Muscle and detail in 1:64 scale? Yes, from Auto World

Hats off to Round 2 and its Auto World line of TRUE 1:64 scale cars, both muscle cars and newer models, all offered at modest prices for collectors to augment their collections.

These are new tools and Auto World is taking a unique strategy with 1960s muscle cars and other classics, plus some of those classics’ newer counterparts. It is offering 1:64 scale cars with better detail than in the Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars that flood the market. Yet these cars come in at three attractive price points, $2.99, $5.99 and $6.99.

The TRUE lineup includes cars with accurately scaled wheels and tires, even at the $2.99 entry point. These have die-cast bodies, but plastic chassis with free-rolling hard wheels. All are nicely displayed and sold on blister cards. Detailing is good with painted head and taillights and logos, plus accurate hood and air scoops, such as on the 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Convertible and 1984 Camaro Z28 samples we got.

The underbodies also are detailed, showing suspensions, transmissions and engines and inside are mildly detailed interiors. Door and hoods don’t open, but these toys are realistic looking and could be collected, or kids could play with them.Auto World edges the price up to $5.99 for a version that’s better for collectors. These feature die-cast bodies and chassis, plus a hood that opens to reveal a modestly detailed engine. Our sample 1966 Chevy Impala SS features an orange block, black circular air filter, radiator, belts and pulleys while the 1969 Pontiac Trans Am’s engine is silver with a black air filter. These models also have rubber tires, 2-piece knurled axles, and slightly better interior and trim detail, plus they come with a box with the car’s picture on it. These very much remind me of Matchbox cars and their boxes back in the 1960s. Customers can store the car in the box, if they want.The final level at $6.99 features cars with a licensed tie-in, the first release being cars that appeared in Car and Driver and Road & Track magazines. Their detail level is the same as the $5.99 models, but each comes with a plastic display case.

Auto World literally offers something for everyone here so that collectors, young and old, can enjoy good detail at an affordable price. That means you could buy each level’s entire series of six.

This first release includes:

$2.99 level: 1967 Corvette 427, 2012 Corvette Z06, 2013 Camaro ZL1 convertible, 1984 Camaro Z28, 1966 Pontiac GTO and a 1967 Buick Gran Sport.

$5.99 level: 1961 Dodge Dart Phoenix, 1976 Cadillac Coupe DeVille, 1971 Dodge Dart Swinger, 1969 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, 1967 Ford Mustang GT and 1966 Chevy Impala SS.

$6.99 level: 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 and 1971 Mustang Mach 1, 2011 Callaway Corvette, 2011 Hennessey Camaro,  1966 Olds 442 and 1965 Ford GT40

FAST Stats: True 1/64 scale cars
Maker: Auto World
Scale: 1:64
Stock No.: AW64001, AW64002, AW64003 (Release 1 of new TRUE 1:64 scale cars)
MSRP: $1.99 (64001 models) / $5.99 (64002 models) / $6.99 (64003 models)