Majorette (toy manufacturer)

Lore & Background

Majorette began as Rail-Route Jouets in Lyon, France, founded by Émile Véron of the family that also created Norev. Initially producing model railways and accessories, the company introduced its first cars under the Majorette name in 1964, and changed the company name to Majorette in 1966. The brand quickly grew to become the largest French toy car manufacturer, competing primarily with Matchbox, Siku, and later Tomica. While French vehicles were emphasized, the lineup also included licensed models from European brands and North American manufacturers such as General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler, as well as Japanese Nissan and Toyota.

Majorette purchased the diecast producer Solido at the end of 1980 and later acquired the Portuguese company Novacar, beginning production in Portugal in the 1990s. The brand established Majorette USA in Miami, Florida in 1982, but this venture was short-lived as Majorette vehicles were not heavily retailed in the U.S. through the 1990s and 2000s. The company went through multiple ownership changes: bankruptcy in November 1992 led to acquisition by Idéal Loisirs in April 1993; Idéal Loisirs was acquired by Triumph-Adler in January 1996; the Rilleux-la-Pape factory closed in 2001; Majorette was purchased by Smoby in June 2003; Smoby-Majorette went bankrupt in October 2007; in March 2008 Majorette was sold to investment fund MI29 while Smoby was sold to Simba Dickie; after another insolvency in November 2009, Majorette was sold to Smoby Toys in February 2010 and has remained part of the Simba Dickie Group since, becoming a brand name for the model vehicles of Dickie.

Majorette produced several notable series: the 100 series of roughly 3-inch vehicles, the 200 series that replaced it around 1970, and the 300 series of cars with trailers and semi-articulated trucks from the mid-1970s. The brand also introduced Sonic Flashers, which produced siren sounds and flashing lights when pushed down, and Road Eaters, which featured tampo printing of food company products. Majo-kit play sets included plastic pavement pieces that locked together to form town streets. Majorette also produced a line of planes and helicopters to compete with Matchbox Skybusters, expanded in 2013 to include various airlines.

Reader's Guide

Majorette's significance lies in its role as the dominant French diecast car manufacturer, challenging British Matchbox and German Siku in European and world markets. The brand's focus on French vehicles gave it a distinct identity, though it also licensed models from major American and Japanese manufacturers. Majorette's packaging consistently used a red or orange motif, with designs evolving from art-deco-style blister cards in the 1970s to simpler red-and-white packs in the 1980s and bright red cards with more graphics in the 1990s.

While realism and detail were not always as good as Matchbox or Tomica, Majorette established a reputation for quality, heavy vehicles with features like opening doors and hoods, translucent plastic parts, and sprung suspension systems. Mid-1970s Majorettes were considered superior to French Norev Minijet cars in paint finish and detailing. However, the brand later moved downmarket, using plastic bases and less expensive tampo printing for headlamps instead of clear plastic pieces, while Norev adopted more detailed wheels and metal bases.

Majorette's legacy includes its adaptability through multiple ownership changes and financial difficulties, surviving bankruptcy and acquisition cycles to remain a recognized brand under the Simba Dickie Group. The brand's play-oriented approach with sets, tracks, and accessories like Majo-kits and Sonic Flashers contributed to its appeal, though scale varied across models as vehicles were anchored to a standard 2.5 to 3 inch size rather than maintaining precise scale.

Did You Know?

• The company was originally named Rail-Route Jouets and founded by Émile Véron, whose family also created Norev (Véron spelled backwards).
• Majorette purchased the revered diecast producer Solido at the end of 1980.
• The Sonic Flashers line produced siren sounds and flashing lights when pushed down, with batteries sometimes lasting an entire decade.
• Majorette's packaging has consistently used a red or orange motif across different series and decades.