Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge is an NBC summer reality competition series where it revs up to give passionate car lovers and superfans of Mattel's Hot Wheels the opportunity of a lifetime by turning a nostalgic car from their past into the life-sized Hot Wheels of their dreams. The show is hosted by Rutledge Wood and features Dalal Elsheikh and Hertrech Eugene Jr. as judges. A celebrity guest is also occasionally featured as fourth judge.
Premise[]
In each episode, two contestants compete in an Extreme Makeover-like competition where the objective is to turn a significant car from their past into a custom Hot Wheels-style vehicle. The contestants begin by brainstorming ideas for their build in the "Chrome Zone," a room decorated with various Hot Wheels cars and media. After conjuring up their designs, the contestants are introduced to their "Car Pools," groups of skilled automotive mechanics who will help out with their builds. Both teams are then given a week to construct their builds, and the work begins. Around the halfway mark, the "Inspirationator 5000" machine randomly selects one of the 800+ Hot Wheels cars stored inside it, and the teams are tasked with incorporating an element from that car's design into their own builds. On the final day, the two contestants are told to leave the studio, leaving the rest of the build up to the Car Pools. After the week ends, the contestants return to react to the finished builds, and the judges review them to determine a winner. The winning contestant in each episode receives $25,000 and a chance to participate in the finale.
In the finale, the judges select three of the eight winners to compete against each other. The Inspirationator 5000 gives the three finalists their starting cars, which are based on more popular models among Hot Wheels fans. From here, the same process explained above is followed. The winning finalist receives an additional $50,000, and their build is replicated as a 1:64 scale Hot Wheels model.
Episodes[]
Season 1[]
| Date | Episode | Contestant Name | Vehicle | Inspirationator 5000 Twist | Photo | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 30, 2023 | 1 | Jadejha Edwards | Cyber Slicker | Incorporate at least one design element from the Bad to the Blade. |  |
Power Charged |
| "Jerzey" Jim Farell | Power Charged |  | ||||
| June 6, 2023 | 2 | Sheilah Spencir | Monster Bug | Incorporate a moving element like the real-life Twin Mill. |  |
Monster Bug |
| Kevin Lister | Buckaroo |  | ||||
| June 13, 2023 | 3 | Aldavid Jimerson | Spirit of Detroit | Incorporate at least one design element from the Bone Shaker |  |
Spirit of Detroit |
| Rob Anders | Flamin' Firetruck |  | ||||
| June 20, 2023 | 4 | Felix Arguelles | Skater Boy | Remove one part from the original place of the vehicle and move it elsewhere or infuse the Deora II body shape into the build. |  |
Jaipur Jewel |
| Arushi Garg | Jaipur Jewel |  | ||||
| June 27, 2023 | 5 | Caroline Johnson | Need for Speed | Incorporate at least one design element from the El Viento |  |
Need for Speed |
| Angela Arnold | Fight Car |  | ||||
| July 11, 2023 | 6 | Terri Jones | Badge of Honor | Incorporate at least one post-apocalyptic element from the Lethal Diesel. |  |
Mountain Mover |
| Luidgi Aldator | Mountain Mover |  | ||||
| July 18, 2023 | 7 | Nick Harrison | Mardi Gras Mania | Incorporate at least one glow in the dark element from the Cloak and Dagger. |  |
Mardi Gras Mania |
| Michael Cooney | The Reaper |  | ||||
| July 25, 2023 | 8 | Kris Parker | Metamorphosis | Incorporate at least one design element from the Mad Manga |  |
Racer Girl |
| Lauren Partin | Racer Girl |  | ||||
| August 1, 2023 / August 8, 2023 | 9 / 10 | Arushi Garg | Rally Resilience | None, however before the builds, it spits out the following vehicles to be the base builds: Nissan Skyline GT-R R33 (Arushi), '73 Pontiac Firebird (Nick), & Volkswagen Deluxe Station Wagon (Jim). During the builds before the second part, the Inspirationator 5000 spits out five of Jay Leno's Garage vehicles: Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, McLaren F1, '66 Chevrolet Corvair Yenko Stinger, Lamborghini Countach LP 5000 QV, & Jay Leno Tank Car to introduce to a guest judge, Jay Leno. |  |
Rally Resilience Season Winner |
| Nick Harrison | Blazin' Bird |  | ||||
| "Jerzey" Jim Farell | Superfan Van |  |