Hot Wheels Legends Tour is Back for 2026, Ready to Die-Cast Your Car
The annual search for the next real-life car to become a Hot Wheels die-cast model is back. Mattel has opened submissions for the 2026 Hot Wheels Legends Tour, a global custom car competition that asks builders to show off their creations for a chance to see them turned into a 1:64-scale Hot Wheels car.
Now in its ninth year, the tour continues to grow. Organizers say the 2026 schedule will include in-person and virtual events across 20 countries. Canada returns to the calendar this year, and new stops are planned in the Asia-Pacific region, including Indonesia. More locations and dates are expected to be announced later.
Two partners will be involved with the tour this year. Mobil 1 returns, and AriZona Beverage Company joins as a new sponsor. The companies will host various on-site activities at events, including product sampling and a collaborative custom car build.
Visitors at select North American stops will also see a few display vehicles. One is a car from the Fast & Furious film franchise, appearing as the series marks its 25th anniversary. Another is a life-size Hot Wheels Bone Shaker reworked with a Skeletor theme, tied to the upcoming Masters of the Universe live-action film scheduled for June 5, 2026. A full-size Hot Wheels-themed Formula 1 car will also be on display for photos.
Cars entered in the competition are judged by a panel that includes Hot Wheels designers and local automotive personalities. Entries are evaluated on authenticity, creativity, and what the brand calls “garage spirit.” Each tour stop produces a winner that advances to regional finals covering Europe and the Middle East, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, and North America. The four regional winners meet at the Global Grand Finale in November, where one build will ultimately be turned into an official Hot Wheels die-cast model sold worldwide.
The North American portion of the tour begins April 25 in the Tampa area with an event at a Walmart in Pinellas Park, Florida. From there, the tour continues with additional stops across the United States and Canada before ending with a special event at Mattel’s headquarters in El Segundo, California. Each event typically includes displays of life-size Hot Wheels vehicles, play areas, and limited-edition merchandise tied to the tour.
The currently announced 2026 Hot Wheels Legends Tour stops include:
- April 25: Tampa, Fla.
- May 2: Charlotte, N.C.
- May 16: Detroit, Mich.
- May 30: Toronto, Canada
- June 6 –7: Turkey
- June 9 –14: France
- June 13 – 14: Germany
- June 13: Louisville, Ky.
- June 27: Birmingham, Ala.
- June 24 – 26: Poland
- June 26 – 28: Greece
- July 11: Houston, Texas
- July 18: Dallas, Texas
- July 18: Benelux (Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg)
- August 1: San Francisco, Calif.
- August 22: Albuquerque, N.M.
- August 27 – 30: U.K.
- September 19 – 20: Spain and Portugal
- September 26: Las Vegas, Nev.
- October 3: Hot Wheels Headquarters in El Segundo, Calif.
Additional stops in the United Arab Emirates, Italy, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Colombia, and other Asia-Pacific markets will also take part, with dates to be announced.
Builders interested in entering can submit their cars through the tour’s official website.
Past winners have included some unusual builds. The list ranges from the twin-engine 2 JetZ that won the inaugural competition in 2018 to more recent winners such as a Volvo P1800 gasser, a Mazda MX-5 called Chimera, a tiny Autozam Scrum micro truck known as Texas Toot, and last year’s champion, a custom Fiat 126B. Each eventually made its way into the Hot Wheels lineup as a production die-cast model.
This article was co-written using AI and was then heavily edited and optimized by our editorial team.
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