Shelby GT-500 for some time now, and it has had some serious competition so far this year. But people collecting Hot Wheels cars for decades will prefer the purple Shelby over the Spectraflame Red Toyota Supra.

The last time Mattel produced a convertible STH was back in 2021; that was a tiny Shelby too. This new Spectraflame Purple appearance is the ninth iteration of a casting that first appeared in 2011. If you need help figuring out why there aren't more variations of this around, the diecast manufacturer put the project on standby for almost a decade before bringing it back in 2020.

Patience is a virtue

We all know that Super Treasure Hunt collectibles are challenging to find in the wild, but buying one from eBay is always possible. It might cost you $100 if you want a mint, carded version of the Shelby. But you can save up to 80% of that amount if you choose a loose GT-500 instead.

And now, let's look at some of the other highlights that case K has to offer. Mattel has delivered four variations of the Toon'd '83 Chevy Silverado in less than two years. You'll either love it or hate it. It's also starting to grow on me, and so are the two Fast & Furious replicas. But collecting vehicles like the '62 Corvette Gasser feels considerably more enjoyable.

We're keen to see if and when Mattel will release a premium variation of this casting. We expected this avalanche of Corvette models as the nameplate celebrates its 70th anniversary this year. And the appearance of the C7 Z06 further strengthens that belief. We haven't seen one since 2020, and you can almost hear that V8 roaring to life if you focus hard enough.

Most car enthusiasts have seen or heard about the Subaru Forrester STI. But how many of you were aware of Mitsubishi's sporty-SUV alternative? We do not doubt that the new Pajero Evolution casting will be one of the most desired models inside case K, with its red Ralliart livery and Aerodisc wheels. And it goes along perfectly with the Lancer Evolution VI casting that came out in 2021.

You have to catch them all

Drift enthusiasts will be happy to see the return of the Nissan Maxima station wagon, this time featuring a Light Blue color scheme for its third release. Speaking of fast family haulers, the '17 Audi RS6 is just as jaw-dropping as ever, and it's no wonder some people have built entire collections around this casting. The original Dodge Viper RT/10 casting came out some 30 years ago, so meeting someone with a complete collection of this model will be challenging.

The new purple variation is slightly better than the previous yellow one, but that is also a matter of personal preference. For those who have yet to find the Metalflake Blue Stingray Convertible, a new variation of the '72 Corvette comes with case J. The tiny convertible is equally impressive in Metalflake Gray. The pop-up headlights are the "piece de resistance" here.

But we were blown away by the '84 Mustang SVO, a casting that usually feels outdated in more ways than one. With the new livery and Aerodisc wheels, that is no longer the case. And you can almost imagine blasting synthwave music inside while driving down the boulevard on a hot summer night. We've noticed mixed reactions inside collector groups regarding the new Custom Civic color scheme.

The First Edition model was so much better in Sky Blue. Still, this casting would be going nowhere fast without some color variations. Look past the Batman-inspired collectibles and the fantasy cars. You'll find that the '82 Toyota Supra doesn't even need Real Riders wheels to stand out of the crowd. It might not garner as much attention as an MKIV model, but it brings fresh air to the Hot Wheels JDM scene worldwide.

No man is happy or safe without a hobby

The last time we saw the '87 Dodge D100, it was high on a pedestal as it had reached Treasure Hunt status. With no special designation this time other than being part of the Baja Blazers series, the MOPAR-powered truck sits on muddy tires to describe its favorite pastime activity. Race boat fans will fall in love with the Mad Splash casting if they can look past the wheel setup and focus on the yellow hull of the ship instead.

The new Mad Splash is the 11th variation of the model in over ten years. But let's take a second and appreciate the release of the Limited Grip fantasy-casting. This machine reminds us of Nigel Petrie's drift-spec Toyota Hilux: a tubular spaceframe chassis that stormed the Internet several years ago. But even this cool little drift truck will not be able to spark as much interest as the Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7.

The First Edition model appeared a few months ago. Still, it is no surprise that Mattel plans to release multiple variations of it over the next few years. Most Hot Wheels collectors will buy at least two or three of these for safekeeping, so expect to have a tough time finding one in stores. And the same goes for the 911 GT3 in Guards Red, which we hope we'll see more of in the Premium series soon.

Sure, Hot Wheels used it in the Car Culture: Speed Machines line-up, but only some people are fans of the Co-Molded wheel design used there. You would think Case J should have run out of surprises by now, but you would be wrong. The '83 Chevy Silverado looks great in Slammed form, and it has been many years since this vehicle has had a decent color scheme to show off.

And there's still some juice left in this case, in the form of a red Mazda 787B, the Lucid Air, and a new variation of the BMW 507. But the Barbie-themed Corvette is considerably more appealing to collect, especially if you're a big fan of Chevrolet's old-school design language.

This year's tenth Mainline case is good, considering all the castings mentioned above. We have already seen the following two Super Treasure Hunt collectibles. However, three more remain unknown before we move on to the 2024 collection. We'll keep you updated as more of these tiny cars arrive in a nearby store.