For a long time it was quite difficult to get a good Alfasud scale model. The only option was to buy one of the 1/43 or 1/24 toy models made by the Italian toy companies Mebetoys (in the property of Mattel for many years).
Then, in the mid-eighties the first resin-kits made by Alezan and Provence Moulage were offered. Resin is a special plastic which is used by many model companies which only produce small numbers of their models. Besides many different Alfa 33, Alezan also offered an Alfasud Sprint. Unfortunately those kits were not that easy to build an so they have not found many friends.
The first die-cast scale model was finally presented by Minichamps. They offer an Alfasud and Alfasud ti. Both are verry well done and show a lot of fine details. Unfortunately, the two-door Alfasud by Minichamps was never sold that way by Alfa Romeo.

Scale 1:43

Die-cast Alfasud toy-models made by Mebetoys (Mattel)

The Mebetoys Alfasuds are toys made in the seventies. So do not expect a high quality. Three different versions were available: four-door Alfasud series I, four-door Alfasud series I with ti-headlights and rear ti air-dam and four-door Alfasud series I in the look of a Trofeo Alfasud ti racer with huge wheelarch-extensions and decals.

The front doors can be opened. The backrests of the front seats can be folded to the front. All versions have a chromed three-spoke sport steering wheel. The four-door Alfasud was available both with rubber tyres and later on with solid plastic wheels.

One could buy it in many different versions (e.g. as Carabinieri or "Vacanze Mare" with a boat on the car's roof). The four-door Alfasud with ti-look was available in red or green. The one displayed on the photo is not in its original condition anymore. Instead of the black centre of the bonnet there should be a sticker. The "civilian" four-door Alfasud has the article number A 56 engraved on the flooplan, the  ti-look version has the

number A 90 and the Trofeo version has the number A 97. Then there was a die-cast model of the Series I / II Alfasud Sprint. The doors can be opened. There is the same chromed steering wheel as in the Alfasuds described above. The Sprint on these photos was embellished with some paint. Unfortunately this model already rolls on the cheap plastic wheels. With a little luck you will find all four Mebetoys cars on fairs or in the internet.

Die-cast Alfasud ti by Polistil

The Italian toy car producer Polistil also offered a very simple Alfasud in the seventies and eighties. It is a two-door series I Alfasud ti

Die-cast Alfasud ti Trofeo Alfasud  by Solido

The french toy producer Solido sold a very solid Alfasud ti Trofeo Alfasud race car in the seventies and eighties. There is an uncountable number of different colours and decals. A civilian version without decals was available, too. You could buy your Solido modell as kit (the body was already painted) or as already built car. Although the Solido Alfasud is a toy modell it can convince with a well-proportioned body. There is even a roll cage in the interior. Only the wheels are much too small for the large wheel arches.

At the end, you could buy this Alfasud in a blister pack sold under the "Cougar" label. The wheels of the "Cougar" modells are very cheap and simple plastic wheels. The Solido-Alfasud is the ideal base for a good-looking miniature. You only have to change the small wheels against wider ones and add some colour. There is still a large quantity of used modells available on fairs and in the internet.

Alfasud 5m by Heller

The Alfasud 5m made by the French company Heller is a plastic kit. It was sold in big stores in the seventies. Heller managed to design a very good miniature which was both, easy to build and cheap. This model can stand the comparison with the very expensive Alezan kits made of Resin. Concerning the quality of the used material it is even better than a Alezan kit.

The body shows fine details and the interior is nearly perfect. Even a (simple) model of the engine is included in the kit. One should not glue it to the floorplan of the model because neither the doors nor the bonnet can be opened. The only thing one could miss are tyres made of rubber. To find a new and not yet built Alfasud 5m will take some time and endurance. Having been the only good and affordable Alfasud miniature, all the Alfa model collectors tried to get one for their collection.

Alfasud Sprint and Sprint by Alezan

The French miniature producer Alezan offers different Resin-kits they produce in small numbers. They can be only recommended for skilled professionals who have already some experience in model-building. If you want to build such a kit, you have to have an airbrush system and some other machines. The kits are delievered unpainted and sometimes the body shape (especially the roof) is a bit out of shape. A yery thin one-part plastic film has to be cut into several parts to make windows out of it. Unfortunealy they often do not really fit to the shape of the body.

Alezan offers the following list of version: Alfasud Sprint, Sprint 1.5 QV, Sprint 1.7 QV and Sprint 1.5 QV Rallye Monte Carlo 1985. The kits consist of a one-part  floorplan and interior, a body (including the bumpers), a bag of metal and plastic parts (wheels, mirrors, steering wheels, tyres, etc.) and the already mentioned plastic film. Before you can paint the body, you have to cut out the windows. Then you should check the shape of the roof, sometimes you even have to form it with the help of warm air. But do not worry, ready-built miniatures are also available - in exchange against a bigger amount of money...

Alfasud and Alfasud ti by Minichamps

Minichamps presented a die-cast Alfasud miniature some years ago. It could not really convince the Alfasud enthusiast because the Minichamps people had built a phantasy two-door Alfasud out of an 1:1 scale Alfasud ti they had got to get the requested data. A two-door Alfasud L was the result - a car that had never been built by Alfa Romeo. Alfa Romeo had only built a two-door Alfasud prototype with the trim and equipment of the very first Alfasuds. It was made before the official launch of the four-door Alfasud and never went into

production in favour of the Alfasud ti which was launched one year later. In 2003 Minichamps presented a series I Alfasud ti. This miniature is worth its money: Fine decals, a detailed body, a detailed floorplan with chromed exhaust pipe, a bi-colour interior and fragile mirrors justify the price of about 25 EUR.

Alfasud ti by Edison

Since 2007 Edison produces some Alfa Romeos of the Seventies in 1:43 scale. They acutally resemble the already existing Minichamps miniatures (Alfetta GTV 2000, Alfetta Carabinieri and Alfasud ti).

One has the impression that the Edison miniatures could be well-made copies. The quality of the Edison minatures does not reach the high level of perfection of a Minichamps miniature but what would one expect for the fair price of 9,50 EUR (source www.alfisti.net)? A Minichamps miniature is a least thrice as expensive as the Edision miniature. There are some small differences between the Minichamps and the Edision version of the Alfasud ti. The Edison ti comes with only one black rectangular mirror, while the Minichamps-ti has two round, chromed door mirrors. The interior of the Edison ti is kept completely black while the Minichamps interior is painted in the classic two-tone grey / black we all know from the press release photos.

Alfasud ti Trofeo and Sprint Trofeo by Fabbri Edicola

Since 2005 Fabbri Edicola offers fine die-cast Alfa Romeo modell cars in 1/43 scale in a special limited edition called Alfa Romeo Sport Collection. One can buy it only in Italy. You find them everywhere where you can get the famous Gazzetta dello Sport, Italy's leading sports newspaper. For the price of 8,90 EUR (+ the price of the Gazzetta dello Sport) one gets a 1/43 modell car and a little DIN A4 booklet which tells the story of

the famous milanes marque. Every two weeks there is a new edition. Many famous Alfa Romeo sports cars and and racers have already been launched by Fabbri, for example the P2 and a large number of Tipo 33s in their different body styles. Till August 2007, three Boxer-engined Alfas were launched, two Alfasud ti Trofeo which only differ by their paint and decals and a Sprint Trofeo. The degree of perfection of the Fabbri models

can cope with Minichamps. Compared to the Solido Trofeo Alfasuds, they are real masterpieces having the right wheels and tyres and fine details as windscreen wipers and mirros.

Scale 1/23 - 1/25

Die-cast Alfasud and Alfasud ti by Polistil

Polistil offered an Alfasud and an Alfasud ti (both series I) as 1/25 scale die-cast toy modell in the seventies. They made the same mistake as Minichamps about 30 years later and launched a two-door Alfasud, a car that never existed. Actually the Polistil Alfasud form does not really match the original Alfasud shape. The modell seems to be a bit to narrow and small and its wheels look curious.

At least one can open the doors and the bonnet. A little reproduction of the Boxer engine is installed under the bonnet. The interior is as strange as the exterior of the modell: e.g. Polistil installed a chromed two-spoke steering wheel which never existed as standart equipment in an Alfasud. The Polistil Alfasuds have meanwhile become rare. They were intended as toy modells for children and so the majority was damaged while playing with them and then thrown away. The bumpers and the exhaust pipe brake easily. Mint conditioned Alfasuds in its original box can reach a price of over 100 EUR! Not bad for a once cheap toy.

Die-cast Alfasud Sprint by Mebetoys (Mattel)

Besides the smaller 1/43 scale Alfasud Sprint shown above, Mebetoys also offered a 1/24 scale version of the Alfasud Sprint. There was a street version and a Trofeo Sprint racer with Spoilers, wheelarch extensions, wide tyres and decals. Both versions are very rare. The street version was also sold by the Alfa Romeo dealers in the early 1980s

One can open the doors, the bonnet and even the tailgate. There is a well-detailed little one-carburettor engine under the bonnet (even the larger recoolant hoses are there!).

Alfasud L and Alfasud ti by Togi

The die-cast models in 1/23 scale made by the Italian manufacturer Togi have always been collector's models. Even at the time when they were still available in the modell shops, they were unaffordable for children. There were ready-built models (sold in a decorative little

glass cabinet - the ideal desk decoration) and kits (already painted) which were sold in a puzzle-like large cardboard box. The bonnet can be opened and under it there is a very simple engine miniature. The doors - all four at the four-door version - can be opened, too.

The Togi models have a special charme: many little details like the wheels which are tightened with central nut each, sprung "axles" or the little steering column stalks were unique in the seventies. Togi offered a large number of different colours. Togi models have never been cheap, today they can cost up to 100 EUR for a well preserved one.

Last Update: December, 2nd 2007       Created: January, 18th 2004

© Layout, photos and text by Tim Rauen.