The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile has evolved from Carl Mayer's original 1936 vehicle[1] to the vehicles seen on the road today. Although fuel rationing kept the Wienermobile off the road during World War II, in the 1950s Oscar Mayer and the Gerstenslager Company created several new vehicles using a Dodge chassis or a Willys Jeep chassis. One of these models is on display at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. These Wienermobiles were piloted by "Little Oscar" (portrayed by George Molchan) who would visit stores, schools, orphanages, and children's hospitals and participate in parades and festivals.
In 1969, new Wienermobiles were built on a Chevrolet motor home chassis and featured Ford Thunderbird taillights. The 1969 vehicle was the first Wienermobile to travel outside the United States. In 1976 Plastic Products, Inc., built a fiberglass and styrofoam model, again on a Chevrolet motor home chassis.
In 1988, Oscar Mayer launched its Hotdogger program, where recent college graduates were hired to drive the Wienermobile through various parts of the nation and abroad. Using a converted Chevrolet van chassis, Stevens Automotive Corporation and noted industrial designer Brooks Stevens built a fleet of six Wienermobiles for the new team of Hotdoggers.
With the 1995 version, the Wienermobile grew in size to 27 feet (8.2 m) long and 11 feet (3.4 m) high.[2] The 2004 version of the Wienermobile includes a voice-activated GPS navigation device, an audio center with a wireless microphone, a horn that plays the Wiener Jingle in 21 different genres from Cajun to Rap to Bossa Nova, according to American Eats, and sports fourth generation Pontiac Firebird taillights.
Following mechanical problems with the Isuzu Elf, Oscar Mayer decided to adopt a larger chassis in order to accommodate an increase in size of the signature wiener running through the middle. While the Wienermobile was not as long as the 1995 version, it was considerably wider and taller. Craftsmen Industries went through numerous overhauls of the truck including a flipped axle and a leveling kit. This version held a record for numerous suspension problems, most leading to the chassis not being able to hold the large weight of the Oscar Mayer Wiener.
In 2004, Oscar Mayer announced a contest whereby customers could win the right to use the Wienermobile for a day. Within a month, the contest had generated over 15,000 entries.
In June 2017 the company introduced several new hot-dog-themed vehicles, including the WienerCycle, WeinerRover and WienerDrone.
This parade favorite was located in Madison, Wisconsin for many years as Oscars Mayer was located her for decades
INSPIRING CHILDHOOD NOSTALGIA AND A HEALTHY APPETITE SINCE 1936

Six Wienermobiles tour the United States each year. They’re out and about right now. So, keep your eyes peeled! Known by nicknames such as Bunderstruck, SpeedyWeiner, Autobuhn, and DriftDog (you get the idea), each vehicle sits atop a Chevy W4 truck chassis.
But the real magic comes in the form of their easily recognizable, utterly unforgettable custom crafted fiberglass bodies. These sleek dogs represent visions of both sentimentality and longing. What do we mean? Name another vehicle capable of inspiring such intense childhood memories and a healthy appetite at the same time…
Or, ask any hotdogger—the official title for the pairs of college graduates that drive and work each Wienermobile—and they’ll tell you endless stories about the nostalgia people feel when they see a Wienermobile. In fact, the primary job of the Wienermobile and the hotdoggers who drive it are to celebrate memories of bygone days while inspiring new ones.
The Weinermobile proves just as iconic as Tom and Jerry,Nintendo, and Metallica. That said, you’ll find no heavy metal on the Wienermobile. While the horn can play 20 different versions of the Oscar Mayer Wiener Song, including reggae and rap, heavy metal never made the playlist. Sorry, Ozzie.
