Muncle Mikes · Hot Wheels casting guide
Hot Wheels Dodge Neon (Hardnoze): casting and release guide
The Hot Wheels Dodge Neon (Hardnoze) is the compact, exaggerated-front casting introduced as B3554 in 2004 First Editions. Its pearl-white debut is cataloged with three window tints; a Zamac edition and two 2005 releases round out the six documented physical configurations.
Keep this tool separate from the long, pro-stock-style Dodge Neon / Drag Neon. The names are similar, but the bodies and toolings are different.
Casting identity
Hot Wheels used the Dodge Neon name for more than one design. Hardnoze is the stylized compact car with the oversized front treatment; B3554 identifies its 2004 First Editions debut. The 2004 B3554 pearl-white car uses the same item code and collector number across three documented glazing variants, so inspect the windows as well as the body and package.
Confirmed release checklist
Six documented physical configurations are included below. Package aliases and records without enough detail to establish a separate car are kept in the following archive section, outside this confirmed checklist.
| Year / code | Series / package | Finish and decoration | Windows, wheels and base | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 · B3554 | First Editions 18/100 · collector 018 | Pearl white · blue-tint windows Pearl white with blue, black and gray Mopar graphics, Mopar side and hood emblems, and Hot Wheels hood logo |
Blue tint · 5SP · Chrome-finish plastic | Malaysia |
| 2004 · B3554 | First Editions 18/100 · collector 018 | Pearl white · light-smoke windows Pearl white with blue, black and gray Mopar graphics, Mopar side and hood emblems, and Hot Wheels hood logo |
Light smoke tint · 5SP · Chrome-finish plastic | Malaysia |
| 2004 · B3554 | First Editions 18/100 · collector 018 | Pearl white · dark-smoke / black windows Pearl white with blue, black and gray Mopar graphics, Mopar side and hood emblems, and Hot Wheels hood logo |
Dark smoke; also cataloged as black · 5SP · Chrome-finish plastic | Malaysia |
| 2004 · B3554 | First Editions Zamac Limited Edition · collector 018 | Unpainted Zamac Limited Edition Unpainted metal with blue, black and gray Mopar graphics, Mopar side and hood emblems, and Hot Wheels hood logo |
Dark smoke / tinted · 5SP · Chrome-finish plastic | Malaysia |
| 2005 · G6805 | Asphalt Jungle 3/5 · collector 083 | Dark red · Asphalt Jungle Dark red / metalflake red with side flames and “Pit Stop” hood markings |
Dark tint · 5SP · Chrome-finish plastic | Malaysia |
| 2005 · G6921 | Wild Cats 5-Pack · no mainline collector number documented | Black · Wild Cats 5-Pack Black body with red, yellow, blue and white “Ramon Racing” side graphics and “Wildcat” hood lettering |
Blue tint in one catalog; not listed in another · Gold 5SP · Gold-finish plastic | China |
Dodge Neon (Hardnoze) variation web
Each confirmed release links to the other five confirmed entries. For the B3554 pair, compare the window tint or bare-metal Zamac body; for 2005 releases, use the series and decoration.
2004 · B3554
Pearl white · blue-tint windows
This First Editions B3554 is the pearl-white version with blue-tinted windows. The shared code and collector number also appear on two other documented window variants; the tint is the visible distinction.
First Editions 18/100 · collector 018 · Pearl white with blue, black and gray Mopar graphics, Mopar side and hood emblems, and Hot Wheels hood logo · 5SP wheels · Blue tint windows
Open release details →2004 · B3554
Pearl white · light-smoke windows
This white First Editions B3554 is identified by its light-smoke window tint. It shares the body graphics and package identifiers with the blue-tint and dark-smoke records.
First Editions 18/100 · collector 018 · Pearl white with blue, black and gray Mopar graphics, Mopar side and hood emblems, and Hot Wheels hood logo · 5SP wheels · Light smoke tint windows
Open release details →2004 · B3554
Pearl white · dark-smoke / black windows
The darkest-window white B3554 is called dark smoke by one collector catalog and black by others. Compare the window tint directly; the item code and series marking do not separate this subtype.
First Editions 18/100 · collector 018 · Pearl white with blue, black and gray Mopar graphics, Mopar side and hood emblems, and Hot Wheels hood logo · 5SP wheels · Dark smoke; also cataloged as black windows
Open release details →2004 · B3554
Unpainted Zamac Limited Edition
This is the separate unpainted Zamac Limited Edition, not a fourth white-window subtype. Its bare-metal body and Mopar decoration distinguish it from the pearl-white B3554 cars.
First Editions Zamac Limited Edition · collector 018 · Unpainted metal with blue, black and gray Mopar graphics, Mopar side and hood emblems, and Hot Wheels hood logo · 5SP wheels · Dark smoke / tinted windows
Open release details →2005 · G6805
Dark red · Asphalt Jungle
G6805 appears in Asphalt Jungle 3/5 as collector number 083. The dark-red body, side flames and “Pit Stop” hood graphics identify the release.
Asphalt Jungle 3/5 · collector 083 · Dark red / metalflake red with side flames and “Pit Stop” hood markings · 5SP wheels · Dark tint windows
Open release details →2005 · G6921
Black · Wild Cats 5-Pack
G6921 is the black Wild Cats 5-Pack car with “Ramon Racing” side decoration and “Wildcat” hood lettering. South Texas Diecast records the red interior, gold base and gold five-spoke wheels; a separate collector catalog lists blue-tinted windows, while another omits glazing.
Wild Cats 5-Pack · no mainline collector number documented · Black body with red, yellow, blue and white “Ramon Racing” side graphics and “Wildcat” hood lettering · Gold 5SP wheels · Blue tint in one catalog; not listed in another windows
Open release details →Physical details that separate the releases
White First Editions B3554
The pearl-white body carries blue, black and gray Mopar graphics, Mopar emblems on the sides and hood, and a Hot Wheels logo on the hood. The documented versions use five-spoke wheels, a chrome-finish plastic base and a Malaysia country mark. Collector catalogs describe the darkest glazing as either dark smoke or black.
Zamac Limited Edition
The Zamac Limited Edition uses an unpainted metal body with the same Mopar decoration. Its bare-metal finish separates it from the pearl-white B3554 versions while retaining the B3554 code and First Editions association.
2005 releases
G6805 is dark red or metalflake red, with side flames and “Pit Stop” hood markings in Asphalt Jungle 3/5. G6921 is black with “Ramon Racing” side graphics and “Wildcat” hood lettering in the Wild Cats 5-Pack. Sources document a gold-finish base, gold five-spoke wheels and red interior for G6921; window tint differs by catalog, so treat blue tint as a source-specific description rather than settled consensus.
Retained catalog records
These child pages preserve older or overlapping catalog rows for traceability. They are not additional confirmed physical configurations and are not part of the variation web above.
- White B3554 grouped record — retained for catalog traceability
- Zamac catalog alias 1 — retained for catalog traceability
- Zamac catalog alias 2 — retained for catalog traceability
- Unspecified 2004 record — retained for catalog traceability
The grouped white B3554 points to the three documented tint entries. Both Zamac aliases point back to the single canonical Zamac release page. The unspecified 2004 row remains unresolved because the record does not establish a distinct configuration.
Collector FAQs
Is this the same as Dodge Neon / Drag Neon?
No. Hardnoze is the compact, exaggerated-front car. Drag Neon is an elongated pro-stock race car with separate tooling. Compare the body shape before relying on the model name.
How many white B3554 window variants are documented?
Three: blue tint, light smoke, and dark smoke/black. The toy number and First Editions collector number stay the same across them.
Is the Zamac B3554 a fourth window-tint version?
No. It is the separately documented unpainted Zamac Limited Edition with Mopar graphics.
Is blue-tinted glazing confirmed on G6921?
One collector catalog lists blue tint, while another source omits the glazing detail. The body, Wild Cats pack context and gold wheel/base details are better-supported identification points.
Why are four older catalog pages not in the six-release count?
One groups white B3554 versions without specifying tint, two are aliases for the same Zamac release, and one does not identify a code or distinct configuration.
References and catalog notes
Release descriptions were compared with South Texas Diecast’s Hardnoze Dodge Neon checklist, Hot Wheels Newsletter’s 2004 First Editions and Zamac records, and collector release tables for G6805 and G6921. Conflicting window descriptions are preserved where the records do not agree.
Use the release code, body finish, graphics, window tint and package evidence together. A shared B3554 code does not identify a particular white window variant by itself.