The different scales of model cars

As you know, a model car, a miniature, is a reduced model of the original car. Over the years, a number of more or less standard scales have emerged. Below you will find which they are.

What is actually a scale?

A scale is nothing but a ratio in which the model is made. Contrary to what many think, it says nothing about centimeters, but as said, only about the relationship. A map with a scale of 1: 50,000 is therefore the ratio in which the map is drawn.

One millimeter on the floor plan is actually 50,000 mm. But one centimeter on the map is actually 50,000 cm.

So if you measure a model with a scale of 1:18 and it is 45 cm, the original is 810 cm, or 8.1 meters.

How did those scales come about?

Many scales were created in practice. For example, Dinky Toys (originally from the Meccano group) were made on a scale of approximately 1:43. Bburago was the first to work on a scale of 1:18.

Matchbox, on the other hand, did not work with a fixed scale; their miniatures had to fit in a matchbox, a matchbox ...

The colon (1/18) is often used instead of the colon (1:18).

Which scales are used for what?

• 1: 6: Motorcycles
• 1:10: Remote-controlled cars
• 1:18: Larger models with lots of room for detail (Bburago)
• 1:24: This was the scale for larger models, but 1:18 became more popular with the rise of Bburago
• 1:32: Agricultural machinery
• 1:43: 1:40 and 1:48 were also used a lot. Later the Dinky Toys format, around 1:43 mini or more became the standard
• 1:50: Trucks, buses and construction machinery,
• 1:55: The so-called 3-inch models. This scale and also 1:64, 1:72 and everything in between was widely used for toy cars.

The scales 1:76 (00), 1:87 (H0), 1: 120 (TT), 1: 160 (N) and 1: 220 (Z) are often used in the world of model trains.

How large are the models?

A Porsche 911 is 4.52 m. A model of this is approximately:

• 1:12 = 38 cm
• 1:18 = 25 cm
• 1:32 = 14 cm
• 1:43 = 10 cm
• 1:72 = 6 cm
• 1:87 = 5 cm

On the House of Modelcars website

On our website we set the scale for each model car. For example, this "Ford Mustang Mach 1" has a scale of "1:43". This is useful to know if you are looking for, saving or wanting to save model cars of a certain scale. Do you want to know the length of the original? Then you measure the model and multiply it by the scale.