I just met another FC RX-7 owner yesterday. He messaged me last week that he might be in my area for a few days. And I just knew I had to give him a tour of the Transalpina touge. After all, he’s a big Initial D fan himself and he drove almost 20 hours to visit me.
I initially wanted to use my Mazda RX-8 for the trip, but it’s still on summer, semi-slick tires which just won’t work in the snow or freezing cold. We went with my station wagon instead, and the car wasn’t very happy with my driving. But that’s not what I wanted to talk about today. We stopped to get coffee at one point and I said: “Look, this is where I shop for Hot Wheels all the time.”
The guy’s face lit up immediately, and I realized he wanted a closer look, too. Our common passion for cars (big or tiny) brought us together, and we felt like old friends from the first few minutes. That alone is a good enough reason to start collecting Hot Wheels, regardless of what series they’re part of.
Right now, I’d like to show you the second preview of next year’s Silver Series Anniversary set that has five Toyota cars inside. We have seen a shot of it during a presentation at the 40th Annual Hot Wheels Collectors Convention in Los Angeles last month, but these new photos are a bit more relevant.
You’ll also notice some shots of the upcoming Car Culture: 2-Packs in the gallery: the card art on the Audi set is in perfect tone with the weather outside, isn’t it? The Toyota T100 Baja Truck is #1 of 5 for the mix, and you might remember this was originally a 100% release a quarter of a century ago. I took photos of the Auto Affinity variation for one of my unboxing stories earlier this year.
Phil Riehlman’s design has gone through a few changes since, and 2025 marked its first Silver Series variation for a similar Toyota set. It had a ZAMAC body then, and it’s safe to assume it will have one in 2027 as well. The 1970 Celica is #2 for the mix, and I admit I would have loved it if Mattel used the 1977 version instead.
Rob Matthes designed the latter, and it only showed up once in Car Culture so far. Meanwhile, Jun Imai created the 1970 Celica over a decade ago, with 11 variations coming out of El Segundo since. Look for The Hot Ones iteration from 2025 for a serious dose of nostalgia! The Toyota Land Cruiser 80 is bound to be a pretty popular choice, and at this point collecting Land Cruisers could be a side-quest on its own.
The Metalflake Green finish on this SUV looked amazing in 2025 and I regret not buying it: this new Toyota TRD-themed livery isn’t half bad either. We haven’t seen an individually-packed 2000GT since the 2024 Vintage Racing Club set. Despite its age, this casting feels timeless. It would be great if we got another Premium version of it soon, though.
I’m trying to figure out what wheels the new iteration is rolling on, but I’m having a hard time identifying the design. As much as I love the Star 5-Spoke look, these new wheels fit the theme a bit better. The 1981 Toyota Starlet is the final item in the set, and the one with the most interesting design from my perspective.
Well, I’m naturally drawn to it as I’ve wanted to drive one for many years now. Looking back at the four variations Mattel has released so far, I’m convinced I should try to get them all under the same roof as soon as possible. This Toyota mix should arrive in toy stores within the next few months. I doubt you’ll have a hard time getting any of the cars inside, but you know what they say: pre-ordering can be a great solution!