With demolition derbies growing in popularity in the United States, toy companies got in on the action. Children could get the car chassis and switch it up a range of interchangeable body shells to transform the look and style of the cars. 1971 Aurora AFXĪurora AFX slot car racing was a toy sensation when it launched. They were more stylistic car toys than their true-to-life British counterparts, but they quickly became a toy car sensation. Hot Wheels were launched by American toy maker Mattel as a rival to other die-cast models. In the 1960s AirFix released a range of classic and modern model cars for meticulous assembly and painting. 1962 AirFix CarsĪirFix plastic modelling kits enabled children (and grown-ups) to make detailed scale models of aircraft and military vehicles. The first remote controlled car in the UK was a Ferrari 250 LM model made by Italian brand Elettronica Giocattoli. Radio controlled cars were invented in the 1960’s after new radio technology gave users the ability to steer the cars and dial the throttle up or down. Inventor Fred Francis put small electric motors into model cars and created a slotted track to race them on. Scalextric slot car racing sets were a toy sensation from the moment they launched. These new miniatures became an instant hit with their intricate detail and transparent plastic windows.
The company’s first major success was a scale model of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation coach.Ĭorgi Toys launched another die-cast cars brand in the 1950s.
Like the earlier Dinky Toys, Matchbox cars were die-cast models sold in boxes the same size as matchboxes. The aim was to drive around the country by the shortest route, starting and ending in the same town. This retro driving board game invited players to take a road trip tour of England and Wales. Over time, hundreds of miniature versions of cars were designed, tracking the real-life changes in design and engineering. The company started out making trains and soon launched a range of vehicles, including a sports car, a tank and a tractor. 1934 Dinky Toysĭinky toys were die-cast zinc alloy miniature cars produced by Meccano and made in Liverpool. Ride-on pedal cars in highly detailed steel became the toys of choice. By the 1920s they were ubiquitous and children wanted to join in the fun of driving. Children of all ages loved to play with miniature cars, and some are now considered to be highly collectible.įord’s Model T was the first mass-produced car, released in 1908. Working our way through the years, we have begun with retro car toys and games, transitioning into arcade and video games from the 70s onwards, to cover all the best car games invented! Retro Car Games and ToysĪlmost as soon as cars became a feature of everyday life, toy and model versions catapulted into popularity too. No matter how you spent your younger years (or an occasional evening or two now), car games ignite the same nostalgic feeling in us all. Maybe for younger generations, your days were spent holed up in your bedroom with friends, playing Need for Speed in multiplayer mode. Perhaps your childhood consisted of arcade racing games, challenging kids in the area to races on Gran Trak 10 or trying to beat the highest score on Pole Position. That’s why when we think of the best car games, we remember our childhood spent sprawled on the floor racing toy cars, swapping between old Dinky Toys and Corgi Cars or gathered as a family racing for victory on the Scalextric. Ever since cars were invented, car games and toys have provided families with hours of entertainment.