Following a pair of international kick-off events in New Zealand and Australia earlier this month, the 2021 Hot Wheels Legends Tour resumes in North America this Thursday.
The first stop for custom car builders in the U.S. and Canada is a virtual event that will stream live on the Hot Wheels Facebook page and the throtl YouTube channel beginning at 5 p.m. PT.
The fourth annual Hot Wheels Legends Tour continues the tradition of seeking real-life vehicles that have been “built not bought” in an effort to identify unique rides that can be inducted into the Hot Wheels Garage of Legends and be immortalized as a 1:64-scale mainline Hot Wheels die-cast toy.
“While we look forward to the Hot Wheels Legends Tour returning to in-person events, the virtual contest format has created opportunities for more fans across the United States and Canada to share their passion projects,” says Ted Wu, global head of Hot Wheels Design at Mattel. “With so many submissions already in North America and immensely popular events in Australia and New Zealand earlier this month, we’re confident this year’s competition will be fierce.”
The first two Hot Wheels Legends Tours made their way across the U.S. in 2018 and 2019, bringing a traveling car show to Walmart parking lots. Ultimately, 2Jetz and The Nash crowned as winners, and both have since rolled into toy departments everywhere. Last year’s winner — a custom 1970 Pontiac Trans Am — was chosen during a live stream from Jay Leno’s Garage and is in development as a toy for later release.
Later this year, Mattel plans to bring the Tour back to U.S.-based Walmart stores.
In the meantime, future virtual and in-person stops are being planned for what is shaping up to be the biggest tour yet. The 2021 Hot Wheels Legends Tour — presented by Mobil 1 and sponsored by Dynacraft and Milestone SRL — will have stops spanning 13 countries across five continents.
Current information can be found at hotwheels.com/legends.
