1983 classic Mini 'Mentley' wins UK leg of the Hot Wheels Legends Tour – with a chance of becoming the next legendary die-cast toy
Dominic Whittle's build fought off stiff competition from over 180 entrants to claim the UK crown
Three finalists gathered in front of automotive fans and a panel of expert judges at SlammedUK’s Gravity Show at the NEC on 24-25 August
A 1983 Austin Mini, remodelled with styling to evoke the classic Bentley Speed 8s of the 1920s, was today named as the winner of the 2024 Hot Wheels Legends Tour UK – hosted by SlammedUK’s Gravity Show at the NEC.
Set to represent the UK on the global stage and stake its claim to be recreated as a 1:64 scale die-cast model, the Mini ‘Mentley’ was first conceived as a track day car, before being gradually transformed into the showpiece it is today. Beneath the bonnet is a fully engineered 320bhp TVR V8 engine and Range Rover gearbox, when boosted by nitrous through straight exhaust pipes, early trials suggest it may achieve 0-60mph in three seconds in a straight line – if the driver is courageous enough!
Owned by a trio of musicians – Dominic Whittle, Gary Selby and Mike Williams – the three friends use it to travel across Europe with their instruments strapped to the luggage rack performing throughout France, Italy and Germany to raise money for Save the Children.
"It's a huge privilege for us to win the UK round of the Hot Wheels Legends Tour with 'Mentley', justifying the hard work (and fun) we had creating it,"says Dominic Whittle. "Our interest in cars began when we were six years old, and it's great to be here 53 years later with a vehicle that reflects those childhood memories.
"We've had a fantastic time, the other two finalists have been great and we're in awe of their ability and builds. To be immersed in a world of car enthusiasts for two days as part of the Gravity Show has been tremendous."
Beating over 180 entries, Dominic Whittle's Mini 'Mentley' impressed the judging panel, led by Hot Wheels’ design manager Craig Callum, with its unmistakable authenticity and character capturing the essence of the Hot Wheels Legends Tour.
Judges Nicola Hume (host of Red Bull’s ‘Talking Bull’ podcast), Jordan Clarke (founder of Slammed UK) and influencer Mat Armstrong scored each entry against a strict set of criteria – design, authenticity and garage spirit, as well as performance, fun and the story behind the build. As Craig Callum explains; “The Hot Wheels Legends Tour celebrates the builders, visionaries and the people in the automotive world who put in the late nights, early mornings and creativity to produce a legend. Once again the UK has provided some fantastic contenders full of the creativity, garage spirit and authenticity that makes Hot Wheels Legends so special.
"With a wild engine transplant squeezed into a unique design twist of two British icons, Dominic Whittle's Mini 'Mentley' perfectly captures the fun we are looking for, and if you look at our past Legends, this is a true contender – it’s the kind of design we would develop in the studio ourselves. It’s got such authenticity, but it’s also completely different, there are so many little touches that give it character. When I think practically about how we make a die-cast Hot Wheels, with four main component parts, the vehicle lends itself for manufacture. It's spot on.”
The initial entry list was narrowed down to eight semi-finalists by Hot Wheels representatives on both sides of the Atlantic, with marques such as Lamborghini, Volkswagen, Ford and Porsche having vied for the opportunity – alongside the 1999 BMW E36 SlammedUK fan vote winner Jason Gorle, which was fast-tracked to the UK final, where it joined Jason West’s 1992 Ford P100.
For only the second time, the 2024 UK final was open to the public – taking place at the Gravity Show this weekend – the UK's largest modified and supercar show, held at the Birmingham NEC. After winning the UK leg of the Hot Wheels Legends Tour, the Mini 'Mentley' will compete against regional finalists at the Global Semi-Final on November 2nd with the Grand Finale set for November 11th with the overall victor being transformed into a die-cast that will be sold around the world. Whittle hopes to follow in the footsteps of last year’s winner – Michael Wallhead’s MG-Beast – who took the UK entry to the Global Finale for the third consecutive year. Coupled with Lee Johnstone’s 1969 Volvo P1800 Gasser, winning the competition overall in 2021 – it underlines the UK’s place and standing in worldwide car culture.
Now in its seventh year, the Hot Wheels Legends Tour continues to grow at the heart of the global car community. New countries including UAE and Columbia join the Tour in 2024 that last year saw Chimera, a modified Mazda MX-5 from New Zealand, be crowned and recreated as a toy car to be enjoyed by fans of all ages. Partners for the 2024 Hot Wheels Legends Tour UK include Smyths Toys, Falken Tyres and Yuasa.
Hot Wheels Facts
Hot Wheels is the leading die-cast brand in the UK, available at Smyths Toys, The Entertainer, Asda, Morrisons, Sainsburys, Tesco and independent toy shops.
Founded in 1968, Hot Wheels is the number one selling toy worldwide with over 16 cars sold every second.
Hot Wheels continues to be a key influence on car culture, inspiring full-scale designers, car builders and tuners.
Hot Wheels is all about the challenger spirit – its founder Elliot Handler embodied that spirit when he founded Hot Wheels.
Hot Wheels’ original design team included a car designer and a rocket scientist. They had a brief to create a toy car that was cooler and performed better than the competition.
The inaugural set was called ‘Sweet 16’ and today is highly coveted. It featured a mix of custom cars and ‘rods.
To date, over eight billion have been sold.
The most valuable Hot Wheels car is said to be the ‘Beach Bomb’ VW bus in pink. Never released to the public, its value has been estimated at $150,000.
In 2022, Hot Wheels announced it is working on a new live-action movie.
