In today’s world the most popular toy car brand on the market is Hot Wheels. We see many videos on YouTube of tracks that have been made for these cars to perform some crazy stunts and the cars themselves have developed over the years. Today there are more themed Hot Wheels cars than ever before as these toy cars are still bought with great gusto not only by collectors, but by kids who just want a great toy to play with and enjoy at home. Because driving has always been a passion, the idea of being able to race Hot Wheels cars has been an attractive activity for kids over several decades.

Firs launched in 1968, Hot Wheels was developed by Mattel after seeing the success and following of the cars that were made in England. In 1953, Lesney Products found a way to make a car that was small enough to fit inside a matchbox and called them Matchbox cars. While Matchbox cars are still sold today, most of the models from this name are your average everyday cars that look like something parents drive. What makes Hot Wheels unique is the racing aspect and the speed imagined by the youngsters who play with them.

The original collection of Hot Wheels cars consisted of sixteen models and eleven of them were developed by Bentley Bradley. As a former GM designer, Bradley knew how to create an exciting look and feel to a car, even at the small scale that Mattel was looking for in their Hot Wheels brand. This first collection of cars features many sports cars that were admired by parents and kids alike as well as what appeared to be modified for performance models that kid would love to enjoy.

One of the most important parts of how Hot Wheels differed from Matchbox, other than the design and look of the cars, was the original orange track. While most of the kids who used the track at the time got frustrated with it they were determined to make a track out of what was provided and see how their cars would perform. The original collection of orange track that was offered by Mattel included four sets that could be purchased in order to create racing scenes with loops, curves and jumps that are still popular parts of the cars we see on the shelves in toy stores today.

The four track sets and sixteen racing vehicles that had everything kids wanted on them were an instant hit and an overnight sensation. The Hot Wheels car brand was born in 1968 and has continued to enjoy increased success year after year ever since. Check out this video and see the original television ad for this new toy that aired in 1968. You might see some of the most recognizable cars in the collection or even see some that you may have at one time or another owned yourself.