A $219.99 Mercedes-Benz? Craig Lowndes’ Hot Wheels build sells out on Carsales

Thinkerbell has partnered with Mattel to unveil Mattel Brick Shop, a new range of buildable collectibles launched via a unique retail collaboration with Carsales.

The collection debuts with three Hot Wheels® sets, including a 1,600-piece replica of a 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, built and signed by Australian motorsport icon Craig Lowndes.

Priced at $219.99, the one-of-a-kind build was listed on Carsales and sold in under 30 seconds after Lowndes revealed it live on the Today Show.

Lowndes' model features metal components, official licensed decals and an accompanying 1:64 die-cast car. While his original build was a one-off, a Premium Series version is now available for pre-order exclusively on Carsales for a limited four-week period from 7 July.

1954 Model Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (Mattel Edition) Manual on Carsales.com.au. Click for the listing.

Also included in the launch are the Mattel Brick Shop™ Hot Wheels™ 1963 Corvette Grand Sport and 1990 Honda NSX sets, both priced at $79.99. The full Mattel Brick Shop range will roll out nationally from late August.

“With our passion for cars, we feel Mattel Brick Shop brings something to collectible construction that continues to build on what we’ve always done; fuel imagination, inspire storytelling and create emotional connections,” said Paul Faulkner, APAC Managing Director, Mattel. “We think collectors and car lovers alike are going to be obsessed.”

The launch campaign includes vintage-inspired print ads and video content across YouTube and Vimeo. It was developed and produced by Thinkerbell, which also handled the creative rollout.

Vintage style press ads, based on the original magazine ads for each model

“When you have such an authentic product that real fans will understand the ins and outs of, you really need to launch it in an authentic way,” said Tom Wenborn, Chief Creative at Thinkerbell. “It’s really been a labour of love for the team piecing these little beauties together for shoots.”

The Mattel Brick Shop initiative is positioned to appeal to both nostalgic collectors and a new generation of car enthusiasts, merging the worlds of toy craft and automotive culture in a digitally native way.

Credits
Creative agency: Thinkerbell
Client: Mattel
Media: UM
Production: Thinkerbell

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