A unique modified Fiat 126B has been named the winner of the 2025 Hot Wheels Legends Tour.
Created by Paweł Czarnecki from Poland, the diminutive Fiat has been transformed into a tribute to icons of Group B rallying.
Czarnecki’s vision, combined with more than 2,500 hours of hard graft, saw the Fiat beat thousands of other cars from around the world to be crowned the new Hot Wheels champion.
Now, the 126B will be added to the ‘Hot Wheels Garage of Legends’, and transformed into a 1:64-scale die-cast model to be sold worldwide.
Demonstrating true ‘garage spirit’
Despite its tiny dimensions, Czarnecki’s 126 is big on design details, including the addition of a mid-mounted 1.4-litre engine from a Fiat Uno Turbo. A larger turbocharger, taken from a Nissan 200SX, results in a 200hp output.
The Fiat’s bodywork was widened by 47cm (18.5 inches). It features a huge rear wing, along with a bonnet that flips forward. More than 800 hours were spent on 3D printing custom parts for the 126.
Bespoke coilover suspension allows for the perfect stance, riding on period-correct HTN Motorsport three-piece alloy wheels.
Larger brakes taken from a Fiat Uno, a full roll cage and a motorsport-style interior were the finishing touches for Czarnecki’s miniature rally hero.
A global celebration of creativity
This year, the Hot Wheels Legends Tour visited 16 different countries. Contenders for the overall title first had to win local and regional finals.
Three cars then progressed to the Global Grand Final, where they had to impress judges such as broadcaster and famous car enthusiast, Jay Leno.
“From its roots in the US to stops across 16 countries, the Hot Wheels Legends Tour has grown into a truly global celebration of creativity and the automotive community,” said Ted Wu, head of vehicles and building sets at Mattel.
“Car enthusiasts in Poland have shown incredible support for the Tour over the years and Paweł Czarnecki’s custom Fiat exemplifies the talent and imagination that fans from Poland — and around the world — bring to the Hot Wheels Legends Tour.”
Paweł Czarnecki’s Fiat 126 joins past winners of the Hot Wheels Legends Tour, including the UK’s overall winner from 2021: the Volvo P1800 ‘Gasser’.
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