▁companies ▁producing ▁similar ▁products . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s , ▁German ▁C ursor ▁Mod els ▁and ▁Z iss ▁and ▁French ▁Min ial ux e , ▁though ▁often ▁pl astic , ▁were ▁similar ▁to ▁R IO ▁in ▁style ▁and ▁classic ▁models ▁selected . ▁ ▁The ▁k icker , ▁though , ▁was ▁Br umm ▁Mod els , ▁which ▁started ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 . ▁Br umm , ▁another ▁Italian ▁firm ▁making ▁classic ▁die cast ▁vehicles ▁in ▁a ▁nearby ▁town , ▁was ▁reported ly ▁started ▁by ▁Ren o ▁T att ar lett i ▁of ▁the ▁R IO ▁family ▁concern , ▁along ▁with ▁a ▁couple ▁of ▁business ▁partners ▁( S inc la ir ▁himself ▁has ▁written ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁a ▁brother - in - law ▁who ▁started ▁Br umm ; ▁see ▁Force ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁ 1 0 6 – 1 0 7 ; ▁S inc la ir ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁pp .   3 8 8 – 3 8 9 ; ▁and ▁S inc la ir ' s ▁ 1 9 7 8 ). ▁Though ▁likely ▁un related ▁to ▁R IO , ▁El ig or ▁Mod els ▁was ▁another ▁high ▁production ▁die cast ▁company , ▁started ▁about ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁in ▁France , ▁and ▁foc using ▁on ▁cars ▁from ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s . ▁ ▁R IO ▁today ▁Though ▁R IO ▁models ▁had ▁more ▁parts ▁and ▁more ▁detail , ▁Br umm