Jalopnik: Hot Wheels

Honda Racer Hot Wheels Toy Is Whacky, Real Whacky

Travis Hudson — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 15:20:00 EDT

Hot Wheels' 40th anniversary is upon us and to celebrate Mattel, parent company of Hot Wheels, arranged the "Hot Wheels Designer's Challenge." This challenge gave a handful of big name car manufacturers like Honda, Lotus and Mitsubishi the opportunity to design a crazy ass Hot Wheels car. Honda decided to go above and beyond crazy with it's Honda Racer, which looks like something Speed Racer drives in his nightmares.

The inspiration behind the Honda Racer came from a combination of "Honda's racing heritage with Hot Wheels' reputation for speed, power, performance and attitude," according to Guillermo Gonzalez, a senior designer at Honda R&D Americas.

The motor in this racer is a ridiculous 20-Liter VTEC V10 (that's a two-liter of Pepsi per cylinder) inspired by the 1967 Honda F1. This only makes us ponder what would happen if Honda put this kind of imagination into its real conceptual car design. [Nihon Car]

2008 Pontiac G8 GT Goes "Hot Wheels" In Second Commercial, And It's "Mine"

Ray Wert — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 09:20:00 EDT

Pontiac's ad agency released a second commercial this weekend for their new rear-wheel drive muscular muscle sedan, the 2008 Pontiac G8 GT. While we've got to say it's not nearly as cool as the "Spy Hunter" G8 commercial we saw in the wee hours of Friday morning, the "Hot Wheels" theme ain't too shabby. Although we'd have found the commercial more convincing had it shot off the end of the track and into the back of our younger brother's head. Still, we're wondering what pubescent fantasy they'll use to market the newly-revealed 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP, the G8 with a stick. Wait, don't answer that question.

Hot Wheels + Rocket Power = Inner Child Very Pleased

Ben Wojdyla — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 13:00:00 EST

If you're anything like we were as kids eventually your mischievous dad handed you five pounds of bottle rockets with a subversive smile and told you not to blow your hands off.. well, you nearly wet yourself with joy, didn't you? What is it about pyrotechnics that makes young boys lose their minds with happiness? Why, the same thing that makes pyrotechnics attached to toy cars even better. This video comes from what may be the best Instructable ever made, though we're irked at it's improper name. Of course, seeing this makes us want to go out, buy and build Revell's 1966 El Camino model, attach three or four Estes E engines to the bed and be the first to attempt to put an Elco into orbit, falling satellite debris be damned!

Buy Cheerios, Get Johnny Lightning Double Trouble!

Murilee Martin — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 12:30:00 EST

Back in the late 1960s, the Topper Johnny Lightning cars just couldn't compete with their Hot Wheels rivals. Still, the Double Trouble (yours free via some not-clearly-explained Cheerios-related mechanism) was pretty cool, and nice ones fetch halfway decent money today.

SEMA 2007: Hot Wheels Unveils First Manufacturer-Designed Models

burstein — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 15:25:10 EDT

For the first time ever, Mattel went beyond its in-house design studio and asked automakers to come up with designs for its new hot line of pint-sized dream machines. See what they came up with after the jump.

Ford Gangster Grin This sleek, bullet-like design by Steve Gilmore has a wide grille that seems to ... well ... grin. We predict we'll be seeing similar bling on rappers' dental work in the near future.

Honda Racer The body of this double open-cockpit race car designed by Guillermo Gonzalez is in the shape of a Honda logo. We're holding our breath for the roundel-shaped flying saucer BMW model next year.

Lotus Concept We dig this space-age, slightly froggy looking design by Russell Carr. It's aggressive but still kinda cute, and keeps some of the signature Lotus lines found on the Elise and Exige.

General Motors Chevroletor The design by Amaury Diaz-Serrano is anything but hammy (non-pork eaters might not get that joke). It's modern yet retro, evoking images of Corvettes from the '50s and '60s.

Mitsubishi Double Shotz The design by Gary Ragle features two EVO engines; one in front and one in back, with transparent red wheels. Twice the weight on half the tire strength — that's what we're talking about!

Dodge XP-07 This muscular creation from designer Mark Reisen has twin turbine engines and features signature Dodge crosshairs on the hood. One of us remarked that it kind of resembles the Batmobile on Human Growth Hormone. Yee haw.

HW40 Not to be outdone, Jun Imai at Hot Wheels threw his own creation into the mix. This mean green monster features red line tires and the Hot Wheels logo all over the tire tread.

What's Your Favorite Car Toy?

Jonny Lieberman — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 12:00:00 EDT

I'll make a confession. While I no doubt owned Matchbox and Hot Wheels toys as a kid, I wasn't that into 'em. I loved cars of course, and seeing how we managed to spend so much time in Beverly Hills and Newport Beach when I was young, I could wander the streets with my car geek friend David while our folks finished brunch and look at actual slant-nose 935s, Lambo Jalpas, Ferrari Mondials, Avantis and what ever else the merchants of bad taste deemed necessary that week. We did see an Aston Martin Lagonda parked in front of Nate & Als one Sunday, which was and continues to be one of the happiest moments of my life. What I am trying to say is that I am totally the wrong guy to be asking this question. So, I will let commenter Seth L,

"What is your favorite car toy? Matchbox? Tonka? Micro Machines? An amazingly complicated HotWheels track? Supercity?

And for the record, my favorite car toy had to be my Green Machine. Mostly because the secret compartment held my Harlem Globetrotters lunch box, and that trick closely resembles the gun pockets found in the RS 4. – Jonny LIeberman

[The Jalopnik Question of the Day is better when asked. Do you have a question you want answered? Email it to tips@jalopnik.com with the subject line "QOTD"]

Race Caws! Stunt Caws! Super Loopa!

Mike Bumbeck — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 15:29:48 EDT

Thunderjet and AFX slot cars manufactured by the Aurora Plastics Corporation of West Hempstead, New York forever etched racing cars into the minds of impressionable youth. The company also made some forays into gravity powered Hot Wheels style racing toys. By the looks of this old commercial for their Speedline Stunt and Drag Set, it seems they went as far as three or four feet from the factory to recruit a couple of kids rooting through the dumpster for spare slot car parts as talent. Hey you kids get outta there! You wanna be in a commercial? Lookit da box! – Mike Bumbeck

Related:
Movie AFX: Slot-Car Cam [Internal]

Jalopnik Late-Night: Challenger Shooting-Brake Hot Wheels Are the Double Radness

Jonny Lieberman — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 02:54:59 EST

While Davey and I will never agree on exactly where a hatchback ends and sport wagon begins, I will bet my Subie snatchback on the fact that these custom beauties tickle us equally in the trousers. So hot are these toys, I even bet Uncle Bumbeck will help us perfect our time machine (hopefully with a brass hammer) so that we may terrorize our little sister by pushing these down the hall screaming VROOOM!!!!! and mortally wounding Barbies. Click and drool my friends, click and drool. – Jonny Lieberman

Le monde des Mopar miniatures [Mopar Owners Club]

Jalopnik Holiday Gift Guide: Sizzlers Lucky Best Super O!

Mike Bumbeck — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 12:29:01 EST

Long before plug-in hybrids or electric rocket sleds like the Tesla were the talk, a smaller and much faster plug-in was available for use by kids not even old enough to drive. Hot Wheels Sizzlers relied not on sponge rubber wheeled launching devices or setting up 20 feet of orange track on the staircase for velocity. Sizzlers were powered by wee electric motors and on-board rechargeable batteries. A minute or so of charging with the Juice Machine and the cars barrel-assed around the track for up to five minutes. As the Sizzlers were not confined to slots or lanes racing action held SUPER PASSING POTENTIAL! The good news? Hot Wheels has re-issued Sizzlers and Sizzler accessories. Now go buy four sets and make a wicked huge track. At 25 bucks a set you can't lose. Lap counter may be sold separately. – Mike Bumbeck

Hot Wheels Super O Race Set [Target]; Sizzler King's Ultimate Sizzlers Reference Site [External]

Related:
Jalopnik Holiday Gift Guide [Internal]

Honda Fit References Wheel Past

Mike Bumbeck — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 11:57:05 EST

At first we thought the tire pressure safety sticker just featured this super cool wheel graphic because it was affixed to a Honda Fit, a vehicle with some manner of hep supposedly built-in. The wheel caught our eye because the illustration looked a lot like a cartoon version of a vintage Cragar five-spoke, or a two-dimensional representation of the classic Hot Wheels Redline wheel. On the pillar of the 2007 Honda CRV? Same sticker. Same wheel. Perhaps Honda should come up with a special super-wheeled edition Hot Wheels Fit, and launch it down a full-scale version of bright orange track, complete with loop. – Mike Bumbeck

Related:
SEMA Show: Honda Rolls out the Jewelry [internal]

No Pocky for Kitty: Coop's Japanblogging in One Handy Package!

Davey G. Johnson — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 02:51:16 EDT

The man we often refer to as Coop just got back from the islands of the Rising Sun, and no, the fool didn't bring us a JDM right-hand-drive Starion A6M. But he sure did take a lot of pictures. So if you, like us, are a fan of the mighty Mister Cooper, click over and check it out. We've provided handy links for your convenience.

Japanblogging; More Japanblogging; Yet Another Japanblog; Still More Japanblogging; Yep; Uh huh; You Got It; Mmm-hm; Fin! [Positive Ape Index]

Coop's Hot Wheels Box Art

Davey G. Johnson — Fri, 12 May 2006 17:28:30 EDT

Even Coop knows that his frequency of posts on his Hot Wheels designs is reaching some measure of self-absorbed critical mass, but hey, we're playing into his hand, aren't we? And besides, when was the last time Satan chomping a cigar appeared on a Mattel product package?

Another Annoying Hot Wheels Post [Positive Ape Index]

Coop Designs Hot Wheels!

Davey G. Johnson — Fri, 07 Apr 2006 17:44:42 EDT

We've been a fan of Coop's art since we were a teenager. We've had the pleasure of getting to know the guy over the last few months, and we were pleasantly surprised at the similarity in our attitudes. The guy knows how to build a car, has a very similar fine-art technique to ours (although he's got way more technical skill than we do) and is a damn fine writer. We say this simply because we've met many people we've admired from afar over the years and were sorely disappointed. Not so with Chris Cooper. And now he's fulfilled a lifelong dream — designing a pair of Hot Wheels Mercs. Good onya, Coop. If anyone deserves it, you do.

HOT WHEELS! [Positive Ape Index]

Related:
Coop on Tools [Internal]

Hot Wheels Mania

Davey G. Johnson — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 18:35:58 EST

"Some guys' passion is girls," says Jon Melin, a Hot Wheels collector. "Some guys' is cars." Our passion is both. And punk rock. And lately, Charles Bukowski. Which essentially makes us the living embodiment of the scuzzy dude at the end of the block, minus the meth habit. Plus, there are still hot, smart girls who kinda like us. Give us five years ladies, and we'll be collecting Hot Wheels too. Nah, it'll probably be vintage moped carburetors. Just because if you get dorky about something really esoteric and/or most likely French, it becomes cool. And besides, we were always more the Matchbox type. The axles didn't bend as easily. But oh that awesome orange track...

Memories, imagination drive Hot Wheels collectors [Orange County Register]

Related:
The Twin Mill Grows Up [Internal]

The Twin Mill Grows Up

Davey G. Johnson — Mon, 21 Nov 2005 16:26:13 EST

It's a common adage amongst SEMA vets that one's first trip to the show is basically a waste. The sensory overload is so insane that all you can do is spend your time basking in the pure insanity of the place. And it was for us as a neophyte auto-journo on our first trip to Vegas back in 2001. But one thing we'll never forget is the sight of the full-size Hot Wheels Twin Mill unveiled in honor of the Mattel brand's 35th Anniversary. The boys over at Street Rodder have added the whole sordid tale of the car's genesis and completion (minus the details involved in Boyd's 1998 bankruptcy) to their "Milestones" section, so why not mosey on over and take a gander at this much-motored monster of an overgrown toy?

The Twin Mill [Street Rodder]

Related:
One for the Books: The Pierson Brothers Coupe [Internal]