Hot Wheels is an American media franchise and brand of scale model cars invented by Elliot Handler and introduced by his company Mattel on May 18, 1968. Hot Wheels was released by by a team of Mattel creators, which included a rocket scientist and a car designer. Sparked by Elliot's idea for miniature die-cast vehicles that paired cool designs with speed, power and performance. Hot Wheels launched with a focus on igniting the spirit in every child.