In the year that Malaysia became the first Asia country to host The Hot Wheels Legends Tour, it was the time of the COVID-19 pandemic and that first event in 2020 was held online, and it would be the same in 2021 and 2022. This year, the Malaysian leg of the 2023 Hot Wheels Legends Tour will take place and be judged live in public at the 12th Art of Speed event.
Malaysia is one of the event stops along the 6-year old Legends Tour which is a global search for one custom vehicle worthy of being reimagined as a 1:64 scale Hot Wheels die-cast vehicle. It will join the Hot Wheels range and be available for sale in more than 150 countries worldwide.
The judges
And choosing the Malaysian winner Global Hot Wheels Lead Packaging Designer, Matt Gabe. Other guest judges will be Alec Pender and Dino Dalle Carbonare, Speedhunters contributors who have decades of experience covering all things custom in the automotive industry; Aulia Rahman Arsad, founder of Malaysia’s own Galeri Kereta; and Tengku Djan, our very own ‘Prince of Drift’.
Each submission will be judged on authenticity, how closely the build embodies the Hot Wheels spirit; creativity, how well the design stands out from the rest; and garage spirit, for how well the design exemplifies the attitude of ‘built not bought’.
The judges will select the Top 10 and announce one custom build as the Malaysian winner that will go on to represent Malaysia at the Global Semi-Finals taking place virtually in November 2023. The Malaysian winner will also join other winners from the Asia Pacific region for a chance to be voted Regional Fan Favourite.
Malaysian hopefuls can register for free and drive their cars to the Art of Speed event at 9 am on July 30, 2023. Live judging will take place from 11 am – 1 pm at the MAEPS complex in Serdang, outside Kuala Lumpur. For more information, visit www.artofspeed.com or www.facebook.com/ArtOFSpeedMY/ .
Three unique spaces
This year, Hot Wheels will have its biggest showing to date with three unique spaces within Art of Speed over two days (July 29 and 30). Hall A will be the home of the Hot Wheels x Proton collaboration showcase and where collectors can make their Hot Wheels purchases.
Hall B is where the first ever Hot Wheels Collectors Convention in Southeast Asia will take place – fans can look forward to meet and greet with Hot Wheels designer, discussions about Hot Wheels cars through the decades, live auctions, a customised die-cast competition, Hot Wheels race, showcases, and activities conducted by Hot Wheels Skate School. The outdoor VIP parking area is where the entries of the 2023 Hot Wheels Legends Tour can be found and admired.
Limited edition products
In celebration of all things car culture, visitors can look forward to limited edition Hot Wheels Legends Tour products at the event. Fans can customise apparel, tote bags, bottles, and mugs, as well as get their hands on limited edition Legends Tour collector cars.