The fast-lane history of Portuguese Car Models

Summary

 

  • what did they look like?
  • what were they made of?
  • how were they made?
  • what was their purpose?
  • who made them?
  • how popular were they locally and internationally?
  • what can we learn from them?
  • what kind of cars were popular? Realistic, cars of a certain region or period?

Model categories

  • Purpose: collecting or playing?
  • Material: die-cast, plastic, flandres?
  • Inspiration: Based on real models? "licensed"? models? 
  • Size: what's the scale or overall size?

Toys or Collectibles?

Hi-quality Collectibles

Interactible toys

(now collectibles)

  • Vitesse
  • ... Troféu
  • ... Onyx
  • Pepe/Jato
  • Luso Toys
  • Novacar
  • Metosul
  • Irmel
  • ...

Model - Metosul

  • Toy company, a.k.a.: "Osul"
  • "based" on foreign models
    • some were literally built over existing models (Dinky, etc.)
  • Mini, VW Beetle
  • scales: 1/64, 1/43?

Model - Novacar

  • From Majorette models made in Portugal
  • 2 collections
  • 90s

Model - PePe/Jato

  • Brinquedo (agora colecionismo)
  • 192? - 199?
  • Plástico, pequeno a médio (1/43, 1/24?)

International brands
Related to Portugal

Portuguese branding

in diecast models

  • national public service paintjobs

Model - Corgi

  • England

Model - Dinky

  • England
  • From Meccano

Model - Hot Wheels

  • USA
  • From 1968

Model - Matchbox

  • England
  • "now" owned by Mattel (2020)

Model - Guisval

Model - Bburago

  • From Italy (originally)

Model - Maisto

Model - Majorette

  • France
  • Ongoing

Model - Vitesse

Model - Luso Toys

Model - Irmel

Model - Poliguri

  • From Cacém, Portugal, 198?-1989 (?)
  • small and very small  (1/64-ish, 1/50)
  • (high-quality) die-cast models
  • Models: Fiat Uno (1/50), Peugueot 405, Mercedes-benz 200 (with taxi version),many mercedes-benz unimog (307) models, portuguese public service brands (Taxi, Correios (mail), Ambulance
  • Plans for a never relased Lancia Integrale?
Poliguri Mercedes 207, CTT correios. Photo by Paulo Santos, My Poligur Collection

Poliguri Mercedes 207, CTT correios. Photo by Paulo Santos, My Poligur Collection

Poliguri - Fun facts

unique similarities with Siku (models with same unique wheels, similar accessories)

Poliguri re-created their own version of the well-known 'Siku' wheel with it's thin white-wall containing the company name. Substituting 'Guri' for 'Siku', the Poliguri version looks much the same but it is actually a bit different.

-- via Planet Diecast

Poliguri made the most of limited castings by producing a variety of Mercedes-Benz vehicles with the same cab but different rear bodies. A tow truck, ambulance, gasoline truck, camper, mini-bus and mini-truck all originate from this casting.

-- via Planet Diecast

Poliguri - Sources

More Brands

  • Politoys (Italy, ??)
  • Polystil
  • Autopilen (Spain, small)
  • Solido (France, small, medium, large?)
  • Minichamps

Popular Cars

VW "Carocha"

VW "Pão de Forma"

Mercedes "Rabo de peixe"

Citroën "Boca-de-sapo"

Renault 5
Renault 4

Why?

Unique, popular, multiple functions?

VW Carocha

 

  • Dos carros mais reconhecidos do mundo
  • icónico ainda hoje
  • hot wheels, pepe/jato, metosul, majorette...
  • carro polícia azul reproduzido em coleção

VW T1 Combi

(Pão de forma)

 

  • hot wheels, pepe/jato, metosul, majorette...

Renault 5

 

  • Pepe-Jato, majorette...
    • taxi, cruz vermelha...
  • Popular in portugal
  • successor to Renault Clio, one of the best sold cars in Portugal
  • urban and competitive
    • https://www.notion.so/Renault-5-660a3eae414c47a5a51ef0226764fc41#a5236cc3af3446ea8c5ae6e99d377ea7
    • Renault 5 Alpine, Tour de Course, etc. (Veloso Amaral, Joaquim Moutinho e Edgar Fortes)
  • fan club
  • possible revival

Mercedes "Rabo de peixe" e companhia

 

Citroen DS

 

  • commonly known as "Boca de Sapo"
  • Metosul, Luso Toys?
  • Taxi

Citroen 2CV (Diane)

Citroen AX

  • Sucessor do 2CV
  • Competições em Portugal
    • Luís Império conduzia um, reproduzido por José Madureira
    • https://smileyscalemodels.blogspot.com/2018/12/modelos-nacionais-recentemente.html

Renault 4

  • vitesse renault 4 rally

Mercedes 207 e Unimog

Fiat Uno

  • Bburago, Poliguri
  • Carro mais vendido 1990, 1991, 1992?

VW Golf 2

  • Clássico em Portugal
  • Clube Golf MK2 Portugal (desde 2017)
  • Fortes vendas em Portugal (Família Golf)
  • Utilitários e de corrida
  • Matchbox

Morris Mini

  • Clássico em Portugal (antigo e moderno)
  • Matchbox, Hot Wheels, Metosul

Fiat 500
Antigo e moderno

  • Clássico em Portugal (antigo e moderno)
  • Hot Wheels, 

UMM

  • Espaços dedicados
  • miniaturas customizadas

The unique history of Portuguese Car models

By Miguel Costa

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The unique history of Portuguese Car models

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