Unlicensed Hot Wheels are Hot Wheels castings that don’t require licensing agreements with automobile manufacturers. These can be fantasy vehicles and/or realistically proportioned vehicles. These are designed in-house by Hot Wheels designers.
Sometimes designers of an unlicensed casting are the best suited when it comes to overall execution of that casting. Back in 2004, the Hot Wheels casting, Rapid Transit, seemed to jump right off the pegs and into my hands. I thought this Phil Riehlman designed car was super cool given […]
The Cruise Bruiser is one of those Hot Wheels castings that instantly takes you back to your childhood. Playing the role of Captain Destructo as a child, many of my Hot Wheels from the 1980s did not survive as they were “well-loved”–and by well-loved, I mean crashed, burned […]
The Hi-Roller is a brand-new, 2016 New Model that has slowly been turning heads. This luxury hi-boy coupe screams classic Las Vegas and is most likely the reason why the name is what it is. Hot Wheels designer, Fraser Campbell did a terrific job on this one giving […]
Its been 30 years since the Airport Rescue last appeared, and a behemoth of this nature will never see the Hot Wheels mainline again. Sporting a metal body and metal chassis, the Airport Rescue you see below was released as part of the Hot Wheels Workhorses in 1981. It is […]
Known as the Ramblin’ Wrecker for this release, the Rig Wrecker was a semi-popular Hot Wheels casting until it was retired in 2002 2003. Originally slated to be “final run’d” in 2002, the line was dropped by Toys R Us early in the year and it ended up appearing […]
Yesterday we looked at the world of the AcceleRacers and how they brought us some rather “imaginative” castings that eventually found their way into the Hot Wheels mainline. Today, we look at another casting released in that same Metal Maniacs series from within the AcceleRacers line. The AcceleRacers line […]
10 years ago, the AcceleRacers debuted much to the dismay of the Hot Wheels collecting community as it was a followup to the Highway 35 World Race of 2003 that featured a lineup of first edition unlicensed fantasy castings. Where the HWY 35 World Race succeeded in telling a […]
Anyone remember K•B Toys? Remember when they used to be in your local mall? The stores were always a tease as they carried a limited number of mainline Hot Wheels at the $1.29 price point which led to the stock rarely rolling over. Ultimately, this small-scale failure [pun not intended] […]
All hail the mighty Bone Shaker! The casting has served as the signature vehicle of the Hot Wheels brand since 2006. Right away, collectors were drawn to this heavily modified, rat-rod-style, original design based off of a Model A. Legendary Hot Wheels Designer, Larry Wood spared no detail […]
For a while, it seemed as though the Hot Wheels casting, Way 2 Fast, was a staple of the Hot Wheels lineup. Having been released as a mainline vehicle, a promotional vehicle, a Treasure Hunt, and in a slew of other premium lines, the Way 2 Fast was definitely […]
ORANGE TRACK DIECAST 