Hot Wheels of the Day

Nissan Skyline GT-R R32

Treasure Hunts

RELEASE YEAR: 2007 • CASTING DESIGNER: Alec Tam

Ahhh … 2007. It was the first year #Treasure Hunts were broken into two tiers — prompting what are commonly referred to as Super Treasure Hunts. It was also known as the “year of the flakes”. The 2007 Super Treasure Hunts were painted with a #Spectraflame Paint that didn’t adhere to the #ZAMAC body correctly, causing a good number of them to have flaking issues which look like tiny “flea bites” nibbled out of their paint.

This #Nissan Skyline GT-R R32 was the first Skyline that Hot Wheels made and it was far from a stock version of the car. This casting was all “tuner’d out” with a widebody kit and wing on it. These days, it appears the Hot Wheels team prefers the more recent — and more stock — Nissan Skyline GT-R (BNR32) casting, as that is released more frequently. This version of the R32 is still around, however…

The #Nissan Skyline GT-R R32 will apparently be the Legends Tour Exclusive in 2022. The cool factor is that with all Legends Tour Exclusives, they are essentially re-colored versions of popular Super Treasure Hunts — and this one is apparently next! This unlicensed #7 livery will make a comeback in purple & white.

That’s cool and all, but let’s see how the news of that effects the OG versions. This is one of those circumstances where newer collectors will certainly go back and try to obtain these two pieces: regular and super.

Color (material): Metalflake Orange & Silver (metal)
Chassis (material): Gray (plastic)
Windows: Smoke
Interior: Black
Deco: Unlicensed #7
Wheels: Chrome #PR5
Country of Manufacture: Malaysia
Toy# (SKU): K7613

CURRENT MARKET VALUE (Carded, October 2021)

$24.45 ▲

The increase of the value of both cars shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone given the news of the Legends exclusive and the overall increase in value of older Hot Wheels across the board — especially in the Japanese and European cars. The regular #Treasure Hunt variant with the metalflake orange paint was valued at $10 for the longest time. Clearly, the two reasons stated above have led to the price of this one surging. Its a good looking car with hand-sprayed silver paint in the back and has full, front & rear detail — a combination we don’t even get in premium these days!

As you can imagine, the Super #Treasure Hunt variant commands of hefty price. Its one of the more popular supers since their inception in 2007, and has been that way ever since Japanese-licensed Hot Wheels cars increased in popularity.

Color (material): Spectraflame Copper & Silver (metal)
Chassis (material): Gray (plastic)
Windows: Smoke
Interior: Black
Deco: Unlicensed #7
Wheels: Chrome #RR6BLING
Country of Manufacture: Malaysia
Toy# (SKU): K7613

CURRENT MARKET VALUE (Carded, October 2021)

$137.50 ▲

The super variant of the #Nissan Skyline GT-R R32 wears that darker, spectraflame copper paint. This is one of those situations where the regular didn’t receive any less deco so the only difference is the base paint and the wheels. Between that and the perceived rarity, its enough to separate the value of these two cars by over $100 in today’s market. Even instances of the super with the spectraflame copper paint flaking off command a hefty price tag.

If you’re looking to buy the super — good luck! There seems to be less and less out there and most have some sort of paint flaking (or bubbling) issue. So even if you do get one in great shape, and you handle it, you run the risk of it chipping the more you move it. Mine stays in a low-impact part of my collection to avoid another car banging into it or rolling around in a Jammerz (Creative Options) case. Still, these precautions may not be enough to save one of the coolest supers ever.