New Hot Wheels Boulevard Set Is an Enticing Mix of Five Cars

I sometimes feel somewhat ashamed looking for Hot Wheels in toy stores. Most clerks look at me and think I'm trying to buy something for a kid. And I sometimes reveal to them that that kid is me. That's why ordering online is a lot easier. You lose the thrill of not knowing what you'll find next, but it's also a sure shot once you go down that route.

With all the cool Premium items coming from El Segundo this year, I just hope I can at least buy the ones I want badly. Luckily, I'm very picky; otherwise, I would probably purchase 80% of the stuff that Mattel puts out. Take, for instance, the second mix of the 2024 Boulevard series. It has five cool cars inside, but somehow, neither beckons me. I'm sure some of you will feel differently, though.

2021 Toyota GR Supra

Mark Jones designed four of the castings inside this Boulevard Mix, including the 2021 Toyota GR Supra. Three of the five iterations released were related to Fast & Furious. Mattel went down a different road for the 2021 Team Transport iteration, as that car had a Gazoo Racing livery on.

Earlier this year, we first saw a Japanese Car Culture Themed Multipack model in yellow, but this wasn't a Premium collectible. Thank god the diecast manufacturer has an alternate '20 Toyota GR Supra casting to look for if you need more of these cars.

The latest Boulevard release is a replica of Larry Chen's car: it has Formula Drift, Canon, and 1D decals on it. Some of you may have seen Larry using it to take high-speed action photos of cars going sideways in Long Beach or at other venues. The 10-Spoke Modern Real Riders wheels are nice, but how long must we wait for a new RR design?

'60s Fiat 500 D Modificado

I was watching Cars 3 with my wife the other night and spotted Luigi. I instantly thought of the '60s Fiat 500 D Modificado, as I had just bought one that day. This casting has been around since 2017, but Mattel only developed four variations in all these years.

The 2019 Gulf-themed 500 D was part of the Car Culture line-up and is probably one of the most outstanding iterations thus far. It shouldn't cost more than $70, which is just a fraction of what you'll have to pay for the STH version (it can go up to over $300).

This little item looks even cuter in teal with those Mini 8-Spoke Real Riders wheels in red. And it's the first of two Italian vehicles to show up in the latest Boulevard set.

Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4

When I interviewed a local car collector, I drove one of these cars around the block last year. It wasn't enough for me to figure out what it could do in the real world. But I might get to it soon.

The casting debuted in the 2021 Car Culture: Modern Classic set, featuring a Monza Red finish and Real Riders Exotic wheels. The following year, Mattel changed the color and the rims for Mountain Drifters. Mitsubishi fans waited in vain in 2023, as no new iteration came out that year.

And the one we saw earlier in 2024 was a Multipack special, and those are never exciting. Emerald Green is an interesting choice for the Boulevard collectible, and so are the 6-Spoke Mag Real Riders rims. I would've opted for a different color for them, though.

Nissan Skyline GT-R (BNR32)

I finally saw Godzilla Minus One last night. I have been waiting for this moment for at least 12 months now. People raved about it, calling it the best Godzilla movie ever, and I was so eager to watch it.

It was an OK movie, but it left me rather disappointed. And I can't help but feel the same way about the Hot Wheels version of the Japanese monster. If I had to give up on the RX-7 for a Nissan, I'd opt for the Skyline GT-R BNR32. This is the only Jun Imai-designed casting in Mix 2, and it has had some pretty sweet variations over the year (the HKS GT-R is epic on every single level).

White could've worked well without the splashes of gray. And I'm not sure a GT-R driver would like the idea of a baby Godzilla on his car. It's meant to be terrifying, not adorable!

Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4

The Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4 came out strong last year as part of the Car Culture: Spettacolare set. It was impressive in white with black accents and matching 5-Spoke Modern Real Riders wheels. And then we discovered that it was also the Chase model for that set, with the sinister black-on-black look.

Prices on eBay vary between $40 to $110, but you might want to stay away from the cheaper ones. Anyway, we can finally think of starting a collection based on this casting, as the third variation is coming up. Although I'd rather have a Lambo in yellow or orange, blue will work just as well. Thank you very much!

It would have been perfect with white wheels, but it's still one of the highlights here. It's a shame there's no new casting for now, but two of them are coming up in Mix 3!