1:18 scale diecast replicas are diecast replicas

Die-cast toy

The term die-cast toy here refers to any toy or collectible model produced by using the die casting method. The toys are made of metal, with plastic, rubber or glass details. Wholly plastic toys are made by a similar process of injection moulding, but the two are rarely confused...

 in 1:18 scale

1:18 scale

1:18 scale diecast replicas are diecast replicas in 1:18 scale or 1/18th the size of the real vehicle. Most popular in this category are 1:18 scale diecast automobile replicas - usually made out of zinc alloy with plastic parts...

 or 1/18th the size of the real vehicle. Most popular in this category are 1:18 scale diecast automobile replicas - usually made out of zinc alloy (zamac) with plastic parts. 1:18 scale is the colloquial reference to these replicas.

Description

Virtually all 1:18 scale models produced in recent years have functional steering wheels which turn the front wheels, along with doors, hoods, and trunks capable of opening and closing. Tires are often mounted on workable suspension systems. As a standard feature, the hood / bonnet lifts to reveal a detailed and accurate engine bay. Most models are approximately 11 inches (279.4 mm) long by 5 inches (127 mm) wide by 4 inches (101.6 mm) tall. Such detail is common to 1:18 scales and larger. Typically, companies that produce model cars will have licensing arrangements with real car manufacturers to make replicas of their cars, both in current production or of discontinued models.

History

How 1:18 scale became a standard is somewhat of a question, but some of the first 1:18 scale cars appeared in tin in the United States and Japan after World War II and, though these were not precise in detail or proportion, became popular in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Other manufacturers like Marx in the 1960s and 1970s simply made 1:18 scale large plastic toys somewhat by chance. Plastic models in the United States, though, had the standard of 1:25 scale.

The first zinc alloy metal cars in this scale (and also 1:24 scale) from European Manufacturers appeared around 1970, made by the likes of German Schuco Modell, Polistil

Polistil

Polistil was a toy company headquartered in Milan, Italy, with production center in Chiari, Brescia. Polistil specialized in diecast metal and plastic vehicles of all sizes. The company also made toy and model tanks, dolls, robots and TV tie-ins...

, and Gama Toys

Gama Toys

Gama is a German maker of toys, usually cars and trucks, dating from before World War I. The company is headquartered in Furth, Bavaria, near Nurnberg, a traditional German toymaking center.-History:...

. Pocher, the Italian kit maker manufactured kits in 1:8 scale. Schuco and Gama went defunct and the market for 1:18 scale grew fantastically during the 1980s, mainly with the likes of Bburago

Bburago

Bburago is an Italian model car manufacturer, that was based in Burago di Molgora, Italy, which made mostly diecast cars from 1976 to 2005, and then under the May Cheong group since 2007.-Early years:...

, Polistil (both Italian companies mass-manufacturing models in Italy) and then, later, the Asian Maisto

Maisto

Maisto International Inc. is a popular toy brand of the May Cheong Group . Maisto manufactures die-cast models of automobiles, aircraft, and motorcycles...

. Naturally, the focus of these models were European sports and 'saloon' cars.

Throughout the 1990s

1990s

File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...

, the number of different models in this scale increased exponentially and Chinese production cut manufacturing costs. Models could be sold for anywhere from $10.00 to $25.00. By about 2000, it appeared that 1:18 scale had dominated other scales in marketing (except the diminutive Hot Wheels) - as nearly a whole row in Toys-R-Us could be seen packed with eleven inch models. Many new companies flooded the 1:18 scale market at this time. Ertl

Ertl Company

The Ertl Company is an American toy company best known for its die-cast metal alloy collectible replicas of farm equipment and vehicles. The company is based in Dyersville, Iowa, home of the National Farm Toy Museum...

 and Revell

Revell

Revell is the brand name today of two manufacturers of scale plastic models. The original US company merged with another, Monogram, but now trades only under the Revell name. European Revell Germany separated from the US company in 2006.-Early history:...

 sold a limited number of diecast cars during this time - mostly older American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 models (although Revell Germany sold a number of diecast German

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 and American models). Ertl's 1:18 scale line was called "American Muscle". Others included Yat Ming, Sun Star, Mira

Mira

Mira also known as Omicron Ceti , is a red giant star estimated 200-400 light years away in the constellation Cetus. Mira is a binary star, consisting of the red giant Mira A along with Mira B. Mira A is also an oscillating variable star and was the first non-supernova variable star discovered,...

, and UT Models

UT Models

UT Limited was a company which manufactured 1:18 scale model cars in the 80's and 90's, trading as UT Models. They were typically of good to high quality and were a bit more expensive than their direct competitors. The company closed at the end of the 1990s, but the essence of the brand is now...

. Often, cars featured in collectible

Collectible

A collectable or collectible is any object regarded as being of value or interest to a collector . There are numerous types of collectables and terms to denote those types. An antique is a collectable that is old...

 car

Čar

Čar is a village in the municipality of Bujanovac, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the town has a population of 296 people.-References:...

 magazines (such as Collectible Automobile) were soon the subjects of 1:18 diecast models.

During the early 2000s the quality and accuracy of models improved dramatically, but price went up and they were sold in more upscale stores, dealerships, and through on-line mail order. Around 2005, "premium" manufacturers including Highway 61, GMP, AUTOart

AUTOart

AUTOart is a Hong Kong-based diecast model car line sold by AA Collection Ltd. The company was formerly owned by Gateway Global Ltd. based in Costa Mesa, California.-History:AUTOart was established in 1998...

, and Lane Exact Detail began to offer very high-quality, highly-detailed models at higher prices. Today (2008), many features are now found in mainstream, low-priced diecasts that were only found before in models costing upwards of $100.00. Engine wiring and plumbing, carpeting in the interior, detailed instrument panels, seatbelts, and photo-etched details are common even in models costing under $50.00.

Today, the lower-priced models are can be found from a number of retail merchants, both online and in brick-and-mortar stores such as Toys R Us, Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...

 and KB Toys

KB Toys

K·B Toys was a chain of mall-based retail toy stores in the United States. It was founded in 1922 by the Kaufman brothers. K·B operated 605 stores in 44 U.S. states, Puerto Rico as well as Guam. It was privately held in Pittsfield, Massachusetts...

 (in the United States), but they are not nearly as popular as they once were and circa 2011 you may only find one or two individual cars if you are lucky. Premium models are typically offered on the Internet from various web sites, as well as numbers of online diecast stores. Sometimes, these stores offer the models at discounts from list price.

Significant Categories of Replicas

• Antique/Classics (pre-World War II
  World War II
  World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
  
  )
• Construction vehicles
• Fifties Cars
• Formula 1 Cars
• Modern Cars (1990s and newer)
• Muscle Cars (1960s-1970s)
• Police Cars
• Sports Cars
• Touring Cars

Manufacturers of 1:18 Replica Automobiles

• Action Performance
• Anson (now discontinued)
• Auto World / Round2
• AUTOart
  AUTOart
  AUTOart is a Hong Kong-based diecast model car line sold by AA Collection Ltd. The company was formerly owned by Gateway Global Ltd. based in Costa Mesa, California.-History:AUTOart was established in 1998...
  
  
• Bad
• Bauer
• BBR
• Bburago
  Bburago
  Bburago is an Italian model car manufacturer, that was based in Burago di Molgora, Italy, which made mostly diecast cars from 1976 to 2005, and then under the May Cheong group since 2007.-Early years:...
  
  
• Biante
• Carmania
• Carousel 1
• Classic Carlectables
• CMC
• Ertl
  Ertl
  -People:* Gerhard Ertl, the 2007 Nobel Prize laureate for chemistry* Hans Ertl , German cameraman active during the 1930s* Hans Ertl , Austrian ice hockey player* Harald Ertl, an Austrian motorsport journalist and driver...
  
  
• Exoto
• Fast Women
• Gate (a division of Gateway which also owns AUTOArt)
• Giodi (now discontinued)
• GMP
• Greenlight
• Guiloy
• Highway 61 Diecast Promotions by FF Ertl
• Hot Works
• Hot Wheels
  Hot Wheels
  Hot Wheels is a brand of die cast toy car, introduced by American toymaker Mattel in 1968. It was the primary competitor of Matchbox until 1996, when Mattel acquired rights to the Matchbox brand from Tyco.-Models:...
  
  /Hot Wheels Elite/Mattel
• Jada
• Jadi
• JouefEvolution (by Jouef
  Jouef
  Jouef was a French manufacturer that specialized in model trains and other vehicles. Jouef is one of the world's most famous hobby brands, perhaps only slightly less well-known than Schuco, Marklin, Lines Brothers or Lionel..-History:...
  
  , now discontinued,
• Kyosho
  Kyosho
  is a model car company based in Tokyo, Japan. The brand operates internationally under the name KYOSHO. The company's main office is located in Chiyoda, Tokyo, and the production headquarters are located in Atsugi, Kanagawa....
  
  
• Lane / Exact Detail
• Maisto
  Maisto
  Maisto International Inc. is a popular toy brand of the May Cheong Group . Maisto manufactures die-cast models of automobiles, aircraft, and motorcycles...
  
  
• Minichamps
  Minichamps
  Minichamps is a die-cast car producer founded as Paul's Model Art GmbH in 1990 in Aachen, Germany, best known for its 1:43 scale models. The company grew out of the Danhausen trade catalog of miniature vehicles and specially made Danhausen releases during the 1970s.-The Danhausen Legacy:Danhausen...
  
   / Paul's Model Art
• Mira
  Mira
  Mira also known as Omicron Ceti , is a red giant star estimated 200-400 light years away in the constellation Cetus. Mira is a binary star, consisting of the red giant Mira A along with Mira B. Mira A is also an oscillating variable star and was the first non-supernova variable star discovered,...
  
  

[*Milestone Development Group]http://www.milestonedg.com

• Mondo Motors
• Motor City Classics
• Motorhead Miniatures
• Motorart
• Motormax / RBI
• Muscle Machines
• Neo (in mold-cast resin, not metal)
• Norev
• Onyx / Quartzo
• OttOmobile (in mold-cast resin, not metal)
• Polistil (discontinued in 1993)
• Precision Miniatures (now discontinued)
• Racing Champions (now discontinued)
• Revell
• Ricko
• R & R
• Schuco
• Shelby Collectibles
• Signature Models
• Solido / Majorette
• Spark
• Sun Star
• True Scale
• Universal Hobbies / Eagle Collectibles / Jouef
• UT Models (now discontinued)
• Welly
• Winners Circle
• Yat-Ming