Auto Pilen

Auto Pilen was a diecast line of model cars made in Ibi, Alicante, in southeastern Spain by Pilen S.A.. Models were produced from the 1970s through the mid-1990s mostly in 1:43 scale. A majority of the castings were inherited from French Dinky. The company was started in the 1960s, diecasting items like colorful metal sailboats and key chains. In the late 1980s. Pilen was apparently bought by AHC of the Netherlands.

Pilen made at least 50 different models, in the most convoluted story of diecast seconds and recasts of any successful diecast manufacturer (Colleccion Auto Pilen. No date). Dies were apparently used or copied from a variety of other companies including French Dinky, Corgi Toys, Solido, Mebetoys, Tekno, Politoys (Polistil), and possibly some Mercury models.

Vehicles in Auto Pilen's lineup were mostly European and included Ferraris, Porsches, Renaults, Citroens, Mercedes-Benz, Volvos and some American cars as well. There was also a line of at least eight Formula One cars in 1/43 scale from the 1960s including BRM, Ferrari, Lola-Climax, Lotus-Climax, Cooper-Maserati, Brabham, and Honda. A few helicopters and airplanes were available. Numbering for the regular 1:43 series began with an "M" (perhaps reminiscent of Politoys M-Series) and went from 300 to 500.

Since this was a Spanish company, it is interesting to note that FIATs are not shown as FIAT, rather they are SEATs (pronounced 'say-ott'). This was FIAT under license in Spain - starting in the 1960s - long before Volkswagen took control of SEAT. Thus it is the SEAT 600, the SEAT 850 Spyder the SEAT 127, etc.

For all the complexity of origins of the models, however, the products were uniformly of very high quality. Most were done in a refined and handsome manner, with evenly applied colors (Sinclair 1979, p. 392). The paint application was often in a brighter, almost spectraflame (though that is a Mattel term) appearance (Johnson 1998, p. 15). There were many opening features and hoods, trunks, and doors matched the bodies with satisfying precision. Finished parts were thin and svelte and models appear much like Solido - not heavy-handed like some British Dinkys and Corgis.

Tyres were rubber and wheels authentically matched each model - where a generic one was necessary, a handsome wire wheel was employed similar to those seen on Politoys M Series. Sometimes the chemical reaction in the rubber compound of the wheels could cause melting of the plastic on the base plates of the display cases, but unlike Sablon diecast made in Belgium (which also had Spanish associations) whose plastic wheels all melted with contact with rubber tyres, the problem was avoided on Pilen models by using metal wheels.

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Wikipedia