These will get your motor running – and the Katana is making a comeback too!
It's another one of those unexpected guitar collaborations you didn't know you needed; Fender's Custom Shop and Mattel's Hot Wheels toy cars. It equates to 16 uber-cool guitars and basses carrying Hot Wheels-inspired finishes and influence.
And we can't afford any of them. Still, they're great to look at, right?
(Image credit: Fender)
"Hot Wheels rides have been just as much part of our team's childhood as classic guitars, so getting the opportunity to create one-of-a-kind instruments inspired by some of our favourite cars has been a dream," said Dennis Galuszka, FCS Master Builder.
"Each builder brought their own unique take to the design process, which was influenced by the years of childhood nostalgia and the iconic orange track," adds Dennis. "The final results are works of art that pay tribute to both Fender and Hot Wheels."
Check out eight of these stunners in the gallery below.
Image 1 of 8
(Image credit: Fender)
Hot Wheels Bad to the Blade Katana, Black Sparkle with Orange and Teal Green Trim - ($10,500.00 USD, £9,399.00 GBP, €10,999.00 EUR, $17,499.00 AUD, ¥ 1,625,800 JPY)
'Apprentice-built by Dylan Delpizzo, the Bad to the Blade Katana features a NOS Urethane finish on a two-piece select alder body.
'This custom has a 4A flame maple neck with Modern 'C' back-shape and an ebony fingerboard with mother of pearl Shark Fin inlays.
'Further features include a Seymour Duncan Invader humbucking pickup, rear loaded volume & tone controls, two-point Custom Classic Strat Tremolo and vintage-style tuning machines. '
(Image credit: Fender)
Hot Wheels Rip Rod Tele, Hot Wheels Blue - ($13,250.00 USD, £11,899.00 GBP, €13,899.00 EUR, $21,999.00 AUD, ¥ 2,032,800 JPY)
'Apprentice-built by Nick Saccone, the Rip Rod Tele® boasts a NOS lacquer finish on a two-piece select Ash body. This guitar has a Quartersawn Maple Neck with a ‘52 Style 'U' back-shape and an ebony fingerboard with orange face dots, fabricated from Hot Wheels tracks.
'Other specifications include vintage-style frets, a Curtis Novak Gold Foil GT-V (bridge) and Josefina hand-wounded Open Load ’51 Nocaster (neck) pickups.
'This custom further features modern Tele wiring, sawed-off Tele Bridge with RSD compensated brass saddles and vintage-style tuning machines. An Orange anodised pickguard creates a distinct look against the Hot Wheels Blue body.'
(Image credit: Fender)
Hot Wheels Night Shifter Tele, Pearl White with Red Competition Stripes - ($12,000.00 USD, £10,799.00 GBP, €12,599.00 EUR, $19,999.00 AUD, ¥ 1,863,400 JPY)
'Masterbuilt by Todd Krause, the Night Shifter Tele has a NOS urethane finish and features a two-piece select alder body with graphics by painter and artist Pamelina H.
'This custom guitar has a quartersawn maple neck with ‘60 style Ovac 'C' back-Shape and an ebony fingerboard with Mother of Pearl face dots.
'This guitar features combined vintage and modern elements, including a Josefina handwound original Blackguard Tele (bridge), Twisted Tele (neck) pickups, modern Tele wiring, vintage-style tuning machines and a ‘58-’63 Tele bridge with threaded steel saddles. More colour is introduced with the single-ply red acrylic pickguard on the body of the instrument.'
(Image credit: Fender )
Hot Wheels Baja Truck Strat, Grey with Mint Green Striping - ($12,500.00 USD, £11,199.00 GBP, €13,099.00 EUR, $20,999.00 AUD, ¥ 1,922,800 JPY)
'Apprentice-built by Dan Gonzalez, the Baja Truck Strat has a NOS urethane finish with Gold hardware on a two-piece select Alder body.
'This custom guitar has a matching painted flat sawn maple neck with ‘62-style Jaguar back-shape and a flat-lam ebony fingerboard with mother of pearl face dots.
'More features include Seymour Duncan Lipstick Tube pickups, rear-loaded volume and tone controls with three-way toggle, vintage-style Jaguar tremolo with RSD J-bridge and vintage-style tuning machines.'
(Image credit: Fender)
Hot Wheels Deora Strat, Blue Sparkle - ($13,000.00USD, £11,699.00 GBP, €13,599.00 EUR, $21,999 AUD, ¥ 1,991,000 JPY)
'Masterbuilt by Yuriy Shishkov, the Deora Strat boasts a NOS urethane finish on a two-piece select alder body with graphics by artist and painter Pamelina H.
'This custom guitar further promotes a roasted 2A birdseye maple neck with ‘60 style oval 'C' back-shape and a flat-lam rosewood fingerboard.
'Vintage elements are woven throughout the instrument, featuring 21 vintage-style frets, Josefina hand-wound Fat ‘50s Strat pickups, American vintage synchronised tremolo and vintage-style tuning machines. Other elements include modern Strat wiring, a five-way switch and a Gold anodised pickguard.'
(Image credit: Fender)
Hot Wheels Muscle Bound Strat, Metallic Cadallic Green - ($13,000.00 USD, £11,699.00 GBP, €13,599.00 EUR, $21,999.00 AUD, ¥ 1,966,800 JPY)
'Apprentice-built by Levi Perry, the Muscle Bound Strat has NOS Lacquer finish on a two-piece select alder body with custom graphics.
'This custom features a Quartersawn Maple Neck with ‘60s oval 'C' back-shape and a round-lam ebony fingerboard with black face dots.
'Further features include Josefina hand-wound ‘60s Strat pickups, modern Strat wiring, American Vintage synchronised tremolo, vintage-style tuning machines and a three-ply painted pickguard.'
(Image credit: Fender)
Hot Wheels Night Shifter Strat, Hot Wheels Red - ($14,500.00 USD, £12,999.00 GBP, €15,199.00 EUR, $24,499.00 AUD, ¥ 2,226,400 JPY)
'Apprentice-built by George Ruiz, the Night Shifter Strat promotes a NOS urethane finish on a two-piece Selecter alder body with custom graphics.
'Further specs include a 5A flame maple neck with ‘60s oval 'C' back-shape and contoured heel and an ebony fingerboard with eye-catching Sterling Silver tube face dots and Hot Wheels 12th fret banner Inlay.
'This custom guitar also boasts EMG JH 'HET' bridge pickups, Recessed Floyd Rose Original double-locking tremolo & nut and Hipshot Griplock open-gear tuning machines.
'This guitar is further customised with custom pickup switching that includes a remote Fender volume pedal.'
(Image credit: Fender)
Hot Wheels Mad Manga Strat, Magenta Sparkle - ($14,000.00 USD, £12,599.00 GBP, €14,699.00 EUR, $23,499.00 AUD, ¥ 2.082,300 JPY)
'Masterbuilt by Carolos Lopez, the Mad Manga Strat features a NOS lacquer finish on a two-piece select alder body.
'This custom further features a flat sawn maple neck with ‘66 style 'C' back-shape and round-lam rosewood fingerboard with mother of pearl face dots.
'Vintage elements Josefina Hand-Wound ‘60 Strat pickups, Vintage Modified #2 wiring with Tone-Saver Bleed and American Vintage Synchronised Tremolo. This guitar is further customised through its custom engraved Black anodised pickguard.'
The full list of models for the 16-guitar Hot Wheels Collection
(Image credit: Fender)
Hot Wheels Mod Rod™ Strat, Dark Blue with Gold Leaf Competition Stripes
Hot Wheels Night Shifter Fretless Precision Bass®, Black with Blue Competition Stripes
Hot Wheels Bone Shaker Precision Bass, Flat Black with Bone Shaker Graphic
Hot Wheels Mod Rod Tele, Burnt Orange with Pinstriping by Pamelina H
Hot Wheels Twin Mill Strat, Floral Blue
Hot Wheels Bull Whip Strat, Hot Wheels Chrome Vinyl Wrap
Hot Wheels Fast-Bed Hauler Tele, Taos Turquoise
Hot Wheels Rip Rod Jaguar, Black with Red Competition Stripes
Hot Wheels Night Shifter Tele, Pearl White with Red Competition Stripes
Hot Wheels™ Deora Strat, Blue Sparkle
Hot Wheels Mad Manga Strat, Magenta Sparkle
Hot Wheels Night Shifter Strat, Hot Wheels Red
Hot Wheels Muscle Bound Strat, Metallic Cadillac Green
Hot Wheels Rip Rod Tele, Hot Wheels Blue
Hot Wheels Bad to the Blade Katana, Black Sparkle with Orange and Teal Green Trim
Hot Wheels Baja Truck Strat, Grey with Mint Green Striping
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Reviews Editor, GuitarWorld.com and MusicRadar guitars
Rob is the Reviews Editor for GuitarWorld.com and MusicRadar guitars, so spends most of his waking hours (and beyond) thinking about and trying the latest gear while making sure our reviews team is giving you thorough and honest tests of it. He's worked for guitar mags and sites as a writer and editor for nearly 20 years but still winces at the thought of restringing anything with a Floyd Rose.
