Mattel’s Hot Wheels are on Fire

Hot Wheels, a brand that has fueled the imaginations of car enthusiasts for 56 years, has sold more than eight billion toy cars and serves as a gateway to unite fans of various segments of car culture through collaborations with fashion giants such as Gucci and Supreme, motorsports, digital games, television and more.

As the owner of Hot Wheels, Mattel announced in early August the continuation of Hot Wheels’ presence in the television industry by launching the second season of the animated comedy series, “Hot Wheels Let’s Race,” which Netflix debuted Sept. 9.

Season 1 left fans on the edge of their seats as the “Camp Champ Grand Prix” crowned its champion. Now looking toward Season 2, the kid racers – Coop, Spark, Mac, Brights, Axle, Cruise and Sidecar – are back for more adventures and taking their skills to the next level at the Ultimate Garage. But there’s more at stake than just victory. The winner will gain control of the Ultimate Garage and everything it holds.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to bring more ‘Hot Wheels Let’s Race’ cars, characters and storylines to kids and families everywhere,” says Rob David, vice president, content creative, Mattel Television Studios, and executive producer, “Hot Wheels Let’s Race.” “What an honor it is to fuel the imaginations of Hot Wheels fans and share in the spirit of each new adventure together, one race at a time.”

To add more excitement to the series, Mattel Television Studios enlisted Patrick Stump, an award-winning musician, singer-songwriter and lead vocalist for Fall Out Boy, to compose, record and produce the theme song for the show and music cues for all episodes. Stump, whose love for cars was kindled in his grandpa’s garage, sees the project as a full-circle moment.

Along with the new television series, Hot Wheels has recently teamed up with MSCHF, an American art collective, for a collaboration. Known for pushing boundaries, MSCHF (pronounced mischief) has taken the classic Hot Wheels design and turned it on its head. Its version of a Hot Wheels car, aptly named the “Not Wheels” vehicle, features dents, scratches, severe rusting and mismatched doors. This design is inspired by the “beat-up but reliable car” that many drivers start with and serves as a love letter to all the scrappy vehicles.

Hot Wheels also continues to participate in nearly every form of auto racing – from mainstream (NASCAR, NHRA, IndyCar) to modern (Formula E, Formula Drift) – and work with various manufacturers on the racetrack.

Mattel is looking to forge new partnerships at Brand Licensing Europe this year for 2025, growing its brands even bigger and spreading the love of car culture to a broader audience.