Maistro (pronounced “mace-toe”) is a private company founded in 1967 with its headquarters in California, United States of America. Maisto’s parent company is the May Cheong Group which acquired the assets of Bburago, another scale model manufacturer, in 2005. It produces die-cast models of automobiles, aircraft as well as a number of Tonka products. Maisto’s products are produced in Thailand and China. The competitive landscape for toy manufacturing depends of identifying market trends and marketing efficiently. Maisto has mastered that concept; their 2007 sales reached $5.6 million.

There is various scale models used in die-cast cars. Maisto makes 1:12, 1:18, 1:24, 1:25, 1:27, 1:43, 1:31 and 1:64 scale models. 1:12 scale is a very large model which is approximately 14 or 15 inches long. Its target audience is adults who are serious collectors with an interest in high detail. 1:18 scale is approximately 7 to 8 inches long also geared toward adult collectors. 1:24 are very popular in America; they are built so that 1 inch of length on the model equals 24 units on the actual car. For example, a Jaguar XK-E is 185” so the model care would be 7.7” long in 1:24 scale. Maisto 1:64 die-cast models are aimed at the lower end of the market and their competition in this segment is Hot Wheels and Johnny Lightning. However, Maistro does well in this segment due to its ability to produce high-coveted models at affordable prices. Three 1:64 scale models that are offered by Maisto include the Volkswagon New Beetle, Mini Cooper and Porsche 356A.

Maisto has also exhibited that is understands what their customer wants and provides those products. They have creates different lines to meet their customer’s needs and expectations. Its AllStarz line is exclusively sold at Target and consists of 100 different models. AllStarz die-cast cars feature custom rim, lowered suspension, distinctive paint job and upgraded in-car entertainment system; an example of this line is the Scion xB. Tonka Classic lines features reproductions of classic Tonka vehicles. The Special Edition collector vehicles are mid-range vehicle reproductions featuring 1:18 scale models that are mounted on a plastic display stand. Some of the offerings for the Special Edition line include Lamborghini Murcilago, Porsche and BMW 502. Models of race cars from the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (German Touring Car Championship) are represented in the GT Racing line by Maisto.
One particular collection offers a wonderful opportunity to novice and experience model die-cast car enthusiasts. The Assembly Line collector vehicles from Maisto are ready-to-build diet-cast vehicles. Building model cars are a great hobby. By building a die-cast car from a kit, you can learn about real vehicles. The kits have easy instructions and the parts snap together. No glue is needed for these kits. The Assembly Line includes 1:18 scale models that include the Hummer H2 SUV, 2006 Dodge Challenger Concept and the Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder. The 1:24 scale, 3” and 4.5” kits of many models of Ferrari are available in the Assembly Line collection.

Tags: maisto diecast cars, diecast maisto models