Ferrari x Hot Wheels: A Design Reunion a Decade in the Making
The rebooted collaboration doubles down on detail, expanding Ferrari’s miniature universe with premium models, museum-grade sets and a full Formula 1 grid
When Mattel’s Hot Wheels and Ferrari first partnered in 1969, the collaboration was less a licensing deal and more a collision of two distinct design philosophies: miniature exuberance and Italian engineering.
After a decade-long hiatus, the two brands have returned to one rekindling their relationship with the Ferrari Heritage Set. Earlier this year, they released the Ferrari 499P Modificata and Ferrari 312P. It sold out in under two hours, not only because there’s no enthusiast quite like a Prancing Horse enthusiast, but thanks to a campaign built intentionally for adults collectors, nostalgists and design obsessives who understand that a 1:64 scale car is often a form of sculpture.
“This product collection features both ultra-premium items for those older fans to collect and display, but there [are] also accessible die-cast cars, which still feature authentic Ferrari details, available for our core consumer to play on the iconic orange Hot Wheels tracks,” said Adam Krell, Mattel senior manager of global brand communications for Hot Wheels. The duality of play and display embodied the aesthetic brief.
Now, the partnership is accelerating: 10 cars launching as part of a four-part rollout, spanning mainline Hot Wheels models, a remote-controlled entry and a hyper-detailed collector’s set. Prices begin at $1.25. It even extends to an exciting inclusion of the Scuderia Ferrari HP Team; the Hot Wheels Formula 1® partnership has evolved to finally represent the complete grid of all 10 teams and 20 drivers. This full collection was unveiled during an exclusive event hosted by Sergio Pérez ahead of the Formula 1 Gran Premio de la Ciudad de México 2025, showcasing the authentic 2025 team liveries in 1:64 scale. Following that global reveal, the comprehensive lineup of die-cast cars is now available at major retailers starting this month.
The design ambition here is far from entry-level. Take the return of the Ferrari F40. Although versions appeared between 1989 and 2014, the new Competizione-inspired release carries a front splitter, larger rear wing and wheels that outperform earlier iterations in both proportion and finish. In the Premium tier, priced at $6.49, details sharpen further: metal chassis, elevated paint applications and tolerances closer to industrial design prototypes than toys. The 499P Modificata (July), LaFerrari (September) and F50 (November) headline this lineup.
Then there’s the duo that feels pulled straight from a design museum: a 250 GTO paired with a Fiat 642 RN2 Bartoletti transporter, wearing period-correct Ferrari livery. The GTO sits atop the hauler just as it did in the 1960s. For many collectors, this is a shelf-ready tableau; it’s the kind of miniature that channels the graphic purity of mid-century motorsport photography. And it’s likely the only reason the obscure 642 hauler makes a rare appearance in the Hot Wheels catalog.
The resurgence has been fast and dense: the 14th Ferrari release in nearly 12 months, matching the output of the entire 2009–2014 period. It hints at a larger plan ahead of 2026. And, unsurprisingly, the Ferrari Heritage Set remains the most sought-after expression of this new era.
To anchor the relaunch, a boxed set of two limited-edition Collector die-cast models—the Ferrari 312P, a tribute to Hot Wheels’ first Ferrari from 1970, and the Ferrari 499P Modificata, debuted on Mattel Creations. Here, elevated materials and meticulous details mark the shift toward adult-oriented design objects.
Hot Wheels has even reimagined the Ferrari SF90 Stradale as a 1:64 remote-controlled car compatible with the classic orange track. Full-function steering and the capacity to run loops make it a micro-scale expression of Ferrari futurism.
“This collection was developed with all Hot Wheels fans in mind, from true Ferrari connoisseurs to budding automotive enthusiasts, thanks to the attention to detail by our design team,” said Roberto Stanichi, executive vice president of Hot Wheels and Head of Vehicles & Building Sets at Mattel. “From our core die-cast… to our most premium limited-edition models… fans of all ages can now bring a piece of Ferrari home.”
For the first collection announcement, the brands debuted in Modena, Italy. At Ferrari HQ, the debut felt like a mirrored universe: the full-size cars in the museum appeared almost like miniatures in their perfection, while the Hot Wheels outside were handled like small pieces of industrial art. The museum’s palette deepens the symbolism, with yellow everywhere, the official color of Modena and the backdrop of the Ferrari logo. Even the streets around the factory carry a sense of scaled history. They’re named after Formula 1 champions with a single title, while Michael Schumacher, who earned five, received an entire square. Modena treats scale as a fluid idea, and a city that builds supercars has no trouble treating a 1:64 version as something that deeply still matters.
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