Norev is a French manufacturer of die-cast scale model cars. Traditionally based in Villeurbanne, a suburb of Lyon. It has normally produced modern and vintage European vehicles, especially those of French origin – though Italian, German, British, and American vehicles were also produced. Norev’s closest competition was Solido, but that company had more pan-European influence, while Norev was more national in orientation.
orev plastic models were known for their bright body colors and their red (sometimes black) plastic hubs with white tires. Some of the attention to detail is notable, such as with the Citroën DS sedan. For instance, on the real car, the roof section is a separate plastic piece. The Norev toy also made the roof a separate plastic section, allowing for a greater variety of color combinations. In addition to this, Norev released all 3 versions of the DS19: the initial version launched in 1956, the first facelift with metal hood vents to aid cooling, released in 1961, and the second facelift in 1963, where the hood vents were replaced with holes under the headlights. Unfortunately, the Rhodialite plastic used in the models was prone to fading and warping after excessive exposure to sunlight. By the mid-1970s, Norev did rectify this via the usage of a lighter plastic with a more matte finish,
Most early models were available in both free-wheeling and friction motor versions,[7] though the motorised models were discontinued by the early 1960s. Early bases were unpainted and made of metal, but from 1956 onwards, models started being equipped with black plastic ones. Detail and proportion were very good and though the early models lacked windows (the Citroën DS was the first model to sport them), they were very successful and cheaper than the diecast metal competition
