Mattel’s iconic Hot Wheels brand is ready for prime time.
NBC placed a 10-episode series order for Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge, a car makeover competition series hosted by Rutledge Wood (Top Gear U.S., The Floor Is Lava). The series, which held an open casting call last fall, will follow the journey of Hot Wheels fans as they turn a nostalgic car from their past into a real-life Hot Wheels ride. Following in the tradition of the Hot Wheels Legends Tour, the winner will be immortalized in toy departments as a 1:64-scale die-cast Hot Wheels car.
“Everyone remembers their first car, the life experiences they had and the friends who came along for the ride. Hot Wheels is a legendary brand that has created a space for imaginations to run free,” says Corie Henson, Executive Vice President, Unscripted Programming, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. “Our prolific partners at Endemol Shine North America and Mattel have created larger-than-life family viewing with edge and humor all led by car enthusiast Rutledge Wood, whose creativity, credibility, and passion for Hot Wheels makes him the perfect person to drive this wild competition.”
According to Mattel Television, “each episode will invite two passionate car fans and Hot Wheels lovers into the Chrome Zone, where they will each face off in transforming an ordinary vehicle into an extraordinary Hot Wheels showstopper, inspired by personal stories and pop culture touchstones. Working alongside a team of automotive magicians known as ‘The Car Pool,’ the two superfans will create their designs in high-tech, decked-out garages. Raising the stakes of the competition is the Inspirationator 5000, a larger-than-life vending machine that will rev up in each episode to present the superfans with a twist in the road.”
A rotating panel of celebrity guest judges will join the show’s resident experts Hertrech (“Hert”) Eugene Jr., an influencer in car culture and the drift scene, and Dalal Elsheikh, designer for the Ford Motor Co. and Hot Wheels Brand Ambassador. Wood, Eugene, and Elsheikh, along with the celebrity guests, will review each ride and crown a winner each week.
Each winner will receive a $25,000 cash prize and the opportunity to face off for the ultimate win: $50,000 and the introduction of their ride into the Hot Wheels mainline.
