Casting Info · Complete Collector’s Guide
Hot Wheels Avus Quattro — Casting Info & Complete Collector’s Guide
The Hot Wheels Avus Quattro is a 1:64 model of Audi’s Avus concept. Its casting debuted in 1993, and documented releases run through 2001. The 13 records include distinct finishes and wheel styles; some share toy numbers, while a few older catalogues disagree on release dates.
Avus Quattro casting identity
The model takes its name from Audi’s Avus quattro concept. Hot Wheels rendered its long, low body and enclosed canopy in a compact 1:64 casting. The 5260 reference is the shared casting number; release-specific codes and collector numbers identify individual issues.
| Manufacturer | Mattel |
|---|---|
| Brand | Hot Wheels |
| Model | Avus Quattro |
| Represented vehicle | Audi Avus quattro concept |
| Casting number | 5260 |
| Scale | 1:64 |
| Designer | Bruce Baur |
| Debut | 1993 |
| Documented range | 1993–2001 · 13 records |
| Manufacturing countries | Malaysia and Thailand |
Release history and identification
Silver versions from the mid-1990s are easiest to separate by their wheel designs. The red releases use the same toy-code family, so check the hubs before identifying a car. The later gold, black, chrome and purple editions add series graphics and finishes that make color and packaging useful clues.
Two dates are not consistent across collector catalogs: the silver Black Wall car is listed as 1995 by HWC Garage and as a Canada-only 1996 release by the Hot Wheels Newsletter; the Toys “R” Us silver multipack is listed as 1998 by HWC Garage and as a 1997 ten-pack by the Newsletter. The red DW3 issue is also placed in different year contexts. The Toys “R” Us multipack entry has a code discrepancy in the Newsletter catalog, so the package, silver paint and seven-spoke wheels are useful confirmation. The family web below keeps these records distinct without forcing a single disputed date.
Use the wheel face, tampo, toy code and original package together. A shared number such as 5260 or 13868 does not by itself identify a finish or wheel version.
Complete Avus Quattro variation web
Open a release guide to compare its exact year record, finish, wheel design and series or package context. Each release guide focuses on its recorded finish, wheel design and packaging context.
1993 · Silver · Ultra Hots
1993 Mainline · #208/262
Metallic silver paint, red interior and Ultra Hots wheels identify the debut release. Its sleek canopy and low body are shared by later versions; the distinctive wheel face separates this car from the later silver issues.
1995 / 1996 · Silver · Black Wall
Silver mainline; Canada-only Black Wall record · Black-wall wheels
The silver Black Wall car shares its body color and casting number with the other early silver releases. HWC Garage catalogs it as a 1995 issue; the Hot Wheels Newsletter documents a Canada-only 1996 issue. Compare the black-wall hubs and original packaging when dating a specific example.
1995 · Silver · 5-Spoke
1995 Mainline · 5SP
Metallic silver paint with five-spoke wheels identifies this mainline version. The wheel design separates it from the 1993 Ultra Hots and the Black Wall release, which otherwise share the silver color.
1996 / 1997 · Red · DW3
Red mainline records · DW3 wheels
This red Avus is the three-spoke wheel version. Collector catalogs differ on whether it belongs with the 1996 or 1997 red release records. The DW3 hubs are the strongest identifier; keep packaging context with any date attribution.
1996 · Red · 5-Spoke
Mainline; also documented in Super Show Cars 5-Pack · #453 · 5SP
This red five-spoke issue appears in the 1996 mainline and Super Show Cars 5-Pack records. It shares the red finish and toy number with other red versions, so confirm both wheel faces before identifying it.
1996 · Red · 7-Spoke
1996 Mainline · #453 · 7SP
The red body and seven-spoke wheels distinguish this version from the 1996 red five-spoke car and the DW3 release. The paint color and #453 family alone do not identify the wheel variation.
1997 · Metalflake gold · Treasure Hunt
1997 Treasure Hunt · 11/12 · #588/714
This metalflake-gold release is 11/12 in the 1997 Treasure Hunt series. The Audi hood logo, Avus and Hot Wheels side marks, tan interior, tinted windows and DW3 wheels distinguish it from the standard silver and red issues.
1998 · Unpainted ZAMAC · Convention edition
12th Annual Hot Wheels Collectors Convention · Limited edition · 500 reported
The bare metal body, small black side logo and convention provenance distinguish this car from the black Dash 4 Cash Avus, which shares toy code 18789 and collector number 723/908. Convention references report a run of 500.
1997 / 1998 · Silver · Toys “R” Us Multipack
Toys “R” Us multipack · 7SP
This metallic-silver seven-spoke car is the Toys “R” Us multipack issue. HWC Garage dates the release to 1998, while the Hot Wheels Newsletter records a 1997 ten-pack. The toy number, wheel style and multipack context agree across the records.
1998 · Black · Dash 4 Cash
Dash 4 Cash · 3/4 · #723/908
The black body, banknote-inspired side graphics and gold-lace wheels identify the Dash 4 Cash 3/4 release. It shares toy code and collector number with the convention ZAMAC car; paint and graphics separate the two.
1998 · Black · Tech Tones
Tech Tones · 4/4 · #748/908
Black paint, red-speckled graphics and gold-lace wheels identify the fourth Tech Tones car. The red decoration distinguishes it from the banknote graphics on the Dash 4 Cash Avus.
1999 · Chrome · Mainline
1999 Mainline · #1096/1121
Chrome plating and five-spoke wheels identify the 1999 mainline issue. Reflections can hide scratches or make custom finishes look similar, so check the plating, base markings and package context together.
2001 · Metalflake purple · Mainline
2001 Mainline · #104/240 · PR5
The final documented Avus issue returns in metalflake purple, with PR5 wheels. HWC Garage records toy 50634 and mainline number 104/240. Under different lighting the paint can look blue or magenta, so compare it in neutral light.
Physical details
The Avus Quattro has a metal body, plastic base, clear or tinted windows and a molded interior. Depending on release, the wheels include Ultra Hots, Black Wall, five-spoke, seven-spoke, DW3, gold-lace and PR5 designs. Those changes are often more useful for identification than the silver or red paint alone.
On a loose example, compare both axles, base markings, window tint and interior color. Look for the release-specific roof and side graphics on the Treasure Hunt, Dash 4 Cash, Tech Tones and convention versions.
Condition and packaging
For loose cars, note paint or chrome wear, canopy scratches, base condition and whether the wheels match the recorded version. On carded examples, assess the blister and card separately from the model. For multipack and convention releases, packaging helps establish which issue the car came from.
Value Research
Compare the exact Avus Quattro release by finish, wheel design, toy code, series and package. The silver Black Wall, silver Ultra Hots and silver five-spoke versions are not interchangeable; red cars also have different wheel configurations. For the records where collector catalogs disagree on dates, preserve the source’s year context and use wheel and packaging evidence to identify the car.
Assess loose-car condition separately from card or multipack condition. No unsupported price range is assigned here.
Collector FAQs
Does casting number 5260 identify one release?
No. 5260 identifies the shared casting. Finish, wheels, release year, toy code and graphics distinguish its versions.
Why do some Avus Quattro dates vary between catalogs?
The silver Black Wall, red DW3 and Toys “R” Us multipack entries are assigned different years by catalog sources. Compare the matching wheels, package and market context instead of relying on a single date field.
What is the fastest way to tell the silver versions apart?
Check the wheels: Ultra Hots, Black Wall and five-spoke versions have different hub faces.