ferrari-hw-comeback

In arguably the biggest news for the hobby this year, Mattel confirms they got Ferrari back for Hot Wheels. Announced at Spielwarenmesse 2025 in Nuremberg, Germany, the announcement marks the end of a nearly decade-long separation between the toy manufacturer and the legendary Italian automaker.

BusinessWire confirms in a press release that Mattel is developing "a full range of Hot Wheels products" that will "include limited-edition models available through Mattel Creations, RC models and 1:64 scale die-casts” promising wide coverage of both road cars and race cars. The first product of this renewed partnership will be a Mattel Creations exclusive coming this spring, with more on the way.

I can stop there and you’d still jump for joy, but this development requires more explanation, especially because you are likely wondering where the other Ferraris have gone since HW last made LaFerrari in 2014.

Ferrari cut ties with Mattel in January 2015, turning to Hong Kong's May Cheong Group (makers of Maisto and Bburago) to replicate Ferrari's stable of cars at multiple scales. For the most part, it worked out quite well, with great-value models for 1:18 to 1:43 scales. The sub-7cm side, on the other hand, didn't leave much to be desired, with offerings that either looked way out of scale or felt less substantial than the under US$3 offerings from Hot Wheels.

That situation improved circa 2018 when May Cheong sublicensed to Takara Tomy, whose Tomica brands offered much worthier miniatures, ranging from their basic Red Box and mid-range Premium lines to the acclaimed Tomica Limited Vintage brand. The problem? Tomica can't sell those to big-box stores outside of Asia.

Fortunately, May Cheong has improved recently, with a new Maisto set that is not only truly 1:64 but a solid entry in the competitive mid-range category. BBR Model also enjoys their license and has partnered with TopSpeed Models' MiniGT line to offer premium 1:64 Ferraris. IXO Modelcars and Tarmac Works also share a similar arrangement.

The new deal announced at the Nuremberg International Toy Fair is far more substantial.

To hear Roberto Stanichi, executive vice president of Hot Wheels and Head of Vehicles & Building Sets at Mattel, put it: “We look forward to seeing the world’s reaction to our vision for some of the most beautiful rolling works of art in automotive history, crafted by our team of design experts that can do it better than anyone else can.”

That is quite a bold claim to make at a time when Hot Wheels is facing the most intense competition at almost every price bracket in the brand's lifetime but it also shows Mattel’s confidence that its lead in both manufacturing capacity and distribution networks can keep them ahead of the rest.

As expected, the reactions from many in the hobby (as seen on Instagram and Reddit) have been overwhelmingly positive. However, some have expressed concern over what this new deal may do to May Cheong’s current arrangement, something that can affect brands like Tomica, MiniGT, and Tarmac Works, all of which compete against HW’s mainline, Car Culture and Red Line Club releases respectively. There is also the question of whether or not Hot Wheels even retained the tooling for some of the cars they already have made, and which ones require revising.

But make no mistake: this reunion is a welcome change. This cuts deeper than nostalgia – it’s a chance for collectors to make up for lost time. And knowing Hot Wheels’ design team, we’re about to see some spectacular castings ready for everyone to grab. Assuming scalpers don’t get to them first.



https://www.thedrive.com/news/hot-wheels-will-start-making-ferraris-again-this-spring

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250126768493/en/Hot-Wheels%C2%AE-and-Ferrari-Team-Up-for-the-First-Time-in-10-Years-to-Release-a-Full-Range-of-Die-Cast-Cars-and-Collectibles

https://www.hemmings.com/stories/no-more-ferraris-from-hot-wheels-maisto-and-bburago-bbag-exclusive-licensing-agreement/

https://lamleygroup.com/2014/12/01/the-end-of-an-era-ferrari-and-hot-wheels-end-their-licensing-agreement/

https://lamleygroup.com/2018/05/31/did-the-ferrari-license-move-from-maisto-to-tomica-dare-i-dream-of-a-tlv-ferrari/

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GiSX5O8WUAAA11r?format=jpg&name=4096x4096