A Chopped 1972 Volkswagen Beetle Races to Victory at Silverstone to Become the UK’s Hot Wheels Legends Tour Winner
Judges Richard Hammond, Hot Wheels designer Dwayne Vance and Nicola Hume crown VW Beetle as Hot Wheels Legends Tour UK
Built to make people smile, the modified Volkswagen Beetle is crowned the seventh winner of Hot Wheels’ Legends Tour UK at CarFest Silverstone
The Beetle will now face regional finalists before the Global Grand Finale and chance to be produced as a die-cast model
Download high resolution images here
A radical 1972 Volkswagen Beetle that will now be sold to raise money for cancer research is the 2026 Hot Wheels Legends Tour UK winner, securing the title at CarFest, held at Silverstone Circuit on 29th August 2026. Judges Richard Hammond, Hot Wheels designer Dwayne Vance and host Nicola Hume were unanimous in selecting the Beetle as the winner for best demonstrating the authenticity, creativity and ‘garage spirit’ that embodies Hot Wheels. Built by Ray Ramsey, a veteran of over 150 custom car builds, it will now face finalists from across 19 countries with the overall winner set to become a 1:64 scale die-cast model enjoyed by thousands of fans around the world.
The 2026 winner is an inventive and striking 1972 Volkswagen Beetle created with a ‘no rules, no limits’ ethos. Kept a secret from everyone by Ray until its reveal in front of a stunned audience at Volksworld 2025, all proceeds from its sale will go to raise money to fight prostate cancer, a battle Ray himself is facing.
The ‘Volksrod’ build was inspired by 1960s Hot Rod legends such as Ed Roth and everything about it is unconventional. The body is chopped by 14 inches but the motor is raised by 6” and the front axle pushed forward by 10”. Converse to the wild body, the engine is a stock Twin Port 1300. A closer look reveals it’s packed with quirky details and creative upcycling ideas. These include the champagne cooler bucket that houses the cyclops lamp and speedo, a vintage cinecamera bought for £1, a dome that came from a primary school toilet roof, inverted Corvette bumpers and a spider strainer from a chip fryer that now forms part of the seat. Ray also created a chain link steering wheel and adopted an egg-whisk for the radio aerial. Even the hydraulic suspension, a fluid dispersal system, was devised by Ray. The rear wheels are from a 1951 truck and the front pair, each now a different colour, are space savers from a Porsche. Inside, every element, just like the exterior, has been chopped, stretched or reimagined by Ray. Accessing it is equally unconventional – either via opening the clamshell roof or passenger door that folds flat.
“I just built this car to make people smile, and hopefully, I achieved this,” says creator Ray Ramsey. “Lots of people say it looks like a Hot Wheels so maybe one day this day could come true.”
Ahead of the Hot Wheels Legends Tour’s first visit to CarFest, the Hot Wheels Design Team in Los Angeles whittled down entries from right across the UK to the three displayed at Silverstone – a 1989 Fiat Panda, known as The Flying Washing Machine, a 1951 Tempo Matador truck that used to deliver potatoes in Australia and the 1972 Beetle. Judging took place at Silverstone with each vehicle carefully scored against the authenticity, creativity and garage spirit criteria.
This year, Hot Wheels built its biggest stand ever for the UK leg of the Legends Tour. Spanning 450 sq metres, it featured full-size vehicles from the Garage of Legends, including Bone Shaker, TV’s Ultimate Challenge winning off-road R33 Nissan Skyline and Pontiac Firebird and lastly, a life-size Hot Wheels Formula 1® 2026 Car with custom Hot Wheels livery, all on display for automotive and racing enthusiasts to enjoy. Fans also had the chance to visit the largest ever Smyths Pop-Up Store at a UK round – offering a range of Hot Wheels die-cast including the coveted, limited-edition, 2026 Legends Tour diecast Team Transport.
“The UK turned up some stunning entries with incredible stories behind each build,” says Hot Wheels design manager Dwayne Vance. “The amazing condition of the Matador and how it has been brought to life demonstrates the sheer hard work these builders put in. The Panda is packed with authenticity as a true track car but ultimately the VW was a real gem. Full of creativity and inspired by Hot Rod culture. It embodies everything that Hot Wheels stands for.”
As well as the prestige of winning the UK leg and entering the Garage of Legends, Ray Ramsey also received Hot Wheels merchandise alongside prize bundles from Hot Wheels Legends Tour UK partners Meguiars and Players. The UK winner will also have the opportunity to head to Los Angeles and visit the home of Hot Wheels with exclusive access to the iconic Design Centre where both Legends and all other Hot Wheels die-cast designs are created.
This year is the ninth and biggest Hot Wheels Legends Tour to date with a record 19 countries celebrating Hot Wheels fandom, car culture and true garage spirit. Ray’s VW will now face cars from Europe in a regional final before the Global Finale in the US in November.
