Lee Johnstone’s Volvo P1800 From the UK Crowned Winner of 2021 Hot Wheels™ Legends Tour Global Grand Finale at Jay Leno’s Garage
The winner of the 2021 Hot Wheels™ Legends Tour was selected today during a global livestream event at Jay Leno’s Garage. Hailing from Somerset, England, the 1969 Volvo P1800 built by Lee Johnstone will join a prestigious group of custom cars in the Hot Wheels Garage of Legends™ and will be forever immortalized as a 1:64 Hot Wheels® die-cast toy.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211113005258/en/
2021 Hot Wheels Legends Tour Winner - 1969 Volvo P1800 Gasser (Photo: Business Wire)
This Volvo P1800 "Aint No Saint" Gasser was originally registered as new in 1969. Its owner, 71-year-old English motor mechanic Lee Johnstone, acquired the vehicle as a rusty rolling shell before thoroughly restoring, modifying, and transforming it into the quarter-mile monster it is today. Sporting a Chevrolet 454 big block, its new power plant is capped with a 671 GMC supercharger and dual four-barrel carburetors. Finished in a fitting shade of Volvo green, it is a true culmination of more than 50 years of ‘race it, break it, build it better’ experience. Perhaps most importantly – and in true challenger spirit – "Aint No Saint" is also a family affair, with Lee's three daughters, Eleanor, Sarah and Victoria, sharing in the driving duties, and his wife, Sue, on standby to help crew.
Finishing its fourth year, the Hot Wheels Legends Tour is a worldwide competition spanning 11 countries and five continents, making it the world’s largest international traveling car show. Thousands of builds were submitted to compete in a series of in-person and virtual stops, which began in April 2021. Over the past seven months, some of the most unique and inspiring custom creations went head-to-head, all for a chance to become the next Hot Wheels die-cast toy sold – and played with by fans of all ages – across the globe.
This year’s global Grand Finale was co-hosted by celebrity car enthusiast Jay Leno and motorsports ambassador Jarod DeAnda during a virtual livestream event, where they were joined by an array of automotive and design experts from around the world to complete the task of choosing the 2021 winner. Joining them on stage were Ted Wu, Global Head of Design for Vehicles, Mattel; Bryan Benedict, Director of Vehicles Design, Mattel; Brendon Vetuskey, Vehicles Designer, Mattel; Henrik Fisker, automotive design icon; Elana Scherr, senior editor of Car and Driver; car customizer and automotive electronics guru Mad Mike; and automotive content creator and drifting enthusiast Sara Choi.
“The Hot Wheels Legends Tour has truly become a global celebration of custom car creations,” said Ted Wu, Vice President, Global Head of Design for Vehicles, Mattel. “With the addition of five new countries in the Tour, we have been able to reach and interact with millions of new fans and builders from around the world. The Volvo Gasser is a wonderful expression of authenticity, creativity and, most importantly, garage spirit. We look forward to welcoming Lee Johnstone and his 1969 Volvo P1800 into the Hot Wheels family and presenting the world with our newest Hot Wheels Legends Tour die-cast toy.”
“Having my family here with me for this moment was so special,” said Lee Johnstone. “I am excited to have my car become a Hot Wheels die-cast toy and to be able to share my passion project in 1:64 scale with the world. It’s amazing to be the first U.K. winner.”
The 2021 Hot Wheels Legends Tour was made possible in collaboration with Walmart and Mobil 1.
To learn more about the Hot Wheels Legends Tour, visit https://hotwheels.mattel.com/explore/en/legends-tour.
ABOUT HOT WHEELS
As a 53-year old brand more relevant today than ever before, Hot Wheels is the world’s leading vehicle franchise which represents and unites all segments of car culture. For decades Hot Wheels has proven its influence in automotive and pop culture with legendary design and epic performance. Through unparalleled collaborations with global leaders in streetwear, fashion, luxury, entertainment, action sports and motorsports, Hot Wheels is the #1 selling toy in the world* with over 8 billion vehicles sold. The brand engages fans of every generation through immersive live events, global competitions, theme park attractions, world-class digital gaming, consumer products and film and television content.
About Mattel
Mattel is a leading global toy company and owner of one of the strongest catalogs of children’s and family entertainment franchises in the world. We create innovative products and experiences that inspire, entertain and develop children through play. We engage consumers through our portfolio of iconic brands, including Barbie®, Hot Wheels®, Fisher-Price®, American Girl®, Thomas & Friends™, UNO® and MEGA®, as well as other popular intellectual properties that we own or license in partnership with global entertainment companies. Our offerings include film and television content, gaming, music and live events. We operate in 35 locations and our products are available in more than 150 countries in collaboration with the world’s leading retail and e-commerce companies. Since its founding in 1945, Mattel is proud to be a trusted partner in empowering children to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential.
About Mobil 1
Mobil 1™ motor oil is the world's leading brand of synthetic motor oil. Our advanced technology allows Mobil 1 motor oils to meet or exceed some of the industry’s toughest standards and to provide exceptional protection under even extreme driving conditions. Mobil 1 motor oil is designed to help protect critical engine parts, maximize engine performance, and extend engine life. For more information, visit us online at www.mobil1.us or and follow @Mobil1 on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
*Source: The NPD Group/Retail Tracking Service
MAT-W
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211113005258/en/
Contact information
Scott Shaffstall
Mattel Global Communications
scott.shaffstall@mattel.com
310-252-3610
Michael Haas
Extension PR
mhaas@extensionpr.com
949-838-4116
Taylor Vande Beek
Extension PR
tvandebeek@extensionpr.com
310-982-0242
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
BEYOND Developments Reveals a New Vision for Purposeful Living on Dubai Islands with SIORA11.12.2025 19:02:00 EET | Press release
BEYOND Developments, the bold and design-led real estate developer shaping next-generation waterfront destinations in the UAE, today unveiled SIORA, its first beachfront masterplan on Dubai Islands and the company’s second large-scale community within a year. The launch underscores BEYOND’s accelerated growth and strong alignment with Dubai’s future urban vision. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251211014389/en/ BEYOND Developments - SIORA Masterplan at sunset - Dubai Islands (Photo: AETOSWire) Spanning over 2M square feet, SIORA is conceived as a coastal sanctuary inspired by Japanese garden philosophies, including the pursuit of Ikigai, the Japanese concept of finding purpose and fulfilment in everyday life. In this context, it reflects a philosophy of creating spaces that bring clarity, balance, and a sense of meaning, where architecture nurtures wellbeing and restores harmony between people, nature, and pla
3Degrees Welcomes David Dines to Board of Directors11.12.2025 18:00:00 EET | Press release
3Degrees, a global leader in renewable energy and climate solutions, is pleased to announce the appointment of David Dines to its Board of Directors, effective December 8, 2025. Dines brings more than four decades of leadership experience across global energy, commodities, financial services, transportation, and industrial markets. He served on the executive team as Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Senior Vice President at Cargill, Inc., the largest privately held company in the United States, where he oversaw enterprise-wide financial strategy, capital deployment, and financial performance. During his 29-year career at Cargill, Dines led multiple global businesses, played key roles in major technology and process transformations, and was a member of Cargill’s Commodity Risk, Financial Risk, and Process, Data, and Technology Committees. “We are thrilled to welcome David to the 3Degrees board,” said Philippe Vedrenne, CEO, 3Degrees. “He has an exceptional command of financial stewa
ITC Infotech wins PTC Partner Network Award for FY25 in the PLM Category11.12.2025 16:40:00 EET | Press release
ITC Infotech, a leading global technology services and solutions provider, has been awarded the PTC Partner Network Award for FY25 in the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) category. This prestigious recognition, awarded to a single partner globally, celebrates excellence in deploying Enterprise PLM software, enabling global and cross-functional teams to effectively manage product data and providing a trusted system for product information. The award underscores ITC Infotech’s leadership in PLM-led digital transformation, as well as its strategic alignment with PTC’s Intelligent Product Lifecycle vision, which helps customers build a structured product data foundation that serves as the backbone for AI-driven transformation. Through its specialized DxP Services, ITC Infotech has helped enterprises transform and modernize their product development lifecycle processes, seamlessly transition to SaaS ecosystem and build digitally connected, intelligent and future-ready solutions to acceler
Andersen Consulting Deepens Offerings with LBC11.12.2025 16:30:00 EET | Press release
Andersen Consulting strengthens its capabilities through a Collaboration Agreement with LBC, a Portugal-based international firm known for its integrated approach to business optimization, digital transformation and human capital development, combining creativity and human ethics with AI to accelerate value creation. Founded in 2001, LBC supports international organizations, government entities, and companies in several sectors, including financial, energy, TMT, transport, and public sectors. Serving clients in Africa, the Americas, and Europe, LBC provides management consulting, digital transformation, capacity building, and AI enablement. Known for a culture of innovative transformation focused on sustained performance, the firm helps clients navigate complex change with measurable impact. Recent investments in enterprise AI enhance its capabilities across UX/UI, automation, analytics, and web solutions. “At LBC, our mission is rooted in co-creating meaningful and enduring impact,” s
Texas Card House to Host World Series of Poker® Circuit in 202611.12.2025 16:00:00 EET | Press release
The World Series of Poker (WSOP) has announced that Texas will join its exclusive ranks as an official stop on the 2026 Circuit Tour for the first time in history. Through an exclusive partnership with Texas Card House, the iconic WSOP Circuit will be hosted in Austin, at TCH Social from April 23rd to May 4th 2026. TCH Social is one of the Texas-based company’s flagship locations featuring up to 70 poker tables, a full-service restaurant, craft cocktails, and an upscale atmosphere. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251211428594/en/ Texas Card House Social Austin, the first-ever Texas venue to welcome the WSOP Circuit. During the event, Texas will become the center of the professional poker universe. Players from around the world will compete at the Texas Card House in Austin to claim a championship WSOP Circuit ring, enormous prize pools, and a place in poker history at this first-ever WSOP event in Texas. Spect
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom