Happy Holidays! The 3 Greatest Car Toys of All Time for Those Taking Auto Technician Courses
It seems like there have been car toys for almost as long as there have been cars. In various sizes, makes, and models, toy cars have provided entertainment for car enthusiasts of all ages. There are little race cars with track sets like Hot Wheels, iconic toy cars from movies and shows like the Dukes of Hazard and Batman, the Barbie and Ken camper van, and so many more.
Over the years, the functionality of toy cars has also developed. For some it is enough to have a matchbox-size race car, painted like the real thing and moved around by hand or gravity. Others look for a different kind of thrill and favour battery operated and remote-controlled cars. There is something for everyone and here are a few highlights of car toys that have excited their generations.
1. The Radio-Controlled Car
Radio-controlled cars are sometimes referred to as remote-controlled cars and the first models may be of special interest to students in auto technician courses. One of the first radio-controlled cars was made in Italty by Elletronica Giocattoli, or El-Gi for short. Their first model was a 1:12 scale Ferarri.
In the 1970’s a British company called Mardave followed the trend and produced a gas-powered radio-controlled car. This was before they developed any battery powered models. Now there are radio-controlled cars made at 1:8 scale and some can go as fast as 80 kilometres per hour. Those ones aren’t really for kids and usually require a lot of assembly allowing hobbyists to do custom builds.
2. KITT Car Nostalgia for Students in an Automotive Technology Course
KITT stands for Knight Industries Two Thousand and this car was a character in the 1980s television show Knight Rider, starring David Hasselhoff. Kids who grew up in the 1980s will remember the toy KITT car fondly. It came with a Michael Knight action figure and its own voice, just like on the show.
The toy Trans Am released in 1983 had doors that opened and closed, a moving steering wheel and rolling wheels to go with it. There may not be enough moving parts to warrant an automotive technology course to maintain it, but it was pretty exciting at the time. For the voice component, when you pressed down on the license plate, one of a series of six quotes from the show would play. The car would say things like “What is our next mission?” and “Scanner indicates danger ahead!”
3. A Maserati for Everyone
The real Maserati Quattroporte starts at $129,500 but did you know you could get one that is just a little smaller for a little over $200? While you’ll have to be younger than six years old to drive it, the Maserati Truemax 12V Quattroporte GTS Ride-On car looks a lot like the real thing.
Inside this drivable car for ages 3-6 years is an MP3 player and AUX connection along with two motors powered by 12 V 7 amp batteries. It drives in forward, reverse, makes turns and can climb a slight incline. The headlights and tail lights are LED and there is a remote control so parents can make sure their kids don’t try to set a 0-60 mph record. From matchbox to Maserati, toy cars have certainly come a long way.
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