The Ultimate Challenge is nearly over, so don't miss out.
Earlier this year, NBC announced its new show called Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge, and now it's slowly creeping toward the highly-anticipated finale. In case you haven't been following the series, the season-finale-winning creation will be immortalized as an official die-cast car. If you haven't started watching yet, you can stream all the episodes that have aired so far on Peacock or watch the shortened highlights on YouTube. The finale is scheduled for 1 August 2023.
Former Top Gear US host Rutledge Wood hosts the series. So far, seven of the ten episodes have aired. It's not the usual restoration reality TV formula we've seen before. It's more a mix of Pimp My Ride and Overhaulin', and each episode features two passionate car fans meeting up with a car with which they have some personal connection.
After the emotional greeting, the two car fans go head-to-head in the Chrome Zone, transforming the chosen car into an “extraordinary Hot Wheels showstopper.” It's like the Hot Wheels Legends Tour but on TV.
The Chrome Zone is unique because it's basically a life-size Hot Wheels track with a dedicated library of iconic tiny die-cast cars from the past. The competitors can use the library to find inspiration for their own creations. It's also used as a reference because, during the build, the Inspirationator 5000 throws a spanner in the works. It spits out an iconic Hot Wheels from the company's impressive catalog, and the competitors must incorporate at least one design element from that car into their design.
To aid them during the build, the two competitors are joined by a team of automotive experts, The Car Pool. Each contestant gets a high-tech garage with everything they need, but there's a twist. Unlike most head-to-head build shows, the garages face each other, so both teams know exactly what the other is up to.
There are also celebrity judges, including Jay Leno, Anthony Anderson, Joel McHale, Terry Crews, and the most intimidating of all, Sung Kang. Would you want to build a sucky car in front of Han? Nope, us neither. We're definitely not talking Z-List people.
The mix of cars is also quite interesting. It ranges from something as obvious as the Chevrolet Camaro to a classic Volkswagen Beetle. There's even a Suzuki Super Carry from the '90s. At the end of each episode, Wood, the celebrity guest, Hert Eugene Jr., and Dalal Elsheikh, designer for the Ford Motor Company and Hot Wheels brand ambassador, judge the cars.
“Everyone remembers their first car, the life experiences they had, and the friends who came along for the ride,” said Corie Henson, EVP of Unscripted Programming, NBC Universal Television and Streaming. “Our prolific partners at Endemol Shine North America and Mattel have created larger-than-life family viewing with edge and humor, all led by car enthusiast Rutledge Wood, whose creativity, credibility, and passion for Hot Wheels makes him the perfect person to drive this wild competition.”
Keyword: Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge Ready To Pick The Next Hot Wheels Car