Low and Slow: a look at an icon in Hot Wheels form

Southern California is a haven of car culture. It started out with Hot Rodders after WWII. The aerospace scene helped give way to home-grown land-speed cars. Carroll Shelby set up shop there. Car guys like James Dean lived out his automotive dreams in Southern California. Many classic car movies are based in California (The Fast and the Furious, Gone in 60 Seconds, among many more). One of the most iconic and unique parts of Southern California however is the lowrider scene.

While hot rodders were doing their thing in the 40s and 50s, a new sect of car culture was blooming from the groups of Mexican Americans living in Southern California. Stemming from both a rebellion of the status quo and embracing of their ancestral heritage, lowriders made quite the impact. Many of the best things about the United States is when there is a merge of traditional American ideas with immigrant ingenuity. It’s because of things like this we got the cheeseburger, the Saturn V rocket, and even blue jeans. Like those other things, nothing in car culture is more American than the Lowrider.

S’LOW

Lowriders are all about low and slow. It’s why the pink car pictured here has a license plate stating “s’low”. Of course, back when there was strife between the Mexican-American communities and the police, laws were made in California to ban a car’s bodywork be below the bottom of the rim of the car. That’s when the famous hydraulics came into being. Lowriders have always been about being flashy, and this added another level.

The pink car I’m showcasing here from the Hot Wheels Redline Club (debuted earlier 2021) is named “…by any other name” as shown on the lower rear fender. It has incredible rose tampos set off by the brighter pink pinstriping all over a spectraflame paint job. The gold wire wheels are really set off against the pink.

ICONIC

The details all around are incredible, and befitting of a car representing an impressive car scene. Of course, this is likely the most iconic of the lowriders – the ’64 Chevy Impala. Chevy’s were numerous during the beginning of the lowrider scene and due to them already being low-slung and plush vehicles, this made them the perfect canvas to make a statement.

You might also realize the ’64 Impala has been immortalized through Hip Hop culture by the likes of Eazy-E (“Cruisin down the street in my 6-4”) and Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg in videos like “Still D.R.E.”. 1964 was a time of much racial strife in the United States – and also the year the Civil Rights Act was signed. It immediately became a symbol for minorities in America of their achievement of the American Dream when the typical life of luxury many had only been able to witness was now attainable after the many years of discrimination pre-1964. The ’64 Impala through the lowrider and hip hop scenes became a symbol of minority strength in southern California and the nation.

Hot Wheels pushed these cars even further by giving them the articulating suspension to emulate a real lowrider on hydraulics. They did an amazing job with the functionality. There is a ton of adjustability and you don’t have to worry about them not holding their positions. They really knocked it out of the park. You can find just about any pose you want on these cars.

HOT WHEELS WITH BACK TO BACK HITS

Hot Wheels decided to follow up the pink car with another one just in time for the holiday season. This light blue car is named “The Snowman” and has a nice wintery motif applied. The license plate even states “Frio” (cold in Spanish).

Just like with the pink car, Hot Wheels knocked this one out with the details. The paint, the tampos, the wheels, everything is perfect. I mean, just look at the lights on the car…

I really have to give my hand to Hot Wheels on these cars. Hot Wheels stemmed out of Southern California, are still there, and here gave proper homage to one of the greatest car cultures around. The lowrider scene has always been about community, and Hot Wheels did lowriders right by bringing them in with open arms on these two fantastic castings. If you can grab one (20k made of the pink and 30k of the light blue), they’ll make excellent additions to your collection.