Hot Wheels: Dan Wrote the Book!

Our  Dan Bova spent last summer at Mattel’s design lab, and all he got was a gorgeous art book he wrote: Hot Wheels: The Creative Drive. (And maybe a few cars in his pockets.) Ted Wu, Mattel’s vehicles boss, joins Dan to explain why Hot Wheels all face right, which toy is worth a million bucks, and how he got his own Porsche made into a Hot Wheels. Buy Dan’s book. Buy two, actually. Ted’s orders

Chapters

0:00 Ted admits to an abuse of power

0:44 Dan’s Hot Wheels book and his trip to Mattel HQ

2:36 Ted’s 23 years at Mattel

4:20 The most passionate fans in toys

5:49 The custom Camaro at the heart of Dan’s book

7:12 Why do all Hot Wheels face right?

8:49 The Donut Drifter and designer Easter eggs

10:15 The designer who put his real phone number on a toy

11:47 Design vs. marketing

15:30 What makes a Lamborghini a Hot Wheels Lamborghini