Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Hot Wheels are still driving collectors wild
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
More than 41 million adults have grown up playing with the 3-inch-long Hot Wheels. Now they can own a full-size "real" version, or at least a car with the same color paint. In November, Mattel and PPG Industries introduced Hot Wheels Spectraflame paint for custom auto refinishing. Colors include Hot Wheels Blue, Anti-Freeze Green, Light Red Watermelon and nine other metallics that were popular on 1960s and 1970s Hot Wheels.
HOT WHEELS HISTORY
1968 - The first 16 Hot Wheels vehicles were released, including the Beatnik Bandit, Hot Heap, Python, Custom Mustang and the Custom Corvette. The Custom Camaro (the Cheetah) was the first car off the production line.
1975 - The first Hot Wheels motorcycles were made.
1987 - The first Hot Wheels convention was held in Toledo.
1988 - Silver and chrome cars were produced for the toy's 20th anniversary.
1990 - Proper Chopper, the first Hot Wheels aircraft, was sold.
1993 - To mark the 25th anniversary, a number of best-selling vehicles were reissued, including the Paddy Wagon and the Red Baron.
1995 - The limited-edition Treasure Hunt Series was introduced, considered to be the unofficial start of the Hot Wheels collecting craze.
1997 - Mattel enters the huge NASCAR die-cast collectible market with its Hot Wheels Pro Racing line.
2001 - Twin Mill, the first full-size Hot Wheels car, was made.
2006 - Mattel unveils the first of its Hot Wheels new basic car assortment for 2007. The Mystery car line includes 24 different vehicles sold in "blind" packaging. Code cars have unique codes etched on their chassis (similar to VIN numbers on real cars) and are connected to Web-exclusive information.
The Plain Dealer
More than 41 million adults have grown up playing with the 3-inch-long Hot Wheels. Now they can own a full-size "real" version, or at least a car with the same color paint. In November, Mattel and PPG Industries introduced Hot Wheels Spectraflame paint for custom auto refinishing. Colors include Hot Wheels Blue, Anti-Freeze Green, Light Red Watermelon and nine other metallics that were popular on 1960s and 1970s Hot Wheels.
HOT WHEELS HISTORY
1968 - The first 16 Hot Wheels vehicles were released, including the Beatnik Bandit, Hot Heap, Python, Custom Mustang and the Custom Corvette. The Custom Camaro (the Cheetah) was the first car off the production line.
1975 - The first Hot Wheels motorcycles were made.
1987 - The first Hot Wheels convention was held in Toledo.
1988 - Silver and chrome cars were produced for the toy's 20th anniversary.
1990 - Proper Chopper, the first Hot Wheels aircraft, was sold.
1993 - To mark the 25th anniversary, a number of best-selling vehicles were reissued, including the Paddy Wagon and the Red Baron.
1995 - The limited-edition Treasure Hunt Series was introduced, considered to be the unofficial start of the Hot Wheels collecting craze.
1997 - Mattel enters the huge NASCAR die-cast collectible market with its Hot Wheels Pro Racing line.
2001 - Twin Mill, the first full-size Hot Wheels car, was made.
2006 - Mattel unveils the first of its Hot Wheels new basic car assortment for 2007. The Mystery car line includes 24 different vehicles sold in "blind" packaging. Code cars have unique codes etched on their chassis (similar to VIN numbers on real cars) and are connected to Web-exclusive information.
The Plain Dealer
# posted by RW : 8:19 PM
