MERCEDES-BENZ WORLD REPLICA TRACK, 2023 (33′ x 9.5′)
Client: Mercedes-Benz World
Location: Weybridge, Surrey, UK.
Images: CLICK HERE
Introducing ‘FastTrax‘- Slot Car Racing on Another Level
A slot car racing experience for the whole family! Rev up the engines and dive into the thrilling miniature world of high-speed racing with Mercedes-Benz World‘s brand-new attraction, ‘FastTrax‘.
This state-of-the-art slot car racing setup ensures intense competition that will keep everyone excited until the chequered flag.
With a real time leader board, realistic controls and live commentary, see if you can set the fastest lap time and win the race.
*** Interested in commissioning a custom made Slot Car track?…CLICK HERE ***
We were asked by Mercedes-Benz World to re-create their complex in Weybridge, Surrey. UK. They wanted a way to provide entertainment for their guests, but also something that showed off their site; so we came up with this 33’ x 9.5’ (10m x 2.9m) bespoke track. Half of the 10 metre (32ft) layout is a fully working replica of the site’s test track, and the other half is an interactive diorama of their stunning building and rest of the facilities.
We used Carrera DIGITAL 132 track to replicate the site’s circuit and is managed by the SmartRace app, which allows you to change a number of settings and also provides an awesome live race screen. We decided to paint and weather the Carrera Digital track to help with realism and grip. This side of the layout has colour matching tech pro barriers, a scale model of a Concord and a custom designed Mercedes-Benz World sign on the grass.
The other half of the layout is more diorama based. Next door to the race circuit is the wet effect circle. On this ‘Handling Circuit’ they offer passenger rides in a Mercedes-AMG 63. We’ve made this look wet by using epoxy resin.
Next to the ‘Handling Circuit’ is the huge Mercedes-Benz World building. Magnetic Racing (our sister company) designed, built and painted this amazing centre piece. The building has a number of interior views, which you can see and enjoy from all the pictures. The interiors include race control, a workshop garage, interiors on every floor of the cone shaped part of the building, a car showroom, the iconic suspended workings of a Formula 1™ car and the games floor which even houses a model slot car track.
Once you travel over the car park you get to the old Brooklands part of the site, where we actually changed the scale of the diorama to 1/43, which allowed us to fit more detail into the space, and visually makes the perspective better. In that section you will see a ‘Car Show’ where you will find a plethora of different models of Mercedes-Benz, both past and present. Brooklands was a racing circuit used between 1907 and 1939 but is now disused and unfortunately mostly dismantled, but there is a small section visible next to the Mercedes-Benz World building. We decided to replicate a Mercedes-Benz car show on our model, which we hope you agree looks amazing.
Up over the banked corner of Brooklands we modelled a 1/87 train line, which you can see from the building. There is a famous image of a steam train steaming along whilst the cars are racing around Brooklands, so thought modelling this would be a nice touch. The trains are ‘Push to Action’ making the track more interactive, so members of the public can operate the train by pressing a button on the Perspex.
Throughout the layout we’ve hidden quite a few ‘Easter Eggs’ (miniature items for people to find around the track). We won’t tell you what, or where, most of these ‘Easter Eggs’ are, as we don’t want to ruin the fun if you’re lucky enough to visit their complex. Just as a teaser, and to give you an example, we have Harry Potter stopping traffic and a bear looking over a fence.
This track we built includes:
- HUGE Replica of the Mercedes-Benz World Building
- 1:43 Scale Model Car Show
- A Model Concord
- 2 x 1:87 Scale Interactive ‘Push to Action’ Working Trains
- Realistic ‘Handling Circuit’
- Many ‘Easter Eggs’ (things for people to find)
Interiors within the main Mercedes-Benz world building, including:
- Race Control
- A Workshop Garage
- Interiors on every floor of the cone shaped part of the building
- A Car Showroom
- The iconic suspended workings of a Formula 1™ car
- The Games Floor (including a model slot car track)
About Mercedes-Benz World: This facility is open to the public at the historic Brooklands motor racing circuit in Weybridge, Surrey. It is owned and operated by the Mercedes-Benz Group and opened in October 2006. Since then over 3 million people have visited.
Mercedes-Benz World was the first track in the UK to provide the MSA’s (Motor Sports Association) newly developed coaching course leading to a professional certificate in coaching motorsport – the highest coaching qualification currently available in motorsport in the UK aimed at professional race instructors and race teams.
