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Over the years, Shelby American elevated the style and performance of a range of Ford Mustangs, but among those potent Pony Cars, some stand out from the crowd. When the company decided to bring the spirit of its EXP experimental cars to production with the 2020-2022 Shelby GT500 as the basis, a monster was born — the Shelby GT500 Code Red.
An elite upgrade package that adds $224,995 to the price of Ford’s Halo stallion, the Code Red includes numerous enhancements. The heart of this beast is a Fathouse Performance-built 5.2-liter engine boosted by a Shelby by Fathouse Performance twin-turbo system. It pumps out 1,000-plus horsepower and 780 lb-ft of torque on 93 octane pump gas, while putting E85 in the tank raises the bar to 1,300 horsepower and 1,000 lb-ft of torque.
As part of its Red Line Club, which offers exclusive products, priority sales, and more for a $9.99 membership, Mattel is offering a detailed Hot Wheels diecast that recreates the 2022 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Code Red. On sale starting December 3, the model is available for $25. (Photos courtesy of Mattel)
For most enthusiasts, the idea of owning an elite performance machine is out of reach. However, there is now a way you can collect a 2022 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Code Red of your own for just $25. That’s because this special stallion has been immortalized as a Hot Wheels diecast offered exclusively to members of the company’s Red Line Club, which offers exclusive items, priority sales, and more.
“Our latest Red Line Club choice will leave fellow collectors envious and your action figures asking for the keys,” says the Mattel website. “Its opening hood smoothly reveals what makes it the king of Shelby Mustangs, and pays tribute to an incredibly rare street-illegal star. Only 30 were manufactured by Ford, so you’ll have a better chance of getting our first-ever die-cast edition, and for a fraction of the 1:1 car’s cost.”
The detailed diecast sports signature Code Red accents and an eye-catching Spectraflame finish. It even has tinted windows and gloss-black five-spoke wheels. Its functional hood allows for showing off that four-digit, twin-turbo Predator engine lurking beneath, which sports the aforementioned twin-turbo system and more from Fathouse Performance, where the team was taken aback to see a car they helped bring to life become an iconic toy.
The coolest part of the 2022 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Code Red from Hot Wheels is the functional hood that lifts to reveal the four-digit Predator engine sporting twin turbos and more from Fathouse Performance.
“We didn’t have any involvement. I actually heard about it from a friend on Instagram, and he tagged me in a post about the Hot Wheels RLC Code Red car…” Ben Stoner, Owner/Vice President at Fathouse Performance, told us. “I think it’s super cool! I like the style of the RLC line; it’s a little more exaggerated than the old-school Hot Wheels we grew up with.”
Yes, many car enthusiasts got their start pushing Hot Wheels around and making engine sounds, so that makes this diecast all the more special for Stoner because he might be able to share that experience with a car he was involved in producing.
“As a car guy growing up on Hot Wheels, there aren’t many things that are cooler than this! My son is going to be able to play with a Hot Wheels that was inspired by a car his Dad had a big part in bringing to life. Now that’s cool!” he added. “I’m so proud of our entire team at Fathouse Performance for making the Code Red possible, and I know they are all excited to see this happen too. Each one of them put blood, sweat, and a few curse words into building the Code Reds, and hopefully, we can snag enough of these to go around!”
If you want a Code Red Hot Wheels of your own, you can pick one up by clicking right here, but you better hurry. We suspect this one might be pretty popular among those of us who have dreamt of owning a real Shelby GT500 Code Red.
