Volume VIII, Number 9/10

The Toy Car Manufacturers Index
by Doug Breithaupt


Comparing one toy car to another is always problematic. A fair comparison can be difficult as different companies produce models for a wide variety of markets with various levels of quality and at a mix of price points. The following index is an attempt to level the playing field and allow for a fair comparison. Four key factors have been identified and each manufacturer is ranked on a scale of 1-low to 6-high. A description of these factors and the different ranks are shown below. No effort has been made to add the collectibility factor to this index. For many new models that factor is yet unknown and is always very subjective. I fully recognize that this index reflects my subjective analysis as well and other collectors might disagree with my conclusions.

Initially, only current toy car manufacturers have been included. Perhaps later, companies no longer in business could also be rated. In order to see how the companies efforts for 2005 compare, they have also been rated for 2004. This same time next year, 2006 will be reviewed.

I have tried to include all the significant players in the small-scale toy car market. I expect I've missed a few along the way or was unsure if some were still in business. Please feel free to suggest additional companies that should be ranked and I can add them to the index (send message). Companies like Edocar or Schuco are not included as they only re-package and sell the models made and sold by other manufacturers although this is clearly a difficult distinction. Each manufacturer is described with identification of the line reviewed - collector or regular, the retail price range and years in business making small-scale toy cars. I have made estimates here that may well merit some corrections.

This is not an effort to identify losers and winners as we do with the 'Toy Car of the Year' awards. High quality models with limited availability like Kyosho for example, may be rated lower than more modest quality toy cars that can be easily found. Both regular and collector line models have been ranked as these can be quite different in many ways. While this index may be of interest to collectors, it may be of even more interest to the toy car makers themselves as they can quickly see areas to improve their product in the collector market. Hopefully, we will begin to see improved rankings year-to-year for these manufacturers. There is plenty of room for improvement as no manufacturer did better than 20 out of a possible 24 points.

1

2

3

4

5

6

QUALITY Poor - cheap and nasty, may not be able to recognize source of model Fair - model may have good points but they are out-weighed by bad ones Average - no better or worse than most of the competition. Good - above average with a decent shape, paint and wheels/tires Excellent - correct shape, paint and wheels/tires for the model, with working features Superior - far beyond expectations for a small-scale model in this price range
VARIETY Poor - few if any new models over the year Fair - small range, primarily limited to models for the home market Average - no better or worse than most of the competition. Good - selection of line shows some diversity and even a few unique models Excellent - many unique stock, custom, racing and concept models offered Superior - far beyond expectations for a toy car company
AVAILABILITY Poor - very limited if they can be found at all Fair - primarily available to a limited home market Average - no better or worse than most of the competition. Good - available outside of home markets with decent retail and online access Excellent - available in most major markets world-wide or easy to find online Superior - available in all major markets world-wide
VALUE Poor - price should be 50% lower or more Fair - price should be at least 25% lower Average - no better or worse than most of the competition. Good - would still be a fair buy at a price 50% higher Excellent - would still be a fair buy at a price 100% higher Superior - would still be a fair buy at a price 150% higher

Brand
score 2004 and 2005
(Manufacturer)
regular/collector line
average price range
dates of production

QUALITY

VARIETY

AVAILABILITY

VALUE

QUALITY

VARIETY

AVAILABILITY

VALUE

2004

2005

AutoArt
12-2004 12-2005
Collector Line
$4.50-5.00
2000 to present

5

2

2

3

5

2

2

3

Biante
11-2004 11-2005
Collector Line
$8.00-10.00
2000 to present

5

2

2

2

5

2

2

2

Corgi
11-2004 11-2005
Collector Line
$1.50-3.00
1960's to present

4

1

2

4

4

1

2

4

Ertl
12-2004 12-2005
Collector Line
$3.00-4.00
1970's to present

5

1

2

4

5

1

2

4

GMP
10-2004 na-2005
Collector Line
$10.00
2000 to present

6

1

1

2

na

na

na

na

Grell
na-2004 11-2005
Collector Line
$3.50-4.00
2005 to present

na

na

na

na

4

2

2

3

Guisval
10-2004 10-2005
Regular Line
$1.50-2.00
1970's to present

3

2

2

3

3

2

2

3

High Speed
8-2004 13-2005
Collector Line
$2.00-3.00
1990's to present

4

2

1

1

4

4

2

3

Hongwell
20-2004 20-2005
collector Line
$1.50-2.00
1990's to present

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

Hot Wheels
16-2004 16-2005
(Mattel)
Regular Line
$1.00
1960's to present

3

5

5

3

3

5

5

3

Hot Wheels
13-2004 11-2005
(Mattel)
Collector Line $3-10.00
1960's to present

5

4

2

2

5

3

2

1

Johnny Lightning
16-2004 17-2005
Collector Line
$3-3.50
1990's to present

5

5

2

4

6

5

2

5

Kintoys
14-2004 14-2005
Regular Line
$1.00-2.00
1990's to present

4

3

3

4

4

3

3

4

Konami
13-2004 13-2005
Collector Line
$3.50-4
2000 to present

5

3

2

3

5

3

2

3

Kyosho
11-2004 13-2005
Collector Line
$3.50-10.00
1990's to present

5

3

1

2

5

4

2

2

Maisto
13-2004 12-2005
Regular Line
$.50-1.00
1980's to present

3

3

3

4

3

3

2

4

Maisto
na-2004 14-2005
Collector Line
$3.00
1980's to present

na

na

na

na

4

3

4

3

Majorette
12-2004 13-2004
Regular Line
$1-1.50
1960's to present

3

4

2

3

3

4

3

3

Matchbox
12-2004 14-2005
(Mattel)
Regular Line
$1.00
1950's to present

3

2

4

3

4

3

4

3

Matchbox
11-2004 13-2005
(Mattel)
Collector Line
$2 - 4.00
1950's to present

2

4

2

3

3

5

2

3

Norev
14-2004 15-2005
Collector Line
$3.00-4.00
1960's to present

5

3

2

4

5

4

2

4

Pioneer
10-2004 10-2005
Regular Line
$.50-1.00
1990's to present

2

2

3

3

2

2

3

3

Racing Champions
13-2004 13-2005
Collector Line
$3-4.00
1980's to present

5

3

2

3

5

3

2

3

Real Toy
19-2004 19-2005
Regular Line
$.50-1.00
1990's to present

5

4

5

 5

5

4

5

5

Siku
16-2004 16-2005
Regular Line
$1.50-3.00
1950's to present

5

4

4

3

5

4

4

3

Tiger Wheels
8-2004 8-2005
Collector Line
$7-8.00
1990's to present

4

1

1

2

4

1

1

2

Tomica
13-2004 13-2005
Regular Line
$1.50-3.00
1970's to present

5

3

2

3

5

3

2

3

Tomica
13-2004 13-2005
Collector Line
$3.00-10.00
1970's to present

5

4

2

2

5

4

2

2

Welly
16-2004 16-2005
Regular Line
$1-1.50
1980's to present

4

5

2

5

4

5

2

5

XConcepts
12 -2004 na -2005
Collector Line
$3.00
2000 to present

5

1

3

3

na

na

na

na

Yat Ming
13-2004 13-2005
Regular Line
$.50-1.00
1970's to present

2

3

3

3

2

3

3

3

Yat Ming
18-2004 18-2005
Collector Line
$1.50-2.00
1970's to present

5

4

4

5

5

4

4

5


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