Specially Designed by Hot Wheels design team in El Segundo and marketed as 3d Printed Limited Edition Prototype (they are documented here as Limited Edition as they were a normal production model destined for sale).
After 50 years, Hot Wheels returns to its roots with our new Mattel Model Shop Certified Prototypes—built with a personal touch here in El Segundo, CA, just like the old days.
Unlike other modern products, these special pieces are built in the U.S.—by hand! This hasn’t been done by Mattel in a very long time.
Making this even more meaningful to collectors, some of the employees involved have been working with Mattel for over 30 years! They’ve truly intended to honor the legacy of 50 years of the Hot Wheels brand.
The hard work put into these collectibles begins with a 3D digital file, which is printed out as a resin model. The model is then individually hand-washed and painstakingly adjusted to make sure that every angle is perfect as it is assembled by hand.
To ensure these pieces are given the proper respect of a 50th anniversary tribute, blister molds were created specifically for each of the three pieces to secure them in the packaging. The packaging itself is a hand-fitted and hand-assembled wooden crate, laser engraved with Hot Wheels, HWC, and “Mattel Model Shop Certified Prototypes” logos.
Each piece even comes with a certified, hand-crafted tag, signed and numbered XXX/250. Yes, only 250 pieces of each will be issued. The wooden crate is then slipped into a sturdy cardboard case imprinted by hand with the image from a rubber stamp of the piece within.
All three of these prototypes are either new toolings or new retoolings. They will be offered here only at HWC this year (details forthcoming). Watch for the actual die-cast toolings later, but in the meantime, don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a piece of Hot Wheels history.
hotwheelscollectors.com - Gary Barnum
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