Hot Wheels has revealed a new vehicle called the Flippin Fast die-cast ahead of Autism Acceptance Month in April, saying it based the design of the new toy off a fidget spinner to allow for open-ended sensory play.
The new car sports a unique reversible design that allows it to roll whether it’s right way up or upside down, as well as an extra spinner in the middle of the vehicle for fidget spinner-like play. Ahead of Autism Acceptance Month, the vehicle was designed in partnership with ASAN, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, an autism advocacy nonprofit run for and by autistic people.
The design of the Flippin Fast is centered around open-ended, sensory play, with Hot Wheels stressing that there’s no right or wrong way to play with the toy. “Flip it, spin it, or roll it forwards, backwards and even upside down,” the press release encourages.
“We design tons of cars every year, and of course inspiration can come from anywhere,” said Ted Wu, vice-president of global vehicle design at Mattel. “We have a host of designers that come from the automotive industry. We work across cars of every genre and every type, but one of the most important sources of inspiration, of course, is our consumer, the kids that play with our toys, which is why it was really important for us to take that feedback in while we were developing the Flippin Fast car.”
While the sensory-based toy is designed with people on the autism spectrum in mind, Wu says it was also important for it to be “a fun car for anyone who is a Hot Wheels fan.”