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You can actually get the Porsche 911 Carrera, the Mercedes-AMG GT, and many other real-world cars for the price of the Pink Beach Bomb.

More than 50 years ago, Elliot Handler and Ruth Handler, co-founders of Mattel, challenged their design team to create a toy car that would be an actual performer. After the groundbreaking new wheel design was created in a first-ever trackable toy car, Hot Wheels were born. These were toys like no other at the time, motivating kids' play on a whole new level.

With Hot Wheels, it was not solely about having a toy for decoration purposes or simple play. These little cars were able to go fast, jump over obstacles, and run through loops. Plays became more exciting than ever through competition and experimentation. But soon enough, kids were not the only ones to show interest in Hot Wheels.

Avid car designers and collectors began collecting Hot Wheels because of their innovative designs that often went beyond what is known as a traditional automotive world. It's no wonder the value of these little models skyrocketed in time. Widely sought after, Hot Wheels are now part of the car culture. As such, they attract car enthusiasts from all parts of the world.

Because so many people desire to acquire unique Hot Wheels for themselves, these little cars often cost thousands of dollars. Funny enough, some of these rides have the price tags of new sports cars. The most expensive Hot Wheels of all time even beats the 2022 Audi RS models. How crazy is that?

Let's take a look at this Hot Wheels car in more detail and explore why it costs so much.

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Yes, this vibrant pink bus is the most expensive Hot Wheels at the time, and it will probably remain so for the years to come. Considering the history behind this particular model, other Hot Wheels will have a tough job taking the throne.

The pink bus you see in the photo is the Volkswagen microbus from 1969. It's called the rear-loading Beach Bomb (a fancy name for a fancy ride), and it was a prototype at Mattel. The team behind the Hot Wheels company tried to design the first Volkswagen microbus with this model, but they ran into a couple of issues.

The main problem was the rear-loading part, as the bus constantly lost balance upon surfboard loading through the rear window. Mattel fixed this by introducing heavier sides and putting surfboards on the side, so kids wouldn't get frustrated by their buses falling down all the time.

In the end, the modified version ended up being produced on a mass scale, and the prototype was rolled out altogether. But that's what made things interesting in the first place. The first designed Beach Bomb prototype was made only in two examples. For years, they were in possession of a Mattel employee until a collector acquired them for a jaw-dropping amount of money.

When sold initially, the Volkswagen Pink Beach Bomb cost about $150,000. Today, that amount translates into a mind-blowing $175,000. We don't know about you, but we can't quite wrap our minds around that. You can actually get the Porsche 911 Carrera, the Mercedes-AMG GT, and many other real-world cars for under and at the price of the Pink Beach Bomb. RELATED: The 10 Most Expensive Hot Wheels Cars Of All Time

So, who is the lucky owner of the Volkswagen Pink Beach Bomb? Bruce Pascal, a commercial real estate veteran, was the one to acquire the most expensive Hot Wheels model. In fact, he owns one of the most pricey Hot Wheels collections in the world, with more than 4,000 cars arranged in a specially built office. The Pink Beach Bomb is the cherry on top of the cake.

The total price of Pascal's Hot Wheels collection sums up to about $1 million, and the Pink Beach Bomb is one of its most guarded and expensive models. He had a challenging time acquiring it — well, both of the initial prototypes, but he sold the other unit to a friend. While VW buses of various colors were easy to find and buy, the pink one required more effort. Now, the Pink Beach Bomb he owns is protected from light and dust in a dark plexiglass case.

Fortunately, Pascal is keen to share his collection with museums, so others can experience rare Hot Wheels and learn more about this and other classic cars. Therefore, passionate Hot Wheels collectors and car enthusiasts can still expect to see the Pink Beach Bomb in exhibitions. When it comes to buying it, we don’t recommend keeping your hopes up, whether you have the money or not. It's unlikely that Pascal would sell such a rare collection item to anyone.

Suzana Mijatović is a Literary Critic secretly in love with all things automotive. You'll find her either reading Dostoevsky or under the hood, changing the transmission fluid and oil filters. She has a long experience in writing about car parts and automotive products, from brakes to seat cushions. Suzana is also an amateur poet and photographer.