This first edition of cars became known as The “Sweet 16” — now among the most valuable and collectible toy vehicles ever made. Challenge has always been core to Hot Wheels play.

Every month, 2,000 cars are donated to the LDS Humanitarian Center and 1,000 go to Operation Give, a military group that hands out the toys to orphanages in war-torn countries.

While it may look like a simple toy car, the M1 STEM is in fact an AI (artificial intelligence) robot that takes playtime seriously. It is modular, compatible with LEGO blocks, packed with sensors ...

Hobby-grade RC cars typically take even more advantage of newer tech to be fast and powerful, but they're fairly expensive, whereas simple, toy RC cars that may be more appreciated by younger kids ...

The Toy Car, by contrast, is wonderfully simple and easy to grok. It also looks like the inside of a giant watch, which adds to its appeal. You probably won't be buying one for your kids, though.

Buying toy cars can be tricky, especially if you don’t know what you’re looking for. If you’re buying merchandise related to a film or tv show you love, look for officially licensed products.