5 Hot Wheels Liveries That Need More Love

Most of us remember when Tobacco and Alcohol companies sponsored race cars across various classes. Think of the Rothmans Porsches, Martini Lancias, and Camel Hondas. Of course, there are many more iconic liveries to think of. And some model car manufacturers have used them to promote their products.

I've previously discussed some cool designs Mattel has used for its Hot Wheels lineup. My favorites revolve around companies like Falken Tires, Gulf Oil, and Yokohama ADVAN. Today, I'll show you five Hot Wheels liveries that need more love in the future.

HKS

One of the first HW cars to use an HKS livery was the Tooned Altezza over twenty years ago. I'd much rather Mattel make a replica of Nobuteru Taniguchi's D1GP Altezza (we already have the S15) instead. Although we had an RX-7 with HKS logos in 2019, it wasn't until the Car Culture Nissan Skyline GT-R (BNR32) arrived that we saw the full effect of this special livery.

The designers must have felt blood in the water as collectors rushed to get their hands on the new model. The 2018 Honda Civic Type R followed suit; we even had a Super Treasure Hunt version. Following the MBK Van, the R33 and R34 versions of the Skyline GT-R also received an HKS livery. Earlier this year, we saw the same happening to the '19 Ford Ranger Raptor, which was rather strange if I'm honest.

But there are so many more opportunities to follow down this route. Think of the HKS-powered GR Yaris, GR Supra, and GR86. Mattel doesn't need to build replicas of cars from the real world, and people would probably love to see this theme on an FD RX-7, an RC-F, and even the R35 GT-R.

Motul

I worked closely with Motul athletes for several years. And I've seen plenty of cars using a livery focused around this brand logo. While you'll see Motul logos on several Hot Wheels cars, few have a special livery to show off.

The first one that comes to mind is the Datsun 620 we saw in last year's Pop Culture: Vintage Oil set. But that one is nowhere near as impressive as the Team Transport LB-ER34 Super Silhouette SKYLINE. We can't forget the BMW M1 Procar that appeared in the Group 5 Car Culture 2-Pack in 2022. Of course, there are plenty of sources for inspiration: think of the Motul Autech GT-R or the older touring-spec R34.

Speaking of Nissans, consider the Craftsports Motul Z. But the French manufacturer has sponsored so many race teams in drifting, endurance racing, and even off-road racing that it will take the diecast manufacturer years to scratch the surface.

Spoon

It wasn't that long ago that we saw a Spoon version of the Honda Civic EG. It was a Car Culture: Modern Classics variation, and I still need to find it for my collection, too. I recently showed you a preview of the '24 Honda Civic Type-R designed by Ronald Wong, using the same yellow and blue livery that's so iconic among Honda enthusiasts.

But this collection is just beginning, which is both awesome and sad at the same time. Starting will be easier, but who knows how long you must wait before the next model drops. The '90 Honda Civic EF is the next casting to get this special treatment, but it might need to advance to the Premium class to receive that distinction.

The Honda S2000 would also be a prime candidate for the job, as would the Custom '01 Acura Integra GSR. But if Mattel truly wants to hit the jackpot, it must develop a new casting for the Honda Integra DC5.

Toyo Tires

Falken Tires already has a strong presence in the Hot Wheels lineup, but you can't say the same about Toyo Tires. Several castings have used company logos, including the Dodge Ram 1500, the '95 Mazda RX-7, the '96 Nissan 180SX Type X, and the '12 Ford Fiesta.

But it wasn't until we saw the '69 Nissan Skyline Van in the Pop Culture: Speed Shop set that the Toyo Tires livery was more visible. Just by looking at Japan's D1 GP drift series, there's plenty of inspiration for the topic. Team Toyo Tires has been part of the game for many years, working with drivers like Masato Kawabata and the late Atsushi Kuroi.

So here's a list of cars that would look great in white and blue: the Onevia, the 180SX, the S15, and the mighty R35 GT-R. As with the previous designs, there's no need for boundaries, as I'm certain other JDM-spec vehicles will look great with this kind of livery.

Jägermeister

For my fifth choice this is something you won't currently see in any Hot Wheels collection. Well, some diecast artists may have made their own Jagermeister cars, but Mattel hasn't offered one from the factory yet.

It may never happen due to licensing/commercial issues, but a man can dream about it, right? The Mark Jones-designed Porsche 962 would look great in orange, and I can already imagine a small fleet of race-spec machines using this color.

The Zakspeed Capri, as would the BMW M3 E30, would also fit right in. Sure, we can all let our imagination roam, and we don't have to stop at Jagermeister. What other liveries would you like to see on future Hot Wheels cars?