Mebetoys

Lore & Background

Mebetoys was started by Ugo and Martino Besana in 1959 in Oleggio Castello, Italy. Their brother Mario Besana joined in 1967, one year after the company started its diecast car line. The company's original logo was an 'opening eye' similar to the American CBS TV logo, and packaging often featured a wood grain beige style with a plastic window and the eye logo. Some boxes were bright yellow. After Mattel's purchase in 1969, the Mattel red pointed circle was added alongside the Mebetoys logo.

Mebetoys models were noted for well-done castings and clever selections, such as the Autobianchi A66 Elaf petroleum with roof luggage rack carrying two large plastic oil barrels, and the Porsche 912 Rally with thin yellow plastic rock guards and three spare tires on the roof. The Innocenti Mini appeared in several guises, including with skis and sled on its roof rack. Unique models included the ISO Fidia S4 grand touring sedan, Lamborghini Urraco, Maserati Bora, Toyota 2000 GT, and Ferrari 365 GTC-4. The company also issued a few promotional diecast cars in the 1960s: two 1:24 scale Alfa Romeos (a 1925 P2 World Champion Grand Prix car and a 1951 Alfetta racer) mounted on wood bases with clear plastic display boxes, reissued in the late 1970s.

Under Mattel, Mebetoys initially continued producing realistic European models with opening features, rubber tires, and excellent detail. Gradually, Mattel introduced changes: hard plastic 'speed' tires replaced rubber, and California custom body designs were marketed as Hot Wheels Gran Toros, though they still said Mebetoys on the base. The Hot Wheels flames-off-the-wheel emblem appeared on some packaging, and 'Hot Wheels' was translated into Italian as 'Sputafuoco'. Mattel's 'Flying Colors' normal-sized Hot Wheels were offered in Italy in Italian Mebetoys boxes in the late 1970s. The 1:43 scale line was discontinued around 1983.

Reader's Guide

Mebetoys holds significance as a diecast manufacturer that, during its independent years, produced models of a quality that rivaled the best European producers. Its exact scaling, moving parts, and unusual model choices—such as the ISO Fidia S4 and the Autobianchi A66 Elaf—made it a collector favorite. The company's acquisition by Mattel in 1969 marked a turning point: while early Mattel-era models retained European realism, later products shifted toward American-influenced custom designs and the Gran Toros line, diluting the brand's original character. The 1:43 line ended around 1983.

After selling the brand, the Besana brothers founded Martoys, which produced 1:24 scale models from 1974 to 1976. The name then changed to Bburago (the first B for Besana, the remainder for Burago di Molgora), which became a dominant producer of 1:18 scale models through the 1980s and 1990s. Bburago's assets were sold to Maisto in 2006. Mebetoys' legacy thus extends through its successor brand, which carried forward the family's diecast tradition. The company's models remain sought after by collectors for their detail, unique subject matter, and the historical transition they represent from independent Italian production to global Mattel marketing.

Did You Know?

• The company made a Porsche 912 Rally model with three spare tires on the roof and thin yellow plastic rock guards.
• Mebetoys issued two 1:24 scale Alfa Romeo promotional models in the 1960s, mounted on wood bases with clear plastic display boxes.
• After selling to Mattel, the Besana brothers founded Martoys, which later became Bburago.