Hate to date myself this way, but I can remember when there was very little in the way of 1/32 being manufactured.
The prevailing scale in terms of detail was 1/48, and, when 1/32 did arrive, much of it was criticized for being little than more outsized versions of the smaller scale. In other words, the "real estate" was there, but additional detail that it could have offered was frequently missing.
Of course, now, this has changed and the newer/better kits feature all sorts of chrome and typically are a significant step-up from the smaller scales. I still like 1/48, BTW, but it can be hard for my tired, old eyes to appreciate some of what's baked into them without a magnifying glass!:redface2:
As an aside, we see 1/48 diecast criticized for the same sorts of reasons today. Fans of 1/72 will tell you, "hey, 1/48 is big and bad, but it's frequently no better detailed than the smaller, less expensive alternative." And, to be honest, apart from some improved parts definition, they frequently have a point. In MANY cases, 1/48 diecast is little more than a somewhat larger version of what's possible in 1/72.

Beautiful models, cnq!:salute::
-Moe