Hot Wheels: 35 Years of Speed, Power, Performance, and Attitude

by Randy Leffingwell

Silver Medal Winner at 2004 International Automotive Media Awards!In the 1960s, diecast cars and trucks were simple, stodgy, and clunky. They were hobby items, not toys, often displayed but seldom played with. They lacked "play value." Enter Mattel. In 1968 they introduced the first 18 Hot Wheels(tm) cars to the world. The vehicles were cool looking, they were well-detailed, and most of all, they could go like heck. Following the vision of a courageous leader and a creative group of designers, engineers, and marketers, Mattel revolutionized the diecast world with its 1/64th-scale cars on hot mag wheels that could move at speeds far beyond their competition.Thirty-five years and a few billion cars later, Hot Wheels(tm) cars are still number one. These junior racers are very hot collectibles and favorite toys for kids of all ages. Mattel celebrates the 35th anniversary of Hot Wheels(tm) in 2003, and author Randy Leffingwell takes you through their complete history from the early planning to the latest cars coming off the line. With full access to Mattel resources, including the top-secret Hot Wheels(tm) Design Center, Leffingwell reveals who made the cars go fast, who came up with the colors, the names, the logos, and the unique models. Interviews with more than 70 individuals-including Mattel founder and Hot Wheels(tm) creator Elliot Handler as well as legendary designers like Harry Bradley, Ira Gilford, and Larry Wood-allow the story to be told through the words of those who were there making Hot Wheels(tm) history. This highly illustrated book is filled with images of rare design drawings and prototypes, plus photos of all your favorite Hot Wheels(tm) cars., This book is the official, licensed, complete Hot Wheels(tm) history. , Illustrated with design drawings, photos of original wood molds and brass prototypes, and many other rare memorabilia from Hot Wheels(tm) history., Includes interviews and first-hand accounts from the people who were there from the very beginning as well as those who designed the cars.

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Photographer and writer, Randy Leffingwell, has more than 35 books in print, primarily on Americana subjects. These cover interests and areas as diverse as the American barn and Harley-Davidson motorcycles, California’s wine country and John Deere farm tractors. His awareness of and attraction to moving things goes back as far as he can remember, to the first Dinky Toys and Match Box cars his father and mother gave him. His practical introduction to real sports cars came several years later when his uncle took him to watch a weekend of racing events at Meadowdale International Raceway in suburban Chicago.

Throughout all this time, however, he imagined himself becoming an architect and his life-long admiration of buildings and design began with frequent trips to downtown Chicago. While in undergraduate studies at Kansas University in the architectural engineering sequence, he discovered photography, journalism, and reawakened an earlier passion for writing. He scarcely looked back as he shifted his major studies from architecture, through English, Art History, psychology, and finally to the William Allen White school of Journalism for a BS in photojournalism.

Following graduation from KU, Randy began a successful career as a photojournalist first at the Kansas City TIMES, then joining the staff of the Chicago SUN-TIMES where he remained for nine years. He then worked as associate editor at AutoWeek magazine in Detroit, before being hired by the Los Angeles TIMES as a writer/photographer. He worked for the TIMES for 11 years, covering everything from news stories to personality profiles to food features throughout Italy, film festivals in France and Utah, and live theater in London. It was, he says, a great job and a great place to work.

His latest project is a large history of Harley-Davidson for them. During this project, he photographed 193 motorcycles from the Harley-Davidson Archives Collection and he completed the corresponding text for the book in early April 2007. Release of this 432 page book tentatively is scheduled for early 2008.