Auto Car | Honda Hot Wheels Racer 2008 | Honda is announcing the arrival of the Honda Racer, a much-anticipated 1/64th scale Hot Wheels car designed by Honda R&D Americas in Torrance. The Honda model, along with designs from five additional automakers, were selected as part of the Hot Wheels Designer's Challenge as a way to celebrate the die-cast brand's 40th anniversary. The Honda Racer arrives on store shelves in May 2008.
The key element to the design of the entire car is that the body is in the shape of the Honda "H" emblem. The exterior shape resembles an imaginative side-byside racecar of 1960s vintage that encloses a driver and a navigator. The general shape, styling and paint scheme is further inspired by Honda's early participation in Formula 1 racing and its 1967 RA 273 racecar. The white and red paint scheme, the open cockpits, large exhaust system and open wheels are all elements inspired by the historic Honda racecar.
A powerful Honda V-10 VTEC engine sits between the piloting team. If brought up to scale, the engine would displace an amazing 2.0 liters per cylinder. A set of velocity stacks and an intake that receives air through the body of the car sits between red DOHC valve covers to provide a technologically advanced look. The exhaust system is a giant set of twisted, yet balanced tubes that reside high above the engine, complementing the power plant design at the back end of the car. The dynamic expression of technology, history and detail is evident throughout the design of the car.
Mattel invited auto manufacturers to participate in the Hot Wheels Designer's Challenge as part of the die-cast brand's 40th anniversary celebration. The design of the Honda Racer debuted at the 2007 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas in October as a 1/5th scale model.
Starting in mid-August, the Honda Racer 1/5th scale model and other cars from the Designer's Challenge will be part of the Hot Wheels 40th anniversary road trip traveling along historic U.S. Route 40, stopping at multiple cities along the way. The tour starts at the Mattel headquarters in El Segundo, California, in August and ends at Watkins Glen, New York, in early September.
A little while ago, Mattel commissioned several auto manufacturers to help design special cars to help celebrate Hot Wheel’s 40th anniversary. Six auto manufacturers responded, among them Ford, Mitsubishi, Lotus, and Honda. Honda, in my opinion came up with the best design by far. A futuristic design inspired by their 60′s F1 racers-but with another twist. The body is made up of two of the cars put together, complete with 2 motors. This conveniently makes the body form an “H.” It was designed by Guillermo Gonzalez.
Below is the description found on the back of the toy’s packaging.
The designer’s challenge program was created as a way for Hot Wheels to actively include its automotive partners in its 40th anniversary celebration by creating exclusive designs for a brand new line. It marks the first time Mattel has ever turned outside of the company for original Hot Wheels designs. The challenge for each automotive manufacturer was to create a Hot Wheels car that truly captured the brand’s core values of speed, power, performance, and attitude, while also retaining the distinct attributes of each company’s brand essence. All submissions were judged by a panel of Hot Wheels designers and collectors, as well as automotive journalists from Car & Driver magazine, the Los Angeles Times, and Men’s Journal. The Panel selected one design from each manufacturer and one internal design to be transformed into authentic Hot Wheels cars.
Honda Racer was designed by Guillermo Gonzalez. growing up in East L.A., Gonzalez remembers buying Hot Wheels track from the second-hand stores and setting up elaborate courses with jumps built on stacks of books., which fueled his desire to become a car desinger. Built in the shape of the Honda “H” emblem, Gonzalez combined iconic styling, power, and racing heritage into his design. A powerful V10 engine and twisted exhaust make this Designers Challenge winner the ultimate Honda Racer.
Source : autotraderuae.com
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