Scalextric celebrates 50 years of living room carpet Grands Prix this year and to celebrate, the toy-maker’s owner has launched a commemorative box set. Featuring a book which charts the history of the brand, the exciting bits are a model Ferrari 375 with a tinplate body, just like the first Scalextric cars produced and a modern Ferrari F2006-GA.
Trivia fans may know that the father of Scalextric, Fred Francis launched a range of clockwork tinplate cars called Scalex in 1952. Five years later, he unveiled his first electric-powered Scalex car, which ran on a moulded rubber track. Combining the words Scalex and electric, the Scalextric legend was born.
Sales in the first year outstripped demand, so Francis sold the production rights to Triang. Various acquisitions later, the now Hornby-owned Scalextric has survived the onslaught of computer games and continues to offer the same experience for adults and children alike all over the world.
The product has not stood still however, and sets launched this year include digital technology and improved versions of the Powerslide kit, launched in 2005.
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