Hot Wheels is one of the most recognized and beloved toy brands around! These tiny diecast cars are enjoyed by kids and adults alike and lend themselves well to creative stunts and imaginative play. Just look at Hot Wheels videos to see the amazing things people do with them!
But how did Hot Wheels start, and what cars made the brand what it is today? Read on to find out!
The Start of the Hot Wheels Craze
The very first line of Hot Wheels cars came out in 1968. The toys are the brainchild of Elliot Handler, the co-founder of the toy company Mattel.
Toy cars were nothing new when Hot Wheels came out. But Mattel developed game-changing innovations that would forever change the face of diecast toys. The most notable? That would be the low-friction wheels and axels.
Strategic engineering led to the creation of both cars and tracks. The unique design of Hot Wheels Cars lets them roll smoothly along the orange tracks at a staggering 200 scale miles per hour! That was unheard of at the time and continues to be one of Hot Wheels Biggest selling points.
The Original Lineup
The first line of Hot Wheels cars in 1968 had 16 models. The toy product numbers ranged from 6205 to 6220. The cars included:
- Custom Cougar
- Custom Mustang
- Custom T-Bird
- Custom Camero
- Silhouette
- Deora
- Custom Barracuda
- Custom Firebird
- Custom Fleetside
- Ford J-Car
- Custom Corvette
- Python
- Beatnik Bandit
- Custom El Dorado
- Hot Heap
- Custom Volkswagen Cheetah
As you can imagine, these cars fetch a pretty penny on the secondary market. They’re highly sought-after by collectors.
Mattel continued to release cars after existing real-world vehicles, futuristic concepts, and even rides from film and TV. However, these 16 were the cars that started it all!
A Continuing Legacy
The Hot Wheels line is still going strong to this day! Hot Wheels videos are more popular than ever, garnering millions of views as people relive their childhoods and watch creative players complete amazing feats. With a continued dedication to creating high-quality toys, the future is bright for Hot Wheels!
Read a similar article about educational shows for kids here at this page.