Hot Wheels Proton Saga Limited Edition to get packaging designed by 9-year old girl

KUALA LUMPUR: Back in December, the popular toy car brand, Hot Wheels (owned by Mattel), teamed up with Proton to create a 1:64 die-cast model of the Saga sedan. Now, the two companies took their collaboration to the next level by organizing the Hot Wheels x PROTON Kids Design Competition this weekend.

The kids from all over the country were invited to take part in the competition to create hand-drawn artworks representing "A Malaysian National Car" for the special edition Hot Wheels Proton Saga packaging. More than 386 kids (aged 4-12 years old) submitted their entries with patriotic colours like blue, white, red, and yellow. The top three winners were -

• Saw Jane Harn (9 years old)
• Ezra Rehan Pal (11 years old)
• Austin Goh Zi Hao (11 years old)

Saw Jane Harn, from Penang, grabbed the title of “first kid in the world” to have artwork featured on Hot Wheels packaging. Yes, that’s right! Harn’s design will be printed on the special edition Hot Wheels Proton Saga, set to go on sale in Malaysia in 2024. However, the design will first undergo a pre-production review. 

Speaking about Harn’s artwork, she beautifully captures and commemorates several of Malaysia's natural wonders and accomplishments, featuring the rhinoceros hornbill, the hibiscus (the national bird and flower, respectively), and the National Monument.

“The Malaysian elements Jane Harn chose for her design are a quintessential summation of our beautiful country,” said Azlan Othman, Chief Designer at PROTON and one of the judges for the design competition. “We thought that her artful execution of these undeniably Malaysian icons would set a wonderful backdrop for the Hot Wheels Proton Saga.” 

“For over 50 years, Hot Wheels has been known for igniting and nurturing the challenger spirit that lives within every kid to help them reach their true potential,” said Murat Ariksoy, General Manager, Mattel South Asia. “Our team aspires to bring new and thrilling experiences to develop kids’ skills and confidence to take on the world by combining competition, experimentation, and creativity. We are happy to collaborate with PROTON to design this competition that empowers the next generation to dare to say, ‘Challenge Accepted!’.”

“Just as Mattel Malaysia celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2022, PROTON also celebrated its 40th anniversary on 7 May this year,” said Roslan Abdullah, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, PROTON. “Meanwhile, the Saga just turned 38 on 9 July 2023, so the Hot Wheels Proton Saga is an apt way to celebrate these milestones in our company’s history. Going forward, we will seek more collaborations with partners such as Mattel Malaysia who, like PROTON, have played a central role in inspiring Malaysia’s car culture and our love for cars.”   

The Hot Wheels Proton Saga will be available for purchase in over 150 countries in December this year while the Hot Wheels Proton Saga Limited Edition, featuring Harn’s design will be available for purchase in Malaysia next year at leading toy speciality stores, departmental stores, hypermarkets, and convenience stores across the country.

Also read: Proton organises Global Investors & Vendors Convention 2023 to fuel AHTV project