MG Metro 6R4 Joins 2016 Mercedes-AMG GT3 in New Hot Wheels Mix, Time to Set Them Free

The Car Culture: Team Transport series by Hot Wheels has been around since 2018. In five years, Mattel has given us 49 different sets, with each one featuring two items: a premium car and its designated transporter. Team Transport is shaping up to be one of the most popular and desired series by the diecast manufacturer, and it's hard to understand why.

We've seen a wide variety of brands and models, shapes and sizes. Looking at the most frequent manufacturers to show up in these sets things are as follows: Porsche (six cars), Volkswagen (three Transporters, four cars), Nissan (eight cars), Plymouth (four cars), Chevrolet (four cars), Ford (four Transporters, six cars).

But you also have to consider that in 2019, 2021, and 2022, Mattel also released three more exclusive sets. The last two ones were meant to promote the Hot Wheels Legends Tour, while the first one paid tribute to a popular brand called Supreme. This set includes the Fleet Flyer Transporter and a 1992 BMW M3. Some sellers on eBay are asking for as much as $500 for it, which is pretty insane to think of. Now, after several months of waiting, Mix 4 for 2022 is out in the open. And this time there are seven items inside.

The first match-up of Mix 4 contains three items, and rally fans will be ecstatic to see this one. The MG Metro 6R4 is a brand-new casting for Hot Wheels, and also a replica of the car that Didier Auriol drove to victory in the 1986 French Rallye Championship. MG-otakus will point out that the livery isn't 100% accurate. The original car had the number 33 on it, while the 1/64 replica switched to 35 among other things.

But looking at it, it's like opening up the history books. Auriol was an ambulance driver before he started competing in motorsports, and he scored 20 victories in the World Rally Championship before retiring. He is also credited for being the first French driver to win the WRC, almost a decade before Loeb achieved the same result.

Not only that, but Williams F1 engineers took part in the development of the Metro 6R4, which also had a short stint in the final days of the Group B era. And it's nice to see a different transport setup for a change. Both the Rally Van and the Rally Trailer have only been used once before, and they're a real blast from the past with matching eight-spoke rims all around.

The second set brings a more modern approach to racing, with the 2016 Mercedes-AMG GT3. This casting has appeared in the mainline series before, and it has been around since 2018. A similar IWC Racing set has been part of the Team Transport series before, as Mix 2 of 2020 showcased the classic Mercedes-Benz 300 SL and the Euro Hauler.

But this time Hot Wheels has opted to go for an open trailer so that you can admire both cars at any given time. And that decision goes for all three sets inside of Mix 4. The Fleet Street hauler is pretty special if you think about it, as it was just introduced this year. You might remember it from both the LBWK Transport set and the Japanese Tuners Collectors set which we talked about not long ago.

But let's move on to perhaps the most unexpected Hot Wheels item so far this year: the Classic Hydroplane. Just like the Metro 6R4, this is also a brand-new casting for Mattel. And it brings back memories of the 1950s and 1960s when people would strap aircraft engines to their watercraft while trying to go faster than 200 mph (321 kph).

You can't help but wonder if this 1/64-scale machine will float or sink should you decide to test it on water. Its companion is the Speed Waze truck, which takes us further back in time to a period before the second World War.

We've seen this hauler before, in 2021 to be more specific. Back then it was transporting a 1932 Ford in Matte Orange, and it was rolling around on 10-spoke wheels. That didn't work well with the classic theme, and we're glad to see that this is no longer the case today. The new Real Riders Steelies are just what you'd expect from a truck this big.

Some stores have opened up their pre-order list for a case of four sets, which will set you back $80.95. With any luck, it may arrive at your door by the end of this month. Chances are that we won't be getting another Team Transport Mix for 2022, but the 2023 series should come along soon.