BOLINGBROOK, IL-(September 26, 2003)-RC2 Corporation, makers of high-quality collectibles, toys and hobby products, announces new additions to its popular Take Along™ Thomas & Friends™ line of portable, all-in-one playsets and durable, die-cast engines that are perfect for taking Thomas on the go. The Take Along Thomas & Friends line has been a strong selling brand since it debuted at Target stores nationwide in summer 2002. The new product additions are designed to add even more play value and offer consumers-the majority of whom own multiple Take Along Thomas items-more variety in both play pattern and pricing.

"Take Along Thomas & Friends reflects RC2 Corporation's true strengths as a groundbreaking children's toy and hobby product developer and marketer," states Peter Henseler, President of RC2 Corporation. "We have created a distinct, quality die-cast product that is both portable and affordable, designed to fill a specific consumer need for take-anywhere Thomas & Friends play. This type of consumer-driven innovation is what distinguishes RC2 Corporation."

About the New Take Along Thomas & Friends Items
The new items debuting in the Take Along Thomas & Friends line will soon be on store shelves, in time for the 4th quarter selling season. Featured items include the Brendam Docks Electronic Playset, a deluxe playset featuring Cranky the Crane that captures a corner of Thomas' world, helping kids recreate hard-working, dockside adventures. Special features include a motorized Cranky the Crane, a lighthouse that lights and plays three dockside sounds, a working drawbridge and a complete track layout for plenty of fun, interactive play options packed conveniently into this take-anywhere set.

In addition to several new sought-after vehicle introductions, there will be a special Take Along Thomas & Friends Holiday Train & Snowglobe Car, a special 3-car pack that includes a die-cast Thomas with snow decoration, a whimsical Snowglobe car with a miniature Tidmouth Station tucked inside, and a holiday caboose.

RC2 (www.rc2corp.com) is a leading producer and marketer of high quality, innovative collectibles and toys targeted at adult collectors and children, as measured by sales and brand recognition. The Company's diverse product offerings include: agricultural, construction and outdoor sports vehicle replicas; automotive, high performance and racing vehicle replicas; traditional children's toys; sports trading cards and racing apparel and souvenirs; and collectible figures. These products are sold under the Company's market-focused brand names, including Racing Champions®, Ertl®, Ertl Collectibles®, Learning Curve, American Muscle™, AMT®, W. Britain®, Press Pass®, Eden™, Feltkids® and JoyRide Studios™. The Company supports its brands and enhances the authenticity of its products by linking them with highly recognized licensed properties from John Deere, Harley-Davidson, HIT Entertainment, Lamaze, Case, Polaris, Honda, Caterpillar, Ford, GM, DaimlerChrysler, NASCAR, NHRA, Texaco, Universal Studios, Warner Brothers, DIC Entertainment, Nintendo, Sega, Electronic Arts and Microsoft. The Company's products are marketed through multiple channels of distribution, including chain retailers, specialty and hobby wholesalers and retailers, OEM dealers, corporate accounts for promotional purposes and direct to consumers. The Company sells through more than 20,000 retail outlets located in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.

Certain statements contained in this release contain "forward-looking statements'' within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking words or phrases such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "expect," "intend," "may,'' "plans," "potential," "target," "should," "will," "could" and "would." Such forward-looking statements are inherently subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties. The Company's actual results and future developments could differ materially from the results or developments expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to make any revisions to the forward-looking statements contained in this release or to update them to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this release.