Hot Wheels Celebrates 50 Years

For more than five decades, Hot Wheels has provided adrenaline-fueled vehicle play that ignites the challenger spirit in every kid with the most outrageous and innovative cars and track systems. Hot Wheels was born when Mattel co-founder Elliot Handler (shown left, with wife and Mattel co-founder Ruth Handler) challenged his design team, which included a General Motors car designer and a rocket scientist to create a toy car that was cooler and performed better than anything on the market. They answered with the first-ever trackable toy car.

 

Handler was so impressed by the car’s groundbreaking new wheel design and performance that his first response when he saw it rolling along the floor was: "Those are some hot wheels!"

 

Hot Wheels Jumps on the Fast Track to Success

Soon, deals were in place to re-create muscle cars from the Big Three car makers, along with a patented independent suspension to complement the speedy wheel design.

 

The Hot Wheels® Custom Camaro® (shown right) hit shelves in May of 1968. It was quickly followed by 15 more 1:64 scale speed machines.  This first edition of cars became known as the “Sweet 16”—now among the most valuable and collectible toy vehicles ever made.

 

Over 50 Years of Accepting Challenges

Challenge has always been core to Hot Wheels play. How fast can I go? Will I nail the jump? Will the car make it through the loop? These are just a few of the thoughts that race through children’s heads when they play with Hot Wheels.

 

Hot Wheels believes that the challenges the brand provides through competition, creativity and experimentation help kids build the skills and confidence they need to take on the world.

 

Much more than a toy, the brand has mushroomed into a booming franchise and multi-channel play experience. It has become a true lifestyle brand with segments in gaming, digital platforms, auto partnerships, licensed apparel and merchandise.