About scale
This page is a guide to the various scales that model cars & motorcycles come in. The main scales we stock are 1/12th, 1/18th & 1/43rd. If you click on the highlighted manufacturers names you can see what we currently have.
Scale | Scale foot in inches | Scale foot in millimeters | More info... |
1/8th | 1.5" | 38.10 mm | 1/8th scale model cars are usually highly detailed limited edition hand-built models by small manufactures such as Amalgam. The best known 1/8th scale models were the kits produced years ago by the now defunct firm Pocher. |
1/10th | 1.2" | 30.48 mm | 1/10th scale is sometimes used for die-cast motorcycles. |
1/12th | 1" | 25.40 mm | 1/12th scale is the largest popular scale for die-cast model cars. Cars in this scale are manufactured by: AUTOart, Kyosho, Premium ClassiXXs, & Sun Star. Also die-cast motorcycles in 1/12th scale are made by: AUTOart & Minichamps. |
1/18th | 0.666" | 16.93 mm | 1/18th scale is now the second most popular scale for die-cast model cars. An extensive range of models is produced. We stock: AUTOart, Bauer, Bburago, CMC, Kyosho, Mattel, Minichamps, Norev & Paragon. Also some superb 1/18th scale resin models are made by: Neo, Spark & TrueScale. |
1/24th | 0.5" | 12.70 mm | 1/24th scale die-cast model cars are less common than they once were, with this scale being much more popular in the USA than over here. A good range of die-cast motorcycles were recently made by Ixo and the last few of these are still available on our Bargains page. |
1/43rd | 0.279" | 7.088 mm | 1/43rd scale originates from British 'O scale' model railways and cars in this scale were first pioneered by Dinky. Today 1/43rd scale is the most popular scale for collectable model cars. A huge variety is available. We currently stock: AUTOart, IST, Ixo, JCollection, Mattel, Minichamps, Norev, Oxford Diecast, PremiumX, Schuco, Vanguards & Vitesse. Top quality resin models are made by: Bizarre, Neo, Spark & TrueScale. Hand-built, white-metal, models are made in the UK by: Brooklin, J&M Classics, Lansdowne & SMTS. |
1/64th | 0.187" | 4.763mm | 1/64th scale is approximately the size of Matchbox & Hotwheels toy cars. Although sometimes these toys can be made in peculiar scales just to make them fit in their boxes! |
1/76th | 0.157" | 4mm | 1/76th scale is better known as 'OO scale' and is the most popular scale for model railways in the UK. You can get die-cast model vehicles in this scale from most British model railway specialists. |
1/87th | 0.137" | 3.5 mm | 1/87th scale or 'HO scale' is the most popular scale for model railways in the world. A huge range of vehicles is produced in 1/87th scale but these can usually only be purchased in the UK from specialist suppliers of European or American model railways. |
If you want to find out more about any of our models please don't hesitate to contact us.
E-mail mail@stmartinsmodelcars.co.uk
Phone 020 7836 9742 (From outside the UK dial 0044 20 7836 9742).