- Giuseppe Casagrande and his team will immortalize his La Liebre custom race car project as a 1:64 Hot Wheels® diecast car sold around the world.
- More than 5,000 vehicles from 13 countries competed in the 2024 Hot Wheels™ Legends Tour presented by Mobil 1
- The 1968 custom build based on a Ford (NYSE:) Falcon chassis modified by Baufer is the seventh Hot Wheels Legends Tour winner to be included in Garage of Legends™ and recreated as a Hot Wheels model.
- Photos of the 2024 Hot Wheels Legends Tour winner can be found HERE
EL SEGUNDO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Mattel, Inc (NASDAQ: MAT), a leading global toy and family entertainment company and owner of one of the world’s most iconic brand portfolios, announced the 2024 award winner Hot Wheels Legends Tour, the world’s largest traveling car show, during the virtual Global Grand Finals held on November 16. After taking home first place during the 2024 Chilean tour stop, a self-built race car, nicknamed La Liebre, secured the world prize. victory and will be included in Hot Wheels Garage of Legends. The Hot Wheels design team will now transform the life-size car into a die-cast car for collectors and fans to enjoy in 1:64 scale.
This press release includes multimedia. View the full statement here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241116260909/en/
La Liebre at the Chile stop of the Hot Wheels Legends Tour 2024 (Photo: Business Wire)
Hosted by motorsports ambassador Jarod DeAnda, this year’s Hot Wheels Legends Tour Global Grand Finale showcased 10 incredible builds from around the world. Tasked with choosing the project that best represents authenticity, creativity and the garage spirit, the panel of judges included:
- Jay Leno, television host and car enthusiast
- Dalal Elsheikh, automotive experience designer
- Larry Chen, renowned automotive photographer
- Gabriel Fluffy Iglesias, actor and comedian
- Toni Breidinger, NASCAR driver
- Juca Viapri, Mexican automotive influencer and car customizer
- Hot Wheels Design Team
In 2013, Giuseppe Casagrande and Maurizio Moschini co-founded Cars and Coffee Chile as a non-profit organization to grow the car community and culture in Chile. The La Liebre project began as a method to promote your organization and engage local automotive enthusiasts. After acquiring the Falcon, a custom-built Chevrolet 350 engine producing 600 horsepower was installed and mated to a Saenz 910 five-speed transmission with straight-cut gears. The original chassis was heavily modified by Baufer Garage and currently consists of a tubular frame and a roll cage. The Hare weighs less than 2,000 pounds, thanks to the tube chassis and custom fiberglass body that was developed to maximize aerodynamics. A mix of vintage styling and modern performance, designed for pure speed, La Liebre impressed and inspired the judges not only for its appearance but also for its role in the Chilean automotive community.
The Cars and Coffee Chile team behind La Liebre includes: Giuseppe Casagrade, Maurizio Moschini, Pablo Olmos, Omar Aguilar, Nicolás Orellana and José Ignacio Barra.
This year’s Hot Wheels Legends Tour featured so many incredible builds, making it difficult to select just one; However, the mission behind La Liebre built by Cars & Coffee Chile was emblematic of what the tour is about, said Ted Wu, senior vice president and global head of design, vehicles and construction sets at Mattel (NASDAQ:). Not only is it an extremely impressive build, but it was created to help grow the automotive community in Chile and inspire others to get involved. That’s what makes this vehicle and the team behind it worthy of victory and entry into the Hot Wheels Garage of Legends.
Celebrating automakers and enthusiasts from around the world in their quest to be legendary, the 2024 Hot Wheels Legends Tour traveled through 13 countries with 11 regional stops in the United States. New Tour stops for 2024 included visits to Colombia and the United Arab Emirates. The Hot Wheels team and local automotive personalities evaluated more than 5,000 vehicles featured with millions of event attendees around the world.
Since launching in 2018 to commemorate Hot Wheels’ 50th anniversary, the Hot Wheels Legends Tour presented by Mobil 1 has grown from a local U.S.-based Walmart (NYSE:) event series to exhibition world’s largest traveling car dealership, attracting builders. and automotive fans through both virtual and live events. Past champions include the 2018 inaugural winner 2JetZ™, 2019 winner THE NASH™, 2020 winner 1970 Pontiac® Firebird™, 2021 winner 1969 Volvo (OTC:) P1800 Gasser, 2021 winner Texas Toot 2022 and an ultra-customized 1992. Autozam Scrum Microtruck and last year’s champion, a one-of-a-kind 1990 Mazda MX-5 roadster nicknamed “Chimera.”
For more information about the Hot Wheels Legends Tour, visit www.HotWheels.com/Legends.
About Mattel
Mattel is a leading global toy and family entertainment company and owner of one of the most iconic brand portfolios in the world. We engage consumers and fans through our franchise brands, including Barbie®, Hot Wheels®, Fisher-Price®, American Girl®, Thomas & Friends™, UNO®, Masters of the Universe®, Matchbox®, Monster High® , MEGA®. and Polly Pocket ®, as well as other popular properties we own or license in partnership with global entertainment companies. Our offerings include toys, content, consumer products, digital and live experiences. Our products are sold in collaboration with the world’s leading retail and e-commerce companies. Since its founding in 1945, Mattel has been proud to be a trusted partner, empowering generations to explore the wonders of childhood and reach their full potential. Visit us at mattel.com.
About Mobil 1
Mobil 1™ motor oil is the world’s leading brand of synthetic motor oil. Our advanced technology allows Mobil 1 motor oils to meet or exceed some of the industry’s most stringent standards and provide exceptional protection even under extreme driving conditions. Mobil 1 motor oil is designed to help protect critical engine parts, maximize engine performance and extend engine life. For more information, visit us online at www.mobil1.us or follow @Mobil1 on Facebook (NASDAQ:), Instagram and Twitter.
MAT-W
View the source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241116260909/en/
Press contacts:
Adam Krell
Adam.krell@mattel.com
Rachel Roy
raquel.roy@mattel.com
Source: Mattel, Inc.