Two new Hot Wheels #Jeeps debuted as #2023 New Models. Both were from the mind of Hot Wheels Designer — and #Off-Road Vehicle enthusiast — Phil Riehlman. Phil had spent several years as a design manager before returning to his roots as strictly a designer. His enthusiasm for custom vehicles isn’t limited to off-road creations. Phil has designed a good handful of the vehicles Hot Wheels offers having been a designer at Mattel for the last 30+ years.

Two of his latest creations hit pegs in 2023. Both are custom, off-road #Jeeps, but both are truly awesome in their own regards. We will start with the #’73 Jeep J10 since that casting debuted in mid-2023 as part of the “M” case assortments, and it will be followed by the #’57 Jeep FC which just started appearing at the end of 2023 as part of the “P” case assortments.

Before we get into the new castings, I believe it will be helpful to understand my affinity for off-road #Jeeps. For me, it started with the 1986 Real Riders: Jeep Scrambler I had as a kid. I have it pictured below, but the one from my childhood was roughed up pretty bad thanks to countless hours in the sandbox, off-roading through giant dunes. There was something about the casting with it’s deco and white #Real Riders that really appealed to me — and it still does to this day! I don’t really have the desire to go off-roading in a Jeep by any means — well, maybe in Moab — so it’s more about the custom nature of a vehicle needed to trek through various terrain. Bulky tires, brush guards, tow cables, light bars, lifted suspensions, spare parts are all a must!

’73 Jeep J10

The first thing you notice on the #’73 Jeep J10 is that spectacular, metalflake orange paint. Get this thing in the sun and you’ll almost be in awe of how many actual metal flakes cover this body. Where the real treat is though, is noticing all the little details, designer Phil Riehlman added. The real, 1:1 truck is not commonly seen these days, and (in my opinion) doesn’t really stand out from other vintage trucks of this era. Customized, though, this thing certainly grows a personality.

The detail in the Hot Wheels #’73 Jeep J10 casting is so crazy that you’ll be hard-pressed to understand how it is made up of only 4 parts: body, base, windows, and interior. On this release, it’s easy to point out the body piece thanks to it’s aforementioned metalflake orange paint. From there, perhaps the most impressive part of the design is the “window” piece which not only covers the front window, but also the side-netting, roof light bar, and the spare wheels in the trunk! The four lights in the roof light bar on this piece got tampo’d for some added detail.

The interior piece is engineered just as magnificently. This piece covers the interior, front grille, speakers in the trunk, and adds rim detail to the spare tires in the back. The fact that it looks like there are two full-size spares in the back when in reality, there aren’t, makes this design pretty epic.

I seriously can’t think of another casting that has this great of parts usage. Remember, only 4 parts! This will be a casting I collect going forward. There is just so much personality that I even glossed over the fact that the casting has a reverse rake.

This will be the only release of the #’73 Jeep J10 in 2023, but another variant is coming in early 2024.

’57 Jeep FC

For as extreme as the #’73 Jeep J10 is, the #’57 Jeep FC seems rather subdued and a bit more quaint — that is, until you realize what this one is packing! The 1:1 was a C.O.E. that made for a unique looking utility truck. With the off-road elements Phil has incorporated into this design, this one exudes the Hot Wheels spirit.

The body of this casting has some nice, sharp lines. The metalflake blue on this release really stands out — another that you should really get out and into the sunlight. The window piece functions as just a window piece here as the interior piece accounts for much of what you see below. The fenders and bed are both part of it. There is a spare in the back but there is no color break for the rim like the #’73 Jeep J10.

What you’ll also notice in the back is the huge Dodge Hellephant crate engine and the towering air intake for it which creeps up the back side of the cab. The air intake would serve some function if this were a real, 1:1 design. At the 1:64 level, it covers up the annoying post that runs through the interior on similar castings. The Hellephant engine is the star here. It would have been super cool if it were tampo’d or painted — to make it really stand out — but the door graphic does make mention of it so that will have to suffice.

The #’57 Jeep FC is a basics Hot Wheels casting that I would looooove to see converted for premium use. Perhaps maybe even with a deco and white #Knobby Real Riders Turbine Wheels like the #Jeep Scrambler from my childhood shown above? This one would benefit from some additional graphic detail even though this initial release is pretty outstanding as it is. Like the J10, this will be the only release of it for 2023, but we will see at least two more variants of it coming in early 2024. Stay tuned!