New Hot Wheels Car Culture 2-Pack Mix Will Help You Channel Your Inner Paul Walker

Since 1968, Mattel has tried various packaging solutions for Hot Wheels cars. You can buy individual items or packs of 2, 3, 5, 10, or even 20 cars. Hardcore enthusiasts will even go as far as purchasing whole cases of 72 items or even the huge, RLC-exclusive, Mainline Factory-sealed set of 454 Hot Wheels. That's one way of taking your collection to the next level fast!

Today's story will show you the most recent Car Culture 2-Pack mix of six vehicles. This format has been around since 2021, which means this is the eighth release so far. Each 2-pack has a specific theme, and earlier this year, two cars were part of the Silhouettes group, two more were Race Cars, and the final two had the American Muscle label.

2021 Toyota GR Supra

The first two items are Toyota Supras sporting a Fast & Furious theme. Mark Jones designed the '21 GR Supra, and this is a premium-exclusive casting. One shouldn't mistake this for the '20 GR Supra, which Ryu Asada created, as that represents a tuned version of the Japanese sports car. Mattel has developed three variations of the '21 GR Supra so far, two of which were identical Fast & Furious models.

The other one was a Gazoo Racing-themed variation that appeared in Team Transport along with the Aero Lift hauler. Unsurprisingly, we see a third Fast & Furious variation of this stock Supra, bound to generate mixed reactions in the community. Some people might ignore it, while others could finally be happy to own one. Even though Han drove this in Fast 9, I'm sure most people would rather have a replica of his Veilside RX-7 from Tokyo Drift instead. That's bound to happen soon, especially after Mattel came up with Neela's RX-8 in the recent Fast & Furious Series 3 assortment of basic cars.

Toyota Supra

You can help but appreciate the brilliance showcased by Mattel's marketing department. You might not be excited about the '21 GR Supra, but packaging it with a much nicer car will likely help sell that. Paul Walker, also known as Brian Earl Spilner, drove an orange MK4 Supra in The Fast and the Furious. It's a car that left a strong impression on most kids growing up in that period, and for most people today, it's still one level above the new GR Supra. Sure, this isn't the first time we see a Hot Wheels replica of it, but common sense only sometimes works when nostalgia is involved.

Jun Imai designed this casting for its 2013 release, with over 20 variations. Seven of those look like Paul Walker's car from the first movie and three more are inspired by other Fast & Furious episodes. At first glance, you might think this is just another repeat model. But seeing this new iteration next to an older one will reveal one detail that might make a difference. Both cars feature an orange finish, but Mattel has opted for a more vivid variation of the color for the new model. And that may be enough to convince people to make a purchase. I sure plan on doing so!

'69 Ford Mustang Boss 302

While the first pack was a Japanese, Supra-exclusive set, the second is about the Ford Mustang. And it's easy to tell that there is a Gulf theme here too. Jun Imai designed the '69 Ford Mustang Boss 302 for its 2012 Hot Wheels: Racing Muscle release. That was a premium model with Real Riders wheels and Firestone-branded tires.

Five of the 14 variations introduced so far were premium models, and you'll even find a Super Treasure Hunt if you look through the 2015 archives. In 2019, the Car Culture: Gulf set included the '69 Ford Mustang Boss 302, and you need help finding some differences between that iteration and the most recent one. Still, the casting is exciting enough to make you forget about that, and it's common knowledge that Gulf liveries are always popular with Hot Wheels collectors.

2014 Custom Mustang

I was never a big fan of the S197 Mustang, and seeing it in the 2014 Need for Speed movie didn't do much for me either. Bryan Benedict designed this casting for its 2014 Hot Wheels Entertainment premium release. Strangely enough, there are few variations of this casting on the market. After two basic iterations in 2015 and 2016, we got another premium version in Car Culture in 2019, seemingly the end of it.

So there's a hint of excitement hidden in this new design, as it sports a new Gulf livery and Real Riders 5-spoke rims. I have mixed feelings about the matching color on these, but other collectors might appreciate the design. Even so, I suspect the Ford Mustang pack will likely become the least popular in the new Car Culture 2-pack set.

MBK Van

The HKS livery is even more popular with Hot Wheels collectors than the Gulf one, and you'll find it on plenty of castings. GT-R enthusiasts will instantly remember the HKS-themed R32 and R34, but there's also that Honda Civic Super Treasure Hunt from a few years back. Mark Jones designed the MBK Van, and the First Edition model from 2021 also had an HKS livery.

This is a Premium-casting exclusive, but I'm not into the previous Marvel and Batman releases. You'll be hard-pressed to notice differences between the two HKS iterations, but this is still a nice-to-have collectible. The white Real Riders 10-spoke Modern wheels look great tucked in under the van's body, and this vehicle could almost be a good hauler in the Team Transport series. But we've saved what's best for last.

Nissan Skyline GT-R (BCNR33)

Many people labeled the Nissan Skyline GT-R R33 as the "Ugly Ducking" of the family, but that opinion isn't quite as popular today. I'm a big R32 fan myself, but I definitely wouldn't mind owning or at least driving an R33. Ryu Asada designed this casting, which looks fantastic even as a Mainline item. The Metalflake Purple release was lovely but not as nice as the 2019 Fast & Furious replica in Yellow.

Seeing Leon's car in the Original Fast set only added to the popularity of this casting, and it was the start of an uninterrupted series of Premium-only R33s. One can only hope we'll see a new Mainline iteration soon, but until then, let's feast our eyes on the HKS machine. Whereas Mattel opted for Real Riders Exotics on the HKS R32, this time, the company went for a set of Real Riders 6-Spoke Mag wheels instead.

It's already a classic design for the R33 casting, as this is the fourth time we get to see this particular combo. There are also some minor livery differences when compared to the R32, and the only question on everyone's mind is: When will we see a Premium release of an HKS-themed R34? Sure, we had one before, but that was part of the now-defunct iD series, so it doesn't quite count. Mattel should be coming up with two more 2-Pack sets this year, which means we'll see 12 more vehicles before moving on to 2024.

Before you go, here's a word of advice for you. Don't be as tempted as you may be to order these sets now. If you do, it might cost you as much as $200, but you'll still have to wait for them until their official release. And at that time, you can buy them at a regular retail price of less than $60 for all six vehicles. Remember, patience is a virtue.