MINICARS: Hot Wheels BRE Datsun 510, a Red Line Club Exclusive

Hot Wheels Red Line Club Datsun 510 BRE
On Tuesday at 9am Pacific Time, Hot Wheels will be releasing a limited edition, online-only version of the legendary BRE Datsun 510. Here’s how to get yours.

UPDATE: The car has sold out in a little under 2 hours. Better luck next time!

A few months ago Ben was visiting with John Morton and in passing John mentioned he had signed off with Mattel on another Hot Wheels 510. No further details were disclosed. Coincidentally this was around the same time we at JNC signed off on the Datsun 620. There was a catch though. 

Hot Wheels Vintage Racing John Morton Datsun 510 BRE

The 510 had already been released as a premium in the 2011 Vintage Racing series (pictured above). However, that (along with many other premium lines) had already been canceled, and Mattel rarely releases heavily detailed authentic liveries in the regular $1.00 line. So where would the BRE 510 appear? Using my powers of diecast deduction, I narrowed it down to the Red Line Club.

And lo and behold, here it is! The Red Line Club (RLC) is an exclusive membership club that you can only join at the official Hot Wheels Collectors website. It was named after the original “red line” tires on the original Hot Wheels cars from 1968. Membership costs $24.99 a year and members get first dibs on limited edition cars like this new BRE 510.

What does the BRE Datsun 510 RLC neo-redline entail and how does it compare to the vintage racing version? First off unlike the vintage racing version, it will not be fusion decaled but fully tampo printed. Mattel’s also using a new chrome paint process to be paired with red spectraflame paint (think Christmas ornament). The base will be in chromed metal as well (as opposed to plastic for the regular line cars) and, because it will have neo-redline wheels, the chassis will have suspension and nylon bearings!

Only 3,000 will be made, and RLC members will get first dibs during a 24-hour window starting Tuesday, October 15 at 9am Pacific Time. Each one will cost $9.99 plus shipping. Unfortunately, all 2013 RLC memberships are already sold out, so only JNCers’ with existing RLC memberships can purchase them until Wednesday at 9am, when the remaining supply will be made available to HWC members (you can register here).

Many will prefer the replica look of the vintage racing version, but for those who also like the classic redlines of yore and their nostalgic appeal, this will surely be a hit. It’d definitely look great with the RLC Datsun 240Z (which are still available), and great bookends to a historical and significant shift for Hot Wheels.

A big tip of the hat to our dear friend and JNC enthusiast Jun Imai who fought tooth and nail with management to get these cars made. Incidentally, the Vintage Racing BRE 510 now goes for about $75.00 on eBay.

In future articles, I’ll dig deeper into other aspects of collecting from locating certain cars or to explain the reasons for why certain models are hard to find and the reasons why some never make it on the shelf.

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16 Responses to MINICARS: Hot Wheels BRE Datsun 510, a Red Line Club Exclusive

  1. Jason says:

    Good thing I bought the vintage racing Datsun when I found it. Cha ching!

  2. Nigel says:

    And now there is another rare one to covet.
    Looking forward to more insight on the collectors side also Ricky.

  3. Steve says:

    $75 ??!?!?!?

    I guess I should not have opened one to play with. I can’t resist playing with Hot Wheels with the real rubber tires…

  4. dimeguy510 says:

    primed and ready to go.i have been a member sence 06 and finly get something good. might have to sell one my rlc 240z to free up some space:) . unfotunyly they are backordered until jan 2014. 🙁

  5. RainMeister says:

    Reminds me of the AFX BRE racers from my youth in this scale, but I don’t appreciate Hot Wheels making it so difficult for us collectors to get ahold of these limited editions models. Sorry, but I’ll stick with my John Morton signed Ebbro BRE 510, and the Brock signed 3-car True Scale Models BRE 510 set.

    • Nigel says:

      The AFX version (510 slot car) is cheaper than the Vintage Racing Hot Wheels version when I see them at a toy and collector show, a few times a year.

  6. dimeguy510 says:

    Got my two. 🙂 🙂 have not soldout yet.

  7. 510Finn says:

    No! This is not right. I hope this can change so the collectors don’t get price gouged out of the market.

  8. dickie says:

    “collectors” are the dudes on welfare/disability/unemployment who have the time to haunt the local grocery and toy store aisles obsessively, buying whatever they can to mark up and stick on eBay. i can’t begrudge them for their dedication, but i can say that Mattel/Hot Wheels should really consider making it easier for regular guys to find these “rarer” models.

    the extent i will go to find a HW car is walking down the aisle on a regular shopping trip. in doing so i’ve managed to snag MOST of the JNC models, notably excepted are the 510 wagon, the 620 and the A60 Supra. I looked for the special edition 2000GT and BRE 510 but none of the local stores carry them, so I made my own from clearance Civics with Wats and rubber tires as wheel donors, which after buying 2x cars (including one “premium” car) was still cheaper than shelling out the cash for the collector’s edition.

    i leave that game to the pedophiles (actual or imagined by the wary parents guarding their kids from the single adult males squatting in front of the pegs in the toy aisle) and the retirees, i’ll continue looking around and filling my collection with whatever’s handy.

    by the way, if any of you guys reading managed to snag a 510 wagon or 620 and want to trade for any of the JNC models i’ve seen or picked up, i’d be willing to do the fair thing and offer an even trade.

    • Steve says:

      Re: the “Collectors”. I agree; I went to the LA County Fair and there was one vendor selling the JNC Hot wheels. The $1.00 cars were priced at $5.00 while the premium $5.00 cars were priced at $20. I don’t remember seeing any BRE 510 at $75, tho. That’s just insane…

    • Michael says:

      I have a few 620’s anyone have the hakosuka

  9. ken says:

    75.00$!!! maybe I should sell a few to pay for the work on the cressida wagon… Sucks the RLC sold out so quick. Can you use you connections to find out when Jun’s 260 will make an appearance. Also, check Toys R us if you have one around you. Mine are still putting out the Blvd series eventhough Mattel supposedly cancelled it. Picked up a couple of the Brats on the last outing

  10. mrbigtanker says:

    1 just sold for 112.00 on ebay.

  11. gbriz says:

    UPDATE — BRE themselves had an allocation of 100 of the new BRE 510 HW Club RedLines for doing a new limited edition deal with HW. I presume they will keep a few at least. But the ones they put up for sale (now sold out in a matter of a couple days) are not only part of the HW limited production of 3000, but will include the autographs of Peter Brock (BRE team owner) and John Morton (the original driver of this race car). If anyone is interested in an uber rare, double autographed RedLine BRE 510, let me know at graham@grahambrizendine.com. I do not have the cars yet. I presume by the time BRE gets them and then has them signed, I will have cars to ship by early February. But soooo worth the wait.

    This is NOT the real riders store sold 510 which they produced tens of thousands of featured here, it is an even more rare limited run for HW Club members only. Google it.

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