Hot Wheels Designer’s Challenge

Hot Wheels’ first-ever Designer’s Challenge saw the participation of six automotive manufacturers, with the aim of designing and creating an original Hot Wheels vehicle.

Dodge XP-07 by Mark Reisen

This event marked the first time Hot Wheels has turned outside the company to seek new vehicle designs.

Automotive manufacturer participants in the Hot Wheels® Designer’s Challenge™ – Dodge, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Lotus and Mitsubishi – were tasked with designing a car that captured the die-cast brand’s core essence of speed, power, performance and attitude, while also encompassing the distinct attributes of each company’s automotive brand values.

In addition, each car had to be able to perform a loop on classic Hot Wheels® orange track.

Gangster Grin by Steve Gilmore (Ford)

The top three designs from each automotive manufacturer were selected and presented to a panel of judges that included editors from the Los Angeles Times, Car and Driver, and Men’s Journal, along with Hot Wheels® designers and executives.

The designs selected for the Hot Wheels Designer’s Challenge line include:

• Dodge XP-07 (Dodge, designed by Mark Reisen)
• Gangster Grin (Ford, designed by Steve Gilmore)
• Chevroletor (General Motors, designed by Amaury Diaz-Serrano) – more info
• Honda Racer (Honda, designed by Guillermo Gonzalez)
• Lotus Concept (Lotus, designed by Steven Crijns)
• Mitsubishi Double Shotz (Mitsubishi, designed by Gary Ragle)
• HW-40™ (Hot Wheels®, designed by Jun Imai)

“The Designer’s Challenge was created as a way for Hot Wheels to honor its automotive partners and have them actively participate in the die-cast brand’s 40th anniversary celebration in 2008.

Honda Racer by Guillermo Gonzalez	Lotus Concept by Steven Crijns

“The selected designs will be the basis of a new 40th anniversary Designer’s Challenge product line, which will hit store shelves in spring 2008.”

Mitsubishi Double Shotz by Gary Ragle

“This is the first time in Hot Wheels history that we’ve turned outside the company to seek new car designs; and who better to go to than our automotive partners who have been a part of Hot Wheels history for the last 40 years?” said Geoff Walker, vice president, Wheels marketing, Mattel Brands. “We couldn’t be more thrilled with the results of this program, and we’re anxious to see the designs come to life as 1:64-scale models on store shelves next spring.”

Additional information on the winning entries can be found on the Hot Wheels Collector website and at money.cnn.com.

The Designer’s Challenge™ designs have been unveiled during a press conference at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas on October 30, 2007.

HW-40 by Jun Imai (Hot Wheels)

Items on display included a sketch of the top design from each manufacturer, as well as 1:5 scale and 1:64 scale models of each design.

About Mattel

Mattel, Inc., (NYSE: MAT, www.mattel.com) is a leading company in the design, manufacture and marketing of toys and family products.

The Mattel family is comprised of such best-selling brands as Barbie®, the most popular fashion doll ever introduced, Hot Wheels®, Matchbox®, American Girl®, Radica:® and Tyco® R/C, as well as Fisher-Price® brands.

With global headquarters in El Segundo, Calif., Mattel employs more than 30,000 people in 43 countries and territories and sells products in more than 150 nations.

(Source: Mattel, Hot Wheels)