It was certainly a long time coming. When the Shelby GT500 casting was released in 2020, it was a pretty good looking upgrade to the Shelby GT350 casting we already had in the lineup. Unfortunately, ever since its debut release, this casting has been plagued by the same unfortunate tampo treatment: hood, roof, and sides. While I can appreciate racing stripes on a muscle car, this left the GT500 with no front or rear detailing, which is always a let down, no matter the car.
Granted, this wasn’t the worst model to be missing those details, as it has a fair amount of detail in the casting itself. The grill is part of the base which provides a natural color break, and the headlights and intakes are recessed. Around back, the brake lights are visible but body colored, as is the snake logo. Yet I still couldn’t help but wish for more detailing. The 2022 lime colored semi-premium release got close, adding rear deco and headlights, but it still felt like it was missing something…
Finally, for 2023, the GT500 sees an upgrade to premium – and what a transformation it is. This is how this casting was always made to look. The most striking improvement is in the front end, where we see fully detailed headlights, as well as detailing on the air intakes and DRLs/fog lights. By adding black printing to the section between the upper and lower grills, Hot Wheels has made this Mustang’s front end look significantly more menacing. Just as a supercharged Shelby should be.
Along the sides, we can see the stripes we’ve come to expect on the GT500, though this blue on white may be my favorite version of the design so far. Hot Wheels printed a black outline around the window section, which makes the A pillar appear thinner – a very clever visual trick! It also gives this model the same black mirrors we see on the 1:1 car. I’m not sure what the significance of the “99 BP” deco is (my best guess is it refers to the 99J engine code of the GT500?) but it remains a nearly stock deco, which I appreciate. Notice the reflector behind the rear wheel…I appreciate that attention to detail.
The real riders on this premium GT500 fit the casting brilliantly. The stance is perfect, with tires that look meaty and track-ready without sticking out too far from the fenders. The gray 10 spokes look modern and provide a reasonable facsimile of the 7 spoke carbon fiber wheels of the real car.
Around back, we are greeted by the fully detailed brake light section, complete with black trim and snake badge. Though it seems illogical, I think the tail light detailing helps to emphasize that giant rear spoiler as well. The only place where I feel like this model falls a bit short is the lack of a license plate, though it’s understandable given how small that section of the casting is and that it was never designed to get rear detailing.
What I didn’t realize about this deco until I had the model in hand is that the racing stripes do not run all the way along the roof, instead fading out toward the back. While I probably would have had them continue all the way along the roof for a more stock look, the fade does provide an interesting look – one that I can’t recall seeing on any other Hot Wheels models. It’s a really well executed bit of printing.
I simply can’t get over how tough and menacing this Boulevard model looks. It really does seem like this model was made to be in the premium line rather than being stuck with the limited details of the Hot Wheels mainline. I’d love to see a “Modern Muscle” premium set, and I think this model would make a perfect addition to that set. Imagine a blue with white stripes version, and a black with white stripes chase model. Here’s hoping!
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