Hong Kong was the first place outside of Japan where Tomica cars were produced. The production in Hong Kong only lasted a few years. Six models issued in 1971 and 1972 were made in Hong Kong: No. 9 Komatsu Power Shovel PC200, issued in 1995, was made in Japan because the model was already planned in 1994 and also because it shared components with the older no. 9. Production was moved to China when the model was produced for a gift set later in 1995.

No. 20 Nissan Skyline GT-R R33, issued in 1995, was made in Japan because the model was also used for special releases under the contract of II ADO, a popular chain of minicar shops in Japan. Production was moved to China in 1997 along with others during the last phase of moving.

Enhance Your Collection With Tomica Toys

The road and cars in the Tomica set can be used alongside any of the sets, but only works with the Tomica level crossing (if that is desired). They are just standard push-along cars so can be used alongside similar Matchbox cars etc. From time to time, Tomy produces shorter runs of cars with sound or light or both, based on castings from the regular series. The first of such series was the Sound Tomica, introduced in 1992. These cars have both sound and light. Upon pressing one set of wheels, the sound and light are activated for a short time. The Siren Tomica series from 1996 replaced Sound Tomica. These are basically the same design except the batteries can be taken out and replaced. In 2000, Tomy came out with the Chat Tomica line. These cars do not have light, but depending on the model, upon activation, "[t]hree types of recorded clips will be played (including the sound of sirens, voices and cries of animals).". [7] Conversely, the Technology Tomica cars introduced in 2010 only have lights. What is special is that they do not require batteries. Rolling the cars produces the electricity to power the lights. This line also represents the only made-in-Thailand Tomica in existence to date. Most recently, Tomy has released the Tomica 4D line. These cars have engine sounds and vibrations. In 1988, Tomy combined its foreign models into the domestic series. Most of the first 40 models from the foreign series were added to the 80 domestic models. Those foreign models that got transferred were assigned a number that was its F series number plus 80. A handful of these foreign models were discontinued after a few months' appearance under the new line. Overall about half of them had been discontinued after two years. Tomica Dandy [ edit ] Tomica Dandy Nissan Bluebird in 1/35, one of the larger scale. Most cars were 1/43. Gardiner, Gordon; O'Neill, Richard (1996). The Collector's Guide to Toy Cars: An International Survey of Tinplate and Diecast Cars from 1990. Random House. ISBN 978-0517159774.

Tomica has a lot to offer in die-cast vehicles, and you’ll find that there are a host to choose from that will allow you to seamlessly grow your collection. Are you looking for something Disney-themed? Look no further than the Takara Tomy Tomica Disney Motors Buzz Lightyear Star Command Car Carrier! Do you want something a bit more classic? Go with the Takara Tomy Tomica Chevrolet Corvette. They even offer sets like the Takara Tomy Tomica I'll Protect the Town! Firefighting Vehicle Set. No matter what’s most appealing to you, there’s no shortage of Tomica toys to help you get the most from your passion for die-cast vehicles. Explore Authentic Japanese Products at Plaza Japan Rixon, Peter (2005). Miller's Collecting Diecast Vehicles. London: Mitchell Beazley. ISBN 9781845330309. Limited production in China started in 1990 with a few existing models in the regular line, like the no. 35 DOME Toyota Celica and no. 73 Isuzu Dump. Large scale production in China started in 1993 with the "British Line" of 36 models that Tomy Company of UK contracted Tomy of Japan to produce by using existing tooling. As a result, regular models of the same castings were also made in China beginning in 1993. Starting in 1994, all the new models in the regular line were made in China, and in May 1995, the production of existing models started to move to China as well. This was done in phases. By July 1997, all regular line Tomica cars were made in China. There were a few exceptions to this rule: In 2010, when Technology Tomica was introduced, they were initially made in Thailand. In 2012, production moved to Vietnam. The remote control is very easy to use and allows the trains to go forward, reverse and have two sound effect buttons. These are particularly good for adding some more hands on control. Age range

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No. 30 Mitsubishi Pajero, issued in 1999, was made in Japan because the model was concurrently issued as a special promotional model for Mitsubishi Motors in Japan. Production moved to China after two months, when the promotion stopped. I don’t think either sets are suitable for children below age 3. Many toys are labelled ages 3 and up as it is normally the minimum age where toys are rated due to choking hazards, but with these train sets it’s also about the interactivity; children under the age of 3 are unlikely to be satisfied in watching a train go round and are likely to want to push the trains (see comparison with Thomas Take-N-Play below). Some of the Tomica features/accessories may also be better for children over 4 years old. Comparison with other Thomas Take-N-Play

A totally new casting. All of these had been produced under the contract of another model company or another business. Their common fate is that Tomy eventually issues them as regular models. Examples include: Chan, Danny C.Y., and Vic Davey. 1997. The Complete World of Tomy Diecast. Hong Kong: Northcord Limited. May.

Tomica Dandy cars are larger - about 1:43 scale and were produced from 1972 until 1993. At first they were all Japanese domestic models, but similar to the common Tomicas, the Dandy line also began to offer foreign brand vehicles in 1977 (for example, a Lotus Europa). The numbering system was changed in 1984 based on the nature of the vehicles (e.g. emergency, police, or foreign models). In 2001, Tomy reissued six Tomica Dandy models in limited quantities. Other series [ edit ] Long Tomica [ edit ] New long vehicles from the Tomica regular line are a bit smaller than the original Long Tomicas Tomica started to offer the Tomica Premium Series from April 2015. The Premium line replaced Tomica Limited Series, the main differences being that it uses new molds for the vehicles and are not a limited release but rather in regular production that numbered with the same scheme as the classic line (re-using numbers for unrelated models). They were also aimed at a younger audience.