Mebetoys
The story says ... In 1966, as the first leaflet proudly announced, Mr. Mario Besana , the actual Martoys/BBurago founder (1975) and owner, and his brothers created the Mebetoys Models Division in Milan, Italy.
In fact the former MEccanica BEsana TOYS already produced metal toys as keyrings and guns. But Mr. Besana wished to create a new model cars brand breaking the mid 60's Italian Market.
We remember among the most important die-cast firms the Politoys (Milan) (afterwards known as APS - Polistil), the Edil Toys, the Mercury (Turin), and abroad the Gama models, the Schuco, the Dinky Toys, the Corgi-Juniors, the Spot-On.
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Mebetoys |
It's easy to understand how fool could be betting on a new kind of models in such an overcrowded market as Italy was in 1966. The very first models of the Mebetoys series were not new at all. The Fiat 850 and The Fiat 1500 just represented the usual 60's models, already issued by the Politoys, for example. The real news was the Alfa Romeo 2600. This wonderful Sedan still comes as the unique replica of the real car, still nowadays. We can honestly say this was the beginning of a revolution. |
We can honestly say this was the beginning of a revolution. The specialized press began to look more carefully at the Mebetoys production, and the firm kept its promises. Rubber tires, engines, jewel head lights, openings and fine colors were the reasons of a quick success.
Besides, the excellent marketing skills made the models quickly famous and largely sold to kids and their fathers, scale models collectors.
Just one word on the packaging: wonderful, cosy graphic layout and chic colors like white, gray, ochra red alternated with aggressive yellow boxes with red signs (the four Rally Models). The very first series attracted the attention of the market by using beautiful naked girls in black'n white, surrounding fine photographs of the real car. The Cartoons Yogi&Boo-Boo car revealed all its beauty in a rounded plastic box, very rare todays. Promotional boxes and gift packs complete the subject. From 1970 over, the large use of plastic and bubble boxes made a new kind of communication, where the models where drawn or simply under a transparent plastic cover.
Nothing was able to stop the run for gold. Nothing but a new ownership. So, suddendly after the first successful 40 models, Mr. Besana sold the brand to the Mattel U.S.A. which used its Italian factory, at Oleggio Castello, Novara, keeping all over the Seventies the brand Mebetoys. Mr.Besana used the amount gained by selling the brand to start his Martoys-BBurago adventure. He signed a contract where he kept being a consultant, blocking his role of competitors until 1974.
In 1970 the new ownership developped the Gran Toros series, until 1973, and a general misunderstanding occurred. In short there is a Gran Toros brand (1970) but also a Gran Toros serie, (Early 70s). You can easily understand from the number the difference. Four numbers, no letters the first one, for example: #6604. The Mebetoys Mattel Gran Toros post 1970 has alphanumerical numbers, for example: A-76. Boxes, tyres, colors make the
difference. Anyway, the sign Gran Toros is Heisse Rader in Germany and Sputafuoco in Italy. In the early Seventies the Mattel Italy decided to create these new, fast, shining models, to sell em worldwide, with new plastic blisters. Another Mebetoys line also named Gran Toros came out some years after. Everyone can understand how much easy has been generating such a disturbing confusion.
After this first change, the Mattel INC. developped new models, sometimes simply adding new colors or small parts, thus making new versions of old models. You can also search fo the rarest models, the promotional ones, sometimes used to promote a new real car (The new Fiat 124 or the new Fiat 131)
Unfortunately, the Mattel gradually introduced in some models its new fast wheels, maybe to avoid rubber wheels ingestion to children. Still today the collectors seem to be divided in two parties: those who hate and those who love those plastic, fast wheels. Anyway we are now in a new phase of the firm : during the Mid-Seventies the brand is MEBETOYS MATTEL with a Gran Toros division, different from the race one sold to Germans (Heisse Raeder) Italians (Sputafuoco) and Americans (Gran Toros), and entirely assembled in Italy.
The Eighties brought with'em an awful crisis. The Mebetoys brand identified itself by using new colours, stickers, items like windsurf, barrels, skis, and largely producing also trucks and 1/25 models at least until 1983. But new challenges were forcing the brand to fade out. Only the label Mattel Hot Wheels still stayed on until the end. After lots of strange models, without openings, often made of cheap materials, and not so original, the factory sadly closed. But the Mebetoys Mattel death has maybe one reason: the steering wheels. When The BBurago and after the Polistil discovered this new claim for the market, it was too late to fight. In the mid-70s the giant F1 models issued by Bburago had steering wheels, but they were just de luxe models. When the current 1/25 production came out by this novelty, there was the ultimate revolution.
The BBurago and the old Polistil succeeded in getting its heritage in the 1/25 and 1/43 market. When also the old Polistil closed, the BBurago expanded itself, making also hundreds of 1/43 models. Today the Bburago is alive and kicking, the Polistil has been bought by its former competitor, the Mercury is dead, but the Mebetoys lives again! A German factory, the Dimian, started by producing 1/18 and maybe 1/32 models. But honestly they seem to be different by the past models, and also rare to find. We suppose they did'n t succeed in their challenge on the Italian Market.
Anyway, this is an attempt to save as many memories as possible of a 20 years long history. Here everybody will be able to find the Mebetoys models of his past youth, maybe helping the webmaster a lot by creating a much more useful site. Misteries related to colors, versions, catalogs or items, will be subject of discussion here. We strongly hope and recommend you to take advantage of this common wealth.
