Chances are, if you’ve been following OTD for a while, you know about my affinity for the #Hot Wheels Race Team livery. I have quite the collection spanning 280+ releases of this popular deco to collect. Several years ago, when Super #Treasure Hunts became variants of their mainline counterparts, race team collectors had mixed emotions towards the idea of super treasure hunts in Hot Wheels race team series. It was exciting to have race team cars in #Spectraflame Paint and #Real Riders, but damn, you knew it was going to cost you if you weren’t very good at finding supers.
This year’s #’70 Ford Escort RS1600 from the #HW 50th Race Team may have just started hitting retail here in the U.S., so I was glad to have found the common variant in Matte Blue when the 2018 “P” cases started hitting Target the other day. That same day, I saw an old friend from HotWheelsCollectors.com posting he had found the super variant. I asked him, “how much?” thinking it would definitely be out of my price range, and he ultimately gave me a smoking deal on this one to catch me up on my race team cars — and for your viewing pleasure of course!
Hot Wheels 70 Ford Escort RS1600 from the 2018 HW 50th Race Team (super treasure hunt and common variants, on orange track)
As if anteing up the cash for a Super #Treasure Hunt in the annual #Hot Wheels Race Team segment wasn’t enough, this year, Hot Wheels decided to include the “Ultimate Chase” vehicle in the #HW 50th Race Team series as well — which sort of ended up being just another super TH. I never did get the reasoning behind doing an Ultimate Chase in the first place, but I’m not complaining as I was able to secure a decent deal on the #Bone Shaker. Between the two, I forked over some decent cash, but sometimes you just have to if you want certain pieces you are unable to find on your own. Normally, I would have waited to see if I did find them, or waited for prices to come down, but even as a 20+ year collector, you tend to get the “gotta-have-it-nows” from time to time — especially if they are pieces you collect.
Hot Wheels 70 Ford Escort RS1600 from the 2018 HW 50th Race Team (super treasure hunt variant) with Ultimate Chase Bone Shaker
The cool thing about this year’s #HW 50th Race Team is that every variant of every vehicle in the series has its own individual number — hence why the common matte blue variant wears the #10 while the Super #Treasure Hunt sports #14. That, in addition to the #Spectraflame Paint and #Real Riders 10-Spoke Wheels the super wears, aren’t the only differences between the two #Variations. The blister cards have a few “less noticeable” differences. In the image of the U.S. cards below, you can see the common variant has “SPECIAL WHEELS!” in reference to the #Logo Slot Wheels the common variant has, whereas the super card omits that and the collector number in the top right corner. The collector number has been omitted for all THs/Exclusives/Chases since 2017 began, but it appears that will no longer be the case come 2019… more news on that when the 2019 Hot Wheels start showing up. I digress…
It should come as no surprise that I really love these #Hot Wheels Race Team super/common #Variations. Especially this year with the #Spectraflame blue contrasting the matte blue so well. No word yet on if the #Logo Slot Wheels (that came standard on all the common variants of the #HW 50th Race Team) will continue beyond 2018, but one would assume they won’t have the 50th Anniversary logo past this year. Once I get the HW50 Concept in the upcoming #2018 Hot Wheels “Q” cases, I will get all of this year’s race team cars together for a group photo…. maybe even do a TOP 10?
RELEASE DETAILS: Matte Blue Body (metal). Light Blue Tinted Windows. Black Interior. Chrome Logo Slot Wheels. Orange Base (plastic). Made in Malaysia. Toy# FJX45. Released in 2018 as #2 of 10 in the HW 50th Race Team series (#335/365 in the 2018 mainline).
As far as the Super #Treasure Hunt goes, the casting, graphics, and #Spectraflame Blue paint make it one of my favorite supers of the year. If I had my choice, I would have opted for a different color on the window tint and choose different #Real Riders; otherwise, this release is spectacular — the orange base doesn’t even bother me.
If you’re a fan of #Hot Wheels Race Team releases, #Rally Cars, or even Super #Treasure Hunts, make sure you watch where those #2018 Hot Wheels “P” case assortments are hitting as thats where you will find this #’70 Ford Escort RS1600. Best of luck in finding one, and happy hunting!
RELEASE DETAILS: Spectraflame Blue Body (metal). Light Blue Tinted Windows. Black Interior. Chrome Real Riders 10-Spoke Wheels. Orange Base (plastic). Made in Malaysia. Toy# FKB44. Released in 2018 as #2 of 10 in the HW 50th Race Team series (unnumbered in the 2018 mainline).
Categories: Showcase
ORANGE TRACK DIECAST 
Do you know what is number 12 on this race team set?
Just made a list of all that I know of and yes, #12 is missing… I wonder if its one of the Kmart Exclusives. Thanks for the heads up! I wonder what it will be.
Great write-up, Brad, but you forgot to mention the rare redline 70 Ford Escort RS1600 that was issued 😉 😉 😉
Pics here: https://www.instagram.com/p/BlI4tdaFBAH/
Let me know if you want to add to your collection. I’m happy to trade.
Thanks again for all you do for keeping those of us who may not have redline club memberships in the know.
I agree about the race team series. I have been collecting 1994 and I have quite a few front years past
I just found two of these recently at a K-Mart that is about to close and was selling off all its inventory. Two 2018 cases were sitting on a pallet unopened. Interestingly enough, they were both Q cases that contained the P case super.