Maluma Goes Back to His Roots With Hot Wheels and “La Matrona”
We chatted with Maluma about his lifelong fascination with cars and why the Toyota Land Cruiser FJ60 felt like the right vehicle for his Hot Wheels debut.
For Maluma, cars have always been about more than what is sitting in his garage. Long before the Colombian artist had access to some of the world’s most coveted supercars, his fascination started with Hot Wheels.
That childhood connection has now come full circle as Maluma joins Hot Wheels as part of its “Challenge Accepted” campaign. But rather than looking toward the exotic cars that have become part of his life today, the Medellín native chose to revisit the vehicles and memories that shaped him growing up.
At the center of the collaboration is La Matrona, a custom Toyota Land Cruiser FJ60 inspired by the rugged trucks Maluma remembers from childhood trips to the Colombian countryside. Reimagined as a 1:64-scale Hot Wheels model, the FJ60 becomes a miniature tribute to those early experiences and the beginning of an obsession with cars that has followed him throughout his career.
The details keep his design firmly connected to home, as references to Colombia, Medellín, and Antioquia appear throughout the vehicle. While Maluma could have selected something faster, rarer, or more closely associated with luxury, the FJ60 tells a story built around nostalgia, family, and the memories that existed long before global tours and luxury garages.
Hypebeast caught up with Maluma to discuss his lifelong fascination with cars, the childhood memories behind La Matrona, and why the Toyota Land Cruiser FJ60 felt like the right vehicle for his Hot Wheels debut.
Hot Wheels
Hot Wheels
What is your first memory with Hot Wheels?
“My love for cars began with Hot Wheels when I was just a young boy. I remember a very special moment when my uncle, who was studying in the United States, brought me a track set that came with several Hot Wheels cars as a gift. Given that Hot Wheels is such a legendary brand, we — as Latinos — viewed it as something completely out of reach. My uncle used to buy the products in the States and bring them to me in Colombia because we didn’t have access to them. It was always a benchmark brand for me.”
Why did you choose the Toyota Land Cruiser FJ60 as your Hot Wheels car for the “Challenge Accepted” campaign?
“Everyone thought we were going to reinterpret one of the exotic cars from my collection. Instead, I was driven by a desire to show our culture to the whole world. That’s why we created this car called La Matrona — a pickup truck we used to ride to get to the countryside when we were kids.”
How did La Matrona take you back to those early and cherished childhood memories?
“La Matrona reconnects me deeply with the essence of my early childhood, when I had a strong connection to nature. We wanted to share those feelings with the world: Recovering that sensation of being in the countryside and regaining access to those childhood experiences.”
What went through your mind when designing La Matrona?
“Working with the Hot Wheels team is incredible. We took charge of adding that Colombian touch: we wanted to put the Maluma sign on the back and incorporate the Colombian flag. We wanted it to feel like a truck truly native to our region — to Medellín, to Antioquia.”
Hot Wheels
Hot Wheels
What has been the most important challenge you have accepted throughout your musical career?
“With my album Loco X Volver, there are many genres and producers I hadn’t had the chance to work with before. That was a “Challenge Accepted” moment for me: having the confidence to do things differently and show the world our essence and who we really are.
I would say the greatest challenge of my career has been staying true to myself. Working in alignment with what I feel, rather than what people want to see from me. Always staying connected to my essence and to who I am.”
What are you currently focused on after launching Loco X Volver?
“Right now, we’re preparing a world tour, and it’s going to be the biggest one I’ve ever done. I think that’s the focus: preparing an incredible performance so that people can connect in the same way I’m connecting with the message we want to convey.”
