Paweł Czarnecki’s small but mighty, mid-engine rally-inspired custom FIAT 126B is the 2025 Hot Wheels Legends International Tour winner!

Celebrating car builders worldwide, the 2025 Hot Wheels Legends Tour visited 16 countries, including 11 regional stops across the US. New Tour stops this year included Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg), Peru, and Turkey. Over the course of the Tour, Hot Wheels designers and local automotive experts evaluated thousands of vehicle entries, with millions of fans attending events across the globe.

Czarnecki said he put in more than 2,500 hours building and an additional 800 hours of 3D printing of components to make a car that perfectly embodies the “Garage Spirit” mentality that the Hot Wheels judges look for in every submission, Mattel said.

“Powered by a Fiat Uno 1.4 Turbo producing 200 horsepower, paired with a Nissan 200SX GT28 turbocharger and a built Fiat Punto GT gearbox, it delivers rally-ready performance. The car features a custom coil over suspension, a body widened by 18.5 inches, period-correct HTN Motorsport three-piece wheels, Fiat Uno brakes, a flip-forward hood for rapid repairs and adjustments, and a full roll cage—blending historical inspiration with modern fabrication to bring this Polish rally vision to life.”

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/2025-hot-wheels-legends-tour-220000131.html

https://www.autoweek.com/car-life/a69451437/hot-wheels-legends-coolest-car-in-the-world/

reminder, the Hot Wheels Legends Tour, Grand Finale, happens on 11/15

https://www.facebook.com/hotwheels

https://www.facebook.com/events/1382246926866495

https://www.youtube.com/@HotWheelsGarageOfficial/videos

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLykIyIb52QYbSFlBojmUhKUChxyQOyGKQ

I am loving this Corvair dragster I spotted at the Hot Wheels Tour finale at the Hot Wheels headquarters in El Segundo

first time I've seen this eye magnet in person

this 280z has some cool event stickers on the windshield starting in 2021 through 2025!

 

among the GT 350s the original Venice crew builds, is this type of rear deck, looking like that early 60s Thunderbird option. I think it's terrible on the Mustang

It's not uncommon to come across one of these Jeep Wagoneers, but, I've never noticed these locking hubs before, on anything. They are named Dualmatic!

Very cool to see this old camera on the dash

Here's how the Dualmatic works (thank you Steve! https://robwolfe10.tripod.com/dualmatic_hubs.htm )

here's a page about them getting restored https://www.cj3apage.com/index/My_1950/restoring_dualmatic_hubs.htm

nice assortment of vintage camping stuff

'71 Lotus Europa S2 that was fixed up by the Overhaulin' tv show... only the 2nd car I've ever seen that was fixed up by the Overhaulin show

This probably goes like crazy on a packed snow trail

good looking old Mazda

 

a shorty Pinto!

This Barracuda ain't messing around... not with this supercharged elephant

It's been a long time since I've seen a Triumph GT 6+

interesting Thing

It's been a while since I've seen an old Kenworth

great Jeep truck!

great COE with a lot of cool custom touches

This is a truck made/owned by a Navy senior chief, and he did a cool job of displaying his unit patches around the back window. They look better on a patch jacket, that's what I did with mine, but it's rare that it's ever cold enough here in San Diego to wear it.