CORGI TOYS

In 1960, Corgi Toys released its famous Aston Martin DB4, which permanently shifted the industry. This was the first car to feature a spring-loaded hood that could open. 5 years later, they released the Aston Martin DB5, which had a spring-loaded ejector seat, retractable front machine guns, and a pop-up bulletproof rear shield, and sold nearly 4 million cars by 1970. Later in 1966, Corgi Toys capitalized on the hit Batman television show and replicated the Batmobile that was produced for over 20 years. The innovation of these cars helped the brand gain international popularity. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Corgi Toys continued to expand its product line with vehicles inspired by popular television shows, movies, and commercial car manufacturers, becoming one of the most popular die-cast brands in the world. Corgi hit a rough patch in the 70s and 80s, and they hastily released their Whizzwheels line in 1970 to compete with the new Hot Wheels cars. They replaced their traditional detailed wheels and suspension systems with cheaper but faster-rolling plastic wheels. The whizzwheel cars were cheap-looking and not popular. The company suffered another setback in 1977 when a major fire destroyed its Swansea, Wales warehouse, resulting in the loss of millions of pounds worth of inventory and new design prototypes. Financial difficulties forced Mettoy into liquidation in 1983; however,  the brand was revived through a management buyout in 1984 and continued producing die-cast vehicles. In 1989, Corgi was acquired by Mattel, which relocated operations and incorporated some classic Corgi designs into its product lineup. Corgi Toys was then acquired by Hornby in 2008  for £7.5 million and is still owned by them to this day.