Exploring the World of RLC With The Shelby GT500 Code Red

While I’ve been collecting for years, I’ve entirely avoided picking up RLC models.  The price point surely had something to do with it, but I buy models from LCD and even Elite64 castings that are similarly expensive, so I can’t blame my lack of RLC exposure entirely on price.  Instead, I find myself bothered by the artificial scarcity of the “drops” and the need to buy a membership to have a chance of purchasing one at 9am on a Tuesday.  Some of us have jobs, Hot Wheels… 

Since second hand values are so often exorbitant on RLC models and they’re so often similar to cars in the premium line, I have continued to pass on models, even when I thought they were cool.  Then, Hot Wheels released this new 2022 Shelby Mustang GT500 Code Red.  As someone who has been arguing for years that we need more modern muscle in the Hot Wheels lineup, I knew this was going to be a model that I needed to add to my collection at some point.  After finding a smokin’ deal on one at a local toy show, I finally have one in hand…and it’s making me reexamine my opinions about RLC. 

In many ways, I’ve taken a cynical view of the Red Line Club – believing it to be Mattel’s way of extracting higher margins from collectors who just can’t resist adding another cool model to their collection (read: me).  While I have no doubt that the margins on a model like this are significantly fatter than that of a mainline model, there’s no doubt that this is a step above a premium casting in terms of quality. 

The mirrored gray Spectraflame paint on this Mustang is gorgeous, with a finish I wouldn’t have thought possible from Hot Wheels.  I’m generally not a fan of moving parts of 1/64 scale models, but this opening hood fits relatively well, stays open on its own (take notes Matchbox), and reveals a detailed engine bay underneath!

Even when closed, the bulging hood hints at the powerful engine hidden beneath.  Frankly, nothing about the Code Red is subtle.  From its bright red graphics on the bottom of the doors to the massive rear wing, everyone is going to know this Mustang is something special.  I appreciate how low this casting sits, which gives it an incredibly aggressive look.  Despite the minimal wheel gap, the GT500 rolls as smoothly as every Hot Wheels should.  

This model’s rear detailing is exceptional, featuring every bit of detailing I hope to see on my models.  Fully detailed brake lights? Check.  Realistic license plate?  Check.  Detailed exhaust tips?  Quadruple check.  

Realistic silver exhaust tips are one of the best ways to make a model stand out, and this RLC Mustang’s are some of the best I’ve seen, surpassing even the Elite64 line.  They are properly three-dimensional, with the two exhaust tips correctly staggered to match the bodyline of the car and even the rear muffler visible behind them!  The only model I can think of that surpasses it is Inno64’s R35 GT-R – high praise indeed.  The rear diffuser is nicely done as well, though it is missing its reverse light, one of the few faults I can find with this model.  

The Code Red’s aggressive front end is well replicated here, including the bright red Shelby badge that betrays the power behind that grille.  The texture in the grille is nice, as are the surprisingly crisp turn signal prints, but the thing that really stands out to me is the GT500 badge on the center section of the bumper.  It’s subtle, but little details like that are what make this model feel a step above.  That said, the headlights look a bit squished to me, likely to accommodate that opening hood. 

Having never held a loose RLC model before, I was surprised to see so much interior detailing on this Mustang.  The Code Red gets a red roll cage and some flashy red and black seats, and both are replicated on this RLC version.  You can even make out the quilted pattern in the seats! 

The dash is also far more detailed than I’m used to seeing from Hot Wheels.  Granted, it doesn’t have the printed detailing that the seats do, but the steering wheel, double hump dashboard, and center-mounted gauges all look very realistic.  

With all the excellent attention to detail on this model, it’s undoubtedly one of the coolest Hot Wheels in my collection.  Yet, from a strictly details-per-dollar perspective, it is blown out of the water by MiniGT’s Shelby GT500, which has clear plastic lights, more accurate wheels, and even side mirrors – all for half the price of the RLC.  So why do I like the Code Red more? 

I’ve written before about how comparing MiniGT and Hot Wheels isn’t really fair, since Hot Wheels models feel more like toys and MiniGT models feel more like works of art meant to be displayed.  That comparison perfectly describes my feelings about these models.  The MiniGT, like so many premium 1/64 models, is very accurate but lacks the toy-like charm that made me fall in love with model cars.  The RLC, in contrast, feels like the Hot Wheels I know and love, just made better!  It’s highly detailed and has excellent polished paint, but it still feels like the kind of model you want to roll around your desk, or set up in scenes to take pictures with.  If it accidentally rolls off my desk, it feels unlikely to be broken when I pick it back up.  It’s a toy that demands to be played with, and its lovely, dense, metal-on-metal hand feel encourages you to pick it up and truly admire it.  

I still wish RLC models weren’t so artificially scarce and hard to get your hands on, but the model itself shouldn’t bear the blame for Mattel’s callous business decisions.  There are still plenty of RLC models I’ll pass on, but for unique and special models like this, they feel worth the high price of admission.  They may never be the bulk of my collection, but this will absolutely not be my last Red Line Club model.