German Mercedes from China

Turn over almost any die-cast car and you will see one particular badge everywhere: Made in China. It's easier to manufacture everything in China, be it cars, toys or mythical fake eggs. All the big names have headed there, companies proudly calling themselves American such as Greenlight and Johnny Lightning all originate from the land of the Panda.

This week we got hold of a few diecasts that upon closer inspection offer a world of detail reserved for big brands costing several thousand takas.

Pros: This particular Mercedes C63 AMG is a particularly accurate model with clear tampos for the badges. In 1:32 scale it comes with opening hood, doors and trunk. The engine bay has a well detailed engine in typical 1:1 fashion of a plastic cover hiding all the mechanical bits. Then the smaller details catch your eye. The bottom of the hood is replete with bolts and grooves like the real car. Look inside and you will see a proper steering wheel, rollcage and even a rearview mirror. The ceiling even shows moulded detail of sun visors. Who does that in a 1:32 with music and lights?

Cons: It has music and lights and is a pullback. Because of those, the interior floor space is a little raised. Also, while the wheels are perfectly detailed like the real car, the brake discs and callipers are part of the wheel and they rotate as the wheels do. Doesn't look right.

Where to find one? Now that's a tricky part. Buy direct in China, these cost less than 300tk a piece. All I could find online was on Alibaba and it costs quite a lot there. It does have a 'used under license' stamping beneath but I couldn't find any further info on it.

See how it compares to a Kyosho built Mercedes

So why am I highlight this? It's a sign of things to come. Considering the fine detail and craftsmanship, all they had to do was put it in a clear acrylic display, design a beautiful packaging and sell for big bucks. Once the Chinese build their own brand of diecast toys, the others better watch out.