Mr. Elliott Handler invented the Hot Wheels idea during the 1960's. The first set of cars were released in 1968 and included models such as the Corvette, the Cougar, the Barracuda, the Firebird, the Mustang, the Volkswagen, the Deora and the Hot Heap. Hot Wheels are a series of toy cars produced in the United States by the well-known toy company Mattel. Although a US product, Hot Wheels cars are extremely popular in the UK and are popular collectables for people of all ages. Since the product was established in 1968 many styles, shapes and variations of cars have been brought to the market and proved highly successful around the globe. The cars are continuously developed in appearance to keep up to date with the supercar image and technical modifications take place to ensure the cars remain as advanced as possible.