On February 5, 1972 the first Bobby Car was introduced at the toy convention in Nuremburg.
It‘s a hard plastic car with a steering wheel and horn. Kids use their feet to propel themselves forward on this Rutschauto (scoot car). Pediatricians actually recommend it for youngsters who have problems with their hips.
Soon after Ernst Bettag of Fürth developed the red car it took the kids‘ world by storm. And it‘s still going strong. Around 2000 Bobby Cars are produced in Germany (since 1998 in Burghaslach) daily. So far 17 million cars have been built.
Since the chassis is made from hard plastic it can carry the weight of an adult. In 1990s grown-ups discovered the Bobby Car for their own amusement. There are (downhill) races where the car can reach a speed up to 100 kmh (62 mph). The cars need to be modified for appropriate steering.
The classic Bobby Car is red but there are other models too. There even is a „whisper version“ (Flüstermodell) where the wheels are made of rubber instead of plastic.
Did you have a Bobby Car? How about your kids?
