4 ms·
Hot Wheels: Little cars are big business
- 4a3f35b5a 4y agoAnd LEGO is the largest wheel manufacturer.
- sattoshi 4y agoI would have expected lego to focus on small wheels
- neonate 4y agohttps://archive.ph/4x0OF https://archive.ph/4x0OF
- Noumenon72 4y agoWish this link were about Micro Machines, those were so much cooler.
- animal531 4y agoI'm 46ish now and the only toy I still have since growing up are my Micro Machines (probably about 50 or so).
- pubby 4y agoI was always fascinated by the "Sizzlers" line of tiny motorizied Hot Wheels. The engineering to make a tiny EV seems excellent, especially for the time. I wonder why no similar toy has been made since. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUjVbsdFQlI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUjVbsdFQlI
- martyvis 4y agoOf course Matchbox cars predated these. I had a decent collection going from I guess when I was around 7 in 1969. But certainly the orange tracks and the hot rod style of Hot Wheels got pretty appealing, and I think had made sure Santa Claus knew by Christmas '72.
- Kimitri 4y agoI've always loved Matchbox because they made mundane, everyday cars that you could see on the streets. I know I'm in the minority with my love for the ordinary cars, but even as a child I would have much rather played with a Ford Sierra than a hot rod.
- fipar 4y agoI’m part of that minority too, and as a kid growing up in the 80s the Majokits sets from Majorette were the best for me: city buses, construction trucks, and yeah, the same cars you could see on the street.
- Tomte 4y agoIn Germany we have Siku: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siku_Toys https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siku_Toys Mundane cars, municipal service vehicles, construction vehicles, just about everything. All of it in three scales, I think.
- stevezsa8 4y agoSame here. I tell my wife that Matchbox are the "proper cars" and Hotwheels are the whacky lumo-plastic monstrosities.
- GlacierFox 4y agoI'm 30 years old and still collect these if I see one I like. Not as often as when I was a child but its a great little nostalgia trip for me now and again.
- ankaAr 4y agoNobody beats a piluqui or duravit(?
- smackeyacky 4y agoI thought it might be fun to have toys of the cars we owned over the years but its proved relatively difficult and expensive. My favourite is a Johnny Lightning Jeep Wagoneer. We didn't get that brand of toy in Oz when I was a kid, they are insanely detailed compared to a Matchbox, Majorette or Hot Wheels. I am tempted to buy more of those.
- repler 4y agoAs a parent of a toddler, these are also great because you can literally grab one for $1.99 and the kid is both thrilled to get it and plays with it for days/weeks. No other toy even comes close to that level of value. And no annoying tv shows, characters, etc etc etc.