Hot Wheels:
More than just a toy

Mister Benedict, do you still remember your first Hot Wheels or Matchbox car? If yes, what model was it?

Yes, I remember getting a Ramblin’ Wrecker (designed by legendary Hot Wheels designer Larry Wood) for my birthday when I was very little. I loved that casting and played with it all of the time! I realized later as an adult that the one I had was one of the very rare early ones where Larry Wood had his actual phone number on the side of the truck. But the number was barely visible anymore on mine because I really thrashed it as a kid. I never thought to actually try to call the number when I was a kid, but I guess a lot of people did so they had to change the deco and remove his phone number!

Did you ever think that you would one day design these little cars yourself?

Not exactly, I was always focused on designing real cars from a very young age. I set my mind on working for a car company designing cars when I grew up, and sketched cars every single day, but it hadn’t really occurred to me to design Hot Wheels as a job back then. However, I did write a letter to Mattel once when I was about 8 years old with some ideas for cars that I thought they should make, so it is kind of ironic that I ended up where I did.

Before your designer role at Hot Wheels, you worked in development at Mercedes and Mitsubishi. How did this transition happen?

Yes, I spent 10 years in the car industry before coming to Mattel. My experience at Mercedes, Mitsubishi, and other car companies provided me with great automotive design experience and valuable insights into automotive development and technology. One day Mattel called me out of the blue and asked if I was interested in joining the team. I jumped at the chance and haven’t regretted the decision since. Transitioning to Hot Wheels was an opportunity for me to channel my passion for design and my automotive background into a realm that fosters creativity and innovation.

What role do model and toy cars play in automobile culture in general?

Model and toy cars are essential components of automobile culture as they introduce people of all ages and backgrounds to the fascination of cars. They serve not only as collectibles but also as inspirations and gateways into the world of automotive design and car culture.

What similarities do big and small cars have?

Both large and small cars embody design, performance, and the technological innovations of their time. What we do at Hot Wheels encapsulates everything cool going on in the full-size automotive world, and even takes it one step further with our more extreme and fantasy designs. Both must consider a number of engineering, safety, and performance factors to fulfill their functions. I was able to utilize a lot of the same skill sets that I honed in the automotive world and adapt those to designing and developing Hot Wheels.

And where are the biggest differences?

The most obvious difference lies in size and actual functionality. But even more than that, the transition to 1:64th was quite an adjustment for me because of the sheer quantity of designs we create at Hot Wheels and the speed with which we execute them. Whereas I might be painstakingly working on one vehicle design for a whole yearor more in the car industry, now I’m creating dozens of unique designs every year. There is a lot of creative fulfilment in that.

What makes the Hot Wheels brand stand out in your opinion? And what role does design play in that?

Hot Wheels is more than just a toy – it's an icon of automotive culture. Hot Wheels is truly legendary. The brand stands out through its distinctive designs, high attention to detail, and continuous innovation. Design plays a central role as it influences not only the aesthetics but also the functionality and recognizability of the cars.

When you design a car, how do you go about it? Do you use an existing vehicle, or do you bring an abstract idea into car form?

Our design processes at Hot Wheels typically begin with a vision or abstract concept that is translated into a concrete vehicle sketch, and then digitally sculpted in 3D. The designer sees the design all the way through from first sketch to final production. We create both existing licensed vehicles and our own Hot Wheels Original creations, where we draw inspiration from existing vehicles and other influences around us to create a new model that embodies the characteristics and spirit of the Hot Wheels brand.

What are the most important ingredients for you?

For me, creativity, precision, and the ability to tackle technical challenges are crucial. It's about marrying design with functionality while preserving the identity of the Hot Wheels brand. Performance and trackability has always been a key component of the Hot Wheels brand from the very beginning in 1968.

Would you like to design a Hot Wheels car in original size one day?

Actually, I have had the amazing opportunity of designing two of the car builds in our full-size Hot Wheels Garage of Legends – the Star Wars Darth Vader Character Car, which debuted at Comic-Con in 2014, and our latest build, the Porsche 944 Dirtmeister where I worked with Porsche factory driver Patrick Long in collaboration with Porsche and Mobil 1 and unveiled at Rennsport Reunion last year. In both cases, I designed the 1:64th casting and brought the car to life in full-size simultaneously, so that we unveiled both the diecast and the real car at the same time.

This is almost exactly what happens as part of the Hot Wheels Legends Tour, which is taking place for the sixth consecutive year this year. What makes it so special, and how does the competition work?

The Hot Wheels Legends Tour is a unique competition that allows enthusiasts worldwide to showcase their own vehicle designs and potentially have them turned into a Hot Wheels model. It's special because it celebrates the passion and creativity of fans and bridges the gap between real cars and the legendary Hot Wheels models. Participants showcase their vehicles in live events or online, and a jury selects the winner based on creativity, originality, and garage spirit. And of course, we have to take into account the feasibility of translating the design to 1:64th scale. These winning cars are not only replicated in 1:64th scale, but also get inducted into our Hot Wheels Garage of Legends, so it is truly an honor for those lucky enough to win amongst the thousands of entries we get every year.

How does the participants' approach differ from that of your design team? And where are possible parallels?

Participants in the Legends Tour often bring a personal passion and a level of personal detail to their designs, which is sometimes different than what we might have come up with as professional designers. It is really inspiring to see the level of creativity that is out there in car culture, and how it varies around the world. Parallels exist in our mutual dedication to perfection and love and appreciation for car culture.

Last but not Least: What criteria does the design team use to select the winner? What do you particularly pay attention to?

When selecting the winner, we particularly focus on innovation and staying true to the Hot Wheels spirit. Creativity and the ability to tell a captivating story through the vehicle are also critical criteria. We always want there to be a meaningful connection between the car and the builder, and of course it has to be a design that is going to jump out at you on the toy shelf when reduced down to 1:64th scale.

More on the Hot Wheels Legends Tour:

→ creations.mattel.com