Model car racers eye Scalextric's crown
It is the city that gave us the record breaking Sunbeam Slug and motorbikes as well as the Guy Motors cars, lorries and trolley buses and now a Wolverhampton developer is taking on Scalextric.
Wow! Labs, a spin out from Wow! Stuff, has been working on its RealFX Racing system for model cars for six years.
Originally the firm, based on Wolverhampton Science Park, was going to use a single 'roll out' racing track, but chief executive Richard North said research had found potential buyers wanted to be able to build tracks.
"We've now come up with pieces that connect in less than a second," he explained.
"It enables people to build a course of up to 400ft in length. They can recreate Formula One courses around the globe or make up their own. It is everything Scalextric can do, but on a much bigger scale and takes a lot shorter time to put up and take down," added Mr North.
Scalextric started out as clockwork cars in 1952 and is made by Hornby. The RealFX system is aimed at a market aged from eight-years-old to adult.
Before being launched in the shops it will be promoted by Kickstarter.com.
Mr North added: "Kickstarter.com is the worlds number one website for breaking innovative new products, platforms and services and with such an exciting product we thought the fit could be perfect.
People backing the project on Kickstarter will be rewarded by getting the product at a special price and in their hands before it hits store shelves."
Head of Wow! Labs, Dr Graeme Taylor, said: "Using artificial intelligence, RealFX Racing is the most advanced radio control car racing system ever developed.
"Artificial Intelligence assists the cars in 'sticking' within the track width. It's like video game racing meets slot racing, but in real life and with no slots.
"As kids many of us loved slot car racing sets but they really haven't moved on a great deal in decades.
"They still take an age to set up and take down and the game play can no longer compete with the rich content of online games," he added. The cars race at scale speeds of nearly 200 miles per hour. Mr North said he was particularly pleased by how scientists created a pace car mode.
"This function means that if dad's not home then you switch your second car to pace mode and can practice or race against a virtual opponent.
"We have future proofed the system to be able to expand it into mobile devices like tablets and smart phones so kids and adults alike will be able to connect and race with each other anywhere in the world," he added.
The RealFX launch set includes two cars, two handsets and 16 pieces of track.
Recommended retail price is £149.99, but for the 30-day duration of the Kickstarter campaign, it is being offered for £100. At the New York Toy Fair in February, Fox News breakfast show toy experts pronounced it as one of five products representing the top toy trends and hottest new items of the year.
Wolverhampton and the Black Country has a proud history in cars.
The Sunbeam Mystery, also known as The Slug broke the land speed record by being the first car to break 200 mph.
