In the 1960s and 1970s, several factories in the former Soviet Union produced diecast or plastic models copying model cars originally made by Western European companies such as Mebetoys and Politoys. One of the biggest of these factories was situated in Tbilisi, the Georgian capital. Mebetoys and Politoys copies, as well as re-editions of French Norev models, were manufactured here and marketed under the name of Siharuli. In one single year, 1975, the Tbilisi plant produced more than 100,000 model cars, a lot of them were exported to other countries of the socialist block. "Siharuli" is the Georgian word for "happiness". Around 2005, another manufacturer from Tbilisi produced highly detailed handbuilt 1/12th scale model cars in small numbers. The models were available from http://handmade-model-cars.com, but this website is now defunct. Several 1/43rd scale models exist of KAZ trucks as built in the Georgian city of Kutaisi from 1951 to 1991, among others handbuilt models by ALF from Ukraine and Studio KAN from Russia, as well as two diecast models, a KAZ 601 cement carrier by De Agostini and a KAZ 608 tipper by Garage.
Georgia