Competition With Matchbox & Hot Wheels
In 1968, Aurora introduced its Cigarbox miniature cars and the timing could not have been worse. These were developed to compete with 'Matchbox' in the year that Mattel's Hot Wheels premiered. The Cigarbox car line was a combination of rather bland plastic slot car bodies with metal chassis (Ragan 2000, p. 38). Models were claimed to be HO scale, but cars were larger and packaged in small yellow 'Cigar'-like boxes which had red lettering and gold trim. Cigarbox boxes were slightly larger and more rectangular than Match 'boxes' (the boxes were 4" x 2.75" x just over 1" deep) (Breithaupt no date). If Lesney could have 'Match' boxes, Aurora figured it could have 'Cigar' boxes - though the idea today skirts the boundaries of the politically acceptable - was Aurora promoting smoking to children? (Ragan 2000, p. 38-39). The company had nerve, but today a toy company would never present such an idea to youth. Rumors said that Matchbox took Aurora to court for copyright infringement over the similar appellation - but that is not certain. In any event, later issues were sold on blister cards under the "Speedline" name with 'Cigarbox' no longer mentioned. The Speedline cars were also offered as "Hop-Up Kits" to be assembled.
Some of the cars offered, however, were unique and not often seen in miniature - like the 1967 Ford Galaxie 500, the 1963 Buick Riviera, the Mako Shark Corvette concept, the Cheetah Chevy, and the Porsche 904 (Ragan 2000, p. 39). Cigarbox also offered several Formula 1 cars in the series (Southwest Spirit Antiques 1998-2011).
Initially, most cars were offered in normal unpainted plastic bodies with unattractive high friction ('squeaky') wheels with rubber tires, somewhat similar to Matchbox. Some of the cars like the deTomaso Mangusta, had working steering. Later, slicker thinner low-friction wheels and chrome-like finishes with stripes were rushed in, but competition was keen and financial troubles loomed. It was too late for the Cigarbox line - it was gone by 1970.
Read more about this topic: Aurora Plastics Corporation
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