{"id":843889,"date":"2021-12-27T08:49:52","date_gmt":"2021-12-27T08:49:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.motorsportmagazine.com\/?p=843889"},"modified":"2021-12-27T08:49:52","modified_gmt":"2021-12-27T08:49:52","slug":"corgi-looks-to-the-future-as-it-celebrates-65-years-of-model-car-making","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.motorsportmagazine.com\/articles\/racing-memorabilia\/corgi-looks-to-the-future-as-it-celebrates-65-years-of-model-car-making\/","title":{"rendered":"Corgi looks to the future as it celebrates 65 years of model car making"},"content":{"rendered":"
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There\u2019s a deep well of affection for Corgi among those of us who grew up loving cars. Whether they\u2019re pushed around carefully crafted circuits on bedroom carpets by small hands or sit pristine in display cabinets, products from the ubiquitous toy and model maker are emblematic of favourite eras for petrolhead enthusiasts of all ages. To us, the noun\u2019s use in a game of word association doesn\u2019t evoke a response based around funny little dogs with short legs favoured by the Queen \u2013 but instead a scale model of well-loved racers or road cars, preferably complete with their original box.<\/p>\n

This year the brand has hit its 65th anniversary, which should have been a happy excuse for celebration. But sadly it didn\u2019t turn out that way, which is why you may not have noticed that 2021 marked a milestone for this well-loved British institution. \u201cAt the start of the year we lost Darrell Burge, who was the brand manager for both Corgi and Airfix,\u201d says David Mather, brand executive and the man who has effectively replaced his much-missed former boss. \u201cDarrell passed away in late February at just 60 years old. Since then, really we\u2019ve been trying to put ourselves back together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mather\u2019s first job was to put a plan together for the future \u2013 because whatever roadmap previously existed had all been in Darrell Burge\u2019s head. \u201cI\u2019m working on the next five years,\u201d says David. \u201cWe have 2023 already in place and I\u2019m looking ahead to 2024, 2025 and beyond.\u201d And at a time of year when small children (and rather larger ones) might well have ripped open Corgi models delivered by Santa, it\u2019s good to hear Corgi remains in fine fettle with plenty to look forward, despite the long shadow cast by the untimely passing of Burge, whose VW Camper has been recreated in model form in memorial to him.<\/p>\n

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Darrell Burge’s VW camper has been added to the Corgi range<\/p>\n

\n Corgi\n <\/p>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n

One development on the horizon is a further expansion of Corgi\u2019s popular Vanguards range, via one of its most prolific car manufacturers. \u201cRecently we made a trip to the Ford Heritage Centre in Dagenham and we\u2019ve LiDAR scanned a car \u2013 but I can\u2019t say what just yet,\u201d says David who promises more will be revealed in early January. He does tell us what it won\u2019t be though. \u201cIt\u2019s not a GT40,\u201d he says, because Corgi is very specific on what Vanguards represent. \u201cThey are the cars you always wanted growing up and remember seeing, the car your dad had. We looked at something like a Mondeo and said no! Ultimately that\u2019s a company rep car and doesn\u2019t have the desirability. Vanguards are desirable but also obtainable \u2013 and not completely out of reach like the GT40.\u201d<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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