Atlas Dinky Deluxe – 507 Simca 1500 Break

by Maz Woolley

Photographs by, and copyright of, the Author.

The third model in the Atlas Deluxe Dinky collection has made its way to me. Some collectors have had number four already which illustrates Atlas’ rather erratic shipping programme. Still 507 Simca 1500 Break is an example of how good French Dinky were by the mid-1960s with innovative features matching Corgi and others.

Dinky France modelled many Simca cars from the baby Fiat “Topolino” 500 made under licence onwards. The 1500 saloon was introduced by Dinky as 523 in 1963 with opening boot and doors and the Break followed in 1967 as 507 in silvery grey or white. Later 507 P was produced by Dinky France as a  Police car and is now a scarce and very expensive model. The box features box art by Jean Massé which shows the model in red which would have been a nice colour for the model but it was not produced in that colour by Dinky. Throughout the 1960s Dinky France box art was, like Airfix in the UK, created by excellent artists and included evocative backgrounds. Although Simca had long stopped making Fiat cars under licence the 1500 was a modern three box saloon or two box estate similar to the Fiat 124.

This Dinky model has lots of play features including opening doors and tailgate. The tail gate contains a small rear window that slides upwards to  form a complete rear door and inside is a tiny model of a picnic table as well as the spare wheel.

Atlas Customer Services are unable to confirm whether there would be any of the originally advertised British Dinky models like the Zodiac Mark IV and said that there were currently thirty-five models planned in this collection. This is many less than the number released in the equivalent French collection and perhaps indicates an expectation that subscriptions will fall off quite quickly on new Atlas collections.


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