New Hot Wheels Set of Eight Cars Is Ultra Hot

One is the yellow Porsche 911 GT3 RS from the Gran Turismo set I reported on in January. The other is the orange 911 from the Porsche set I discussed that month. So I only had to wait two and half months for these to arrive in that store. Meanwhile, the third car was the '95 Mazda RX-7 Drift, which took almost four months!

Does anyone feel lucky enough to guess when the newest Ultra Hots set of eight cars will start shipping? It's the second mix for 2024. If Mattel uses the same release strategy as it did in 2023, it's also the last one for this year. At least there are some nice castings inside!

'64 Dodge 330

The '64 Dodge 330 is one of the oldest items in this set, debuting in 2007. It's also the only Phil Riehlman-designed model here. Despite being around for so long, most people might not recognize it today. That's because we've only had three iterations so far.

The First Edition was part of the Since '68: Muscle Cars series and it was pretty awesome in Metaflake Black with Redline Black Wall wheels. The HWC.Com Series 13 model is the rarest one (3,000 units total), and it showed up in 2015 with a Spectraflame Red finish. The 2019 Collector Edition is the best if you care more about wheels than the livery (it had Real Riders Steelies).

And you might be shocked once you see the new iteration. In this age, seeing an opening hood on a non-RLC or non-Elite64 Hot Wheels collectible will affect people like that. Spectraflame Green works great with this classic Muscle Car, and the afterburner flames further add to the excitement.

'71 Datsun 510

By comparison, the '71 Datsun 510 is considerably more popular. But then again, most Hot Wheels Datsuns have that effect on collectors. Since 2009, Mattel developed over 40 variations of the 510.

You'll see quite a few of them listed for over $500 on eBay, which makes this one of the most expensive castings on the market. We saw it as an RLC-exclusive Gulf model in 2022 and a less exciting Mystery Models release last year.

The diecast manufacturer is bringing back another RLC variation in 2024, but the Ultra Hots 510 is considerably more accessible for collectors worldwide. Regardless of what most people think, I'd rather pick something else from this set.

Nissan Skyline H/T 2000GT-X

Jun Imai's Nissan Skyline H/T 2000GT-X has had over 20 iterations since its debut in 2011. The Ultra Hots model is the second one for 2024, as this iconic vehicle has already appeared in the J-Imports series.

It's one step higher than that, thanks to the Spectraflame Purple finish. Strangely, it's only the second time Mattel has used this special paint type (the first was a Super Treasure Hunt release in 2022).

The black dot on the hood and the sides makes it stand out from the crowd. And I'd say there's a 0% chance this item will become a peg-warmer.

'78 Porsche 935-78

If I could only choose one vehicle from the new Ultra Hots set, it would be the '78 Porsche 935-78. Getting the entire collection will become my main objective as soon as I buy it.

It's the designated ZAMAC model for Mix 2, just as we saw with the Custom '69 Volkswagen Squareback last year and the '69 Mercury Cyclone in 2022. And it's the second Porsche ever to make it to the new Ultra Hots series, as the Porsche 934.5 came first.

In the '80s, we saw two iterations of the Porsche 928 showing up in Ultra Hots, but that was a long time ago. Seeing that the NFT version of the 935-78 is one of the most expensive ones money can buy, is it too much to ask for another Car Culture release?

Toyota AE86 Sprinter Trueno

You're looking at the newer, nicer AE86 casting by Hot Wheels. Mark Jones drew this one up a few years ago, and the 2021 Initial D Special Version is still the one most people would love to add to their collection.

It's a shame that buying one for less than $400 is almost impossible. The 2022 Mountain Drifters iteration featured Itasha graphics, but there are at least two other options if you'd like a more classic approach.

Mattel hasn't used a single Toyota casting in the Ultra Hots line-up in a strange turn of events since bringing it back to life in 2022. And a mix of Spectraflame Orange and black is not a bad way to start.

'85 Honda City Turbo II

I should make a list of the tiniest Hot Wheels castings around. The '85 Honda City Turbo II would surely be on it, and it's certainly the cutest item in the new mix. Ryu Asada's work lives on, despite him sadly passing away.

People seemed to ignore the only Premium variation of the City Turbo II when it was part of Japan Historics 3. That may be the reason why we haven't seen another one since. But the regular items are still pretty cool, especially if you can buy the ZAMAC model.

Don't pay $50 for it when you can find options for $10. Ultra Hots marks the first time this car has a Spectraflame paint job, and it's fantastic in red, white, and yellow. Call me crazy, but I think it's the second-best collectible in the new set!

'86 Ford Thunderbird Pro Stock

JDM fans have half the Ultra Hots set to look forward to. Meanwhile, German and American vehicles each take 50% of the rest. Mike Nuttall's '86 Ford Thunderbird Pro Stock is about as rare as the '64 Dodge 330.

Since its 2012 debut, we only had four variations to choose from. Two came out last year, but neither was particularly memorable. It's slightly better in Spectraflame Dark Blue with a purple interior.

It's the only collectible in the set to feature Ultra Hots decals on the sides. I don't know about you, but I'd rather wait for its Premium debut later this year, as it's joining the Boulevard series soon.

Custom Volkswagen Beetle

One look at this reminded me of Blake Wilkey's Bug-based Trophy Truck. This is the fourth Volkswagen to shop up in Ultra Hots in three years, and it's not nearly as wild as the Käfer Racer.

Interestingly, this Larry Wood-designed casting debuted in the 2007 Ultra Hots line-up. Back then, it featured Deep Dish Real Riders wheels, and the Flat Black iteration is one of my favorites. We haven't had a Premium version since the 2021 Mooneyes Volkswagen Car Culture 2-Packs.

Spectraflame Hot Pink is a cute color for this vehicle, but I can't get over those basic tires. It's not normally a problem with other cars, but this Beetle deserves Real Riders wheels! Can we all pray for one more Ultra Hots mix this year?