Metosul

Lore & Background

MetOsul's history began in 1931 as Luso-Celluloide, a firm focused on celluloid objects. The name Osul, an anagram of Luso, was later used for plastics production. With the introduction of zamac toys in the 1960s, the name MetOsul was coined. The company produced a wide range of metal objects beyond cars, including a large assortment of toy tools, but its core line was 1:43 scale cars and trucks. Contrary to common belief, no MetOsul vehicles were produced from tooling acquired from British or French Dinky Toys. The Atlantean bus, while similar to the former Dinky model, is a mirror image with the driver on the left and has many small differences; it was produced in many combinations and liveries. Portugal was one of the few European countries with large fleets of double-decker buses in the 1960s. Most cars were in 1:43 scale, while the Atlantean bus and trucks were made smaller. A smaller line in about 1:60 scale included a Volkswagen transporter panel van with a sliding side door.

Reader's Guide

MetOsul's significance lies in its role as Portugal's oldest diecast toy manufacturer, producing quality castings in the style of Dinky Toys from the 1960s until about 1990. The company's 1:43 scale cars and trucks, such as the Renault Floride, Citroën DS 19, and Mercedes-Benz models, were available in four or five colors with hand-painted details, especially on buses. Cars often had different liveries to boost sales; for example, the Mercedes 200 came in police, fire chief, taxi, and rental variants, while the Mercedes 1113 truck appeared as tankers, postal delivery, and military troop carriers. Almost every car, even sporty models like the Volvo P1800 and Renault Floride, had a police variant. MetOsul lasted until about 1990, and other diecast manufacturers like Vitesse and Trofeu appeared during the European Union years, but MetOsul apparently did not benefit from EU funding, possibly because it was not a start-up. Zamac and plastic vehicles in 1:43 scale also appeared under the Luso Toys name during the 1970s and 1980s.

Did You Know?

• MetOsul was originally called Luso-Celluloide and made toy jewelry and trinkets from celluloid.
• The name Osul is an anagram of Luso.
• The Atlantean bus is a mirror image of the Dinky model, with the driver on the left.