New Hot Wheels Set of Six Porsches Will Sell Like Hot Cakes

Today, I visited another toy store and discovered one of Brendon Vetuskey's most famous creations: the '55 Chevy Bel Air Gasser. But I decided to leave it there, as my RX-7 is just itching to get a new starter, battery, and fan shroud. And once I start repurchasing Mainline cars, it's almost impossible for me to stop.

Mattel's latest Porsche Series set is pretty tempting. It's one level above the Mainline items, featuring detailed taillights and headlights. I saw spy shots of this set about a month ago, but this is the first time someone has unboxed it on camera. Without further ado, let's see what's inside.

Porsche 356 Speedster

The Porsche 356 Speedster is the first of two castings in this set that Mark Jones designed. It debuted in the 2017 Replica Entertainment: Forza Motorsport set. We got a Car Culture: Team Transport release the following year.

And then, it vanished off the market for three years. Mattel used it as a Collector Edition model in 2022, but no new iteration came out for 2023. The new 2024 356 Speedster is the first one without Real Riders wheels. But that's better than it may sound, as Mattel drew inspiration from Porsche's Fuchs wheels for this Cast 5-spoke rim design. The white and red color combo works perfectly for the classic Porsche, and I think I used this exact setup in the Need for Speed game two decades ago.

1971 Porsche 911

The 1971 Porsche 911 is the best collectible in the new set if you ask me. It debuted as an Urban Outlaw model in the 2018 Nightburnerz Mainline series. One of the reasons why it's so good is that Ryu Asada collaborated with Jun Imai during the design process. You can still find 12 variations for your collection despite only being around for six years.

Somehow, the only one I still have at home is the 2022 Racing Circuit iteration in yellow. But I'd love to get the 2021 Collector Edition model in Spectraflame Aqua Green. We're now looking at the 13th version of the iconic Porsche. This shade of Orange is infinitely better than the one we saw on the Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 a few months ago. From the information I've gathered, 2024 will deliver three more variations of this casting. And one of them will be a rare Chase 911!

1989 Porsche 944 Turbo

I can't help but wonder what fantastic castings Ryu Asada would have designed if he was still alive today. Most of the Porsches bear his signature, and one of these days, I'll summon the courage to write an extensive piece on the legend. Since 2020, Mattel has released six variations of the 1989 Porsche 944 Turbo. There was nothing extraordinary about the first four models.

But Mattel hit a home run with the fifth one. It was a Toy Fair unique iteration, and I've seen some going for $750 on eBay. The 2024 iteration is almost as good as the Car Culture: Canyon Warriors model, minus the Real Riders wheels. But the color combo is far superior if that's your only reference point. The Star 5-spoke wheel design is a welcome breath of fresh air for the Hot Wheels rim line-up.

Porsche 935

When I see the Porsche 935 up close for the first time, I'll do laps around it for half an hour. Undoubtedly, it's a formidable machine, but I'm less excited about its Hot Wheels counterpart. Perhaps I'm too in love with the old 934.5 to make room for this one. And there's another problem.

The previous four iterations of this casting were so good that they've raised the bar relatively high. The new 935 features a blue finish with a touch of red and white, and it rolls on Gold Star 5-Spoke wheels. It's a love-it-or-hate-it design, and I might skip this one when it comes out.

Porsche 718 Cayman GT4

I've seen some collectors losing their minds over the 718 Cayman GT4 when it debuted in the Fast & Furious Premium Series last year. They immediately demanded more variations of the casting, and Mattel paid attention. I know the Women of Fast iteration was almost identical to the Premium First Edition model, but that won't stop people from buying it.

A Shark Blue GT4 is coming up as part of the Hot Wheels Boulevard series this year. But until that happens, we can start hunting the Guards Red iteration. It would have been nice to see more wheel designs in a single set, but for now, we'll have to be happy with just two models and different colors for them.

Porsche 914-6

The 914-6 is not a Chase model for this Porsche Series set. But some people are having a tough time finding one in toy stores. Mattel's strategy is to randomly pack it in cases, thus creating a bit of scarcity around it. That's a clever move, considering it would have otherwise been the least-desired item in the set. I've only ever owned the Car Culture: Race Day variation in red, which came out in 2017.

We last saw another new design six years ago, and I was starting to think that the diecast manufacturer had given up on this project. Looking at the first four iterations, it's obvious why people have mostly stayed away from the 914-6. Neither one was particularly inspiring, but all that has changed for 2024. The Dark Green paint job suits the sporty 914 rather well.

The wheels further make it more appealing, and with the induced scarcity, we might see some exaggerated market prices, too. The complete set is listed for as much as $70 on various online markets. But the 2015 Porsche-exclusive mix of eight cars will fetch even more than that if you look for it. I hope Mattel will continue the series with a new release by the end of the year.