The legendary Hot Wheels journey is racing towards the finish line! After 13 different countries, more than 20 live events and countless years of hard work by contestants, Mattel’s Hot Wheels has selected 10 meticulously designed custom vehicles from around the world to compete for the ultimate crown: Immortalizing their cars.
During the Global Finals on November 16, each finalist’s modified car will be evaluated by an esteemed panel of judges including TV host Jay Leno, actor and comedian Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias, NASCAR driver Toni Breidinger, member of the Hot Wheels design team, and other renowned automotive designers and photographers from around the world. Each project will be judged on its authenticity, creativity and overall garage spirit to determine which vehicle will receive the legendary Hot Wheels makeover.
The Hot Wheels Legends Tour is celebrating its seventh year as the world’s largest traveling car show and shows no signs of stopping. Since the tour began in May, the event has attracted 5,000 global vehicle entries and nearly 100,000 spectators, breaking the previous all-time attendance record. By partnering with Mobil 1 and Walmart for these events, the tour creates an innovative venue for automotive enthusiasts around the world to showcase their hard work on a global stage.
The Hot Wheels Legends Tour Global Finals will be streamed live on November 16 on Hot Wheels’ YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook pages.
Keep scrolling to see the full list of finalists and descriptions of their unique builds.
2024 Hot Wheels Legends Tour Finalists
- Houston, Texas: Mikey Brown’s 1957 BMW Isetta started life as a scrap heap and was later transformed into a tiny RV. Brown designed, built, fabricated, painted, decorated and assembled the car himself – all in just 80 days. With the Walmart crate engine, the little BMW is now fully functional as a usable camper van for his weekend adventures with the kids.
- Dallas, Texas: Regan McLaughlin’s 1988 Ford Mustang “Timefox” features a retro white and teal paint job, including hand-painted pink and purple graffiti that pays homage to the 1980s and 1990s. McLaughlin swapped the original engine for a Barra 4.0-liter inline-six developed by Ford for the Australian market, rarely seen in the United States, and then added a PSR turbocharger. The front bumper is a modified BMW M3 bumper, the rear fenders are taken from Mitsubishi EVO, and the wide-body fenders are hand-designed. The interior of the Timefox continues the retro theme, with custom aftermarket blue plaid seats, a car phone, and a Gameboy modified to function as a speedometer.
- Phoenix, Arizona: Arizona native Robert Zoller transformed his 1960 Chevrolet Apache into a homemade hot rod out of his love for unique and unassuming cars. Every panel of the car was modified during the six-year build, including a custom hood that hides the 6.0-liter LS engine, and shortened front and rear ends with air suspension to give it a low-rider appearance. Decorated in a unique paint mix called “Strange Grey,” Zoller handcrafted the car to inspire others and bring joy to those he passes by.
- El Segundo, California: Scott Roberson’s fully customized 1934 Ford pickup truck (nicknamed FordTruss) took victory at the final stop of the Tour of America event at Mattel headquarters. Robertson had always wanted to build a hot rod from scratch, and his dream came true when he found the old Ford pickup truck in a bamboo forest that had previously been a dump truck. FordTruss drew inspiration from aerospace engineering, using waterjet cutting of aircraft-grade aluminum to help create custom bed frames, hoods and grille inserts, creating a cohesive yet rugged-looking hot rod. The building also repurposes discarded parts, including aircraft brake calipers for the dashboard or recycled Italian leather office chairs used to create the seats. Underneath the flawless design is a 6.2-liter Chevrolet LS3 E-Rod that produces 430 horsepower and features high-drag radial rear tires and custom wheels.
- United Arab Emirates: Sameh Helal’s 2016 Volkswagen Beetle R-Line Custom Beetle features a unique widebody kit designed by Sameh himself and features an aerodynamic rear spoiler for enhanced style and performance. Modified headlights and taillights add a modern touch to its classic look. Beneath the aggressive exterior is a finely tuned secondary engine that delivers nearly 400 horsepower thanks to an IS38 turbo upgrade. In terms of interior, luxury and performance are combined, with full Alcantara interior and Recaro racing seats, providing comfort and control.
- France: iconic back to the future The 1981 Delorean has always been a dream of French drifter Alexandre Claudin, and in 2018, his dream came true. He imported two DeLoreans to France and sold one to fund his custom project, while the other underwent a three-year rebuild. Claudine replaced nearly every part of the car except the body panels and interior, including a 500-horsepower Corvette engine, new wheels and tires, and a unique paint job.
- Germany: As a lifelong car enthusiast, Benjamin Pflug jumped at the opportunity to purchase and build a 1987 Porsche 944. A jack-of-all-trades and determination to develop this unique Porsche. The 944 features custom OZ wheels, updated leather upholstery, and air suspension. Other improvements include a custom paint job and the design of a custom rear spoiler.
- U.K: Dominic Whittle and two friends converted a 1983 Austin Mini into a “Mentley” out of their love for old cars. Their goal is to combine unique vintage design with raw power. Originally designed as a weekend track toy, it eventually became a tribute to the Bentley Speed 8 of the 1920s, complete with British racing green livery. The Mentley is powered by a 4.0-liter Rover V8 engine paired with a Range Rover 5-speed manual transmission that can accelerate the car from 0 to 60 mph in 3 seconds and cover the quarter mile in 11.2 seconds. The vehicle also features coilover suspension and modern four-piston brakes.
- Chile: Created by the Cars & Coffee (C&C) Chile team and owned by Stig Chile and C&C co-founder Giuseppe Casagrande, 1968 Ford Falcon ““La Liebre” is the winner of the Chile Tour stop. Casagrande and his friends founded C&C Chile in 2013 as a non-profit organization to promote car culture in Chile – La Liebre is an extension of that goal. Starting with a Ford Falcon built in Chile, the team added a 500-horsepower Chevrolet 350. The car also features a custom fiberglass body for maximum aerodynamics, Michelin racing tires and NRG carbon fiber racing seats in the cockpit. It blends retro style with modern performance and is designed for pure speed.
- Italy: Francesco Besana, who grew up near Monza, will represent Italy at this year’s global finals with his customized 1976 Lancia Beta HPE HF Turbo. Lancia blends Italian style with Japanese flair, featuring a minimalist interior and a raw, fierce exterior. Custom wheels, patina and an exposed oil radiator complete the aggressive look. The car is powered by a 300-horsepower 1.6L Lancia Delta HF Turbo engine that is modified for fuel injection and features custom components such as an oversized Garrett T4 turbine. Air suspension and camber adjustment allow for full control of the installation, and the brakes have been modified to include a hydraulic handbrake.
