Three Years of Hot Wheels Car Culture 2-Packs: Who Is the King?

Over the years, the diecast manufacturer has devised hundreds of ways to convince people to buy more Hot Wheels. You'll see packages of two, three, five, ten, and even 20 cars. If you do some more digging, you'll find that every year, the El Segundo-based company even has a massive case of 454 vehicles for sale. That's one hell of a way to kickstart a collection.

If you're in it for sheer numbers, the sky is the limit; at least your budget is. Recently, I went through 17 years of Hot Wheels Super Treasure Hunt models to find out which manufacturer is the King of this series. And I was surprised to see how big of a lead Chevrolet had over most brands in the line-up. So I asked myself: will it be the same for other series, too? I'm not investigating yet, but I can speak for the Car Culture 2-Packs line-up for now.

Even if you don't have a Target store nearby, you've probably seen these on online markets as they're pretty popular. Mattel came up with the concept in 2021, and it's clever in more ways than one. Every 2-pack contains an existing model from the Car Culture series. It may be slightly different than the original iteration, but that's only sometimes the case. The other item inside is either a brand-new casting or at least a recolor of an existing model.

It sounds like a great way to get rid of some current stock. Some collectors may be annoyed by this strategy, especially if they've been at it for a while. But newcomers will likely accept this idea happily, as they get another chance at finding an excellent car for an affordable price. In 2021, we saw only two mixes of collectibles, each with three different sets, adding up to 12 vehicles.

Mattel bumped those numbers up to four combinations for both 2022 and 2023. So the total number of 2-packs released so far is 30. Simple math reveals that we're looking at 60 vehicles, and only one is an unlicensed model. You can split that between 22 manufacturers: Japan leads the way with the most representatives, while there are as many American vehicles in the series as European ones.

Going through the list below, you will discover who the King of the Car Culture 2-Packs series is. Right now, I can tell you that it's not Chevrolet, as this company is just below the line alongside other manufacturers such as Toyota, Pontiac, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and Lamborghini.

BMW: 3 Cars

The first Bimmer to be a part of the Car Culture 2-Packs series was the BMW M1 Procar. It was part of Mix 3 for 2022 and featured a superb Motul livery in white and red. The white Real Riders Aero wheels were the cherry on top, and there's more. It was not a repeat model! It was the fourth color variation for the M1 Procar casting and the first to use this wheel design.

With the recent release of Mix 3 for 2023, BMW made it on this list. Mattel chose this series to introduce the new BMW 320 Group 5, a vehicle you might associate with names like Derek Bell and Hans-Joachim Stuck. As for the '73 BMW 3.0 CSL Race Car, at least it brought forth a new set of rims and a slightly different livery than the 2017 Forza Motorsport release.

Subaru: 3 Cars

Subaru is on the same level as BMW, with only three collectibles in this series. But I'll rank it higher since it has only been part of it since earlier this year. The Pandem Subaru BRZ showed up in Mix 1 alongside the Lexus RC F GT3. Although it's the third appearance of the Mark Jones-designed casting, it looks identical to the First Edition release from 2019. But I'm sure many people didn't mind adding it to their collection, as the Lexus was a brand-new casting for Hot Wheels.

As for the remaining two Subarus, some of you have seen a sneak peek of them already. They are coming up in Mix 4 for 2023, and both are rolling on gold Real Riders 10-Spoke Modern wheels. The repeat model is the '16 WRX STI, although this blue shade might differ from the 2021 Boulevard collectible. As for the Silver Impreza WRX, I'm thrilled to see the fourth iteration of the casting finally. That's a relatively slow pace for seven years of development.

Plymouth: 5 Cars

Surprisingly, Plymouth takes third place on our list today, with five items. Chrysler discontinued the brand over 20 years ago, but you can still buy a tiny, brand-new Hot Wheels replica. It was off to a strong start with Mix 1 of 2022, which featured the '70 Plymouth Superbird and the '70 Plymouth Roadrunner (1998). I'm a massive fan of the first one, and I remember how strong of an impression it left on me at SEMA a few years ago. But it was the repeat model for this set, as Mattel had used it in the Team Transport series in 2020.

The Roadrunner featured a matching livery, and we have yet to see a new variation since the 2-Pack release. The final mix of 2022 delivered two more Plymouths: the '72 Cuda FC and the Duster Funny Car. Sadly, both of these had been on the market before, but we can at least appreciate the all-new '63 Plymouth Belvedere 426 Wedge from Mix 1 of 2023. It was the first new variation of the Riehlman-designed casting after a 10-year hiatus!

Ford: 7 Cars

Ford takes P2 on the list, with a total of seven cars. Even though its first series appearance occurred in 2022, Mattel pumped up the volume quickly. Mix 1 of 2022 delivered one of my all-time favorite combos: the drift-spec RTR Mustangs! Admittedly, I'm a bigger fan of Denofa's Pennzoil livery than the BC Racing one, but I'd rather have both.

This set will be even more exciting now that Chelsea has departed from Formula Drift to pursue new, undisclosed ventures. We had already seen the tiny replica of Vaughn's car in the 2021 Slide Street series, but it was still good to have a second iteration if you didn't get the first one. The '69 Ford Torino Talladega was next in Mix 3, while Mix 4 presented an unusual situation with two '16 Ford GT Race models in the same pack.

And I'm almost sure that older Hot Wheels enthusiasts will say that the latest Gulf-themed Mustang set is the best, as it features the 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 302 despite being a repeat model. If you're a fan of the Blue Oval, you'll be thrilled to know that 2024 will start with an exclusive Ford 2-pack containing two iconic race cars!

Nissan: 11 Cars

Here we are. Nissan is the King of the Car Culture 2-Packs series, with 11 cars in three years! It's not a surprise, given how many young collectors worship all things Godzilla-related. Seven out of 11 are Skylines, and it all started from day one. You can tell how big of an icon Larry Chen has become, given he has a Hot Wheels set with his name on it.

It was the debut pack in 2021, with two R32 GT-Rs inside, one resembling Larry's road-going Skyline. And even though the world had seen an HKS R32 before, in the 2019 Car Culture: Open Track series, who in his right mind would pass on a collectible like that? The people in El Segundo know what their customers expect, so a second GT-R pack arrived in 2022.

NISMO was the theme, and we saw an R32-R34 combo to please purists of all ages. Mix 2 delivered a Fairlady Z homage, which included the new Proto Z. But that's less exciting than the 2023 Silhouettes release, which is yet another Top 5 Car Culture 2-Pack release. It's wild to think you could still pick one up for less than $30! But most people will agree that choosing between these two and the HKS R33 is impossible.

And I know the math still needs to add up. That's because the latest two Nissans are coming with Mix 4 for 2023. And both are equally as exciting, as neither is a repeat of an older model. If I've got you interested in the Car Culture 2-Packs, I've found one seller on eBay looking to let go of 27 sets for just under $900. Is that a good offer? That's up to you to decide.