What is the Hot Wheels Speed Series?
The Hot Wheels Speed Series from Mattel is a range of construction sets using Lego-style pieces. The Lego comparisons don’t end there, as the Speed series is very similar to the Danish brand’s Speed Champion line, not just in the name but also in the dimensions.
There are some key differences, though. To our eyes, the Hot Wheels sets look closer to the real deal than the Lego Speed Champions cars, and also, you get a nice little bonus of a 1:64 die-cast version of what you’re building.
The sets themselves are in 1:32 scale, and in the case of the Honda S2000 set we built, the finished product measures 16 x 7 x 5cm. It’s made up of 257 pieces, which is fairly typical as the range goes.
Is it any good?
We enjoyed building these sets, and the finished products do look great. Bank on it taking about 45 minutes to build, or more like an hour if a younger child is having a go.
The use of proper printed pieces is a real boon, too. Perhaps the worst part of building Lego sets is having to affix stickers – it’s always fiddly, and if you’re anything like me, the hit rate of getting them on straight is low indeed.
There are sticker sheets included in both the sets we tried, actually, but they’re intended as a way of customising the set to your liking rather than a necessary part of the build process. See also the two different wheel trim designs. We went for the white Rays wheels on the S2000.
The building experience is inevitably very similar to a Lego set, with that same, satisfying feeling when you realise what it is you’ve been putting together, whether it’s a seat or a door. The pieces don’t click together quite as easily as Lego, though, and if you’ve done something wrong, it’s more difficult to pry them apart.
Should you buy a Hot Wheels Speed Series?
With an RRP of £21.99, the Speed sets feel like good value, particularly with the inclusion of the die-cast model, which also makes them seem like a great gift. Aside from the minor frustrations in the build process we’ve mentioned, there’s little to dislike here.
The only problem is that if you want to start collecting them, you’ll find the range quite limited. Last time we checked, there were only six in the Speed series. Still, that’s better than the larger (~900 pieces, 1:16 scale) series, which only has four sets, and the Premium series (1600 pieces, 1:12 scale), which just has the one for now.
That doesn’t give a lot of choice compared to the dozens of Speed Champions sets you can buy, but then again, Lego has been making those a lot longer. Hopefully, there’ll be more of the Hot Wheels Speed series sets to choose from soon.
