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Vitesse is a Portuguese company that makes diecast model cars, primarily ones of 1:43 scale. It was founded in 1982 the city of Oporto and is a brand name of Cinerius, Ltd.
Because of the detail and realism of the models, Vitesse gained increasing popularity in the late 1980s and 1990s. [1]
By about 1992, Vitesse had produced about 40 different models, often in top-up or top-down versions like Brumm or Rio Models. Offerings were made in plenty of liveries. For example, by 1990 the 1947 Chrysler Windsor model (a car also produced by Solido) had been produced in at least eight different versions: a plain sedan, New York City police, San Francisco Fire Brigade, Istanbul Taxi, official French government car, a French voisin 'pompiers', a Hot Springs National Park hotel taxi, and a Zippo lighters version with the middle of the car looking like two zippo lighters standing up. [2]
Vitesse referred to its rather fragile offerings as 'toys'. The cover of the 1990 full-color catalog showed a 1957 Buick as a planter, Citroen 2 CVs with live rabbits, a VW bug cabriolet nearly being 'driven' by a golf club, and a 1953 Cadillac between two buns. [2]
In 1990, the oldest Vitesse model was a 1934 white truck and the newest was a contemporary Peugeot 205, but most models were from the 1950s. Of course, Portugal had no vehicles of its own to offer to stoke nationalism, so models were fairly evenly selected from Britain, Germany, France, Italy and the United States. Inside the front cover of one catalog, an introduction to Vitesse was given in nine different languages. [2]
Vitesse also produces models for other companies, but most are produced under the Vitesse name. [1]
Rixon reports on Vitesse's 1960 Aston Martin DB4 commenting on the model's "simulated wooden steering wheel", "banks of dashboard clocks", and "metal mesh radiator" and "astonishing photo etched wire spoke wheels". [3]
When the Sachsenring "Trabi" (Trabant) became the symbol of the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, Vitesse quickly jumped at the chance to produce it in miniature and sell it across a unified Germany and an emotional Europe. A unique American issue was the 'Carrera Panamericana' version of its 1953 Cadillac Type 62, whose two-tone color treatment included detailed race decals. Fans argued that with Vitesse, there was rarely the feeling of 'just another Lamborghini Diablo', though it did offer its own Porsche 911 and Ferrari 308 GTB. [4]
Another offering was the 1956 Ford Fairlane police car. Only 5,000 of these cars were made, so chances of finding one with all lights and parts intact may be a challenge. [5]
Vitesse also was quick to offer models in promotional guises, particularly related to racing sponsors. A specially packaged Coca-Cola Porsche 917, a Martini Lancia, special Peugeot promotional models and others made for Rothmans or Kenwood. [2]
One popular promotional model often seen in the U.S. was the 3.5-inch 1/64 scale UPS truck. Sometimes seen mounted on special bases, the truck is detailed with official UPS brown colors and logo. [6]
Schuco is a German brand and former manufacturing company founded in 1912 by Heinrich Müller and the businessman Heinrich Schreyer in Nuremberg, popularly known as Germany's toy capital. The company's specialty was making toy reproductions of cars and trucks in tin, plastic and die-cast. The company went bankrupt in 1976 but was reorganized in 1993 and then totally independent again by 1996 before its acquisition by the Simba Dickie Group in 1999.
Majorette is a French toy manufacturer which mostly produces small Die-cast scale model cars, commercial vehicles, aircraft, and other vehicles, particularly in 1:64 scale. This is a normal 2.5–3 in (64–76 mm) size, thus Majorette has sometimes been called "the Matchbox of France". Traditionally, production was centered in the urban area of Lyon, but diecast models are now made in China, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
Minichamps is a die-cast model car brand founded as Paul's Model Art GmbH in 1990 in Aachen, Germany, best known for its 1:18, 1:43 and 1:64 scale models. The company grew out of the Danhausen trade catalog of miniature vehicles and specially made Danhausen diecast releases during the 1970s.
Husky was a brand name for a line of business die-cast toy scale model vehicles manufactured by defunct company Mettoy Playcraft Ltd. of Swansea, Wales, which also made the larger Corgi Toys. Husky Models was re-branded "Corgi Junior" in 1970, and a further range called "Corgi Rockets" was developed to race on track sets.
Playart was a toy company owned by Hong Kong industrialist Duncan Tong (唐鼎康) that specialized in die-cas toy cars, similar in size and style to Hot Wheels, Matchbox or Tomica. Cars were well done, but were often diecast seconds from other companies like Yatming or Tomica. Cars were made from 1965 to 1983 at the factory in San Po Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Plastic cars and trucks of 1:43, and 1:24 scale were also made, while trains and other theme toys also appeared.
Bburago is a manufacturing company of toys and die-cast scale model cars formerly based in Italy. The company was based in Burago di Molgora, where all products were made from 1974 to 2005. At the height of its popularity, Bburago's main competitors were Politoys and Maisto, the latter of which was to become dominant in the 1:18 market segment around 2000.
Tekno is a Danish manufacturing company of scale model trucks and other vehicles, currently headquartered in De Lier, Netherlands. Originally established and based in Copenhagen, Tekno began manufacturing construction toys in 1928 and model vehicles immediately after World War II, selling 1 million a year during its peak.
Schabak is a die-cast toy producer based in Nuremberg, Germany. The company is well known for its line of German cars and commercial airline models. The company's on and off relation with German Schuco Modell is particularly notable.
Meccanica Bessana Toys, was an Italian toy manufacturer that produced die-cast scale model cars during the 1960s and 1970s.
Solido is a French brand and former manufacturing company of die-cast scale models of cars, military vehicles and commercial vehicles. The models are usually made of zamac alloy in varying scales.
Norev is a French manufacturer of die-cast scale model cars. Traditionally based in Villeurbanne, a suburb of Lyon. It has normally produced modern and vintage European vehicles, especially those of French origin – though Italian, German, British, and American vehicles were also produced. Norev's closest competition was Solido, but that company had more pan-European influence, while Norev was more national in orientation.
Polistil S.p.A. is an Italian toy brand and former manufacturing company headquartered in Milan, with production center in Chiari, near Brescia. Polistil specialized in die-cast and plastic scale model vehicles of all sizes.
Gama is a German maker of toys, usually cars and trucks, dating from before World War I. The company is headquartered in Fürth, Bavaria, near Nürnberg, a traditional German toymaking center. Other German companies that competed with Gama Toys were Schuco Modell and Conrad Models.
Eligor is a brand of collector's diecast model cars and trucks mostly made in 1:43 scale. Models have always been made in France, but the company has gone through several ownership changes. Today, though now focusing on model trucks, Eligor is one of the few diecast modelers still making its vehicles in Europe.
Winross is a diecast model truck producer based in Churchville, New York, just west of Rochester. The company was started in 1963 to make models of White brand trucks. Winross was the pioneer in 1/64 scale promotional model semi-tractor-trailer trucks. The trucks were known for their wide variety of logos and promotional ads on their sides. Over time trucks have become more sophisticated and the company has moved into silk screen printing for a variety of products.
Ziss-Modell, originally also called R. W. Modell or Wittek Modell were 'brand' names of the German Mini-Auto firm which made diecast metal classic and contemporary vehicles from the 1960s through the late 1970s. Later, use of the Mini-Auto name largely disappeared and the models were mainly known as Ziss or R. W. Modell. The company was based in Lintorf.
Société Anonyme de Fabrication d'Injection et de Recherches was a French manufacturing company that produced diecast metal classic veteran and contemporary plastic race cars and other vehicles in the 1960s through the 1970s. It arose out of the previous French toymaker, "Jadali".
Morris & Stone, Ltd., which later changed its name to the more well-known Budgie Toys, was a British die-cast toy distributor turned manufacturer, based in London. The company first specialised in horse-drawn carriages and coaches. It later made a wide variety of miniature cars and trucks.
Gamda Koor, also known as Sabra was an Israeli diecast toy company that specialized in 1:43 scale cars. Most of these seem to have been original offerings, not seen elsewhere and not secondary tooling. The toy company Cragstan marketed Gamda Sabras as "Detroit Sr." for the American Market.
Mercury was an Italian manufacturing company of die-cast scale model cars. Based in Turin, Mercury was active from 1932 until 1980. Along with Dinky Toys in England, Mercury was a pioneer in 1:43 scale diecast toys made in Europe. Today, Mercury models are rather rare and not easy to find. The company logo was the word Mercury within a rectangle with a round toothed gear behind the company name.