HOT WHEELS®: 35 Years of Speed, Power, Performance, and Attitude
(Published in 2003)
In the 1960s, diecast cars and trucks were simple, stodgy, and clunky. They were hobby items, not toys, often displayed but seldom played with. They lacked “play value.” Enter Mattel. In 1968 they introduced the first 18 Hot Wheels® cars to the world. Thirty-five years and a few billion cars later, Mattel celebrates the 35th anniversary of Hot Wheels® in 2003, and this book takes you through their complete history from the early planning to the latest cars coming off the line. With full access to Mattel resources, including the top-secret Hot Wheels® Design Center, Leffingwell reveals who made the cars go fast, who came up with the colors, the names, the logos, and the unique models. Interviews with more than 90 individuals—including Mattel founder and Hot Wheels® creator Elliot Handler and designers like Harry Bradley, Ira Gilford, and Larry Wood—allow the story to be told through the words of those who were there. This book is the official, licensed, complete Hot Wheels® history, packed full of design drawings, photos of original wood molds and brass prototypes, and many rare memorabilia from Hot Wheels® history.
List Price: $29.95
Hard Bound; 192 pages, more than 200 color illustrations, drawings and photographs
10 _ w x 11 _ h
ISBN: 0760315736