The French Dinky Peugeot 403 Berline. In the 1956 French Dinky catalogue, they announced the introduction of the black painted, Peugeot 403 Berline (saloon), 24B to replace the Citroën Traction. When the model appeared in June, to a large advertising campaign in the Meccano Magazine, the bodywork was painted the second colour available, mid-blue. The new model appeared on the magazine’s back page spread throughout the summer months in support of the article that featured in the June edition (p. 19). The advertising campaign was huge for the replacement of the iconic Citroën, French Dinky’s most popular model. The 1957 catalogue showed the new model painted grey and from 1958-1961, the mid-blue version illustrated catalogues. When the model was renumbered, as 521 and now with windows, the sand cream, yellow model featured.

The detailed, 104mm long mode, at a 1:43 scale, cost 205 old francs, about 4/- and although without windows until 1961, the model featured chrome concave wheel hubs and smooth white or black tyres.

The Peugeot 403 Berline made its debut on 20th April, 1955, at the Trocadero Palace, in Paris. Peugeot manufactured the 403 Berline at the Sochaux plant, near Mulhouse, between 1955 and 1966. In the months before the launch, un-badged versions of the vehicle were driven around the streets of Sochaux, virtually unnoticed by motoring journalists who rarely ventured to this quiet part of France. The vehicle proved extremely reliable. The car came in three engine sizes; 1290cc, 1468cc and as an 1816cc diesel. The car had a four-speed gearbox, with a column change. The car included a sunroof and newly introduced, safer, radial tyres as standard fittings. Although initially fitted with traficators on the pillars between the front and rear doors, these were soon replaced by flashing indicators. Over 1 million 403s rolled off the production line, making the car Peugeot’s first to break through the 1 million mark. In 1966, Peugeot replaced the 403 with the even more successful 404.

The highly successful 403 Berline had an equally successful French Dinky equivalent, model 24B. Introduced in 1955, the model was withdrawn, as model 521, in 1961. The original price was 205Fr. . It was available in grey, blue, yellow finish at 1:43 scale. Released as French Dinky 24B in 1956 withdrawn as French Dinky 24B in 1961.