Hot Wheels

Hot Wheels is a toy car brand, which was introduced by the toy manufacturer Mattel in 1968, initially as " Hot Wheels by Mattel ". Best feature was the very low friction axles and running the failed and partially whimsical shapes and designs, thereby Hot Wheels until today differs from the true reality Matchbox models. The Hot Wheels cars are about six inches long and generally have a scale of 1:64.

To date, according to estimates by Mattel more than three billion vehicles were produced. On average, each boy was between three and ten years owned 50 vehicles in old age. Especially in the USA the Hot Wheels collector scene is well established. The highest price achieved to date for a Hot Wheels model was approximately 72,000 U.S. dollars, which was paid for a 1969 VW Beach Bomb. In the 1990s, the brand has been advertised by the singer and actor David Hasselhoff.

For Hot Wheels range continues to include a variety of race tracks and playsets for the vehicles. In the first race tracks, the vehicles were simply accelerated on an inclined plane. Today, many of the sets are equipped with battery-powered accelerators.

Under the brand Hot Wheels is also a collector can find models of cars, sports cars and Formula 1 racing cars for different teams in the scale of 1:18 and 1:43.

There are also special models in scale 1:64, which are only produced for the U.S., Australian and Canadian market. They are called Hot Wheels 100% transparent display cases sold (~ $ 10), have a higher richness of detail ( label, paint), better quality, wheels and tires; they are more collectors items as toys and are used by companies as an advertising medium. Another series of Hot Wheels were the Real Riders with broad real rubber tires (some with side imprint), different profiles and also as Redline wheels. They were due to the high cost of production only a few years (1983-1989) on the U.S. market.

In the 1980s and Hot Wheels were introduced, their color thanks thermochromic paints ( engl. thermal color change paint ) on contact with warm (> 30 ° C) or cold change (<18 ° C ) water, so-called Color Shifters ( color changer ).

The early models ( 1968-1977 ) is also called " redlines " or the abbreviation "RL", due to the red rings around the rims. Then came an altered form of the Redline wheels. The rims looked different; but they are called still redlines ( 1973-1977 ). After that came a long time ( 1977 to the 90s ) the " Basic Wheels" or "Black Wheels". This corresponded to the modified Redline wheels, but without the red ring around it. This is called the Hot Wheels from this era therefore " BW's ". From the 90's there were many different wheel shapes, so there is no detailed description for the Hot Wheels from that time. Until today arise more and more wheel shapes.

Special

Since the summer of 2012, a series of four mini- models of the block system Rasti is offered under the brand name Hot Wheels in Argentina. Originally developed in Germany idea for these blocks had been revived in America in 2005. 2011, the company responsible for this Dimare entered into a partnership with Mattel.