The Bobbycar is celebrating its 50th birthday and yet it is created 2,000 times a day. For many it is the first car of their lives and the gateway drug to this topic.
Shoot at full speed towards a 180 degree left turn. Downhill. Pull from the outside to the apex, leaning the body inward. The finish line can't come too soon. No, this is not about a Formula 1 race where the world championship is decided in the last corner. This is about the first glory you earn on four wheels. child against child. Bobby car against bobby car. 50 years ago, the toy manufacturer Big presented the small car, which can be found in almost every household with children, for the first time at the toy fair in Nuremberg.
The writer of these lines also drove a bobby car. First a red one. Red, of course, that's how Big's classic bobby car should look. It actually belonged to the older sister, but ended up (in)voluntarily in the brother's possession. With horn. But that didn't last long. After the red flash had to pay tribute to the centrifugal forces and accidents, the younger sister luckily had a new bobby car in her fleet. But not in red, but in yellow with ADAC design. But the new tires brought the decisive hundredths of a second in the fight for victory in the 30 zone of the home town.
Gateway drug Bobbycar
For many people, the Bobbycar is the first car in their lives - at least the first to drive themselves. For some car geeks, it also serves as a gateway drug to the topic. Big has now sold more than 20 million Bobbycars. 2,000 bobby cars roll off the assembly line every day at the plant in Burghaßlach, which is on the A3 between Nuremberg and Würzburg. Big produces its ride-on cars from colored polyethylene granules. When heated to 200 °C, it takes on its shape during blow molding – that’s the name of the process. Overall, the chassis weighs almost two kilograms. Axles, steering wheel and wheels are manufactured by Big using injection moulding. With recycled and high-quality materials, Big wants to produce in an environmentally friendly way.
Big has been part of the Simba Dickie Group since 2004. In 2020, the company achieved sales of 715 million euros and thus increased its earnings by 1.8 percent compared to the previous year. A total of 792 employees work for Big.
The red runabout is no longer Big's only bobby car. The toy manufacturer now offers more than 100 different models. If you want to give your child a special bobby car, you have a wide range to choose from. A Porsche for the smallest man in the family? No problem! As a three-year-old patrol in the hometown with the police bobby car? No problem! Big offers the push car for every taste.
Correct technique is crucial
Driving technique is of course important as a bobby car pilot.One-legged kneeling is ideal for the sprint duel, in which you push the bobby car with the other leg. This technique is mostly used with older children. This is because the experienced racers are simply too big for the cars. The other technique uses the double thrust. With the parallel leg kick, the children accelerate their vehicle to top speed. The biggest advantage of this technique: The center of gravity is lower and thus the stability is higher. In other words, you don't fall that easily. However, the shoes wear out with both techniques. Much to the delight of the parents.
VW congratulates
Even the largest automobile manufacturer in Germany insisted on congratulating the classic on Twitter on its birthday. Volkswagen celebrates the Bobbycar as a pioneer of CO2-free mobility and places a current ID.4 behind it. There is a high probability that the current Bobbycar pilots will discover their passion for e-cars from an early age.
Maybe even the author's godchild. There was a red bobby car for the christening. Bound by tradition. With whisper tires, that didn't exist almost 30 years ago. But should spare the nerves of parents and neighbors. If that works?
Conclusion
A classic turns 50. Among the toy cars, the Bobbycar is the VW Beetle. Almost every household in Germany with children owns a Bobbycar. Big has planned for the future and has many new models in its portfolio. So that the next generation can realize their dream of a bobby car.
