Mattel, the American toy and entertainment company, has over a dozen factories around the world which makes its various products, with the Hot Wheels model cars probably the best known. And of its main factories in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico and Thailand, the one in Malaysia is the largest Hot Wheels manufacturing plant in the world. Malaysia therefore plays an important role in Mattel’s supply chain for the company’s manufacturing, tooling, and commercial operations.
The plant – Mattel Malaysia Sdn Bhd (MMSB) – located in Perai, Penang, was established in 1981 and is also the world’s only manufacturer of Hot Wheels singles, the top-selling toy globally in 2021.
Currently producing around 9 million diecast car models each week for markets around the world, MMSB is aiming for a 20% increase in production capacity by 2025.
The 3rd Hot Wheels Legends Tour which was run recently saw Malaysia being the first host as well as the first Asian country to be invited to join the event. Art of Speed hosted the event which is normally held on-ground but had to be conducted online this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, that didn’t see diminished interest and over 1 million Hot Wheels fans across the globe tuned in to watch the livestream of the Finals.
Art of Speed hosted the first leg of the 2020 Hot Wheels Legends Tour which had to be done online due to the pandemic.
67 local entries
Twelve out of the 67 local entries were chosen to be showcased before the panel of the judges made up of respected Hot Wheels designers. After the votes were cast, it was Johor-native Ravinder Singh who clinched the coveted spot in the Finals as one of 13 international entries with his ‘Mercenary’, a modified Morris Minor.
Each entry was judged on three criteria: Authenticity, which is a measure of how well a car captures that genuine Hot Wheels spirit; Creativity, based on how unique the build is; and Garage Spirit, which carries the unmistakable air of ‘built not bought’.
Ravinder Singh’s winning ‘Mercenary’ was created from this old-timer.
Created from the Morris Minor
Ravinder’s ‘Mercenary’ carried a clear inspiration from American hotrods but was created from a British Morris Minor. The build was praised for its use of period-correct tyres and unique choice of parts – most of which aren’t available in the USA – giving it a distinct and memorable silhouette. The motorhead described the Mercenary as ‘built for himself to bring his vision to life’.
Of the thousands of submissions from around the world, 13 finalists were chosen with the winner being Riley Stair from California. His 1970 Pontiac Trans Am will be immortalised as an iconic 1:64 Hot Wheels diecast model.
The winner of the 2020 Hot Wheels Legend Tour
Ravinder Singh’s journey to the Finals of the Tour is not insignificant. For years, Malaysia has been host to a healthy and thriving community of car fanatics who celebrate their hobby at events like Art of Speed Malaysia, now in its 9th year.
Ravinder, an electrical and electronics engineer graduate, is now the owner of The Classic Garage based in Johor and has, for a long time, been a contributor to the community. He shares his own builds as well as provides services to others in the hobby.
Scenes from earlier Art of Speed events
Annual Art of Speed event next month
Those who are interested in knowing more about this aspect of car culture can drop by at the annual Art of Speed even to be held from December 30 2020 to 3rd January 2021. The venue is the 1 Utama Shopping Centre in Petaling Jaya, Selangor and admission is free.
Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) and Wei-Ling Gallery successfully raised RM133,200 from the charity auction of Arteon art cars recently, with the proceeds going to the Breast Cancer Welfare Association Malaysia (BCWA).
The auction marked the culmination of the collaboration between Volkswagen and the art gallery to celebrate the launch of the all-new Arteon R-Line. Featuring the talents of 13 Malaysian artists, the collaboration provided the unique opportunity to collectors and art enthusiasts alike to own diecast scale models of the Arteon that have been transformed by the artists into unique one-of-a-kind sculptures.
“It was truly heartening to see Art and Arteon come together at the auction, and to witness how much the bidders recognised the value of owning such collectible art pieces. What more, was that their enthusiasm stemmed from their desire to contribute to charity, in this case, breast cancer awareness and support,” said Erik Winter, the Managing Director of VPCM, who was delighted to see the enthusiasm displayed by bidders.
“The Arteon is more than just a car for Volkswagen. It also represented a way for the brand to engage with art fans around the world, as it has also been described many times as a true work of art. To have been able to work on this collaboration with Wei-Ling Gallery has been an honour for us, and we would like to express our sincerest appreciation to Wei-Ling Gallery and all 13 artists for this,” he said.
The Arteon project was an extension of the recent ‘18@8 Turning Points’ exhibition by Wei-Ling Gallery, curated with this idea in mind and explores the 13 artists’ pasts through different philosophical, technical and aesthetic approaches, in the form of thought-provoking art pieces that reflected on this ideology.
Those who want to view and experience the full-sized Arteon R-Line, priced from RM225,490 (RM220,043.28 with sales tax exemption until the 31st of December 2020), can contact any authorised Volkswagen dealership. To locate a dealership in Malaysia, visit www.volkswagen.com.my.
