Hot Wheels Toy Car Sizes

 

The Hot Wheels toy car sizes range from an inch to three inches. There may be some variations on the length depending on which automobile the car is modeled after. Almost all the models however, are built to the 1/64 scale. 

Origin and Development 

The Hot Wheels came out in September 1968. The cars were produced by Mattel to challenge the popularity of Matchbox. It remained in competition against Matchbox until 1996 when Mattel bought Matchbox. 

The 1968 release featured 16 cars. They are noted for their redline wheels and working suspension. 

The cars also have special bearings. Aside from the Hot Wheels toy car sizes, the models are best known for their paintwork known as Spectralflame. The most popular models released during this period were the Barracuda, Camaro and Chevrolet Corvette. Other well known models were the Firebird, Mustang and the Mercury Cougar.

1969 and 1970s Models 

The 1968 Hot Wheels were followed by the 1969 set. It included the Brabham Repco F1, the Maserati Mistral and McLaren M6A. Also included in the 1969 set were the Mercedes-Benz 280SL, the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow and the Volkswagen Beach Bomb. 

During the 1970s, several successful model cars were released. They included the Sky Show Deora, the Light My Firebird and the Sky Show Fleetside. In 1973, several cars came out including the Double Header, Alive '55, Buzz Off, Ice-T and Mercedes-Benz C-111. These came out in the standard Hot Wheel toy car sizes. 

1980s and 1990s

The 1980s Hot Wheels consisted of sports cars and economy cars. Popular models included the Dodge Omni 024 and the Pontiac Fiero. During the 1990s, the Model Series came out. These would later be known as the First Edition Series. 

The Treasure Hunt Series also came out during the mid 1990s. Other models included the Pearl Driver cars. In 1998, Mattel signed a deal with NASCAR and formula 1 to produce replicas of the cars. 

The 2010 models include the OCC Splitback, Bad Bagger and the Deora II. Other models included in the 2010 lineup are the Corvette C6, 9 Chevelle SS 396 and the Limozeen. 

Other types included are the Sizzlers, Stockerz, Hot Tunerz and the R-R-Rumblers & Chopcycles (these are motorbikes). Aside from these cars, the company also produces cars in the 1/43rd, 1/24th and 1/18th scales. 

The Hot Wheels toy car size also includes the 1/12th scale. This was used for the 2004 replica of the C6Corvette.