In the diagram above, the
same car can be seen at different scales. Scale is an indication
of relative sizes. A 1:64 scale die-cast car is one 64th the
size of the real automobile. Written another way, the real
automobile is 64 times larger. Likewise, a 1:18 scale die-cast
car means the real one is 18 times larger.
Look at the number after
the "1". The larger the number, the smaller the vehicle is. For
example, a 1:34 scale car is smaller than a 1:18 scale car.
Scale can be written with
a colon or a slash. For example, 1:24 scale means the same as
1/24 scale.
The image above is a
sample of how detail differs by scale. In general, larger cars
will be more detailed, look more accurate, and have more
features. For example, many 1/18 scale cars have workable
steering and some have spring suspension for the tires. Features
and level of detailing will vary by manufacturer.