Polistil was well before our time, a name rooted in Italian diecast history dating back to the mid-1950s. Initially, the brand didn’t venture into the 1:18 scale market, but later business shifts led it in that direction before the company eventually closed its doors. Today, the Polistil name finds itself under the same corporate umbrella as Maisto and Bburago. Naturally, this raises the question: is the new Polistil simply a rebadged Bburago, just at a higher price point? Based on early production samples shown at the German Toy Fair, the answer leans toward yes—and the results don’t exactly inspire confidence.
The launch lineup will consist of 1:18 scale models, each featuring a diecast metal body with opening parts. Included are the Ferrari Roma, 12Cilindri, and Purosangue – some of which we’ve previewed in sample form. According to Polistil, these models will showcase “extremely detailed engines, moveable and steerable front wheels, accurate and highly detailed interiors and chassis, along with opening doors, trunk, and hood.” Each piece will also come with a display base and protective cover and will be individually numbered—a nice touch for collectors.
While the specs sound promising on paper, we remain cautiously skeptical. Judging by what’s been shown so far, it’s doubtful these models will deliver the same level of execution or collector appeal once offered by Hot Wheels Elite, particularly for Ferrari enthusiasts. We’ll reserve final judgment until we can evaluate a production sample in hand.
Ferrari Roma, Grigio Titanio 2019 (w/showcase)
Ferrari Roma, Rosso Magma 2019 (w/showcase)
Ferrari Roma, Rosso Corsa 322 2019 (w/showcase)
Ferrari 12Cilindri 2024, Giallo Modena (w/showcase)
Ferrari 12Cilindri 2024, Rosso Imola (w/showcase)
Ferrari 12Cilindri 2024, Rosso Corsa (w/showcase)
Ferrari Purosangue 2022, Blu Corsa (w/showcase)
Ferrari Purosangue 2022, Rosso Magma (w/showcase)
Ferrari Purosangue 2022, Rosso Corsa 322/Cream Interior (w/showcase)
Product# TBD
Information is available on European websites like C K Modelcars indicating that these 3 new Polistil Ferrari models will also be available without the numbered baseplate or Perspex case, and at around the same price point as equivalent Bburago Signature Ferrari models, at about 80€. Deliveries are expected Q3/Q4 of 2025 and Q1 2026, so hopefully there will be time for your team to review production samples.
Based on the initial photos, these appear to be rebranded Bburago efforts. Good to see they offer the model without the filler. CALL TO COLLECTORS, please submit your review when you get your hands on one!
The “Polistil” brand has been given to the Italian model wholesale company Carmodel to be used for their exclusive models made by Bburago. Those have previously been marketed as Bburagos but were no part of the official Bburago programme (e.g. the Ferrari 812 Competizione or the Ferrari 312 T$ F1 car). So yes, these are essentially Bburago Signature models. Polistil will also be making models in other scales.
As mentioned in the other comment, the models will also be available without the showcase and no samples were shown at the toyfair, the Polistil model range was just announced in May.
Thanks for the insight. We don’t see these as exclusives. Typically, CM labels these as such. And we have seen this new assortment linked to North American retailers, too. And in short, why would someone choose to go down this path? Unless you are bringing more to the table in terms of quality, detail and whatnot. This seems to us like an exercise likely to fail or, at the very least, add confusion.
They are exclusively made for Carmodel and they have distribution partners for different countries. They are not available from the usual Bburago distributor unless that distributor does also work with Carmodel, so yes, they are exclusives. Carmodel has been cooperating with Bburago a lot in recent years and they had several new models made for them exclusively or at least exclusively for some time (like the F90 XX which was available from Carmodel first and in different colors before being announced in the Bburago catalogue as well).
The Carmodel press release from March 6 can still be found on the top of their facebook page.
Please do the 488 Pista and 1978 312 T3 in 1/18 diecast
Yes for the 488 Pista. Also a F50 GT, F8 Tributo, 126 C2, F1 87/88C, 296 GT3 Nurburgring and Daytona winners, 156-85 and P4/5
A 296 GT3 would be amazing! I had to order a Looksmart because that was the only option and im still waiting for it when it was expected around April!!!
So let me add my two cents to this debate.
As I have mentioned on here about a month or so ago, Polistil announced these models in 1:18 scale, which have not been done by anyone other than BBR and MR in 1:18 scale in resin. Therefore these can not be rebrands by definition. Some UT, Maisto and Bburago models were rebranded back in the day as Hotwheels models. Because they existed before under a different brand and then they got released under the brand of the new owner of the rights/molds/whatever. A model that has never been done before and is been released under a resurrected brand is not rebranded. It is a brand new model of the “new” brand.
Italians are strange creatures (in a good way). They are people of tradition, principles and pride. Bburago and Polistil are the creators of the large scale diecast. They literally founded the industry and are the foundation of our hobby. Bburago will forever be an “Italian brand”, no matter what international umbrella they are under. There is a lot of tradition and set principles in that brand. They have forever been known for an exact kind of product targeting a particular market. They are not going to reinvent the brand and they shouldn’t. So they will never make Mattel Elite/AutoArt/Minichamps/Kyosho type of product. It’s just not what they are about.
Polistil on the other hand has always been the more expensive brand, oriented more towards the collectors and with more detail. Their F40 came with pop up headlights pretty much together with the real car at the end of the ’80s. Their 959 was great by any standards and came with a replica of the real car’s key, which you could stick the tip of into the door lock of the model and lock and unlock the doors. And that was back in 1989.
What May Cheong Group, or MCG for short is doing is actually pretty smart. They have been making toys since 1964. In 1990 they entered the 1:18 market directly competing with the likes of Bburago and Polistil (among others). In 2006 they bought Bburago and shortly after that they acquired Polistil, which went bust in 1993. Slowly they have come to completely own the entry level diecast market. Ferrari which is like a religion in Italy is also a company of tradition and principal and partnering with another legendary Italian company like Burrago and Polistil is in line with their MO. Now MCG finally has its ducks in a row. A budget diecast company that can make very nice models at unbeatable price. The legendary Italian brand Bburago can make exactly what they are known for with the Ferrari branding and then there is the other Italian company Polistil, which can be reinvented as the higher end brand to produce prancing horses.
This is of course only my opinion and to a degree my wishfull thinking, but I believe that what MCG is cooking can only benefit us. I think they are slowly cornering the market and hopefully soon we can see a line of Ferraris in 1:18 scale at similar level as the Mattel Elites, which for the most part were actually underrated.
Truly hope your hypothesis materializes, the hobby has a massive gap in metal, full opening Ferraris that matched HWE and their value propositioned price point.
I think Ferrari shuld give license to serious collectors brand at last (e.g. Norev, Almost Real or growing Motorhelix) and stop make us stupid. It lasts too long
This has been discussed to no end on every platform known to man. Ferrari is in the business of making only two things – cars and money. They don’t “give license” or anything else to anyone. Hell, they don’t even give you their own emblem (scuderia shields) on their cars when you buy them from them. They SELL their license to whoever can afford it and whoever serves their marketing agenda. Companies like Norev, AR or Motorhelix neither can afford that license nor meet Ferrari’s needs. Not because they don’t have the money, but because they can not have a proper return on their investment. Its simple economics 101.
Norev has released F40 in 1:8, so some copperation on single models is possible. Question is what scale, models and if-opening
Me too I’ve seen photos of the preproduction models on the CarModel website. they looked fine shape wise, too bad for the usual huge hinges on trunks and hoods. The Roma in particular looked pretty good, but the suggested prices were a bit off. Norev can make much nicer models for the same kind of money.
No. They can’t!
Or let’s rephrase that. Anyone can, if you take the licensing cost out. Ferrari asks obscene amount of money for their license. Because, well simply because they can. Because they are one of those very few brands in the world that wrap a donkey $hit in the brand’s package and there would a line of people to buy it. And the only way to recuperate the cost for that license is if you offer a multitude of product lines across different markets. In simple words you need to make all sorts of toys besides your models to spread the cost of licensing in order to turn profit. And I can actually think of only two companies who can do this. Maybe three. The two being Mattel and MCG (Maisto). The questionable third is Kyosho. We can throw Bburago and (Tonka) Polistil in the mix, but they are part of MCG. Which is who holds the license currently. And let’s get this straight once and for all – Mattel did not lose their license. Ferrari did not take it away from them. Mattel decided not to renew their license at the end of their contract. Ferrari would have loved them to extend it, but that never happened. Now, why did Mattel decided not to renew it is open for speculation. Where they not making profit, it wasn’t worth it or they just wanted to go in a different direction is anyone’s guess.
So, Norev can not make a return on their investment by only producing 1:18 scale models of Ferraris. And, to be honest, their effort is not any better than Maisto’s or what the upcoming Polistil seems to be. They are mediocre at best.