New Hot Wheels 5-Pack Release Is a Mopar-Special

In previous stories, I've discussed how Mattel packages its products. They always seem to devise an innovative way to sell more collectibles. In the past, I've bought 3-packs and 5-packs. You can pay between $6 to $15 for the latter, depending on the store you get them from. It's a good way to increase the number of cars you have on display if that's what you're aiming for.

But you'll rarely, if ever, find out with all cool vehicles. There are usually one or two nice items inside, and you might not even care about the rest. Still, if you are bent on having the complete collection of a certain casting, you must consider these 5-packs for the color variations inside. The last set I bought was the 2023 Fast & Furious one, but I think I sold it a few months back.

The only 5-Pack items that survived in my collection come from the 2022 Nightburnerz mix. I only bought it because it had a yellow FC RX-7 inside, so that's that. If you want my opinion on some cool 5-Packs from the past, consider the 2021 HW Exotics (it had a blue Chiron inside), the 2020 Lamborghini set (the name says it all), or the 2018 HW Exotics (if only for the white McLaren F1 GTR).

I realize now that I have never done a complete assessment on this line, although that may take a lot of effort, considering that it dates back to 1985. Let's focus on the Mopar special release available in stores this year.

'69 Dodge Charger Daytona

Jun Imai designed the '69 Dodge Charger Daytona casting. I had just restarted collecting Hot Wheels cars when this debuted in 2013. It was one of my favorite tiny cars at the time, and I still have it stashed away in a box around the house. It reached Super Treasure Hunt status in 2016, rocking a Spectraflame Green paint job.

You can find it for as cheap as $38 in loose form. Doesn't that sound like a bargain? It has not been particularly exciting since, although several interesting variations exist on the market. Seeing it in Metalflake Red again is not groundbreaking, but at least it has a minimal livery to switch things up. And I enjoy how the White Line Deep Dish 8-spoke wheels match the letterings on the car.

'08 Dodge Challenger SRT8

If it wasn't clear, this set pays tribute to the mighty Mopar gods; the '08 Dodge Challenger SRT8 will undoubtedly tell you that. If I hadn't decided to stop buying so many Hot Wheels, I'd pick this one up instantly, as it looks pretty neat. It's not Premium-neat, but it's decent for the price range. This casting is Phil Riehlman's work and is slightly older than the iconic Daytona.

Since its 2008 debut, Matel developed 28 variations. So this 5-Pack model is the 29th release. It has been a Multipack Exclusive casting for many years, but you can find two Premium versions if you dig deep enough. Make sure you're comfortable spending over $30 for a single item.

'78 Dodge Li'l Red Express Pickup

I've never been a big pickup truck fan. The latest version of the '78 Dodge Li'l Red Express Pickup wins me because of the color combo. But I would still rank it P4 out of five cars inside this new 5-Pack. Paul DeLorean designed the casting over a decade ago, but Mattel hasn't exploited it as much as you'd think.

This Mopar-special item is the 16th iteration in all these years and the second one for 2024. Its first breakthrough was the 50th Anniversary Favorites model that showed up in 2018, and we only had two more Premium models since. The 2020 Shell design is my favorite, and it's considerably better than this simple 5-pack version.

'70 Dodge Hemi Challenger

The '70 Dodge Hemi Challenger is the second oldest casting in the pack, debuting in 2006. The 2007 Real Riders 2-Pack ZAMAC iteration was spectacular, and you won't have difficulty finding it even after all these years. Two more special Ultra Hots models came out that same year, and then there's the 7th Annual Hot Wheels Collectors Nationals edition.

Some of you may even recall the 2011 Vintage Racing variation, sporting the iconic Dick Landy livery. Last year's Boulevard Challenger was spectacular with the black-on-black look, and it should be obvious by now that a complete collection won't come cheap. The 14th Annual Hot Wheels Collectors Nationals model can cost up to $300. As for the 5-Pack release, I'd rank it P2 out of five cars for the set. How do you feel about this gray and orange mix?

Dodge Viper GTS-R

This Mark Jones-designed casting is the oldest in the 5-Pack. I've looked at it before and always feel something is amiss here. The Dodge Viper GTS-R is a formidable machine; there's no doubt about that. But the Hot Wheels casting feels a bit cartoonish. I'm surprised designers haven't retooled it in all these years. And judging by the small number of variations (18), you'd think that sales were never too good for it.

Its only memorable moment came up in 2004 when it joined the "Auto Affinity: Got Speed?" mix alongside the Cadillac Cien, the Ferrari 360 Modena, and the Mercedes SL55. Blue suits the GTS-R quite well but loses points due to the Red Line black PR5 wheels. Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if Mattel drops this casting in the future. There are so many other better Viper models in its line-up by comparison.