IWC, Hot Wheels™ and Mercedes-Benz appeared together at Goodwood, did you know?
The Goodwood Members Meeting held last week must have been a highlight for many car enthusiasts, with legendary car designer Gordon Murray unveiling his latest masterpiece, the T.50, for the first time, and “God of Racing” Ayrton Senna’s nephew Bruno Senna driving the iconic 1991 McLaren F1 MP4/6 after 30 years. The battles for the S.F. Edge Trophy, Pierpoint Cup, Gurney Cup, Moss Trophy, and other major awards should all be topics of discussion for car fans.
However, if you have noticed the event, you should have noticed another special announcement of this year’s event, which is that IWC, which has always been closely related to racing, announced that its team IWC Racing has returned to the Stirling Moss Memorial Cup event and collaborated with the top toy model car brand Hot Wheels to launch a collection set named “Racing Works”, including a special edition IWC Pilot Racing Works and a Hot Wheels-made Mercedes-Benz 300 SL “Racing Works Edition” collectible model, limited to 50 sets worldwide. The collection value goes without saying, it is definitely extremely precious.
From April 2019 to now, a full 20 months, this time IWC Racing returns to Goodwood MM. Following the legendary Formula One driver David Coulthard’s victory in the Tony Gaze Championship, the team returns once again. This year, the team announced the participation of Austrian female driver Laura Kraihamer, who excels in endurance races such as GT4, ADAC, and KTM, in the Stirling Moss Memorial Cup. Her vehicle, of course, is the very rare “Gullwing” classic car Mercedes-Benz 300 SL.
Just like the industry’s pioneer, with an unparalleled pursuit of craftsmanship and details, Hot Wheels returns to the Goodwood event with IWC Racing, hoping to continue the festive atmosphere of last year’s collaboration and show support for the team. Therefore, the two sides have decided to collaborate again to launch the “IWC x Hot WheelsTM Racing Works” collection set, connecting the two major brands.
Regarding this special edition Pilot chronograph watch, the case diameter is 43mm, made of grade 5 titanium commonly used in automotive engineering. Its material properties are lighter and harder than steel, greatly enhancing corrosion resistance. Originally in a dark matte gray color, the material has been polished and later sandblasted to make the case more unique.
This “IWC x Hot WheelsTM Racing Works” special edition watch features the Hot Wheels flame logo on the side of the case at 9 o’clock, and the black dial is adorned with the “Checker Flag” pattern that is always present at the finish line of a race. Due to the laser-engraved treatment of the squares, the dial will exhibit a textured effect of alternating light and dark squares in the light. As for the movement, this special edition watch is equipped with IWC’s in-house 69385 calibre, with its intricate structure and the “68” font engraved with the founding years of IWC and Hot Wheels visible through the smoked blue sapphire caseback; the strap is crafted in a seamless knit technique in silver and black, echoing the colors of the IWC Racing Mercedes-Benz 300 SL.
On the other hand, the set also includes the Hot Wheels special edition Mercedes-Benz 300 SL “Racing Works Edition.” This toy model car, designed by the Hot Wheels design team, features details and carvings added by designer Manson Cheung, with patterns drawn by another designer Steve Vandervate and IWC designer Nicholas Schmidt. It is reported that this work is one of the most detailed 1:64 scale models ever produced by Hot Wheels, out of over 10,000 model car designs, with features such as openable Gull-wing doors, perfectly replicated interior with bucket seats, roll cage, red door sills, and headlights with Mercedes-Benz logo and racing patterns. Due to the complexity of the process, only 50 sets were released, making this model car one of the rarest official models in Hot Wheels history.
In addition, the custom packaging of this “Racing Works” set makes it even more unique: the chronograph watch and model car are packed in a silver and black metal toolbox, and the packaging box also includes a watch user manual, a booklet introducing the project, and a nameplate engraved with the set’s unique number. The set with the number “1” has been confirmed to be auctioned by Bonhams for charity, with the proceeds going to the Two Bit Circus Foundation, dedicated to creating learning experiences for children of all economic backgrounds by encouraging interdisciplinary education in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) through maker spaces. The limited edition “Racing Works” set is priced at HK$81,400, but it is rumored to have sold out quickly after its release. Watch enthusiasts who are interested may have to try their luck at the store again.
資料及圖片來源：Courtesy of IWC Schaffhausen
