Hot Wheels and IWC team up for classic collaboration

IWC Schaffhausen and the California-based cult toy brand Hot Wheels have teamed up to create a Team Transport set of die-cast models dressed in the livery of IWC classic racing team. The two models include a scale-down version of a classic silver Mercedes Benz 300SL Gullwing and a Hot Wheels Euro Hauler truck.

The collaboration may appear tedious at first – Swiss luxury watches and die-cast toy cars, really? The only thing connecting these two brands is Mercedes Benz; IWC has a longstanding relationship with Mercedes and apart from sponsoring the German carmaker’s F1 team, the Swiss brand also runs a IWC classic racing team featuring the aforementioned 300SL Gullwing driven by former F1 ace David Coulthard.

For this project, Hot Wheels created a 1:64 scale replica of IWC’s 300SL, faithful in every detail, all the way to the bucket seat interior and racing rims. The livery is reminiscent of the heyday of the “Silver Arrows” (the name given to Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union Grand Prix motor racing cars between 1934 and 1939). The racing number 68 is a reference to the birth year of both brands (IWC was established in 1868 and Hot Wheels in 1968). The packaging art contains a subtle nudge to the Goodwood Motor Circuit, where Coulthard drove the 300SL to the Tony Gaze trophy in 2019.

The release of this Hot Wheels set coincides with the opening of IWC’s new flagship store in Zurich. Themed as “IWC Racing Works” – Home of the IWC classic racing team, the store concept will feature the full sized 300SL Gullwing as its centerpiece.

“This partnership celebrates the merging of these two beloved brands by highlighting the detail and performance of both Swiss luxury and American automotive excellence, all in the palm of your hand,” said Richard Dickson, President and COO of Mattel, owners of the Hot Wheels brand. The set is priced at around $25 (or approx. AED100).