| Hot Wheels is a brand of die cast toy car, started by | | | | 1969 a large number of race cars were introduced by |
| American toymaker Mattel in 1968. Mattel was the | | | | Hot Wheels like Brabham Repco F1, Chaparral 2G, |
| primary competitor of Johnny Lightning and Matchbox | | | | Ford MK IV, Indy Eagle, Lola GT70, Lotus Turbine |
| until 1996, when Mattel acquired rights to the | | | | and McLaren M6A. Hot Wheels effectively established |
| Matchbox brand from Tyco. Originally the cars and | | | | itself as the most important brand of small toy car |
| trucks were manufactured to roughly 1:64 scale and | | | | models in the USA. The Splittin' Image, Torero, |
| designed to be used on associated Hot Wheels track | | | | Turbofire, and Twin Mill were part of the "Show & |
| sets, but by 1970 a series of 1:43 scale 'Gran Toros' | | | | Go" series and are the very first original in-house |
| were introduce and in more recent times a range of | | | | designs by Hot Wheels. |
| highly comprehensive adult collector 1:18 scale | | | | In 1999 Hot Wheels Racing signed a licensing deal |
| vehicles, including replicas of world race cars like | | | | with five Formula 1 teams to manufacture scale |
| Formula One and NASCAR. However the brand | | | | model Formula 1 cars. Hot Wheels celebrated its 35th |
| remains most famous for the small scale free-rolling | | | | anniversary with a full-length computer animated Hot |
| models of custom hot rods and muscle cars it has | | | | Wheels movie called Hot Wheels Highway 35 World |
| produced since the range first appeared. | | | | Race. This movie tied into the Highway 35 line of cars |
| There were sixteen castings released in 1968, eleven | | | | that featured 35 classic Hot Wheels cars with special |
| of them designed by Harry Bentley Bradley, with the | | | | graphics and co-moulded wheels. Another celebrated |
| first one produced being a dark blue Custom Camaro. | | | | moment in the 35th anniversary was the creation of |
| Some of the cars released in 1968 are Custom | | | | a full-sized model of the Deora II shown at the Hot |
| Barracuda, Custom Camaro, Custom Corvette, | | | | Wheels Hall of Fame event at the Petersen |
| Custom Cougar, Custom Eldorado, Deora, Ford J-Car, | | | | Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California. Also, |
| Python, Silhouette and many more. All of the cars | | | | the continuation of the movie Hot Wheels Highway |
| attributed 'Spectraflame' paintwork, bearings, redlines | | | | 35 World Race called Hot Wheels Acceleracers was |
| wheels, and working suspension. For most castings, it | | | | created, taking place two years after Vert Wheeler |
| is the hardest colour to find, and today can command | | | | won the World Race. |
| prices ten times as high as more common colours. | | | | In late 2006, a new package design for 2007 was |
| In the year 1969, Twin Mill was introduced by Hot | | | | released. In 2007, Mattel is planning to release 36 |
| Wheels. It is regarded one of Hot Wheels' greatest | | | | New Models. Which will be available through UK |
| race cars, came from Ira Gilford's drawing board. In | | | | stockists such as mataro.co. |