NBC Launches ‘Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge’

NBC has announced plans to broadcast a 10-episode series called “Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge” that will task contestants with turning a nostalgic car from their past into a life-size Hot Wheels.  

Each episode will invite two Hot Wheels lovers to face off in creating a Hot Wheels showstopper that is inspired by pop culture touchstones and their personal stories. Each episode will also have a “twist in the road” that the contestants must overcome. Contestants will be assisted by a team of automotive technicians. Rutledge Wood (“Top Gear US,” “Floor Is Lava”) will host the show as well as serve as one of the show’s judges. 

The winner of each episode will take home $25,000 and the chance to get into the finale. In the last episode, three finalists will transform another car in hopes of having their design made into an official Hot Wheels car and winning an additional $50,000. 

The show, with a yet-to-be-announced release date, is an original format developed and produced by Endemol Shine North America in association with Workerbee under license from Mattel. 

Last spring, Mattel, Warner Bros. and Hot Wheels also joined forces to produce a live-action film showcasing cars, monster trucks and motorcycles. 

“Everyone remembers their first car, the life experiences they had and the friends who came along for the ride,” says Corie Henson, executive vice president of unscripted programming, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. “Hot Wheels is a legendary brand that has created a space for imaginations to run free. Our prolific partners at Endemol Shine North America and Mattel have created larger-than-life family viewing with edge and humor all led by car enthusiast, Rutledge Wood, whose creativity, credibility and passion for Hot Wheels makes him the perfect person to drive this wild competition.”