Slot Car Racing brings the thrill and excitement of motor racing to life in your living room! Are you new to the exciting world of Slot Car Racing, or rediscovering a childhood passion? Not sure where to start? Read on for everything you need to know about the two Systems we offer. Strap in and start your engines…
Where Do You Start?
We have the biggest Range of Slot Car sets available anywhere in Europe, specialising in the two biggest Brands – Scalextric & Carrera. Whilst they both offer a similar experience, one system may be better suited to your requirements, Read on to find out whats right for you.
Scalextric Or Carrera?
Scalextric is the best known Slot Car Brand in the UK, with a wide range of products designed for Children and Adults. Most consumers in the UK are unaware of Carrera, however Carrera is the largest slot car brand in the World – with great market share throughout Europe and USA. Their product range matches that of Scalextric and in several ways offers more (for more serious racers.)
Scalextric:
– More Readily Available in the UK
– More Affordable
– Smaller Track is better for tight spaces
– Track is easier to assemble
Carrera:
– Better Quality
– Wider Track is better for Racing and allows larger 1:24 Cars
– Wider Track Slots (easier to put the car back on track)
– Track is stronger and better for raised sections
– Track connections are more secure
– Wireless Throttles are rechargeable and have their own charging dock
– Very easy to adjust car settings and start races, without the use of additional software or an APP
– Track can accommodate 1:32 & 1:24 Cars to offer two entirely different racing experiences
– Better functionality for serious racing (Sector times etc.)
Ultimately both systems work on the same basic principle and you are likely to be happy with either. However there are several scenarios where we would recommend one over the other.
Sets less than £60 for Children – We would recommend Carrera GO! This range is significantly larger than Scalextric’ “Micro” range, with a good selection of Track Extensions and extra cars available to purchase.
Where Space is tight – We would recommend Scalextric. Scalextric Track is considerably smaller and is available in tighter radius turns. This means you can typically fit more track into a smaller space.
Large Sets for older Children and Adults – We would recommend Carrera. As per the table above the Carrera range is better equipped for more serious racing and offers the option of upgrading to 1:24 cars in the future.
What Size / Scale?
Both Scalextric & Carrera offer sets in different sizes, please see a detailed breakdown below. However please be aware that the most common size for both brands is 1:32.
Scalextric
My First – Suitable for 3+ – 1:64 Scale
Micro Scalextric – Suitable for 4+ – 1:64 Scale
“Standard” Scalextric – Suitable for 5+ – 1:32 Scale
Carrera
First – Suitable for 3+ – 1:50 Scale
Carrera GO! – Suitable for 5+ – 1:43 Scale
Carrera Evolution/Digital – Suitable for 8+ – 1:32 Scale
Carrera 1:24 – Suitable for 10+ – 1:24 Scale
Scales
1:64 Scale – This is the smallest size you will find and is only available in the Scalextric “My First” and “Micro” Sets. The cars are approx 75mm long and low detailed.
1:50 Scale – This size is only found in Carrera First. The cars are approx 85mm long and are nicely detailed.
1:43 Scale – This size is only found in Carrera GO! The cars are approx 100mm long and feature a lot of detail.
1:32 Scale – This is the most common Slot car size, with cars approx 140mm long. At this scale the cars are very detailed.
1:24 Scale – This size is only found in Carrera. At this scale the cars are approx 175mm long with incredible detail. It is not possible to run this size car on Scalextric, as the Track is not big enough.
