MotorTrend’s First-Ever Cover Car will be Immortalized as a Limited-Edition Matchbox Die-Cast in Celebration of the Automotive Media Brand’s 75th Anniversary

LOS ANGELES, CA – June 10, 2024 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – MotorTrend Group, a Warner Bros. Discovery company, today announced the release of a limited-edition Matchbox die-cast of the iconic 1949 Kurtis Sport Car, the first car to be celebrated on the cover of MotorTrend magazine 75 years ago. An instant collectable, the Matchbox Kurtis 1:64th die-cast is now available for online purchase exclusively atMattelCreations.com for $30.

The public debut of the Matchbox Kurtis die-cast will take place today at the first stop of MotorTrend’s HOT ROD Power Tour 2024 in Bowling Green, KY, and will continue to be featured throughout the week at all HOT ROD Power Tour stops from June 10-14. Displayed alongside the die-cast will be the life-size version of the actual cover car from the September 1949 issue. The third of 18 ever built and the first production model, the Kurtis Sport Car serial number KB003 is a time capsule of American car culture.

Frank Kurtis, founder of Kurtis Kraft Inc., is said to have been one of the inspirations for the

start of MotorTrend. Following HOD ROD magazine’s success, publisher Robert E. Petersen was given the suggestion by Kurtis to create a magazine that covers new cars. Petersen then took the photos of the Kurtis Sport Car himself for the cover and the first MotorTrend issue went into production. The vehicle also has a deep connection to HOT ROD, as founding editor Wally Parks drove the car — fitted with a special full race engine — to 142.515 mph at the inaugural Bonneville National Speed Trials. Parks autographed the glove box lid, right next to the small plaque commemorating his achievement, making it the only car he ever signed.

“Petersen could have put any car on the first cover, but he chose the Kurtis because it spoke to future automotive design and cutting-edge trends,” said Ed Loh, Editor-in-Chief of MotorTrend Magazine. “Bringing the Kurtis to life as a die-cast for the world to enjoy is the ultimate way to celebrate MotorTrend’s 75^th anniversary.”

“Creating this special Matchbox Kurtis die-cast reminded us of the legacy that MotorTrend has created through decades of reporting on the car trends that define our industry,” said Bryan Benedict, Key Principal Designer, Matchbox. “We’re excited to offer this special collectible with fans and celebrate automotive innovation and excellence with MotorTrend.”

The exclusive collectible Matchbox Kurtis is part of a year-long celebration as…