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Brief Background History
Corgi:*
Corgi Toys, like Hot Wheels, is the name of a line of scale-size diecast vehicles. Originally manufactured by Mettoy Company Ltd. in Britain, Corgi diecast appeared on the British market in 1956. Up until the early 1970s, Corgi enjoyed success; but the appearance of Mattel's Hot Wheels negatively affected every diecast manufacturers' sales. Additionally, Mettoy decided to challenge Mattel by refitting previous models (though a few new models also appeared) with new wheels {Whizzwheels} and chassis. For almost a decade, the Corgi Juniors line was basically responsible for keeping all the Corgi lines alive. In the late 1970s, there was a brief resurgence in the entire Corgi lines with the introduction of limiteds, TV and movie related vehicles, and the 1:43 scale vehicles. Unfortunately, Mettoy heavily invested in a computer system that was marketed to the public which was not successful. That failure, combined with a decline in overall diecast sales, resulted in Mettoy going into receivership on October 31, 1983.
But that was not the end for Corgi.
Less than six months later, on March 29, 1984, Corgi Toys Ltd. came into existence. Using most of the pre-existing Mettoy 'set-up,' Corgi Toys got rid of everything that was not diecast related. And refocused on a new market. Now, children weren't the primary market. Corgi Toys decided to go after the adult collector market. One of the first things Corgi Toys did was to replace the Corgi-dog logo with the "Traffic" one.
Though focusing on adult buyers, Corgi Toys still manufactured the "Junior(s)" line for children since the line was not only profitable, it helped keep the company afloat as it went after its new primary market. And during the next four to five years, Corgi Toys heavily reused previous models and added only a few new diecast to its lines. Though Corgi Toys was in another resurgence, the company began looking for ways to increase its research-and-development department (mostly the development aspect) so that more new vehicles could be added to existing lines.
Corgi Toys found that 'help' from one of its major competitors.
Hot Wheels:‡
Hot Wheels, like Corgi Toys, is the name of a line of diecast vehicles. Manufactured by Mattel, Inc. in California, U.S.A., Hot Wheels diecast appeared on the American market in 1968. Their appearance immediately, and negatively, affected all other diecast manufactures' sales. Hot Wheels enjoyed a high level of success in America until the early 1980s when the diecast market went into a slump and affected every manufacturer.
For the next couple of years, previous models were heavily reused and only a few new models were released each year.
Toward the end of the 1980s, the market was back on track and Mattel was looking into expanding the Hot Wheels market. Even though LEO/Mattel was producing Hot Wheels in India for markets outside the U.S., the European market was dominated by Matchbox and Corgi. When Mattel was seriously trying to get into the European market, something happened that the company couldn't resist.
Mattel found its 'opportunity' when one of its major European competitors was looking for 'help.'
Combined Competitors:
On December 18, 1989, Corgi (lock, stock, and barrel -- in other words, the entire Corgi Toys operation) became part of the Mattel family.
Though Mattel promised Corgi and its shareholders that no major changes would occur, early 1991 saw Corgi's long-time Swansea factory and offices closed and moved to Mattel's UK headquarters in Leicester. This sparked fears that the Corgi name and lines would be phased out and that everything would be issued as part of the Hot Wheels line. But those fears were laid to rest in 1992 when Mattel's Executive Vice President at the time, Peter Eichorn, stated that the Corgi name would not disappear and that Mattel was committed to furthering the development of Corgi. Packaging-wise, the only change was the addition of Mattel's starburst/sawblade logo somewhere on the package.
When production was moved to China in 1990, Mattel wanted to phase out any differences between the "Corgi Juniors" and "Hot Wheels" lines with the designation of "Corgi Auto-City" for the diecast that were originally Corgi Juniors and Corgi Haulers. This line existed from 1991 till late 1994 or early 1995 (depending on source).
Though unconfirmed, the Corgi division apparently did not like this change. Separate Ways:
Sometime in 1994, the Corgi division began talks with Mattel for a "Corgi management buy-back" that would make Corgi an independent company once again.
The talks were successful and, on August 7, 1995, the deal was finalized.
However, the 'help' that Corgi originally sought came at a price. Part of the deal had Mattel not only keeping the "Auto-City" name, but (as research indicates) all the diecast molds {formerly Corgi Juniors & Corgi Haulers} that were released under the "Corgi Auto-City" name/line. Mattel's bounty included, approximately:
42 cars & trucks
7 semi rigs
6 "Superhaulers"
I purposely used "approximately" since my research has not found any exact numbers. In fact, Corgi has only one catalog on file (when I contacted them) for the time period of Mattel's ownership. It's a 1994 catalog and only shows the models for that year. Also, there were several models and packagings that were never made available here in the U.S.
For a 'complete' listing of "Auto-City" items, click here. |
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Are They "Corgi Hot Wheels" or "Hot Wheels Corgi"?
That is the question which faces enthusiasts of both Corgi and Hot Wheels.
Even though the packaging design was changed to reflect Mattel's sole 'ownership' of the Auto-City line and its vehicles, there were almost no changes made to the vehicles themselves.
It's a very rare exception for a chassis to have either the "Hot Wheels" name or logo on it. In fact, I'm aware of only one vehicle. It's the Skip Dumper (aka "Sandstinger" as a mainline vehicle in the regular Hot Wheels line) from the "Corgi Juniors" line. Supposedly, both the "Corgi" and "Corgi Juniors" were to be replaced by "Hot Wheels"; however, (and possibly due to the English—Chinese language differences) only the Corgi part was replaced on the Skip Dumper's chassis. As a result, the chassis reads "Hot Wheels [flame logo] Juniors"!
I only know of four vehicles (still with the Corgi chassis) whose sticker/tampo designs were 'changed' to reflect/include the Hot Wheels flame logo. With most of the designs saying "Hot Wheels [flame logo] Team Racing," the vehicles are:
F.1 Racer
Hot Rod Custom Van
Jaguar XJR12
Kenworth Truck
After Mattel and Corgi separated and went their separate ways, the Hot Wheels line has eventually incorporated (with "Hot Wheels" chassis!) at least 36 former Corgi models. Several of these were introduced in Hot Wheels' "Action Pack" line while most just appeared as regular mainline diecasts (but never as a First Edition).As to being "Corgi Hot Wheels" or "Hot Wheels Corgi,"
that decision is left up to you.
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- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -To find out what effect the "Auto-City" line had on Hot Wheels in general, click here
or on the "The" link at the top of the page (for some reason, the full page title of
The "Auto-City" Impact on "Hot Wheels" doesn't appear).
* For a better, more detailed history and background on Corgi, I recommend the following book. The Unauthorized Encyclopedia of Corgi Toys with Value Guide © 1997
by Bill Manzke
Dr. Edward Force has also written a few Corgi books (simply titled Corgi Toys), and they are excellent as picture and value guides but have little in the way of history. Unfortunately (and as far as I know), none of his books (at least first, second, and third editions) cover the Mattel-years of Corgi. On the copyright page, Force states that the book only covers "Corgi Toys from their introduction in 1956 through the failure of the original manufacturer Mettoy Co. Ltd. in 1983."I only have the Manzke book (I had Force's 1997 3rd edition for a while just for research purposes). This is the only Corgi book I have since I am only interested in, as the website title indicates, the Hot Wheels Auto-City diecast. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -‡ For a better, more detailed history and background on Hot Wheels, I recommend the following book. Tomart's Price Guide to Hot Wheels (any edition; currently at 5th)
by Michael Thomas Strauss
There are several books on Hot Wheels, most done by Bob Parker. Though lacking detailed history and background and pictures (when compared to Strauss' book), they are excellent guides especially for the data on other Hot Wheels lines and when they were available.I have three of Strauss' books and one of Parker's. Since neither covers all the different lines nor has pictures of them, I've created my own guide that combines both books along with pages from a McDonald's collector book, pictures and print-outs from the InterNet, and other information from various places. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Reference materials used for this site: Corgi Classic Limited; 1994 Mattel Corgi catalog; pp. 1-13; photocopies provided by Nona Starosta, Consumer Services, Corgi Classics Limited, Leicester, Great Britain. Force, Dr. Edward; Corgi Toys - 3rd Edition with Updated Value Guide; Schiffer Publishing Ltd., Atglen, PA; © 1997. Manzke, Bill; The Unauthorized Encyclopedia of Corgi Toys with Value Guide; Schiffer Publishing Ltd., Atglen, PA; © 1977. Online auction websites {mainly eBay and Yahoo}. Strauss, Michael Thomas; Tomart's Price Guide to Hot Wheels; 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th editions; Tomart Publications, Dayton, OH; © 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002. Sutton, Jim; "The Corgi Conection"; online electronic article for the Wheels of Fire -- A Hot Wheels Club of Arizona website {http://wheelsoffire.freeservers.com};
posted June 27, 2000; © 2000. Sutton, Jim; Personal Collection of Hot Wheels (Corgi) Auto-City. www.corgi.co.uk/coll_history.html; "History of Corgi" pages; online access and print-out April 6, 2000; © 2000.
{"History of Corgi" new address: www.corgi.co.uk/loadframe.ihtml?page=history1.html
The pages referenced are -- history2 history3 history4
© 2001}
This site is in no way affiliated with Mattel, Inc., Hot Wheels, Corgi or any of their other businesses or subsidiaries.
"Hot Wheels," the Hot Wheels flame logo, the Mattel starburst/sawblade logo, "Auto-City," the Auto-City packaging, and "Matchbox" are registered trademarks, colors, and designs of Mattel, Inc.
"Corgi," "Corgi Toys," "Corgi Juniors," "Corgi Junior," "Corgi Haulers," "Corgi Superhaulers," the Corgi dog-in-a-box logo, the "Traffic" logo, and the Corgi packaging are registered trademarks and designs of Mettoy Ltd. PLC and/or its successors Corgi Toys Ltd. and Corgi Classics Ltd.
Vehicle and chassis names are registered trademarks of their respective manufacturers.
The use of any copyrighted material, registered trademarks, and/or designs at this site is in no way meant as any type of infringement. The use of such material, trademarks, and/or designs at this site is solely meant for informative and illustrative purposes only. Content © 2002-2017 by the creator of this site.
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