By Gary Barnum

HWC’s Red Line Club celebrates 50 years of Hot Wheels with more memberships than ever! And for the first time, anyone can join on day one, and just in time for the 2018 RLC Membership Datsun Bluebird 510 with Neo-Riders wheels.

The Membership Kit:

We’ve selected Jun Imai’s rendition of the Datsun Bluebird 510—an instant collector favorite—for the membership car. With its overwhelming popularity, this is the perfect place to debut the Neo-Rider wheel (NRW): a two-piece Neo-Classics cap & hub-style wheel with tires that look and feel like the real thing! It’s like the best of both Neo-Classics Redline wheels and Real Riders wheels.

Specs:

• Features: Opening hood
• Body Color: Spectraflame olive
• Deco: Matte black roof, red and black stripes and "Red Line Club” on sides
• Body Type: ZAMAC
• Wheels: Neo-Rider wheels (NRW) w/ red stripe tampo
• Base: Full-metal, chrome-plated chassis; full-metal engine
• Window Color: Light smoke-tinted
• Interior Color: Tan

Also included with your membership kit is a classic 2018 RLC metal button, featuring an image of the car—just like the buttons included with the original Hot Wheels back in 1968! You’ll also find a colorful 2018 RLC commemorative patch, designed by our own Steve “HWC Van” Vandervate.

The Membership:

Red Line Club memberships will be limited to a production number of 17,500. That may sound like a lot, but it could still sell out. So remember—the sooner you join, the more benefits you get.

All of the benefits outlined below are yours to enjoy when you become a member of the 2018 Red Line Club. The membership is only $24.99—still the same price as when it began in 2002. That’s a great value!

HWC Series Cars Priority Window: RLC members get an exclusive Priority Window on most of our online sales. Only RLC members can place orders during this Priority Window. The length of the Priority Window will be announced for each sale, but it will not be less than 24 hours. Our cars frequently don't last past the Priority Window, so don’t miss the best chance you’ll have of getting your favorites.
When it comes to favorites both old and new, watch for our celebratory 50th anniversary-related releases!

RLC Exclusive Cars: Our innovative and exciting RLC sELECTIONs series featuring editions chosen with direct input from our RLC members continues this year! You get an opportunity to help us with the creation process of editions you want to see—and you help us choose color and wheels, too. Only club members get to vote for these, and we only offer them to club members when they become available.

You may also occasionally notice other RLC Exclusive releases. Whenever this happens, you’ll definitely want to make sure your membership is up to date—these releases don't last long.

RLC Rewards Program: As a Red Line Club member, you will earn one Rewards Point per dollar spent on most HWC items in the shop*—not just on HWC Series editions, as in previous years. And for the first time, you’ll also be able to earn Rewards Points on orders you place outside of the Priority Window! Some exceptions may apply, and will be noted on the individual product pages where that’s the case.

Later in the year, you will be given Rewards Codes to redeem for special merchandise and other various items! We’ll have more Rewards details for you in a separate article later, but the thing to remember is that you can’t get any Rewards if you don’t join the club and order merchandise.

Free Shipping: As an RLC member, you will receive free Standard Shipping on any order totaling $49 or more**! Those cases will cruise right to you.

And there are other benefits to membership, such as admission to the RLC Party at the Hot Wheels Collectors Nationals and the Hot Wheels Collectors Convention; only RLC members can buy the always-popular RLC Exclusive event cars at these shows. Additionally, certain HWC site content is only for RLC eyes, so don’t miss that, either.

Take full advantage of your RLC membership, and get ready for a year like never before as we celebrate the cars that made Hot Wheels a globally-celebrated die-cast brand for the last 50 years!

*Rewards Points are earned on product purchase price after any coupons and discounts are applied, and exclude dollars spent on shipping, tax, and membership fees. Points are earned on specified items throughout the earning period for use on site during the Redemption Period late in 2018.

**Valid after discounts and before shipping, handling, and/or taxes are added and applies automatically at checkout. Must select Standard Shipping to qualify. Not applicable to initial RLC membership purchase; will apply to purchases made thereafter. Excludes shipments to Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Puerto Rico, international, P.O. Box, and APO/FPO addresses. Expires at 11:59 p.m. ET on 12/31/2018.

Packaging and Quantities:

• Each membership vehicle is packaged on a blister card with a collectible button in a Kar Keepers clamshell case
• Each membership vehicle features an individually numbered sticker (xxxx/17,500)

Availability:

• Available to anyone beginning 2/13/18 at 9 a.m. PT

Pricing and Purchase Limits:

• Priced at $24.99 plus shipping and processing; customers shipping to Canada may be required to pay an additional shipping charge. We do offer international shipping to some countries; for the list of available countries and more shipping options and information, click here
• Membership is limited to one per person / email address and not more than five per household. You are prohibited from becoming a member under more than one name or at more than one address.
• Refunds only, no exchanges

Items and dates subject to change. Production cars may vary from the photos shown. Mattel reserves the right to modify the color, decorations and wheel type.