Holden finalists to feature at Hot Wheels live show

Five Australian finalists will make it to the next stage of the Hot Wheels Legends Tour competition, which searches the globe to find one special car to turn into a die-cast model.

The locally built vehicles include a 1996 Mazda RX-7, a 1976 Holden Zeus Dominator, a Holden FJ panelvan and a Ford Cab Over Engine C-600 – both from 1955 – and a 2025 Spartan.

For the first time, fans will be able to see the judging process live at a free event in Sydney, which will include cars on display, a live DJ, and other activities for families.

The five Aussie finalists will be judged by a panel comprising Gary Reid from Repco, Craig Phinn from the Melbourne Motor Show, and the Director of Product Design for Hot Wheels, Jimmy Liu.

“When we’re assessing these builds, we’re looking for three things: Creativity, the innovation and vision each builder brings; Authenticity, the genuine passion behind the project; and Garage Spirit, that raw dedication and obsession that defines real car culture,” said Mr Liu.

“Each one of these finalists has these key ingredients, and it’s going to make selecting a winner super tough.”

The winner will then go on to the Asia-Pacific Regional Final, to take place online, before the Global Grand Finale in November.

The global winner will see their vehicle turned into a 1:64-scale model, and will be inducted into the Hot Wheels Garage of Legends.

The Australian leg of the Hot Wheels Legends Tour will take place at 2:00pm AEST on Sunday, August 30, 2026 at the Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney.

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