Carrera is now celebrating its 60th year.
The world’s market leader in the slot car segment has been exciting motor sports fans and guaranteeing racetrack fun for six decades. Founded in 1963, Carrera is a brand that inspires fans of all ages, bringing the generations together around its tracks. According to a study by icon kids, even 60 years after its launch Carrera is still one of the most popular toy brands on the market. Reproduction licensing rights, innovative features and boundless action make Carrera a perennial favourite in kids’ playrooms, and an inspiration for every generation.
Carrera laid the foundations for this success story in 1963 with the 1:32-scale ‘Carrera Universal’ system, to which the larger-scaled ‘Carrera 124’ system was added four years later. Transitioning from analogue to digital track systems, Carrera later combined the world of classic analogue racing tracks with the vast possibilities of the digital age. Today, Carrera is synonymous with the word ‘racetrack’ with a fan community spread across the entire globe.
Annually, Carrera manufactures more than 5,000 kilometres of artificial asphalt track to guarantee enough racing pleasure for everyone. However, there’s a lot more to Carrera behind the scenes than the production of new tracks and cars. Many Carreraristi eagerly await the release of dream cars from the world's most famous motorsport series – from Formula 1 and DTM racers, to endurance racing and GT series cars – with up to a hundred working hours needed to develop the design of a single model.
Carrera’s most expensive model was a precious custom-made gold-plated Ferrari 250 GT made for a sheikh for a total value of $12,500. At a price of $2,500, the most expensive set to date has been a dream collector's item for every Carrera fan – the 2008 DIGITAL 124 Limited Edition. Connoisseurs will tell you it’s worth every cent.
Carrera celebrates its 60th birthday with a special anniversary set – the DIGITAL 132 ‘Retro Grand Prix’. This exclusive set brings three legendary racing cars to the digital racetrack: The Lancia Beta Montecarlo Turbo ‘Lancia Martini Racing, No.3’ that impressed at the famous Daytona racetrack in 1981; the elegant yellow and blue Porsche Kremer 935 K3 ‘No.54’, a classic German Racing Championship (DRM) car driven to victory by Klaus Ludwig; and a second DRM racer and overall championship winner in 1982, the Ford Capri Zakspeed Turbo ‘Würth-Zakspeed-Team, No.2’, also driven by racing legend Klaus Ludwig.
Another touch of nostalgia is provided by six anniversary retro-motif tin plaques celebrating the history of Carrera and motor racing down the last six decades. One retro-motif plate can only be acquired with an anniversary set, and the BMW M4 GT ‘60 Years of Carrera, No.60’ commemorates a true motorsport icon, bringing speed and action into living rooms with a special anniversary vehicle. The vehicle and the DIGITAL 132 ‘Retro Grand Prix’ anniversary set are absolute must-haves for all motor racing fans and Carrera enthusiasts.
The Carrera Club has been the playground of the Carrera fan community for more than 20 years and is back in 2023 with extensive revisions. Among other things, the lively Carrera Club community is an opportunity for slot car fans to exchange information about all things ‘Carrera’, to discuss major motorsport events and seize the chance to win exclusive club models
