History
Hot wheels cars were created by Mattel, an American toymaker, in 1968. They were in direct competition with Matchbox cars until 1996, when Mattel acquired the rights to Matchbox.
Models
There are more than 10,000 models of Hot Wheels cars in existence today. The models are manufactured to 1:64 scale and approved by automakers such as General Motors and Ford before being placed on the market.
Types
There are numerous types of Hot Wheels cars, including muscle cars, classics, scale replicas, and racers. Hot wheels has also produced motorcycles, metal airplanes, trains, and trucks.
Misconceptions
The date found on the bottom of Hot Wheels cars is not a manufacture date, but the date that the design was copyrighted. This date is typically the year before the car was released, but may be the same year in some cases.
Fun Fact
Real life versions of some original Hot Wheels cars have been created over the years. These include the Twin Mill, Whatta Drag and Monster Truck.