Model Cars

We're probably all familiar with some types of model cars, whether it be the largely metallic versions made by the likes of Matchbox and Corgi, or the kits that are now available so that you can create your own model cars from home.

It seems that model cars continue to remain popular. Traditionally they may have been associated somewhat as a hobby largely meant for boys and this role is often reinforced. Nevertheless, model cars can provide entertainment for men and women, boys and girls - it seems slightly strange that their universality is restrained somewhat by marketing experts.

Which types of model cars are the most popular for consumers these days? That's an interesting question and one that can be answered by glancing through the pages of Ebay, the popular online auction site that has become a very useful barometer of public needs and habits.

Taking a random sample on a day in mid-summer, we found that diecast models maintained a large amount of popularity. Collectors particularly value unusual models - often those associated with particular TV series or films. Among model kits, Airfix model cars retain an interest, though it seems to be significantly less than would have been the case in past decades.

The reasons for this are manifold, with the oft-quoted rise in time spent in front of computer monitors or television screens undoubtedly restricting the amount of time that is spent on more traditional hobbies, such as modelling. Indeed, for those on the information super-highway, it may be that model cars are being seen as being too old-fashioned.