Start them young: the world's best kiddie cars
RM Sotheby’s
It’s never too early to get your kids behind the wheel. And for some lucky little tikes that first drive could be in scaled down supercar. Here’s a quick look at the some of the most exotic and exciting machines for a diminutive Detour.
Aston Martin DB5 Junior
This dinky DB5 is an exact two-thirds scale replica of 007’s favourite car. Made by The Little Car Company, who laser scanned a full-size Aston and downsized it, the body is made from composites and it sits on an aluminium chassis with proper double wishbone front suspension and a live axle setup at the rear. Gorgeous details abound from the shrunken Smiths instruments to the wonderful wire wheels. The DB5 Junior is powered by a 5kW (6.7bhp) electric motor as standard or you can upgrade to the Vantage with 10kW (13.4bhp) on tap. While your youngsters are learning the craft of car control the power level can be limited and once they’ve mastered Bond-style power slides you can turn it up to a top speed of 30mph. Prices start at shaken and stirred £35,000 and only 1,059 are to be made.
Bugatti Baby II
This beautiful Bugatti is also made by The Little Car Company, with a similar electric powertrain to the DB5. However, the car can trace its roots back further to the time that Ettore Bugatti his son Roland a smaller version of the Type 35 for his fourth birthday in 1926. This latest version is somewhat larger at 75 per cent scale and designed for kids aged 14 and older (adults can squeeze in too). As with the Aston the makers scanned an original car which had competed at the Lyon Grand Prix and set about creating a perfect pint-sized replica. In its highest Pur Sang specification the Baby can spin its wheels, reach 36mph in six seconds and top out at 42mph. The Little Car Company is only making 500 Babies and you’ll need a very grown-up £27,000 to by an entry level model, rising to over £50,000 for the Pur Sang.
Austin J40
If you’ve ever seen the charming Settringham Cup pedal car race at the Goodwood Revival and wondered what the junior racers are driving, here’s your answer. The Austin J40 is a true classic, having been built between 1949 and 1971 at a South Wales factory that employed former miners in a non-profit operation. Some 30,000 cars based on the Austin A40 Dorset were made and many still survive today. That’s not least due to the work of Roy Halford who continued to make parts available and now the J40 Motor Co. which has taken on the role. Owned by SU carburettor manufacture Burlen, there are even plans afoot to create a new model line. In the meantime you can find them on eBay for £1,000 and upwards.
De La Chapelle Ferrari 330 P2 Junior
This is one we doubt any youngster will actually be allowed to drive. Despite only having a 5hp Honda lawnmower engine in the back the car recently sold at RM Sotheby’s for a super-sized £103,000! A replica of the Ferrari 300 P2 which was campaigned by John Surtees, it was built by De La Chappelle in France in the early 1990s. The car took the Paris auction by storm, prompting a bidding war that saw it being sold for more than ten times its expected price. Consequently it’s hard to imagine any anxious parent letting a little speed freak loose in it. More’s the pity.