Hot Wheels PREMIUM Team Transport 18 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon + Retro Rig #30

The Hot Wheels '18 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon + Retro Rig, with catalog number GRK51, is a 1:64 scale two-piece collector's set from the Hot Wheels Car Culture: Team Transport series, designated as #30. The set combines the most extreme American muscle car with a classic retro-style hauler and is aimed at adult collectors, drag racing fans, and Dodge enthusiasts.

The '18 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon casting was designed by Brendon Vetuskey and debuted in 2018 in the Factory Fresh series; the casting features a hidden, detailed engine visible once the model is disassembled. In the 2021 GRK51 set, the car is painted blue with light blue and orange stripes on the hood and sides, featuring Hot Wheels, Demon, Dodge, Mopar, and sponsor logos on the sides, as well as detailed headlights, taillights, and trim. It has a black metal chassis, tinted windows, a blue interior, and grey RR5SPM wheels with rubber Real Riders tires. The accompanying Retro Rig hauler is a Mark Jones casting that debuted in Team Transport and is modeled after the trucks used to transport the real "Snake" and "Mongoose" funny cars; the rear of the vehicle allows for the car to be loaded. In this set, the hauler is blue with orange and blue stripes, a Hot Wheels logo, and "HOT WHEELS RACE TEAM" lettering on the side; it features an unpainted metal chassis, tinted windows, a grey interior, and grey RRPrf wheels. Both vehicles were manufactured in Thailand.

It is worth knowing the context of the hauler casting: the drag racing rivalry between Don "The Snake" Prudhomme and Tom "The Mongoose" McEwen, sponsored by Hot Wheels since 1970, was one of the brand's first major motorsport marketing campaigns and remains an important part of its history to this day.

The car is modeled after the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon — a version of the Challenger SRT Hellcat prepared specifically for quarter-mile racing, with numerous performance, styling, and chassis modifications. It is powered by a supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V8 engine producing up to 840 hp on racing fuel, delivered to the rear axle. The Demon was the first production car capable of lifting its front wheels off the asphalt during a launch, and it was succeeded by the Demon 170 version in 2023.

The collector value of this set stems from the limited production runs of the Team Transport line, the hauler's unpainted metal chassis, the rubber Real Riders tires on both vehicles, and its connection to the historic Hot Wheels racing program. The 2021 releases are already becoming harder to find on the secondary market.

FAQ

What does the Hot Wheels Team Transport GRK51 set include?
The set includes two vehicles: the '18 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon model and the Retro Rig hauler, both in the blue Hot Wheels Race Team color scheme.

What hidden detail does the Challenger model have?
Once the casting is disassembled, a detailed engine hidden under the body is revealed.

What was the Retro Rig hauler casting modeled after?
The Retro Rig was modeled after the trucks used to transport the real "Snake" and "Mongoose" funny cars from the historic Hot Wheels racing program.