Hot Wheels – Not Just For Kids

Hot Wheels. Yeah, those little brightly coloured toy cars you’ve probably seen in petrol stations, supermarkets and of course, toy shops. Given that they are, make no mistake, toys, it would be natural to assume they’re just for children. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Hot Wheels are addictively collectable, they’re a joy to behold and they’re so cheap that pretty much anyone can amass a nice little collection in next to no time. And who doesn’t like the idea of having a fleet of exciting cars at their disposal? I mean, you can’t drive them, but when you tell someone you have a cherry 1968 Ford Mustang at home, they don’t need to know it’s three inches long, right?

Before I get into why, let’s look back at how Hot Wheels came about. The first cars, now known as the ‘sweet sixteen’ were released in 1968. The man behind Hot Wheels, Mattel co-founder Elliot Handler, saw his son playing with some Matchbox cars and decided to create a rival. The Matchbox cars, while loaded with detail, were tiny versions of production cars. As in, they were exactly like production cars. Staid, sensible colours. Some even came with a tow bar for a small scale caravan. The line up featured cars like the MG 1100 and the Ford Zephyr. Matchbox cars were so wonderfully British, but dull with it. Did little Timmy really want to pretend in his little play world that he was towing his caravan to Windemere? They were, and still are adorable, but they were not exactly exciting. Handler changed all that. There is no Hot Wheels caravan.

The ‘sweet sixteen’ consisted of muscle cars, with fat tyres and brightly coloured paint. They were exciting. Cars like the Python and Beatnik Bandit were works of complete fantasy, with big chrome engines and domed roofs. They captured the imagination of a generation, and they ignited a lifelong fire in many future petrolhead. Handler had a hit, but even he couldn’t have predicted that now, fifty-four years later, the passion for Hot Wheels would still be burning brightly. Passed on from generation to generation. A rite of passage for the children of petrolhead parents. Hot Wheels might be small, but they have no doubt had an immense impact on real world car culture. That’s impressive for a little car.

Since 1968, Hot Wheels has grown and grown, and it would be impossible to list everything that the company has done over the years. Crucially though, it’s stayed at the top of its game thanks to a mix of real, but exciting cars, and fantasy creations dreamed up by the in-house design team (who, frankly, have the best job in the world). The cars tie in with film and TV, they tie in with motorsport, there are more premium versions with greater detail, there are large scale Hot Wheels, the list goes on. And the company will make anything. Volkswagen Golf? No problem. You want a Toyota AE86 to go with that, and a garnish of Dodge Charger? Sure thing. You dream it, Hot Wheels has made it. Probably.

And this is where the appeal for us grown ups lies. There is something for everyone. The Hot Wheels of present combined with the rich pickings of the past mean that we can satiate our every automotive wont. I’m a collector, with over 3,500 Hot Wheels in my collection, and I love it. I love having all these frankly beautiful little things. They’re all still in their original packaging, I don’t play with them… I’m 39. I do enjoy having them, and there’s a giddy satisfaction that comes from having a collection of something. It’s why we, as part of the human condition, like collecting. It brings us joy. And think, people with stamp collections go weak at the knees for a few squares of paper. The thrill from some brightly coloured hot rods… immeasurable in comparison.

Sure, it’s not going to be for everyone, and I get that. But I would encourage you to get a couple the next time you head out to do the ‘big shop’. You will be captivated, and while you might not end up buying thousands over the course of a decade (cough) you might soon build up a nice little collection that you can be proud of. Plus, they’re a brilliant thing to share with the kids, a way to show them what cars were like before we started down this road of soulless, boring EVs and cars that are designed by marketing rather than humans. Hot Wheels cars are the result of passionate people being able to run free with their creativity. They’re fun, they’re free expression and unlike stamps, they’re cool. And for a couple of quid, the joy they bring you is more than worth it.