Holderith, Peter (26 November 2020). "Radical Front-Mid-Engine Pontiac Trans-Am Wins This Year's Hot Wheels Legends Tour". The Drive . Retrieved 7 December 2020. Since the year 2008, Hot Wheels cars have had a code stamped or printed on the base. This is a "base code". This base code can be used to identify exactly when an individual car was produced in the Hot Wheels factory. The code begins with a letter, followed by a two-digit number. The letter for the year 2018 was "L". The letter is then followed by two numbers, which represent the week of that particular year the car was manufactured. For example, a car with the date stamp of "L42" was produced on the forty-second week of 2018. a b " 'Hot Wheels' turns 50: How much do you know about the famous toy cars?". FOX 9. May 16, 2018. Archived from the original on July 22, 2019 . Retrieved 30 January 2018.

In late January 2019, Mattel Films and Warner Bros. Pictures agreed to partner on a Hot Wheels film. [45]Date codes only indicate when a specific car was made. They do not necessarily reflect the model release year of a particular car. Mainline production changes to the next model year right around the middle of the calendar year at the end of June/beginning of July. Premiums and other special series lines often run later in the calendar year before changing production to the next year.

Hot Wheels: World Race (2003), released for the Game Boy Advance, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo GameCube, and PlayStation 2.

In 2006, a Series 3 line of Classics was introduced, again containing 30 models with multiple colors of each vehicle. Models included the '69 Pontiac Firebird, a Meyers Manx dune buggy, and the Richard Petty '70 Plymouth "Superbird". Hot Wheels Unleashed (2021), released for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStations 4 and 5 and Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. [84] In 2016, Hot Wheels released a special collection for the 50th anniversary of the Beatles’ 1966 song “ Yellow Submarine.” The collections includes five cars, a VW microbus and a yellow submarine. [35] Made by other companies [ edit ]

Hot Wheels has also released slightly larger, more detailed models, such as the original Gran Toros (1/43 scale) from 1970, and the Dropstars line (a model line of "blinged" cars). Also in this larger scale are the HIN ( Hot Import Nights), G-Machines and Customs lines. These lines were introduced in 2004–2005. However, 1972 and 1973 were slow years. Only seven new models were made in 1972. Of the 24 models appearing for 1973, only three were new models. Also the cars changed from Mattel's in-house Spectraflame colors to mostly drab, solid enamel colors, which mainstream Hot Wheels cars still use today. Due to low sales, and the fact that the majority of the castings were not re-used in later years, the 1972-3 models are known to be very collectible. In 2016, Hot Wheels started a new line of Collector's models, in a line called Car Culture. Car Culture is Hot Wheels' line of Premium 1:64 models with metal bodies and bases, two-piece wheels with rubber tires, and more detailed decorations. Intended for adult collectors primarily, these models retail for roughly 6-7 times the cost of a mainstream 1:64 Hot Wheels model. These cars retail for over three times the retail price of a "basic" car, and are produced in significantly fewer numbers.Hot Wheels Rift Rally (2023), an upcoming video game developed by Velan Studios set to be released on iOS/iPadOS and PlayStations 4 and 5. [86] In 2007, Mattel introduced a two-tiered Treasure Hunt system. A regular Treasure Hunt will feature normal enamel paint and normal wheels like other Hot Wheels cars. The production of these is rumored to be greater than previous T-Hunts. "Super" Treasure Hunts are much harder to find. Like Treasure Hunts of the past, a Super Treasure Hunt features premium wheels and Spectraflame paint, as well as (starting in 2015), a golden-colored circle-flame logo printed on the card behind the car. Many Hot Wheels collectors have noticed in recent times that the US Basic mixes are more likely to have a Super Treasure Hunt in them compared to International Mixes.

On October 4, 2018, Hot Wheels filed a new trademark for the motto it's not the same without the flame. In 2019, a seal was added in the bottom left corner of the blister card with the motto. [20] Topel, Fred (August 1, 2017). "Justin Lin Will Make an Indie Movie Before 'Space Jam 2' and 'Hot Wheels' ". /Film. On June 17, 2011, it was announced that Legendary Pictures was developing a film based on Hot Wheels due to the success of Fast Five by developing an edgier film. [39] On July 10, 2013, Simon Crane and Juan Carlos Fresnadillo were named as the frontrunners to direct the film, with Art Marcum and Matt Holloway writing the film, intended to be more Mission: Impossible than The Fast and the Furious. [40] On September 28, 2016, Justin Lin signed on to direct the film, which will be produced through his production company Perfect Storm Entertainment. [41] [42] On August 1, 2017, Lin revealed that the film was still in development. [43] It was speculated that the film would be released as a computer animated direct sequel to 2003's Hot Wheels: World Race and will be receive additional animation development from Playground Games who collaborated with Mattel in 2017 to create the Forza Horizon 3: Hot Wheels video game. [44] However the option expired and returned to Mattel. [45] Slead, Evan (8 June 2016). "Hot Wheels unveil Beatles' 'Yellow Submarine' 50th anniversary collection". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 10 June 2016 . Retrieved 12 July 2017.Ryu Asada, Hot Wheels Design Legend, Dies At 42". Jalopnik. 27 March 2021 . Retrieved 28 March 2021. Hot Wheels: Beat That! (2007), released for the Microsoft Windows, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, Wii, and Xbox 360.