Welcome to the Hot wheel

1968

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Elliot Handler , co-founder of Mattel, observed his son Kenneth playing with Matchbox models and decided to create a line of cars to compete with Matchbox, giving rise to Hot Wheels. He suggested the idea for the brand to his wife Ruth Handler, but she was not enthusiastic about the idea, as were Mattel's management. Hot Wheels models were originally conceived by Handler to be more like hot rods (i.e., customized/modified or even cartoonish or costumed cars, often with oversized rear tires, superchargers, flame paint, odd proportions, hood blowers, etc.), compared to Matchbox cars which were usually production models. He began producing the cars with the help of fellow engineer Jack Ryan