For nearly half a century, Mattel’s Hot Wheels toy cars have been allowing people to do what should never be done with full-sized automobiles, namely race them at ridiculous speeds down steep slopes and over ramps at the beach with absolutely no concern for safety whatsoever. That’s just what the demented geniuses of 5 Mad Movie Makers did for their new video, “Hot Wheels Beach Track.” This is the kind of wonderfully meaningless occasion for which adjectives like “awesome” and “epic” are expressly reserved. Other acceptable reactions include “Decent!” and “Nice!” For two glorious minutes, some truly sweet-looking 1:64 vehicles zoom their way down and orange and red plastic track, past various obstacles and even through carefully designed sand tunnels, all amid the sunny climate of palm tree-dotted San Rafael, California. This was probably a son of a bitch to set up, but, man, does it look like fun.
What makes the video especially interesting is that the filmmakers have attached GoPro cameras to their cars, allowing viewers to feel as if they are at the wheel of one of these tiny, die-cast dynamos. Barring the invention of a shrink ray, it would be impossible for a human being to ride in or drive a Hot Wheels car through such a gauntlet, and that’s probably for the best. There are a couple of spills recorded here, but since the vehicles are driver-less (or, perhaps, driver-free), the mishaps only add to the enjoyment factor of the video. Yes, it’s nice when the car makes it all the way down the track, just as it’s supposed to do. But it’s also pretty great when one goes tumbling into the sand. And there are no bothersome insurance forms to fill out afterward.
[via The Daily Dot]