From the 1960s to the 1980s, anonymous Algerian manufacturers of plastic toys produced re-editions or copies of plastic model cars made in France. These were sold at bazars and were intended as inexpensive children’s toys. Nowadays, these models are very rare since only few of them have survived. Four different models in 1/43rd scale from older Norev moulds were made in Algeria in the late 1960s: Ford Vedette breakdown truck, Opel Kapitän, Porsche 356 B, VW Beetle. Minialuxe models in the same scale were still being produced in the North African country in the late 1980s, while production in France had already ceased in 1978. Several simple plastic models by Clé and BS were also re-edited in Algeria. The plastic used for the Algerian Clé models is softer than that used for the French ones, and the models from Algeria are usually in bright colours and rather carelessly finished.
Algeria