Created in 1968, Hot Wheels is the most popular toy in the world. According to Mattel, about 16 of these mini die-cast cars are sold every second across the globe. Kids have been collecting these things for years, many of which who have grown up, still have collections in their home. The movie, Barbie may be a big draw to theaters this summer, but kids young and old will want to tune in to NBC for Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge, an epic car makeover competition series.
TV personality and car aficionado Rutledge Wood, known for Top Gear U.S., hosts this new 10-episode series which will giving superfans the opportunity of a lifetime – turning a nostalgic car from their past into the life-sized Hot Wheels of their dreams. Riding shotgun will be a rotating panel of celebrity guest judges joining resident experts Hertrech (“Hert”) Eugene Jr., an influencer in car culture and the drift scene, and Dalal Elsheikh, designer for the Ford Motor Company and Hot Wheels Brand Ambassador. Wood, Eugene and Elsheikh, along with the celebrity guests, will review the transformations and crown a winner. The winner of each episode will take home $25,000 and the chance to get into the finale, where three lucky finalists will transform another car in hopes of winning a legendary prize – an additional $50,000 and the honor of having their design made into an official Hot Wheels die-cast 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,” said Corie Henson, EVP, 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.”
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.
The only odd thing about the new show is its time slot. Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge premieres on Tuesday, May 30 at 10 p.m. when a lot of kids will already be in bed.
Leave a Reply