These Hot Wheels Celebrate Some of the Most Stunning Cars Ever Designed

From artists like Daniel Arsham and Kenny Scharf, to fashion labels like Kith and Moncler, to automotive presences like Ferrari and Formula 1, Mattel has been on a tear with its Hot Wheels collaborations over the past few years.

However, even as eye-catching as the resulting diecast models might have been, none of them compare to the latest releases that the company has cooked up for collectors. 

Mattel

As part of a newly announced partnership with New York’s Museum of Modern Art, Mattel will be dropping some Hot Wheels that recreate a pair of cars considered so impactful, they were fit for exhibition as part of the permanent design collection.

Mattel honors the art of the auto

Being a Jaguar E-Type Roadster and a Citroen DS 23 Sedan, it’s easy to see why MoMA felt them suitable enough to be display pieces. 

Mattel

After all, even Enzo Ferrari couldn’t hide his appreciation for the British droptop. He famously called Jaguar’s E-Type “the most beautiful car ever made” on account of its striking curves and breathtaking looks. Coming from the man whose company was known for its exotic sheet metal, that was saying something.

Likewise, the Citroen DS 23 was a marvel of engineering when it debuted in 1972. Between its futuristic styling and its advanced suspension design, the car was a standout of its time that remains eye-catching to this day.

Mattel

In any case, as two of just nine cars in MoMA’s permanent collection, the Jaguar E-Type and the Citroen DS 23 keep exclusive company. Because the museum recognizes them for their design, they’re undoubtedly some of the most stylish cars in history.

What makes a MoMA car?

Regardless of whether you agree with the choice to exhibit the Jaguar and the Citroen, it’s important to know that the Museum of Modern Art isn’t basing its selection on looks alone. While art is undoubtedly a subjective matter, the requirements for a car to make the collection are quite stringent.

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According to an interview with Canada’s Driving, MoMA looks for “the great achievements” in automotive design and “the specific moments where the technology, the craft, the artistry and the cultural importance crosses the threshold into a masterpiece.”

Moreover, each piece that the Design department acquires must represent “great expression of design” in its respective field or context, be it a car, a chair or a helicopter. It needs to have contributed to history in some way. There has to be substance to the visual statement.

Mattel

As such, the MoMA supposedly keeps a secret wish list of cars that it’s looking to add to its permanent collection. When the museum does decide to source an example for exhibition, it looks to industry experts for assistance before turning it into a static display piece.

To date, there are a total of nine cars in the design collection, with other models including classics — like a 1946 Cisitalia 202 GT, a 1965 Porsche 911 and a 1968 Fiat 500 — as well as some oddities, such as a 1998 Smart ForTwo. 

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Pricing and availability

If you’re interested in getting your hands on the first installments in the Hot Wheels x MoMA collaboration, they’ll be open for purchase starting November 11. Pricing or production quantity has yet to be announced. In the meantime, you can learn more on the Mattel Creations website.

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