Easily found even in minimarkets across Greater Jakarta, the popularity of die-cast toy car brand Hot Wheels is undeniable nowadays.

Established in 1968 by California-based toy manufacturing company Mattel, Hot Wheels consistently attracted fans with new and unique die-cast toy cars, beyond the regular licensed cars that represent certain brands.

“We have something for everybody, not just one little segment,” Hot Wheels designer Brendon Vetuskey told The Jakarta Post during a press conference in South Tangerang on Oct. 25.

Having joined the company in 2007, Vetuskey was a member of Track & Play Sets team prior to becoming the designer of Monster Truck and Red Line Club die-cast. 

His first design was the 2010 model of the 1967 Pontiac Firebird 400.

“I probably put a lot of pressure on myself just because I wanted it to be perfect, to make a good impression,” he said, reminiscing about those days. “I was actually on the Track & Play Sets team, I wasn’t on the die-cast team. There was no obligation for me to work on this car, but it was something that they let me do and were like ‘Let’s give him a chance’.”

Throughout his career, Vetuskey has designed various licensed Hot Wheels models and three original die-cast cars, namely Hiway Hauler 2, Mountain Mauler and Gotta Go. The latter, which basically looks like a backward toilet, is said to be one of his favorite items.

“It’s special because we can add humor in Hot Wheels; it doesn’t have to be all realistic, licensed replica. We can have fantastical and funny things,” said Vetuskey, who became one of the guest stars at the 2019 Indonesia Diecast Expo (IDE) from Oct. 26 to 27 at ICE BSD, Tangerang, Banten.

The process of designing a die-cast car can take up to nine months, which would begin with an idea. The Gotta Go, for instance, was originally a task given to Vetuskey in which he needed to come up with a “truck that has a moving feature”. When he finished the concept, some people thought he had probably gone too far, while others laughed out loud.

Among the challenges during the process of creation are the intellectual property requirements for licensed die-cast cars. “We’re trying to make it work with our brand and our vision, so sometimes we have to compromise, go back and forth a little bit until we find the solution,” he said.

Vetuskey was almost lost for words when he was asked about what he would do if he did not work for the company. 

“I would be lost,” he said. “I’ve been in the toy industry for 20 years. I feel like Hot Wheels is my home. I don’t want to go anywhere else; I don’t know what else I would do.”

The New York native later came up with another answer however. “Maybe I’d be building real cars because I like to do that on the weekends in my own time,” he said. “But the problem is it would take forever because I’m picky and I just pick my details the way I want them.”

For those who are interested in following Vetuskey’s path, he said one of the important things was having the ability to communicate visually. Obtaining a formal education in industrial design or transportation design may also help. One should also have a passion for cars, understand how a car works and understand about manufacturing processes. 

Vetuskey himself has been collecting die-cast toys since 1994 when he was still in college and he remembered mentioning it in his resume which later helped him land his first job in a toy company.

“Chase your dream, go after it, never give up and just keep going until you get to where you want to be,” he said.

When we asked about one design that he has always dreamed of, he said his work at Hot Wheels had always been continuing and evolving.

“There are more cars that I want to make than I can’t make,” he said. “I’ve got a list that I keep track of regarding cars that I want to make, both foreign and domestic, so it’s not just American cars,” he added.

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