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Inside the First Hot Wheels Car Culture 2-Pack of 2022, JDM Meets Muscle Cars

Growing up, my dad used to collect coins. He still does to this day. But you can't just walk into your nearest store and buy those. That's why collecting Hot Wheels is much easier. Of course, the level of difficulty will vary depending on the goals you've set for your collection. Newer diecasts are easily available, older ones not so much.
Inside the First Hot Wheels Car Culture 2-Pack of 2022, JDM Meets Muscle Cars 13 photos
Photo: Ministry of Diecast
Inside the First Hot Wheels Car Culture 2-Pack of 2022, JDM Meets Muscle CarsInside the First Hot Wheels Car Culture 2-Pack of 2022, JDM Meets Muscle CarsInside the First Hot Wheels Car Culture 2-Pack of 2022, JDM Meets Muscle CarsInside the First Hot Wheels Car Culture 2-Pack of 2022, JDM Meets Muscle CarsInside the First Hot Wheels Car Culture 2-Pack of 2022, JDM Meets Muscle CarsInside the First Hot Wheels Car Culture 2-Pack of 2022, JDM Meets Muscle CarsInside the First Hot Wheels Car Culture 2-Pack of 2022, JDM Meets Muscle CarsInside the First Hot Wheels Car Culture 2-Pack of 2022, JDM Meets Muscle CarsInside the First Hot Wheels Car Culture 2-Pack of 2022, JDM Meets Muscle CarsInside the First Hot Wheels Car Culture 2-Pack of 2022, JDM Meets Muscle CarsInside the First Hot Wheels Car Culture 2-Pack of 2022, JDM Meets Muscle CarsInside the First Hot Wheels Car Culture 2-Pack of 2022, JDM Meets Muscle Cars
I've often seen people showing a tendency to belittle the hobbies of others. You often hear phrases like: "It's just like any other car, it has four wheels and a steering wheel, what's so special about it?" And the same goes for Hot Wheels. "What, are you 5?" or the traditional "Why would you pay that kind of money for a toy car?" Understanding someone's hobby takes time, and often you need to immerse yourself in it to fully grasp its extent.

I've been collecting Hot Wheels for quite a few years now, and I keep discovering new things about the brand every other month or so. For example, did you know that Mattel launched the Car Culture 2-Packs just last year? The Car Culture format has been used since 2016, and we've seen some amazing models coming out ever since. But when it comes to 2-Packs, collectors were only given 2 mixes in 2021, and that's it.

The 2-Packs consists, as the name suggests, of two Premium cars themed to a certain assortment. One of those cars originates from an existing Car Culture series, while the other one is new. In 2021, Mix 1 contained two Nissan Skyline GT-R R32s, an '83 Chevy Silverado, a '91 GMC Syclone, a '72 Mercedes-Benz 280 SEL 4.5, and a Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.5-16.

Inside the First Hot Wheels Car Culture 2\-Pack of 2022, JDM Meets Muscle Cars
Photo: Hot Wheels
For the second mix, collectors could pick up a pair of '71 BRE Datsun 510s, a pair of Porsche 962s, a custom VW Beetle and a VW T1 Panel Bus. Of course, Mattel is bringing back the 2-Packs for 2022, and we've already got an unboxing scenario from an avid collector. It's becoming more and more obvious that drifting has become an internationally acclaimed sport, judging by the first two cars in the mix.

I'm talking about the RTR Mustangs, which Chelsea DeNofa and Vaughn Gittin JR used to compete in Formula Drift this year. I'm probably biased due to my affinity for drifting, but I feel that these are two of the coolest casts released by Mattel in the past few years! And I'm especially excited to see that they didn't only build Vaughn's car, but Chelsea one as well!

Up next, a strong dose of Nismo Car Culture, with not one but two GT-Rs. This time we're looking at a BNR32 and a BNR34, a move which should please both younger and older collectors at the same time. It's hard to believe that Hot Wheels first brought out the R32 in 2019. But that just goes to prove the rising popularity of older Japanese cars these days. Meanwhile, the R34 is already more than 10 years old, with 17 variations released so far.

Last but not least, it's time for some American Muscle. Both cars belong to a golden era, the '70s: a Plymouth Superbird and a Roadrunner. The HW Superbird has been around since 2006, but the Roadrunner is even older, dating back to 1998. If you're running out of patience, you can already pre-order some of these here.

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About the author: Dragos Chitulescu
Dragos Chitulescu profile photo

The things Dragos enjoys the most in life are, in no particular order: cars, motorcycles, diecast cars, and drifting. He's seen (and driven) many vehicles since he started his writing career back in 2009, but his garage currently houses a 1991 Mazda RX-7 FC3S Turbo II and a 1999 Suzuki SV650-S.
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