Abstract: A free wheeling toy vehicle has the outer faces of its front wheels spaced a greater distance apart than the outer faces of its rear wheels. When the toy vehicle travels down an inclined track having upstanding sidewalls and one of the front wheels strikes one of the sidewalls due to travel of the vehicle at an acute angle toward that sidewall, the angle of travel of the vehicle is changed so that the vehicle moves away from the sidewall it has just struck. The overall resistance to movement down the inclined track is thereby reduced.

Abstract: A toy automobile comprises a body supported by a drive wheel capable of storing kinetic energy and engaging a surface to propel the body linearly thereon in the direction of motion of the rotating drive wheel. The toy automobile includes a retractable skid inducing wheel supported by a pivotable bracket which, in one position thereof, engages the surface and deflects motion of the body from its linear direction. The skid inducing wheel is retractable into a position wherein it does not engage the surface and does not interfere with the direction of motion of the body. A spring biassed actuator is provided for moving the skid inducing wheel between its retracted and extended positions; and a releasable latch is provided for securing the skid inducing wheel in its retracted position. The latch is adapted to cooperate with a toy figure carried by the toy automobile.