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SIGN UP NOWHot Wheels RLC #17 Confirmed as the Ferrari F40
10 August, 2026
The mystery surrounding Hot Wheels RLC #17 is finally starting to clear up, and Mattel certainly picked a big one.
Hot Wheels has officially teased the upcoming release, showing the unmistakable silhouette of a Ferrari F40 alongside the Ferrari badge.
That means the mysterious $50 RLC release collectors have been speculating about is the Ferrari F40.
And considering Ferrari only returned to Hot Wheels in 2025, this is another major step in the renewed partnership between Mattel and Ferrari.
The Ferrari F40 Is Coming to RLC
The teaser doesn't reveal much of the car itself. Mattel has deliberately kept almost everything hidden in shadow.
But the shape gives it away.
The massive fixed rear wing, low wedge-shaped body and distinctive roofline are unmistakably Ferrari F40.
We also know the release is associated with RLC #17 and has been listed at $50, significantly more than we normally expect to pay for a standard Red Line Club release.
Exactly what we're getting for that extra money is still the big mystery.
A Huge Car for Ferrari's RLC Return
Ferrari returned to Hot Wheels in 2025 after roughly a decade away from the brand.
Since then, Mattel hasn't wasted much time expanding Ferrari across the Hot Wheels lineup.
We've already seen Ferrari represented through different Hot Wheels releases, but putting the F40 into the Red Line Club feels like another major milestone.
While Ferrari has appeared through the Red Line Club in the distant past, this represents the first Ferrari RLC of the new licensing era and the first standalone Ferrari RLC release in more than two decades.
If Mattel wanted a car capable of making Ferrari's modern RLC debut feel special, the F40 is about as good as it gets.
Why the Ferrari F40?
The Ferrari F40 was introduced in 1987 to celebrate Ferrari's 40th anniversary.
It was developed during the final years of Enzo Ferrari's life and became the last new Ferrari road car launched while he was still alive.
Powered by a twin-turbocharged V8 and wrapped in an incredibly lightweight body, the F40 represented Ferrari at its most uncompromising.
But its significance goes well beyond its performance numbers.
The huge rear wing, NACA ducts, pop-up headlights and aggressive wedge-shaped body made the F40 one of the most recognizable supercars ever created.
Nearly 40 years later, it remains one of Ferrari's most desirable and iconic models.
The F40 Has Plenty of Hot Wheels History Too
The Ferrari F40 isn't new to Hot Wheels.
The original Hot Wheels F40 casting dates all the way back to 1989 and became a favorite among Ferrari collectors.
One of the particularly memorable features of that early casting was its opening rear engine cover, allowing collectors to see the engine underneath.
More recently, we've seen the Ferrari F40 Competizione become an important part of Ferrari's return to Hot Wheels.
But an RLC F40 gives Mattel the opportunity to do something far more detailed than a typical Mainline release.
And that brings us back to the biggest unanswered question.
Why Does This Hot Wheels Cost $50?
The currently known price for RLC #17 is $50.
That's noticeably higher than the price of a typical Hot Wheels RLC car.
So what are collectors getting for the extra money?
At the moment, Mattel hasn't revealed enough to answer that.
An F40 would be an obvious candidate for extensive opening features. The real car's front and rear body sections provide plenty of opportunities for Mattel to show off additional mechanical detail.
Could we get an opening rear section exposing a detailed engine?
An opening front section?
More complicated construction than we're accustomed to seeing from RLC?
Or could Mattel have something completely different planned?
Until the full reveal happens, anything beyond what we've seen in the teaser remains speculation.
But $50 strongly suggests this isn't going to be a normal RLC release with a Ferrari badge added to it.
Something has to justify that price.
This Could Be One of the Biggest RLC Releases of 2026
Combining Ferrari, the F40 and the Red Line Club was always going to get collectors' attention.
Add a mysterious $50 price tag and a teaser campaign that deliberately hides what makes the car special, and Mattel has created one of the more intriguing Hot Wheels releases of the year.
Now we just need to see the car.
The biggest question isn't whether collectors want an RLC Ferrari F40.
It's whether Mattel has created something special enough to make collectors happily hand over $50 for one.
Would you buy the Hot Wheels RLC Ferrari F40 for $50? And what features would it need to have to justify that price?
Let us know in the comments.
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Comments
And that’s what I hoped for. That’s great, they really surprised me!
How do I order one?
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