Happy Birthday, Scalextric!

For 50 years now, one company, more that any other, has been causing fully grown adults to go utterly bonkers for itty-bitty cars, king of the slot track, Scalextric.

Founded as Scalex in 1952, by Brit Fred Francis, the toys began as intricate clockwork cars, popular even then for aping the most successful racing cars of the day. It wasn’t until 1957 though, that Francis “plugged in,” electrifying the miniature cars and changing the company’s name to reflect the technological advancement. The powered tracks became wildly popular, as much for adults as children, and still bring a worldwide audience despite the rise and popularity of racing video games.

Scalextric’s brand manager Paul Chandler claims that the company doesn’t need to compete with the omnipresent video game because “Scalextric is a hands-on, physical product - and that’s why it’s lasted this long.”

Much as we enjoy salivating over the latest Gran Turismo 5 screen shots, we couldn’t agree more that the experience of piloting a slot car through a course is an experience that could never be digitized.

Do you stay up nights dreaming of Gilles Villeneuve’s McLaren? Tell us about your slot car love in ‘comments’.

+ Sky News: Happy Birthday Scalextric! 50 Years Young