Well, we just got news that the Hot Wheels Elite assortment is moving from bad to worse. As of December 31st, 2015 Mattel will put an end to all remaining production of the Hot Wheels Elite brand. This includes the ‘Movie’ and ‘Star Wars’ related material.
With the loss of the Ferrari license in late 2014 this latest news is not so shocking as we estimate most of the draw were likely generated by the Ferrari name, and as we know the name extends its reach beyond the seasoned collector. It is quite an amazing roller-coaster ride the Elite brand has take over the years; from mediocre manufacturer to the best bang for the buck. The Hot Wheels Elite brand is surely going to be missed. Rest in peace good old friend!
Very sad news!!!
This may well be why Mattel let the Ferrari licensing expire………..closing down the ‘Elite’ brand is purely a cost thing….if it’s not making the sort of profit they want, it’s history. Much as we in the collector community like to think of these manufacturers as nice folks, in reality it all about the Benjamins………….we’ll see what Mattel does in the future to maintain their position in the die-cast/collectibles field.
In reality the Elite brand was one of the brands that was actually somewhat profitable. It’s the others under the umbrella like Barbie that was suffering… I think the Ferrari license was definitely a result (too expensive to carry), and now the remaining to help control the bleeding. A shame really.
Can you please cite your source for this news. I was on the website and there is no mention of this. Why post a rumor without citing a source, that is just pointless, no one anywhere else is reporting this. They have plans to make an Aston and a Porsche, plus the Star Wars line, so it seems odd that they are not making the statement themselves. I seriously doubt this website is seen as a credible enough one for Hot Wheels to choose as a actual viaduct for press releases.
I prefer not to. I would not post something on this website unless I believed the source was creditable. Mattel/Hot Wheels Elite are quite aware of DiecastSociety.com they can rebut the rumor as hearsay whenever they choose fit to.
Are you associated with Hotwheels? Why would Hotwheels mention it on their website???? If as you say have they plans to produce future models under the elite banner this will have been planned 18 months ago. I do not understand why you are being so aggressive with your comments to the DS Team?
It would suck to see them go.
Very bad!
I also heard from my Hot wheels elite distributor Mattel has discontinued production of the present line up of hot wheels Elite.
I just heard the other day from yet another distributor that Mattel has stopped production of the present line due to poor quality control and lack of sales.
For example
Any one else notice that almost every 30th anniversary Ecto-1 elite has a crooked left side door gb logo and the back door’s logo is also off to right too far? I’ve search google images 100 times by now and they are all crooked in every picture out there. Mattel Really f-ed up with these, I’m done buying hot wheels elite, I sold one because of the logo only to find they all have that issue but the earlier ecto-1 elite without figures had little to no issues (minus the no chin). my ecto-1A is perfect though, it’s a shame, diecast model’s in general from any brand seem to be hit or miss quality, I’m tired of wasting money then getting screwed up models only to find out I can’t get a refund, it’s my fault for searching for deals, they always come factory sealed yet screwed up, especially hot wheels elite. if your going to buy hot wheels elite buy two to better your odds of getting a quality one, & make sure the store your buying from has a good return policy. that’s my experience.
I’ve also received many a HW Elite BTTF Delorean’s in poor shape. Their quality control is horrible.
Mattel screwed a lot of people who arn’t getting their money back on these things, screw them, Maybe they will come back with a new line with hopefully at least the Ghostbusters ecto-1’s and BTTF Delorean in much better quality and more accurate
Sorry, rant over.
Hot Wheels Elite are officially gone, just go to the Hot Wheels Elite Page it just redirects you to there Mattel site. They should have recalled 90% of there models for poor quality control. I hope Mattel gives up the Ghostbusters & other franchise licenses to Autoart or at the worst at least Greenlight.
Never again, the market will never forget the garbage Mattel & many other brands have made in these last 10 years. It’s sad seeing these stores selling this stuff for $150 to $200 knowing the poor customers are over paying big time for models that I guarantee will be damaged and flawed.
It’s ever more sad hearing these retailers excuses that they are never perfect mean while your freaking out looking at a receipt for $100 to $300 after tax & shipping
These model company’s need to step up their game with quality control and better materials or everyone will simply boycott them, not just consumers but retailers. I feel bad for these model stores as well, I can’t tell you how many stories I’ve heard of model Stored closing their doors forever due to lack of sales due to the massive amount of crap quality models from most of these big diecast model company’s even the distributors were telling me the same thing that there is nothing but money loss in the diecast model business right now due to quality control being so bad and the very high prices being charged for these horrible quality models.
With 3d printers and now 3d metal printers we can only hope that in a few years there will be bullet proof laser perfect quality models much like what Autoart makes but who knows really. It may take 10 to 15 years before that happens.
For a OCD-ish model collectors it’s pure frustration especially when the only company’s making the models you want only make over priced paper weights with glue, chroming and paint issues on 8 out of 10 model they make with very little interested in closely monitoring quality control.
It’s insulting to the consumers of these things big time as well as the stores trying to make a living selling them. I lost almost a grand this summer on these garbage quality models from brands like Greenlight, Mattel HW Elite, Sunstar & many others. You just can’t always get your money back. You lose money on shipping and return shipping a lot of the time.
They need to start making Diecast models here in North America. rushed mass production never goes down well on things prices above $100 retail.
The model business is just about screwed for a good while especially on the retailer’s end. It’s unfortunate.
I hate to promote paypal because it screws sellers almost completely but I wouldn’t buy Diecast models without it, your guaranteed to have to send most of what you buy back. That’s just they way it is.
That’s a true shame and loss for the hobby. I guess we’re not seeing the latest Bond car? HWE started to go south with the last few Ferraris they produced (458/LaFerrari), I think the passion was gone… I haven’t seen many of the models you mention, but I did see the Fast and Furious Charger, what a joke! Worth $75 at best!
I am a fan of Back to the Future . I had waited “Hot Wheels Elite Ultimate Edition 1:18 scale Back to the Future Time Machine die-cast” for long time . I just know that it got canceled by manufacturer . I cannot enter to elite website and i found this post.
What a shame that i cannot get it . But there is a question : Why they showed us the car on April if they are planning to end Elite .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVZQq8hNEUg
•There’s HOTWHEELS Elite Special up for sale on EBay ranging €500 2nd hand to brand new €600-700 on eBay Back to the Future 1:18 same HOTWHEELS Elite KnightRider Voicebox 1:18 Special Elite KITT they appeared for sale since July 2018 nearly gone so when gone there gone sell fast I remembered when they Cancelled Them I had HOTWHEELS Special Elite KnightRider Voicebox KITT 1:18 Booked 2014 Cancelled 2015 now they reappeared 2018 so I message if don’t know for sale up July 2018 some sellers China But both very expensive some sellers sell €1,000 as limited Edtion not many left BACK to the FUTURE & KNIGHT RIDER fans must have .
There only 3 HOTWHEELS Elite Special KNIGHT RIDER KITT Voicebox 1:18 left Ebay ranging €550-650 & €900 Brand NEW last 3 I’ve seen just Incase fans after these limited Edtion David Hasselhoff Knight Rider
HOTWHEELS SUPER Elite KNIGHT RIDER K.I.T.T. Voicebox 1:18 officially Sold out on EBay 25th September 2021 ( None Available) just give info for viewers as I noticed today there all SOLD OUT.