The French Dinky Fiat 1200 Grande Vue Introduced by French Dinky in 1959, the 91mm long Fiat ‘Grand Vue’ initially had the reference number 24N, which was changed to 531 during the same year. Advertised in the 1959 French Dinky catalogue, as being a two-tone model in green and white, in every subsequent catalogue, the car was shown in Blue and white, with the August 1959, Meccano magazine showing the model in its more familiar metallic brown and cream colour scheme. Mentioned as not having the most attractive of Italian styling, the initial cost of the 1:43 scale model remains unknown, although in 1960, as model 531, catalogues show the cost as 3,75 new francs, about 7/6. The model had plastic windows and concave chrome hubs and smooth white tyres, which the Meccano magazine shows as white-walled. Later models had smooth black tyres.

The Fiat 1200, known in export markets as the ‘Grand Vue’, replaced the Fiat 1100. Although the car’s bodyshell was similar, the steep-sided roof section and large rear window. Production of the 1200 only began when a 4-door vehicle was ready. The car also came onto the market as the 2-door, Fiat 1200 Spider convertible. The car’s four-cylinder engine had power transferred to the wheels through a four-speed gearbox, producing a top speed of 135km/h raised to 140km/h in 1959.

Introduced in 1959, the Fiat 1200, ‘Grand Vue’, was deleted in 1962.Cost 3.75Fr. available in brown & cream, blue & cream finish at 1:43 scale. French Dinky in detail...