The History of Mebetoys and the Gran Toros



The Lost History of Gran Toros

Much of the Gran Toros story may never be verified. To complicate matters, many of the Gran Toros were not ready for the print deadlines of the Hot Wheels catalogs for the two years that they appeared in them. Even the 1971 Italian Sputafuoco catalog does not list the entire line and does not have the same models as the US catalogs. Additionally, executives of Mattel from that era that we've contacted do not remember the details of the Gran Toros line. The records that do remain are financial and production quantity records.

The Besana Family, founders of Mebetoys

In 1959, the brothers Ugo and Martino Besana founded a toy company that their father, Giovanni Besana, named "Mebetoys" which stands for MEccanica BEsana TOYS. Mebetoys was located in Oleggio Castello, Novara, Italy (close to Milan).

They began by making key chains, toy irons and ironing boards, and toy guns. In 1966 they began making diecast model cars entering the European 1/43 scale diecast model market with about 22 models, competing with companies such as Mercury and Polistil (Politoys).

The third brother, Mario Besana, joined Mebetoys in 1967 and headed the financial end of the company. Ugo Besana designed the items and made the molds and tooling while Martino Besana was in charge of the production line.

The Besana family sold Mebetoys to Mattel in 1969. All three brothers were under contract to stay with Mebetoys for two years to help with the transition but were dismissed by Mattel after four months.

In 1974, the Besana brothers founded the Martoys toy company which changed its name to BBurago in 1976. In addition, Ugo and Martino left BBurago in 1976 with only Mario remaining. BBurago filed for bankruptcy in October of 2005 and Marco Besana (Mario’s son) spent several months in prison as a result. Maisto purchased BBurago’s assents in 2006.

Ugo Besana and his wife went on to create the Vivien Company that manufactured toy irons and ironing boards similar to those original items they made in the early days of Mebetoys.

As of this writing (2008) Ugo Besana is 77 years old and in good health. Mario Besana is 84 and suffering from cancer. Martino Besana passed away about 15 years ago (around 1993).

A special thanks for the Mebetoys history goes to Antonella Besana Roethling, the daughter of Ugo Besana.

The Creation of Mattel S.p.A.

In 1969 Mattel purchased Mebetoys. At the time the Mebetoys series was up to 40 diecast car models. Soon after the purchase, the Gran Toros line was created and introduced. Mattel gained success with their Hot Wheels line of toys and intended to apply the same principles to the 1/43 scale Mebetoys to create the GranToros. Many Gran Toros models were remakes of Mebetoys models, with metallic paints and plastic wheels but many other models were originals (for example, the Boss 302 Mustang, Chaparral 2J and the T'rantula and Torpedo dragsters). The Gran Toros were labeled as "Hot Wheels Super Racers" and followed the principles of the popular Hot Wheels line. In addition to the models themselves, Mattel created Gran Toros track so that the Gran Toros could be raced just like their 1/64 scale Hot Wheels predecessor.

Mebetoys issued forty 1/43 scale model cars before the Mattel purchase in 1969. Mebetoys was renamed Mattel S.p.A.. and became the Italian representative of the Mattel corporation. Mattel began by selling the existing Mebetoys 1/43 scale models in the United States. The entire line of Gran Toros consists of only twenty-five models, although most of the models have been found in more than one color, and were first issued in 1970. At first they were sold as "Gran Toros" in the U.S.A., Serie "Sputafuoco" in Italy, and Serie "Heisse Räder Supergross" in Germany. As a side note, Sputafuoco was not the original name for the Italian series. The original name was SuperBolidi which was quickly discontinued but not before it appeared on the earliest castings.

The Confusion Between Post-Sputafuoco Mebetoys and the Hot Wheels Gran Toros

Sometime between 1972 and 1973, the original Gran Toros and Series Sputafuoco lines were discontinued, but Mattel S.p.A. (Mebetoys) continued to put the Gran Toros name on the packaging of some new Mebetoys 1/43 Mebetoys models. Some Gran Toros models were re-tooled with straight axels and rubber tires and issued standard Mebetoys model numbers (A-XXX format, for example, A-100). In addition, Mebetoys re-packeged some Mebetoys models in packages with the Gran Toros name. This led to much confusion as to what models were indeed Hot Wheels Gran Toros. None of the new and re-tooled models carried the Mattel Hot Wheels Gran Toros numbering format (66XX format, for example, 6623). In addition, they never bore the Sputafuoco name which was the Italian name for the Hot Wheels Gran Toros.

Mattel S.p.A. maintained the old Mebetoys name until 1980/81since the original Mebetoys line was very popular in Europe. In 1982 the entire Mebetoys die cast models line was named Mattel Super Hot Wheels. These were both made in 1/25 and 1/43 scale. By 1984, the Italian Mattel diecast model production was definitely over and the former Mebetoys factory was closed.

To this day collectors of Mebetoys and Gran Toros tend to fall into one of two different catagories. One type of collector is the Hot Wheels collector and the other is the scale purist which tend to collect the original Mebetoys lines. The Hot Wheels collector is interested in the oversized fast low friction wheels and metallic paints of the Hot Wheels Gran Toros. This type of collector is predominantly found in the United States and Canada and has grown up with the custom car and hot rod eras. The scale purist Mebetoys collector views the Hot Wheels Gran Toros as "cartoon" cars. They prefer the more realistic rubber wheels that are much closer to the scale of the actual wheels. To a Hot Wheels collector a "true" Gran Toros is a 1/43 scale Hot Wheels model that has oversized fast wheels. These collectors typically were unaware that the Gran Toros were know as Sputafuoco or Heisse Räder Supergross in Europe. Conversely, the scale purist Mebetoys collector was introduced to the Gran Toros name after the Hot Wheels Gran Toros models (series Sputafuoco) was discontinued. Most of them do not refer to the Mebetoys series models that were packaged under the Gran Toros name as Gran Toros. In addition, they refer to the Hot Wheels Gran Toros line as Sputafuocos. Unless you are familiar with the history and the changes in Mattel S.p.A. / Mebetoys during 1972/1973 it is easy to get confused.

The Introduction of the Gran Toros

U.S.A. Magazine Advertisement (Ferrari)

U.S.A. Magazine Advertisement (Porsche)

Italian Magazine Advertisement
(translation on the Italian page):

Italian Magazine Advertisement
(translation on the Italian page):

Hot Wheels Gran Toros and Mebetoys Part Numbers

The Mebetoys series cars were numbered in alphanumeric form while the Hot Wheels Gran Toros were numbered using a 4-digit numerical value between 6601 and 6629. For example, a Mebetoys Chaparral 2F is numbered "A-23" while the Gran Toros version is numbered "6606."

Of special note, the very earliest castings made for the Italian market carried an SB-XXX, for SuperBolidi-XXX, numbering system which was quickly discontinued and replaced with the standard Mattel numbering system (66XX) as well as the series name SuperBolidi being replaced by Sputafuoco. Examples of this very early name and numbering system appear on the bases of the earliest Ferrari Can Am castings (as SB-101, see the Ferrari CanAm page) and the earliest Astro II castings (as SB-102, see the Astro II page).

Gran Toros and Mebetoys Packaging

At first, the Gran Toros came in cardboard window boxes (1st generation), then plexi and cardboard boxes (2nd generation), and finally plexi/plastic boxes (3rd generation). All the Gran Toros destined for the North American market were packaged in a "bubble / blister" box, except for the T'rantula dragster which was only found in the "Speed Strip" set and in a plain brown cardbaord box through the Post Cereal Mail-In offer.

Early European Box

2nd Generation European Box

North American Blister Box

2nd Generation Italian Box

3rd Generation European Box (rare)

3rd Generation European Box (common)

Japanese Gran Toros Packaging

Gran Toros and Mebetoys were also sold in Japan. Most of the models sold in Japan were Hot Wheels Gran Toros but some standard Mebetoys models were placed in this packaging and sold there.

2nd generation
Japanese packaging.

Side view of the 2nd
generation Japanese packaging.

Quarter view of the 2nd
generation Japanese packaging.

Model list from the inside
side panel of the 2nd generation
Japanese packaging.

Bottom and one inside
side panel of the 2nd generation
Japanese packaging showing the
GranToros Pantera model number
(model that was in this box) and stating
that the car was made in Italy and the
Box was printed in Japan.

One od the outside
side panels of the2nd generation
Japanese packaging.

The 2nd generation Japanese packaging laid out flat

The 1972 Japanese Gran Toros Catalog (click on the image to go to the 1972 Japanese catalog page).

Forget Me Nots Packaging

1972/1973 were tough times for Mattel. In 1970 one of Mattel's largest factories in Mexico burned down. 1971 saw a ship yard strike in the far east that cut Mattel off from its suppliers there. Seymour Rosenberg, Mattel's executive vice-president and chief financial officer, falsified the books by reporting orders as sales, even as the orders were canceled and shipments not being made. Finally in 1973 Mattel reported a 32 million dollar loss and the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) stepped in to investigate.

This in conjunction with the 1973 oil embargo by the OPEC states meant that things would change for Hot Wheels. In 1972 the Hot Wheels Gran Toros were discontinued in North America and in 1973 Spectraflame paint and other features on Hot Wheels were discontinued.

Mattel S.p.A., the former Mebetoys company, was part of the cost cutting. In 1972 they discontinued the Hot Wheels Gran Toros, known as Series Sputafuoco and Heisse Räder Supergross in Europe, and reduced the cost of manufacturing the Mebetoys series models by using plastic bases, fewer opening parts, and cheaper paints.

In Europe, models like the Abarth 695ss, Ferrari CanAm, and Alfa Romeo 33/3 were very popular, but most of the "American" theme models did not sell and many were returned by the retailers.
Mattel took many of these "left over" Gran Toros and packaged them as the "Forget Me Nots" that were sold in North America for $1.39 US Dollars (opposed to the original suggested retail price of $2.49).
A T'rantula in a 1st generation Italian box that has been repackaged as a "Forget Me Nots". Back of the T'rantula in the 1st generation Italian box that has been repackaged as a "Forget Me Nots".. Close-up scan of the front of the "Forget Me Nots" card.
   
  Close-up scan of the back of the "Forget Me Nots" card.  

Mebetoys Kits

Mattel S.p.A. released four Hot Wheels Gran Toros models in kit form.
Italian Mebetoys Kit (Gran Toros)
Italian Mebetoys Kit (contents)
Close-up of the Mebetoys (Gran Toros) Mercedes C111 kit contents

Mebetoys Packaging

This section shows the Mebetoys packaging.
Mebetoys Maserati Mistral,
Model # A-10, in the first generation,
first issue European box.
Mebetoys Maserati Mistral, Model
# A-10, in the first generation,
first issue European box
Mebetoys Maserati Mistral,
Model # A-10, in the first generation,
first issue European box
A Mebetoys Alfa Romeo
Carabinieri, Model # A-7 in
the first generation, second issue,
European package.
The back of the
Mebetoys Alfa Romeo
Carabinieri, Model # A-7,
first generation, second issue,
European package.
The back of the Mebetoys
Land Rover Transamerican,
Model # A-40,
first generation, second issue,
European package.
The back of a
Mebetoys Ferrari P4,
Model # A-27, first generation
European box (third issue).
A Mebetoys Ferrari P4,
Model # A-27, in a first generation
European box (forth issue).
The back of a
Mebetoys Ferrari P4,
Model # A-27, first generation
European box (forth issue).
Mebetoys Mebetoys Land Rover
Croce Rossa, Model # A-42,
in the first generation
European package.
The back of the Mebetoys Land Rover
Croce Rossa, Model # A-42,
first generation
European package.
The Mebetoys Yogi e Boo Boo,
Model # A-35 in the package.
A Mebetoys Fiat 128,
Model # A-59, in the Series
Europa packaging.
Left side view of a
Mebetoys Porsche 912,
Model # A-12 in the third generation
European packaging (labeled as
a Gran Super Series model).
Right side view of a
Mebetoys Fiat 128 Vigili Del Fuoco,
Model # A-21* in the mid-1970's
style European package. The
package lists it as a Gran Toros
but this is not a Hot Wheels
Gran Toros model.

Dealer Packaging

This section shows some of the Gran Toros dealer packages.
Under Construction
Under Construction
Under Construction
Under Construction
 Under Construction
Under Construction
Under Construction
Under Construction
Under Construction
Under Construction
Under Construction

The Post Cereal Gran Toros Offer

For a short period of time in the early 1970s, Gran Toros were available through a Post Cereal Mail-In offer. For 80-cents and two Post Raisin Bran box tops you could send away for and receive a Gran Toros model.
 
Cut-out section of a Post Raisin Bran box with the Gran Toros mail-in offer.
 
Another cut-out section of a Post Raisin Bran box showing one of the cars you may receive: a Lamborghini Miura.
An actual Post Cereal offer Gran Toros box.
 
The contents of the Post Cereal mail-in offer box.
 
A mail-in offer Gran Toros Lamborghini Miura with the box packaging in the background.
 
A mail-in offer Gran Toros Lamborghini Miura with the box in the background.
 
Another photo of the mail-in offer Gran Toros Lamborghini Miura with the box in the background.
 

Three of my Post Cereal mail-in offer Gran Toros; the Lamborghini Miura, a Lotus Europa, and a Twin Mill.