[2] Although models of various scales have been made, the name "Tomica" normally refers to the 3-inch sized mainstream vehicles most commonly produced by the company.

After four decades, Tomy Corporation again entered the North American and European markets with the Tomica name in 2010.

The variety of models also expanded from the initial coupés and sedans to taxis, buses, trucks, construction and other commercial vehicles.

To compete in the global toy car market, Tomy early on, had plans of exporting its models.

The marketing ploy was a blister package designed like a denim jeans 'pocket' with yellow 'stitching' around the outside of the card and the vehicle.

Since Japanese cars were not yet booming sellers overseas, in 1976 Tomy started producing 'foreign' (non-Japanese) models.

Present were American, German, Italian, British, and French cars, among others, making the Tomica product line more global.

Partly because Pocket Cars were more expensive than Hot Wheels or Matchboxes in the American market, this blister pack series was not seen much after 1979.

Perhaps because of their greater scarcity as well as realism, these values hold up much better than most Matchbox vehicles from the same time period.

These models are made with higher details, and one of their biggest features is realistic-looking wheels with rubberized plastic tires.

Although many of them are based on existing or discontinued regular Tomica models, some are new castings made exclusively for the TL line, namely, Nissan Skyline GTB, Toyoda AA, and new MINI Cooper.

In the case of the new MINI Cooper, the model was first released for the TL series in 2004 but in 2006 included in the regular line as no.

These models are packaged in open cardboard boxes surrounded on four sides with a transparent plastic sleeve.

The Premium line replaced Tomica Limited Series, the main differences being that it uses new molds for the vehicles and are not a limited release but rather in regular production that numbered with the same scheme as the classic line (re-using numbers for unrelated models).

However, since the early years, Tomy had outsourced some production to another country with cheaper labor cost.

Longer buses and semi-trailer trucks were models not suitable for the regular small boxes, so Tomy also started the "Long Tomica" series in 1977.

Many of these were specifically for foreign markets, like the Trathen's Skyliner bus which made the Plymouth to London trek in the U.K.[5] Beginning in 2009, Tomy produces newer versions of "Long Tomica", such as the newest Shinkansen trains or large semi trailer trucks, as part of the regular series under model numbers 121 to 140.

At first they were all Japanese domestic models, but similar to the common Tomicas, the Dandy line also began to offer foreign brand vehicles in 1977 (for example, a Lotus Europa).

The numbering system was changed in 1984 based on the nature of the vehicles (e.g. emergency, police, or foreign models).

Wheels looked authentic, but were hard black plastic and not rubber, which was normal for 1:43 diecast cars in the 1980s.

Tomy started producing motorized cars in the late 1970s beginning with the Power Tomica series.

In 2005, a new series for motorized Tomica was released containing generic vehicles such as a police patrol car.

These cars do not have light, but depending on the model, upon activation, "[t]hree types of recorded clips will be played (including the sound of sirens, voices and cries of animals).".

They are marketed as the Tomica Limited Vintage Tomytec series and are mostly 1950s and 1960s classic Japanese vehicles such as the Honda S800, Nissan Cedric, Prince Gloria and Toyopet Crown.

In 2006 the Tomica Limited Vintage - Neo [TLV-N] line was created and currently includes vehicles from the 1970s and 1980s.

Examples are cars from 80s police dramas such as Seibu Keisatsu and Abunai Deka or the JGTC Super Silhouette Skyline.

Export versions of cars are also included, such as an American Datsun 510 instead of a Japanese Nissan Bluebird.

In the early years, Tomy produced cars with famous characters sitting on them, using the same castings from the regular Tomica line.

Unfortunately, due to safety issues, the Magnum Rescue Police Cruiser was recalled soon after its release.

In recent years, Tomy has greatly expanded their specialized character Tomica series.