Corgi is one of the leading manufacturers of die-cast scale model cars and toys. The company’s products were first introduced in 1956 and became an instant success due to their attention to detail and relentless accuracy. The toys featured working windows, boots and opening bonnets, which were very advanced for the time.
In the late 1960s, Corgi Toys launched two new toy cars called the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car and the James Bond Aston Martin DB5. These Corgi toy cars were very popular in the British market and pushed up the sales of Corgi toy cars.
In 1984, Corgi Toys became Corgi Toys Limited. With time the company managed to increase profits by capturing a major share of the international market. It took three years for Corgi Toys to set up its reputation in the international market. In 1987, it became the leading supplier of Corgi toy cars in Europe, Australia and the USA.
Mattel, the manufacturer of Hot Wheel cars and Barbie dolls, took over Corgi Toys Limited in 1989 and moved its production unit to Leicester. Mattel then launched a new range of Corgi toy cars called Corgi Classic. The Corgi Classic range includes toy trucks, vans and cars of popular models ranging from 1930 to 1960. After having worked in collaboration with Mattel for approximately seven years, a new company called Corgi Classic Limited was formed with its headquarters in Leicester. The same year, Corgi Classic Limited launched models of British and Hong Kong buses.
In 1999, Corgi Classic Limited launched die-cast military airplanes. These military toy airplanes were again very popular in the toys market. Corgi continued to manufacture new products in 2006, launching the Corgi Classic spin-cast and hand-painted human figures. Some of the most popular die-cast models from Corgi Classic Limited include the James Bond cars and Mr Bean toys.
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