The original, and now famous, Hot Wheels logo was designed by California artist Rick Irons, who at that time worked for Mattel.

Models

Hot Wheels are die-cast model vehicles manufactured by Mattel and were introduced in 1968. Originally the cars and trucks were manufactured to approximately 1:64 scale and designed to be used on associated Hot Wheels track sets, but by 1970 a series of 1:43 scale 'Gran Toros' were introduced and more recently a range of highly detailed adult collector vehicles, including replicas of Formula One and NASCAR cars, have found success. However the brand remains most famous for the small scale free-rolling models of custom hot rods and muscle cars it has produced since the range first appeared. Today, there are roughly 10,000 different models of Hot Wheel Cars.

The Hot Wheels product line has also included various tracks, accessories, and other kinds of vehicles such as 'Sizzlers' rechargeable electric cars, 'Hot Line' trains, 'R-R-Rumblers' motorcycles and 'Hot Birds' airplanes.

Sizzlers

Sizzlers were a 1970s Hot Wheels spin off with a built-in motor and a tiny rechargeable battery. (The X-V racers of the 90s were similar.) Mattel recently struck an exclusive deal with Target stores, and re-released Sizzlers in 2006. They currently sell for about $8 per car. Sizzlers run on the regular "orange" Hot Wheels track, and Mattel created special race sets with U-Turns, multi-level spirals and loops to take advantage of the cars' electric motor. Two lane race sets were developed that allowed Sizzlers to race side-by side, until Mattel created the black Fat Track, which is three lanes wide and designed to allow Sizzlers to run free. In action, Sizzlers display a unique, competitive "passing action" when running on the Fat Track, as if each car were piloted by an impatient driver trying to get ahead of the rest. Fat Track accesories included a four-car starting gate (Scramble Start) and lap counter.

Sizzlers were (and are) charged with four or two D cell chargers called the Juice Machine and Goose Pump respectively. Later, the "Power Pit" was introduced--which was an electric charger that plugged into any household AC outlet and resembled a race track garage or pit stop. A 90-second charge of the tiny internal NiCad battery gives up to five minutes of frenetic run time. It has been said that the 90-second charge time was "the longest minute and a half in a kid's life," as they waited impatiently for the car to charge sufficiently to get back into the race.

The Sizzler electric technology spun-off into the the Hotline Trains, which ran on track similar to regular Hot Wheels, and the Earthshakers construction vehicles. Both lines of vehicles were charged using the Sizzler Juice Machine or Power Pit.