Powertrack is the brand name for the Matchbox's slot car sets. Introduced in the late 1970s by Lesney Products Ltd, Powertrack models differed from other slot car sets because the cars could be seen in the dark as the cars had headlights. Matchbox's H0/00 (approx. 1:64) cars were smaller than Scalextric 1:32-scale cars. In the United States, the series was renamed "Speedtrack".
In the UK, Powertrack was a less expensive product than Scalextric and traded heavily on the Matchbox brand. With the smaller size, the layouts could be quite complex yet still fit in the typical 8×4 ft board size. Additionally, it did not sit out of place with H0/00 railway sets and Matchbox's own 75 die-cast range. Peter Kay commented in his autobiography The Sound of Laughter that the Race 'N' Chase set he received for Christmas in the late 1970s was the best Christmas present ever.
With the collapse of Lesney/Matchbox in the early eighties, the last official year of production appears to be 1982. Various attempts to buy the Lesney stock and continue selling the products were tried but subsequently died out. Most notably, Proops Brothers, of Tottenham Court Road, London packaged together sets in plain boxes and sold existing sets with various car combinations. Latterly, several vehicles appear from time to time rebranded as "Counterlane" but these too were short lived.
The sets came with either a 6-volt, a 12-volt or an 18-volt power unit. The 18-volt (HVT) cars are extremely quick due to the size and weight and handle well with the aid of a magnet on the underside.
No longer in production, cars and sets can be purchased via eBay with some rarer cars commanding keen prices, like the red Saab 900 Turbo and the gold, yellow livery Ford Escort. Many of the cars for sale come with poor quality tyres, leaving the cars with no grip. The lack of grip results in the cars just wheel spinning without any forward movement. However, there are replacements available, and it is still possible to buy brand new cars in sealed cartons.
Powertrack sets Powertrack sets came in different sets featuring different cars and track type.
In the UK this consisted of: Powertrack PT-1000 – Grand Prix (Launched 1978) Set comprised: 1 x McLaren F1, 1 x Ferrari F1, 8 x 90 degree 9" Curve, 1 x 9" 6V Track Terminal, 1 x 9" Straight, 2 x 6" Straight. 6V 'Grandstand' Battery Box and 2 x Hand Controllers. 8 Crash Barriers, Sticker Sheet & Bridge supports.
This is Powertrack's only UK Battery powered set. The cars do not have headlights. RRP in 1979: £14.99.
Powertrack PT-2000 – Monza (Launched 1978) Set comprised: 1 x Porsche 911, 1 x Chevrolet Corvette, 8 x 90 degree 9" Curve, 1 x 9" 6V Track Terminal, 1 x 9" Straight, 2 x 6" Straight. 6V Mains Transformer and 2 x Hand Controllers. 8 Crash Barriers, Sticker Sheet & Bridge supports.
One of the most popular sets Powertrack produced with two of the most ubiquitous cars. RRP in 1979: £19.99.
Powertrack PT-3000 – Super Sport (Launched 1978) Set comprised: 1 x Jaguar XJ Series, 1 x BMW 320i, 9 x 90 degree 9" Curve, 2 x 45 degree 9" Curve, 1 x 9" 6V Track Terminal, 5 x 9" Straight, 2 x 6" Straight. 6V Mains Transformer and 2 x Hand Controllers. 12 Crash Barriers, Sticker Sheets & Bridge supports.
When released, this was a fairly expensive set that was in direct competition with Scalextric. RRP in 1979: £29–99.
Powertrack PT-4000 – Le Mans Set (Launched 1978) Set comprised: 1 x Porsche 936, 1 x Renault Alpine, 11 x 90 degree 9" Curve, 1 x 9" 6V Track Terminal, 2 x 45 degree 9" Curve, 11 x 9" Straight, 2 x 6" Straight. 6V Mains Transformer and 2 x Hand Controllers. 12 Crash Barriers, Sticker Sheet & Bridge supports.
At the time, the track layouts supplied eclipsed most rivals. RRP in 1979: £39–99.
Powertrack PT-5000 – Indianapolis (28 ft) (Launched 1981) Set comprised: 1 x Triumph TR7, 1 x BMW 320i, 9 x 90 degree 9" Curve, 1 x 9" 6V Track Terminal, 2 x 45 degree 9" Curve, 13 x 9" Straight, 2 x 6" Straight, 1 x Banked Curve (with supports). 6V Mains Transformer and 2 x Hand Controllers. 12 Crash Barriers, Sticker Sheet & Bridge supports.
This is one of only three sets launched in the UK after the original Powertrack launch of 1978. (The others were Race & Chase & PT-8000). RRP was £34.99.
Powertrack PT-6000 – Race and Chase (American Cop Car) (Launched 1979) Set comprised: 1 x Police Car, 1 x Corvette Stingray, 6 x 90 degree 9" Curve, 1 x 9" 6V R&C Track Terminal, 1 x Tip Bridge 9", 2 x 9" Straight, 4 x 15" Straight, 6 x Aprons, 4 x LH End Pieces, 2 x RH End Pieces. 6V Mains Transformer and 2 x Hand Controllers. 4 Crash Barriers, Sticker Sheet & Bridge supports.
This was far and away the biggest selling set in the UK; even Scalextric were slow to catch up. UK RRP in 1979: £29–99.
Powertrack PT-6100 – Race and Chase (German Porsche Police Car) (Launched 1979) Set known as Super Verflogungsjagd in Germany. Set comprised: 1 x Porsche Police Car, 1 x BMW 320i, 6 x 90 degree 9" Curve, 1 x 9" 6V R&C Track Terminal, 2 x Straight 9", 1 x Tip Bridge 9", 2 x Crossovers 15", 2 x 15" Straight, 6 x Aprons, 4 x LH End Pieces, 2 x RH End Pieces. 6V Mains Transformer and 2 x Hand Controllers. 4 Crash Barriers, Sticker Sheet & Bridge supports.
This is the only Powertrack/Speedtrack/Powertrack Plus set released that included 15" Crossover Tracks. This set was not launched in the UK. The box artwork is in German, but this product may have also been distributed widely across Western Europe.
Powertrack PT-8000 – This set featured 4 lane racing (Launched 1981) Set comprised: 1 x Porsche 911, 1 x Triumph TR7, 1 x Fiat Abarth, 1 x VW Scirocco, 16 x 90 degree 9" Curve, 16 x 45 degree Curve 12", 4 x 45 degree 9" Curve, 2 x 9" 6V 4 Lane Track Terminals, 6 x 9" Straight, 4 x 15" Straight, 4 x 6" Straight, . 6V Mains Transformer and 4 x Hand Controllers. 16 Crash Barriers, Sticker Sheet & Bridge supports.
This Powertrack set still sells well on eBay. Although expensive for a slot racing set, it undercut Scalextric's 4 lane set by nearly £40. This is the only Powertrack set worldwide that employed 12" outer curves to enable 4 lane corners.
The cars listed are those that appear on the box artwork and are generally proven to be sold with the set. However, Matchbox often replaced at least one car depending on immediate stock levels. The blue Porsche 911, dark blue Fiat Abarth, yellow Escort, red Escort and red & White Scirocco are all known to be substitute cars. The car most often replaced appears to be the Gold Scirocco.
UK RRP in 1981: £79.99. This set was also branded as Silverstone 8000. This particular set comprised 4 cars with accompanying controllers the tracks in sections would run parallel to each other.
Powertrack Plus sets
In 1982, Matchbox unveiled Powertrack Plus in the UK. The cars were operated from 12V and were much faster. A magnet on the underside of the 'gearbox' increased grip to the track and the higher voltage was more tolerant of larger track layouts.
Powertrack Plus sets had upgraded transformers, hand controllers and track terminals which featured different connectors that were not compatible with the 6V systems. The 12V terminal had no facility for powering the lap counter though. All other track remained the same stock parts but were repacked with Powertrack Plus branding.
A number of new parts were created for Powertrack Plus. A Chicane 'loop the loop' and 'self supporting' banked curve featured in the PP-9000 set, while crossover tracks and a crossover 'flying jump' were included in the PP-3000.
Aside from magnets the cars also had wider pickups on the underside. They also had torquier motors and a different pinion gear and crown wheel. Essentially, every Powertrack Plus car was a revamped Powertrack car body shell with the new Chassis.
The 'Super Boss' and 'Bandag Bandit' were only ever launched in the UK in 12V form.
Powertrack PP-2000 Set comprised: 1 x Jaguar XJ Series, 1 x BMW 320i, 6 x 90 degree 9" Curve, 1 x 9" 12V Track Terminal, 1 x 9" Straight, 2 x 15" Straight. 12V Mains Transformer and 2 x Hand Controllers. 6 Crash Barriers, Sticker Sheet & Bridge supports.
Introduction to 12V racing. RRP in 1982: £24.99.
Powertrack PP-3000 Set comprised: 1 x Renault Elf, 1 x Porsche 936, 10 x 90 degree 9" Curve, 1 x 9" 12V Track Terminal, 1 x 6" Straight, 1 x 24" Flying Jump, 1 x 9" Crossover. 12V Mains Transformer and 2 x Hand Controllers. 8 Crash Barriers, Sticker Sheet & Bridge supports.
This was the only UK set to include the 9" Crossover track. The black-and-white markings on the Flying Jump and Crossover track were spray painted on and not stickers. RRP in 1982: £34.99.
Powertrack PP-4000 No official details about this set have been uncovered so far. However, it is referenced in the Powertrack Plus Instruction Manual of 1982. This is likely to have been a Race & Chase set with the Police car and most likely the Silver Chevrolet Corvette (in lieu of the Corvette Stingray). The basis for this comes from the Catalogue number assigned to these cars relative to the other Powertrack Plus cars. The track layout may have been based on the US Copter Chase set, introducing both the Cross Road and Turn Off tracks to the UK. Those items were first referenced in the UK at the same time.
There are two versions of the 12V Hand controller. One has a Race & Chase style button to reverse the current direction; the other has no such button.
Powertrack PP-6000
This is better known as Race and Chase 2.
Powertrack PP-9000 Set comprised: 1 x Triumph TR7, 1 x Porsche 911, 8 x 90 degree 9" Curve, 1 x 9" 12V Track Terminal, 4 x Straight 9", 1 x Straight 6", 1 x 15" Loop the Loop, 4 x 45 Degree Bank Curve 9", 4 x Straight 15", 12V Mains Transformer and 2 x Hand Controllers. 8 Crash Barriers, Sticker Sheet & Bridge supports.
This is the only UK set to include the Loop. The Loop was painted red on the exterior and was also a chicane. The Banked Curve supplied with this set was a 'Self Supporting' type made of 4 x 45 degree sections. It did not need the sculptured entry and exit tracks or additional support of PT-208. RRP in 1982: £59.99.
Speedtrack sets
Released in the USA at virtually the same time as Powertrack in UK, amid competition from rival H0/00 sets from AFX & Tyco. All these items were 6 Volt and did not feature the box art work of the European products. They also did not include the vac-formed plastic liner to house all the parts. Instead, parts were bagged and packaged loose in similar size cartons. Different livery and set contents were also available in the Canadian sets. Boxes were in US English and French.
In the US, the following Speedtrack sets were available from 1978:
Grand Prix 150 Trenton 150 This set was advertised in the Matchbox 1978 catalogue. The set featured two cars, a battery box and white hand controllers. Monza 200 (Set No 14-3621) Le Mans 300 Riverside 500 International 1000 This set was advertised in the Matchbox 1978 catalogue. The set featured two Pinto cars, a battery box and white hand controllers. Hulk Racing Spider-Man Race & Chase Copter Chase Race & Chase
By 1981, the name 'Speedtrack' has been dropped in favour of 'Powertrack'. The following sets had been added for the US that were similar to UK 'Powertrack Plus' sets but lacked the 12V system. Curiously, though cars were provided with slim (6v) pick ups they incorporated the magnets and gearboxes of UK 12V Cars. This 'hybrid' was denoted as a 'Positraction' car and advertised as compatible with other H0/00 slot racing systems, most notably 'AFX' & 'Tyco'.
The cars supplied with these sets were catalogued at the same time as 'Positraction' cars but have all surfaced on eBay. Slipstream Racing 14-36-80
This set consisted of Three Cars racing the cars in the set were Martini Porsche Pacer car, Yellow Jaguar and the Red BMW 3.0CSL Orange Jägermeister Livery.
Tyrone Malone's Daredevil Race N Chase (13.5 Ft of Track) Jump Cross Championship Pro 8 Challenge