Minichamps: Best Model Car Brand for Hobbyists

Minichamps is a German based company that is well known for producing 1:43 scale vehicles such as cars, motorcycles, buses, and tanks. They are supposedly the brand of choice for collectors who want small model cars with precise detail. Minichamps was first founded as Paul's Model Art GmbH nearly twenty years ago. The first model car they had produced was an Audi V8 touring car in 1990 that was of 1:43 scale. According www.victorylanemotorsports.com, the dimensions of a 1:43 scale model car are 4.5", 1.5", and 1.2". They are very small compared to most model cars that usually measure up to ten inches in width. Unfortunately, Minichamps mainly produces European brand cars such as Mercedes, BMW, and Audi rather than American and Asian cars. Ford Mustangs are Dodge Vipers are some of the few American based car brands that Minichamps manufactures. They are in fact a much rarer find for collectors, thus making them slightly more expensive.

There are other model car brands out there that serious hobbyists collect, but the one that actually competes well against Minichamps would be AUTOart. AUTOart is a Hong Kong model car manufacturer that actually adds seatbelts and working door handles to their cars. Unlike Minichamps, AUTOart produces many lines of Asian and American cars that include Honda, Nissan, Toyota, Dodge, Ford, and Chevy. Some of AUTOarts finest model cars can cost up to five hundred dollars due to their extreme rarity. These expensive cars are of 1:18 scale and they tend to have much more detail than 1:43 scale cars. My personal favorite 1:18 scale AUTOart car is the Corvette Manta Ray because of its very impressive detail. Its tires and body look exactly like the real thing and the paint job is just phenomenal.

I believe Minichamps has nicer 1:43 scale cars compared to those of AUTOart's because their European lines are far more extensive. I own two Porsches from Minichamps and they have very detailed chromed wheels unlike the ones from AUTOart, but I would still consider both of them excellent because of their overall detail. Collecting model cars has been a new hobby of mine and I could not believe how hooked I was when I received my first one from eBay. This is a hobby I recommend for everyone who enjoys automobiles in general.