Hot Wheels NFT Garage Series 7 Treasure Hunt Is a Lambo

What was most shocking for me was seeing all the cool cars in his garage, including a 1950s Renault Dauphine, which I had never seen before. I once again realized how the love for vehicles brings people together and how quickly we can connect even without knowing each other. It's the same even with diecast cars, and that's just one of the nice things about the hobby.

You'll hear different opinions on the NFT Garage Series from Hot Wheels. Some collectors are happy this is a thing, while others will want nothing to do with it. After experiencing the whole NFT craze a few years ago, it all seems silly. But that hasn't persuaded Mattel to give up on the project. A few months ago, we looked at an unboxing for the Series 6 cars, and now it's already time for Series 7.

Of course, if you're closely in tune with what's happening in El Segundo, you probably know Series 8 cards are gone, and the redeemable ones are coming soon. But let's focus on the six items at hand here, and by the end of the story, I'll also tell you how much you can expect to pay for them all.

Lamborghini Aventador Coupé

The Lamborghini Aventador Coupe is the seventh Treasure Hunt in the NFT Garage series. It faces some stiff competition if you look at its predecessors. I'm not a fan of the Bone Shaker, but diehard enthusiasts likely feel otherwise. It was the first NFTH in this collection and the only non-licensed vehicle to reach this status.

I prefer the McLaren F1 GTR in Series 4, but the 1988 Jeep Wagoneer was pretty cool, too. The Aventador is the second Lamborghini in NFT Garage, as the Veneno came first. This Phil Riehlman-designed casting has been around since 2012 but has only had a few memorable moments thus far. The 2018 Super Treasure Hunt version featured a nice Spectraflame Rosso Arancio Miura finish and even had Real Riders Exotic wheels to show off. We've had three more Premium variations since, but perhaps nothing as noteworthy as the NFTH.

Thank God it has a metal base, but I have mixed feelings about those Modern Concave Real Riders wheels. Before people redeemed these, prices ranged between $149 and $500 in March. But now you can expect to pay between $175 and $866 for one. Sure, Mattel only made 1,750 units, but $866 sounds a bit excessive, doesn't it?

'64 GMC Panel

Using a Treasure Hunt for the NFT Garage sounds like adding a turbo to your V8. So, could having a ZAMAC model inside this series be similar to supercharging your VTEC engine? These items are almost always very popular with collectors, even if we only discuss Mainline cars.

Mattel introduced the concept to NFT Garage with the Series 6 Porsche 917KH, which can sell for as much as $250. The '64 GMC Panel isn't quite as exciting to me, but I prefer American trucks or sportier models to these vans. The diecast manufacturer released 3,750 units of this collectible, which means it's not as rare as the NFTH but not as common as the remaining four cars.

Rob Matthes designed the casting for its 2010 Slick Rides debut, and we have seen 15 iterations since. We're talking about a Premium-exclusive design, with some fetching as much as $300 on the open market. I'm not entirely happy with the 5-Spoke Mag-Style Real Riders finish, but at least prices have slightly decreased since March. The cheapest back then was $150, while the most expensive today is only $90.

Pagani Zonda R

I fell in love with Zondas when I heard my first one many years ago. So it's no wonder I've had several tiny ones at home, as I'm not even close to having the budget to buy one. The Zonda R took things to a whole new level, and I suggest you look up the company's official movie featuring it. When Mattel debuted the Zonda R casting, I knew I needed one.

Even though it was just a Mainline model, that didn't matter, but it has been a hit-and-miss kind of situation with it since 2022. The Speed Machines release was half-decent, but it had CM6 wheels instead of Real Riders ones. Collectors were eager for a Premium-level release, and the new NFT Garage model may grant that wish.

It's pretty good in Spectraflame Rosso Dubai, and I'm happy to see whoever designed it opted for the Real Riders 10-Spoke Modern rims. At first, prices ranged between $70 and $150, but you can get away with less than that now. At $50 to $100, it's still more than you'd pay for a Car Culture or Boulevard release. And if that ever happens, I guess most of us prefer an accurate replica of the real car rather than a made-up design.

Datsun Bluebird Wagon (510)

I looked closely at the entire NFT Garage collection and noticed something strange. There aren't that many redeemable Japanese cars inside. The Honda S2000 was the first one, arriving with Series 2. Then there was the '17 Acura NSX in Series 3, and let's not forget Suki's Fast & Furious S2000. So the Datsun Bluebird Wagon (510) comes in fourth, the first non-Honda machine here.

You may have noticed that the Series 8 Treasure Hunt model is a Nissan Fairlady Z, and I guess we'll see at least another Japanese car in Series 9, too. Speaking of the Datsun Bluebird Wagon (510), it's one of the most popular Hot Wheels castings. And you'll need a small fortune to get the complete collection of over 30 iterations.

Just think of the 2013 Boulevard release and the two Super Treasure Hunts. So it comes as no surprise that it's also one of the most expensive items in Series 7. Prices ranged between $110 and $325 in March but are now in the $110 to $250 interval. Just two more cars to go before I give you the total cost of this set; hang in there!

'70 Dodge Power Wagon

Is this the second-best car in NFT Garage Series 7? Mattel got everything right with this one: the paint job, the livery, and the wheels! It's the second Dodge in the collection, following the Series 6 '18 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon.

It's not the first pickup truck (think of the Chevy Silverado Off Road in Series 4), but it's the most exciting one on the list. The casting debuted in the 2011 Hot Wheels Garage: Mopar mix, and you can look for several more Premium variations if that's what makes you happy.

I spotted someone trying to sell the 27th Annual Hot Wheels Collectors Convention variation in Spectraflame Pink for almost $1,600 on eBay, so it's pretty popular among collectors. Spectraflame Forest Green works great with the white decals and Preferred Series Off-Road Real Riders wheels. And I could see myself spending $45 to buy this collectible. (that's the cheapest one on the market).

Porsche 962

Still, if I had to walk away from Series 7 with a single item, it would be the Porsche 962. My affinity for Group C race cars compels me to do so. What can I say? I'll do everything possible to get a drive in one of these, even if I'm not skilled enough to push it to even half its potential.

You're looking at the eighth iteration of this Mark Jones-designed casting. I don't think it will ever enter the Mainline series, although I wouldn't mind if it did. So far, it has spent most of its life in the Car Culture series, and it's good that there are still several more liveries from which Mattel can draw inspiration for the future.

Looking at previous versions, I can't say Spectraflame Champagne is the best color choice for this car, but it does the job. You'll notice the mismatched wheels: Real Riders Aero on the front axle with Real Riders European rims on the rear one. Prices range between $63 to $218, and there's a good chance these won't be getting any cheaper soon.

I promised to do the math and tell you how much all six cars will cost today. Three months ago, you were looking at a budget of $700 to $1,500. Today, the range has broadened from $500 to $1,700 before shipping.