Hot Wheels

Hot Wheels is a mark of Jouet S American founded in 1968 pertaining to the group Mattel.

Nowadays, this continuous mark to produce each year of new collections mixing model realities and imaginary models and markets them in the whole world. The mark also produces circuits, garages and many other accessories. With the wire of time, these miniature vehicles became the object of collections, one counts at least 100.000 models and variations existing since 1968. Most expensive Hot Wheels of the world was sold approximately 72.000$.

History

1968 : creation of the mark Hot Wheels by Mattel; production in California then, at the end of the year, in HongKong.
1972: stop of the production in California.
1973: replacement of the colors Spectraflame by the colors Enamel .
1974: launching of the models Flying Colors with decoration by tampography.
1978: abandonment of the tires with red band and distribution of the models in 7 sets of themes groups ( Speedways Specials, Super Streeters, Oldies Drank Goodies, The Heavies, Drag Strippers, Rescue TEAM and Classy Customs ).
1980: launching of the series Hi-Rakers and Workhorses .
1982: beginning of the production in Malaysia.
1983: launching of the series Real Riders and beginning of production in France and in Mexico (stopped in 1986).
1987: stop of the production in HongKong and the first convention of the collectors of Hot Wheels in Toledo (Ohio) organized by Michael Strauss.
1989: repurchase of the British firm Corgy Toys .
1990: launching of the series California Customs .
1991: production of the miniature billionth Hot Wheels.
1992: beginning of the production in China. Launching of the first models manufactured in limited edition (12 000 specimens instead of the normal series of 200.000).
1994: systematic affixing of the logo of the mark (a flame surrounding a wheel) on a place of each miniature.
1995: structuring of the range in 4 series: First Editions for the new models, Treasure Hunt for the alternatives of existing models in limited edition, Segment Series for the alternatives of models declined in 12 groups of 4 miniatures and Regular Line for the other alternatives.
1997: launching of the series Hot Wheels Collectibles whose very detailed models are intended for the collectors. Repurchase of the firm Tyco owner of the mark Matchbox .
1999: signature of a dealing agreement exclusive world with the manufacturer Ferrari for the reproduction on all the scales in all the models in the famous Italian firm.
2003: exit of the film Hot Wheels World Race (in French " race mondiale")at the time of the 35e birthday of the mark.
2004: launching of 100 entirely new models in the year (the usual rate being of 36).
2005: exit of the film Acceleracers (continuation of World Race ).

Origins of the mark

If years 1950 can be regarded as the golden age of the automobile toy on a 1/43° scale with the development of marks like Dinky Toys, Norev or Solido, years 1960 see the blossoming of automobile miniatures of smaller size, on a 1/64° scale, whose marks Matchbox and Majorette are famous representing. The blossoming of this scale is explained by the widening of the target of the manufacturers of toys to the “little brothers” of the children of the previous decade who do not have yet the age to play with the models with the 1/43°. This market is dominated by the European manufacturers who strongly export towards the United States. But their models are above all the miniatures of European cars and young American hopelessly waits to be able to play with miniatures of American cars. The American manufacturer Tootsietoys is certainly present on the market, but its range contains vehicles of the every day, whereas the young people dream of cars more sporting and more exclusive like the “custom” and the “hot rod” with the modified body and the inflated engines, or them specifically American racing racing cars like the dragsters and them cars of NASCAR. Elliot Handler, the founder president of Mattel, then will answer this waiting while launching a specific mark of miniatures: Hot Wheels, a pun worked out on the term of hot rod and a recall of the principal characteristic of these new miniatures, their wheels that very fine axles make it possible to make turn with much less frictions than their competitors, which enables them to roll more quickly!

The first range presented by Hot Wheels is a heteroclite mixture of 16 miniatures representative of the automobile dreams of young American. 8 models reproduce modified versions of American cars of contemporary sport and great tourism: Custom Camaro, Custom Cougar, Custom Mustang, Custom Barracuda, Custom Firebird, Custom Corvette, Custom T-Bird and Custom Eldorado. The roof of these models can be painted in black to appear a vinyl roof. 4 are cars of dream drawn by famous draftsmen of the movement “custom” like ED “Big Daddy” Roth and Bill Cushenberry: Silhouette, Deora, Cheetah and Beatnik Gangster. 3 are strongly modified models: Custom Fleetside, Hot Heap and Custom Volkswagen. Lastly, the last is a racing racing car: Ford J-Because. All these miniatures are manufactured in California and, with the end of the year 1968, in HongKong, with differences as the size of the wheels (small for the models manufactured in the United States, large for those manufactured in HongKong) or the presence or not of an instrument panel. They have all the famous wheels with tires with red band which allow their immediate identification… Within sight of the success met by these small cars, Mattel launches orange and various plastic tracks additional to create an environment of play around them, as well as small bags of transport whose bag in the shape of wheel celebrates it. Sold for 90 hundreds then, each model Hot Wheels is presented in a packing comprising a button of collection in the shape of wheel with a drawing of the miniature and its name on the rim.

This success will bring Matchbox has to entirely modify the wheels of its models and with launching its range “Superfast” since 1969.

Range

Each year, the generic range of the miniatures on the scale 1:64 E is renewed. It consists of several series, whose principal ones are named:

First Editions (in the past Model Series): New models.
All Stars (Open in the past Stock): New variations of old models.
Treasure Hunt : Rare models.
Code Bus: Models with a code Internet pemettant to free virtual contents.
Mistery Bus: Models packed in a packing which hides them.
Track Stars (in the past Track Aces): Models especially designed to function on the circuits Hot Wheels.

The membership of the model to the range is indicated by the band of color and the name corresponding on the right-sided of the front face of packing.

There also exists of other ranges, apart from the generic range, commes Classics, Ultra Hots or Since 68, whose prices are often higher but whose collections are also renewed annually.

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