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
Hanseo University Expands Aviation Training Program with New Frasca Flight Training Device10.12.2025 17:05:00 EET | Press release
Frasca International, Inc., a FlightSafety International company and leader in flight simulation, today announced that Hanseo University in South Korea is expanding its aviation program with a new Level 5 Cessna 172 Flight Training Device (FTD), the seventh Frasca device to join the university’s fleet. Hanseo University’s school of Aeronautical Science recognized by the Korean University Accreditation Institute as the nation’s first Specialized University for Training Professional Workforce Industries, continues to expand its state-of-the-art simulation capabilities with the acquisition of a Level 5 Cessna 172 FTD. The addition builds on a partnership with Frasca that has spanned more than two decades and further advances aviation education across Asia. “We were seeking simulators that provided both realism and reliability, and Frasca stood out immediately,” said Dr. HanSuk Jung, Vice President Aeronautics, Hanseo University. “Over the years, our partnership has become a deep and lasti
Bregal Milestone Announces Majority Growth Investment in Beyond Now10.12.2025 17:00:00 EET | Press release
Bregal Milestone, a leading European software growth private equity firm, today announced a majority growth investment in Beyond Now (the “Company”), a fast-growing, cloud-native supply chain software provider for AI-enabled digital commerce. Driven by strong customer demand, Beyond Now has generated profitable growth and >40% last twelve-month ARR growth. Beyond Now supports some of the world’s largest and most innovative Communication Service Providers (CSPs), including Verizon, AT&T, Deutsche Telekom, and NTT, in managing complex digital supply chains to create seamless end-to-end partner and customer operations. Founded in 2018, the Company serves telecommunication providers, technology companies, and private enterprises to efficiently scale and monetize digital services through its suite of modern, Ecosystem Orchestration and Digital Platforms - including an AI Digital Business Platform for orchestrating partner offerings, an AI Digital Marketplace solution for personalized custom
Andersen Global Enhances Legal Capabilities with Addition of Brazilian Member Firm10.12.2025 16:30:00 EET | Press release
Andersen Global reinforces its legal platform in Brazil as Lotti e Araújo becomes a member firm, strengthening the organization’s capabilities in Latin America. Founded over 20 years ago, Lotti e Araújo provides comprehensive legal advisory services to Brazilian and multinational clients across numerous industries. Its multidisciplinary practice includes corporate law, tax, labor, litigation, collection, and credit recovery—along with specialized work identifying hidden assets and recovering appeal and judicial deposits in older cases. The firm also handles arbitration, administrative law, foreign investment, real estate, intellectual property, data protection, and corporate restructuring, and offers paralegal support for company formation and representation before regulatory agencies. The team advises clients on preventive legal strategies and complex disputes before administrative bodies and courts in Brazil. “At Lotti e Araújo, we have built our practice on ethics, precision, and a
NetJets to Bring Starlink High-Speed Connectivity to Fleet10.12.2025 16:05:00 EET | Press release
NetJets, the global leader in private aviation, and Starlink have entered into an agreement to bring high-speed in-flight connectivity to 600 aircraft across NetJets’ global fleet by the end of 2026, unlocking a new level of productivity and exceptional travel experiences in the air. “This agreement with Starlink positions NetJets to continue delivering exceptional travel experiences for our Owners and their guests,” said Patrick Gallagher, President, NetJets Aviation. “With Starlink, travel is elevated with reliable connectivity whether our Owners are flying for business or leisure—as seamless connectivity is critical to the experience our Owners need and deserve.” This multi-year, service level agreement paves the way for NetJets to quickly and seamlessly outfit its aircraft across the U.S. and Europe, with installation beginning as early as this month. Starlink is the world's most advanced satellite constellation using a low Earth orbit to deliver broadband internet capable of suppo
Mercator Ocean International Makes AI Ocean Forecasting Operational with GLONET Validated by OceanBench at NeurIPS 202510.12.2025 16:00:00 EET | Press release
At NeurIPS 2025, one of the world’s leading AI conferences, Mercator Ocean unveiled OceanBench, the first open benchmark designed to assess AI Ocean forecasting models. This milestone follows the publication of Mercator Ocean’s AI model GLONET in September. Together, OceanBench and GLONET represent a decisive step toward integrating artificial intelligence into operational ocean forecasting, strengthening Europe’s leadership in trustworthy, AI-driven predictions at global scale. Presented by Anass El Aouni, Oceanographer and machine learning (ML) researcher, and Quentin Gaudel, ML Systems Architect, OceanBench establishes a unified standard to evaluate AI models against fundamental ocean dynamics. GLONET is the first forecasting system to be validated through OceanBench for operational use. Anass El Aouni : “OceanBench provides a transparent standard to evaluate AI-driven ocean forecasts. By comparing artificial intelligence with physics-based models, we can highlight strengths, identi
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