Chases

The concept of “chase cars” has been around for 35+ years, but it’s something I’ve only found out about by setting up Modelmatic - and I like it!

Chase cars are rare, limited-edition variants hidden among regular releases. These special models are often distinguished by unique paint, wheels, or other exclusive features, and are produced in much smaller quantities, making them highly collectible.

Almost all brands have “chases”, but how they differ from the regular releases, and their rarity is different depending on the brand. Below is a quick summary of the main brands I sell, and their “chases”

Auto World

Auto World produces two types of chases. “Ultra Reds” are usually around 3% of the production run, and feature shiny red paintwork - sometimes covering the whole model, but occasionally more subtle. “Raws” are much rarer - produced in quantities of only 10 (or 20 in older releases) of each model. These raws are as they sound - raw shiny metal. Without a doubt, these are the rarest “chase” cars I’m aware of.

Greenlight

Greenlight Collectibles offers Green Machines, chase variants that stand out with green wheels, green chassis, or even full green paint. These are typically inserted at a rate of 1-2% per case. 
More recently (2025), Greenlight chases have started appearing in different variants also - I’ve seen shiny red chases, raw chases and combinations of them all.

Hot Wheels

Hot Wheels helped popularise the chase concept with their Treasure Hunt series in the mid-90s. Today, the rarer Super Treasure Hunts feature premium Spectraflame paint, Real Riders (rubber) wheels, and hidden markings — and are often the holy grail of mainline collecting.

Despite their popularity, these aren’t nearly as rare as any of the other chases listed here.

Take a look at Hot Wheels pages on wikia.com to see what you need to be looking for.

The Car Culture series also started doing chases in around 2022. These are usually black versions of the regular model, with the number 0 printed on the cards. The only exception to the black version so far has been the pink “Roxy” Porsche 911 in Race Day #3.

Johnny Lightning

The chases Johnny Lightning produces are known as “White Lightnings” and can usually be identified by traits of white paint instead of the regular colours on their tyres, interiors or bodies.

M2 Machines

M2 simply call their Chase cars “chases”. They have a couple of different levels, usually limited to 750, 500 or 250 pieces, and their distinguishing features are usually gold or raw finishes. 

The Drivers series chases differ again - usually painted orange, blue or green.

Matchbox

Matchbox, a Hot Wheels sibling under Mattel, has joined the chase game in recent years, releasing Super Chase models — premium cars with rubber tyres and realistic detailing, not found in every case. An example I’ve seen are orange models in the Moving Parts series.

Mini GT

The regular UK releases of Mini GT models don’t include chases, but U.S. blister releases and sometimes more exclusive releases do. They tend to have raw metal features, sometimes covering the whole model.

Tarmac Works

Tarmac Works includes Raw Chases and other unique variants, often unpainted or with alternate liveries. These are limited in production and appeal to collectors who love detail and rarity.

Almost all Tarmac chases are found in their Global64 releases.

Across these brands, chases keep the hobby exciting. Whether you're hunting in-store or trading online, spotting a chase can be like striking gold in the world of diecast.