New 2024 Hot Wheels Set Is All About the Wagon Life

While some Hot Wheels series have yet to come to an end for 2023, others are already coming up with 2024 models. Everyone is eager to see new castings and new liveries. And I'm also happy that Mattel is extending the wheel range. It's nice to see this kind of move, especially for cars that have been part of the company's portfolio for over a few years.

Today, I'll give you some info about the upcoming 2024 Hot Wagons set of five cars. While you may be tempted to think this is a Premium mix, it's not. Hot Wagons is part of the basic Themed Automotive Assortment series. These are usually slightly better than the Mainline items and can sometimes reach higher market prices 12 to 24 months after their initial release. But let's get to the point and start with the first car of the set.

'64 Chevy Nova Wagon

Abe Lugo designed the '64 Chevy Nova for its 2013 HW Showroom: HW Garage debut. This casting graduated to Super Treasure Hunt status in 2014 before moving to the Hot Wheels Heritage: Redline series the following one. There have been eight more releases since, making up for 15 variations with this new one included. Speaking of which, I'm a big fan of the new design.

Not only does Dark Green fit this wagon nicely, but there's also a new set of wheels to gawk at. Most previous iterations have had 5-spoke rims, so it's only natural to see these here. The chrome lip is their best part, although I can't help but feel like this is a Matchbox-inspired design. There's a good chance plenty of other castings will be using these soon.

Custom '66 GTO Wagon

The Custom '66 GTO Wagon is the oldest casting in this new mix, debuting in 2009. Larry Wood designed this one, and the First Edition featured a metal base, a Spectraflame Red finish, and 5-Spoke Mag-Style Real Riders wheels. The following iteration looked even more exciting in Spectraflame Purple, and Mattel came up with six more Premium variants before introducing a Mainline model of the wagon.

This 2024 edition has a Matte Black finish and new wheels to boast about, but I'd still rather have the 2010 model with yellow flames running down the sides. This is the 15th iteration of the Custom '66 GTO Wagon, and it's interesting to point out that it's the first one since 2015! 2009 and 2010 were its best years, and I wonder if the diecast manufacturer will continue using it in any more upcoming series.

Datsun Bluebird Wagon (510)

It's getting rarer and rarer to see a Hot Wheels mix of cars without at least one JDM model. Some collectors might pick the Datsun Bluebird Wagon (510) as their favorite one here instead of the '64 Chevy Nova Wagon. Jun Imai designed this casting, and it has had a lot of impressive iterations so far. After all, it debuted in Boulevard in 2013 and looked great with that Pale Turquoise finish. Mattel has released 28 variations of this Datsun, nine of which are Premium collectibles.

If you've been reading my stories these past few months, you might also know it has been part of the 2023 Super Treasure Hunt series. The Spectraflame Mellon Datsun appeared in Case P and rolled around on Classic 4-Spoke Real Riders wheels. For Hot Wagons, it has a whole new look, with an Ivory paint job and Golden 5-spoke wheels, the likes of which we haven't seen before. It has small Yokohama logos on the sides and Hot Wheels written in Japanese, just as we saw on one Toyota casting, I showed you recently.

Volvo 850 Estate

The Volvo 850 Estate is the newest casting in the set, as it has only been around since 2020. It's also the first Ryu Asada-designed one here. I was still working for Volvo when the First Edition appeared in stores, and I still have it in my collection. Interestingly enough, Mattel used this casting in its Premium Car Culture: Fast Wagons series in 2021, so you can notice a pattern here.

To this day, that Cream Yellow 850 Estate design is still the most likable version of the casting- you can look up the other seven to make your own opinion on the topic. And remember that this is one of six Hot Wheels Volvo castings for now. So, if you're a big fan of the Swedish manufacturer, you might want to get the new white and blue variation.

'17 Audi RS 6 Avant
The last item in the 2024 Hot Wagons mix is the '17 Audi RS 6 Avant. Like with the Volvo, this was part of the Fast Wagons set of five cars in 2021. Since 2018, Mattel has unveiled seven variations of the RS 6 Avant, including a Super Treasure Hunt collectible! The cheapest carded one can cost as little as $40, but some can go up to over $200 on eBay. Like the new model, the First Edition RS 6 Avant featured a red paint job.

But it featured Y 5-spoke wheels, a two-decade-old design. The new 4-spoke rim is strange, but it may grow on me in time. At least graphics have been kept to a minimum, so it scores extra points with that. You'll find at least one seller advertising the Hot Wagons set online at a rather hefty $50. If you can control your fear of missing out, you can secure it for $20 or less in a few weeks. Or you can skip it altogether and save your money for other, more exciting collectibles, as I can assure you that plenty of them are coming our way in 2024.