Matchbox Monday heads back to 2026 batch H basics

After all the fuss of the USA convention and line preview dies down, and we settle in with knowledge of some of what is happening in 2027, and a further report on the convention models, we are still only halfway through showing what has been coming out in 2026. Yes, I am sure some are very eager to start seeing some of the 2027 items, but we do have a lot of cool stuff still to showcase on the current year. In fact, I am currently only half of the way through the 7th batch of 12 basic due for 2026. Batch H (because E & F are the same batch, with a few bonus models added for F) is another that contains a chase model, as these come in the 1st, 4th, 7th and 10th batches. But, before I get to that one, let's finish off the last of the 6 models in the regular part of the batch. Wheel Collectors have batch H on long card and in power grab, so I mixed and matched them a little in the report.

The first model in the second half of batch H is the MB1302 '18 Toyota 4Runner. It comes in green in the MB77 slot.

This is an official Toyota Colour. It is known as Army Green. Nerdy fact, it was a colour option on the TRD Pro variant of the 4Runner in 2020, then in 2021, it was an option on the Trailer variant, before being available across the range for 2022. After that, it was ceased, unless you picked up a late issue that was not registered until 2023. These things can happen. So, I do enjoy a real colour. Is it important that it was not technically on the year depicted on the base? Definitely not! I think it looks fantastic. I love the light smoke window and the gunmetal wheel hubs. They suit it perfectly.

And, as we have seen in recent years, the model comes with simple front and rear detailing. You cannot go wrong with a realistic front and end print. I can see absolutely nothing on this that could have been improved as a core model. This is exactly what I want to see. A perfect 10. And I happy to see this continuing on.

As it debuted in red in the 2022 range, which I did see some shading on.

And then came in Voodoo Blue (maybe a lighter shade) for the 2023 model year. 

It wasn't used in 2024, but saw double duty for 2025. The regular basic was in Blizzard. Another that I saw some shades on.

And was also sold as a Super Chase in orange, which is an official Toyota colour. This is known as Solar Octane, and Matchbox had a few additional prints done. It is a shame that they didn't flip those 2. Did you know that there was a 40th Anniversary limited edition white model? It came with yellow/orange/red side stripes, that also ran down the grille. Just imagine if they did the orange as the regular, with just front and rear prints, and then did the limited edition special as the Super Chase. A definite missed opportunity.

It is good seeing it continue. I was a little worried. I like this casting. Abe Lugo did a great job in the casting, and I feel it deserves more outings. We are only up to 5. 

Because this year saw the debut of the MB1603 '19 Toyota 4Runner in grey. This is because it is based on a vehicle that is being used in the upcoming "Matchbox: The Movie" that is arriving on Apple TV in October. There's room for both. They just proved it as both are in the 2026 basic range. 

The second model is another of Abe Lugo's models. The MB1496 '95 BMW 318ti. It comes in black for 2026 in the MB79 slot.

This is another real colour option. BMW calls it Cosmos Black Metallic. It has the BMW internal colour code 303, and was a popular choice on the 318ti. Of course, in real life, the metal flakes are about the same size as the model has. On a 1:1 vehicle, that is a fine metal flake. On a model, it is much more noticeable. Which is perfectly fine. I expect them not to be able to reduce the flake size that much. It still looks awesome. Again, these sort of models are the exact sort I want to see. Real vehicles, those you see on the roads, in looks that feel like they could be on the road. A light smoke window and chromed 6-spokes look perfect. The front tampo, including getting the BMW badge on the top are fantastic.

The rear also sees the same level of detail. Nothing I would not expect. This is how the back of the vehicle looked. They have nailed it. However, this is where I am really going to be mean. I love a license plate. E36CMPCT. Yes, this was the E36 generation BMW. The ti was often known as the compact. But, we had this last year with the debut. I would have like another plate. My idea? COSMOS! You know, because this is Cosmos Black. After E36 because it was the E36 generation, they could have had fun with them. So, because if this, I am scoring it a 9.5. Not a 10. Just because I can see a small improvement. 

As we know, this debuted in red last year. This looked really cool. And the black for year 2 is another cool look. Just imagine, back in the early 2010s, they were planning on deleting black cars from the range. They were deemed too dark, and the plan was to brighten things up. We saw it in 2012 and 2013. Of course, that did not go down as well as they hoped with the kids, and they reverted. I am so thankful for that. Black is an awesome car colour. Of course, red is my favourite colour, so the red is still winning my personal preference here. But, I am very much looking forward to what they come up with next. 

Just please change the license plate for the next one. 

And now we have something new. The MB1591 '25 Jeep Recon. It debuts in the 2026 range in the MB80 slot in orange.

The Recon is a completely new vehicle. It was first shown in image form in September 2022, and although Matchbox has marketed it as a 2025 model, it only entered production in 2026. As is often the case, they have seen another electric vehicle, and made a model of it. We are getting a lot of electric vehicles in the range. I am sure kids will not even know or care if a model is electric or has an ICE. I am sure they will still go vroom vroom as they play with them. But, I do see why Matchbox is trying to bring them in. It is a long-term project, which also includes making the models out of recycled materials, hopefully by the year 2030. They are trying to showcase the modern era properly. And this Jeep is different to all the others. It is based on a Wrangler, and has a few design cues from it, but it is a completely new build. The Recon name came from a Wrangler variant, linking it with the model it has spawned from. 

Tyler Charest was tasked with creating this casting. I cross-referenced it with the real vehicle. The way the wheel arches are formed? Spot-on! The doors do have 2 large hinges on them in real life. Perfect. And I love the indented door handles. The way the rear has the back pillar sink down denotes where the lights are on the real vehicle. And the body section does dip down at that point. The side line does slide up just before the wing mirror. Yes, this is very well done. When looking at the side. 

Anybody who has been reading these blogs does know, I am not a fan of the roof being formed out of the windows. I never have been. I doubt I ever will be. I can't see why my opinion would change. I understand the logic. I can see, particularly with a lot of modern vehicles, the pillars are all blended in with the windows. Making them a part of the body section to give us the roof is technically wrong. Making it out of the body section also means they are saving a tiny piece of weight. They do have weight limits on models. Not individually, but when filling a case. So, by keeping some slightly lighter, it allows them to sneak a few slightly heavier ones in to keep below the weight limit. It is the way of the world. There are limits across the board. How many can get chrome plated. How many passes through a tampo machine can be reduced for one to be added to another and balance out. We don't see all the behind the scenes goings-on. But, I do know that there are times when they are stopped from doing what they want to keep things under the overall budget. Sure, I would love to see models get the Ford Bronco Sport treatment if they can't have a metal roof. That had a 5th part added, as a clip in plastic roof. I could live with that. It stops the whole upper half from being too dark, or being weird because you can see through the roof. I actually like the way that plastic can be finely detailed. Much better than metal. And when you look at the roof/window piece, it has lots of details on it. Tyler did what he could, and the shape is perfect. I still don't like the roof. 

As i mentioned, the bit sticking down at the rear corners is the light section. That would be the correct way of doing this build in the current style. Had it been a part of the body, and left out, it would have been wrong. It looks unusual, but I cannot argue that being correct. It does make it difficult to tampo print. Which I will get to in a minute. I also think that when they add in these spares, I think it should be a better idea to have them as covered wheels. Sure, we may see them exposed on real models, but this has the same wheel hub design as the wheels in use. Perfect for now. But, what if they want to put different wheels on the model? The spare won't match. Is that an OCD thing? I have no idea. But, especially as this is a Jeep, I would have done a cover. Not a smooth cover. Give it an effect of a cover, and then cast the Jeep logo into the side of it. 

Let's move on to the design. Orange. Or, as Jeep calls it, Joose! Where they got that from? I have no idea. This is an official Jeep colour, and looks really good. There's not a lot that can be done with the dark window. It is the way it was built. The front end looks amazing. Highly detailed lighted grille section, and the Love the added hood print. 

I was curious over how the rear would be tampo printed with the lights being part of the window section. It turns out, it wasn't. It is left blank. I know, when it comes to models seeing more than just a front print, the rear will be left blank. I get that. But, we just had a simple hood print, and a single strip of detailing. Was this just a carefully angled single print? Was it 2 passes? I don't know. I do like having the hood print. And I am sort of used to rears being left. So, it is not a major issue. I was just a tad surprised with it. 

So, how about some scores. Inclusion. I am a bit of a Jeep fan. I am not at all fussy about it being electric. I know it is how manufacturers are trying to move forward. I am an ICE holdout. But I do appreciate them. So, for inclusion, the fact that this is a completely different Jeep to the others is enough for me to say yes, a 10. Casting. Hmm! It's that roof. It's not on the body. It's on the window. I can never give a top mark to a model like that. As much as I really feel that Tyler did an incredible job capturing the shape so well. Just like I did recently with one of Garry's creations, another Jeep. The Wagoneer S. This is getting an 8. Had the roof been a part of the body section, this would have been top marks. Design. I am really liking the end look. I love the orange. Being a little surprised over a lack of rear tampo, I am just going to chip a tiny piece off. A 9.5. So, for a model that has a window/roof piece, debuting with a 27.5 out of 30 is actually a very good score. 

Oh, yes, my usual base shot for a new casting. What about something else?

Is this a shade? You are looking at the orange, aren't you? Not this time. Check the window. Does the one on the left look darker? Well, it should, it is. Yes, I am yet to spot shading to the orange, but I still end up with 2 of them. 

Next up, we have a real doozy of a model. A real nod to the past. The MB1605 '63 Unimog 406. This is another new casting, and debuts in blue in the MB81 slot.

Unimog. What does it mean? It is a shortened version of Universal-Motor-Gerät, which is what the original concept was known by in 1946. It debuted in 1948, manufactured by Boehringer. The first model was known as the 70200. As sales grew, Boehringer could not keep up with demand, and in 1952, they sold the rights to Daimler Trucks, and the Unimog has been marketed under the Mercedes-Benz brand ever since. Matchbox originally debuted a Unimog in 1967. This was a 406-series, which was sort of the third series. The original 70200 underwent tweaks, both to the vehicle and to its number. In 1955, they added a 404-series, and in 1963, the 406-series (which also includes 416, 419, 421, 426 and 431). The others tend to be referred to as part of the 406 family. The original Lesney one was a 406. The new one is a 406. It is not the first time that a classic has been redone. Ford Capri? Mercury Cougar? Citroen DS? Heck, Ford Anglia! They have done it a lot. And I was always a big fan of the classic Lesney Unimog, so I was quite eager to see how this one would turn out. 

My initial thought? Hubba hubba! This is freaking awesome! Thought number 2? Hmm! Still not past the hubba hubba stage yet.... Tyler Charest is also the mastermind behind this. And he has knocked it out of the park. Out of the parking lot. Out of the city. Out of the country. Out of the planet. I think it is hovering somewhere around Jupiter. This is definitely a contender for model of the year. I absolutely love it! 

Look at the roof. Hmm! Fantastic. Yeah, this is a classic. I don't think it would have worked the way that the Recon was done. But, also look at the rear bed. As has been the case with a lot of pickup trucks lately, interiors tend to form the majority of rear beds, so they can rivet the model easier. 

But, this is a Mog! This is not like a regular pickup. Look at how tall this is. There is a lot underneath the body section, as I would expect. It has a huge ground clearance. That means they could rivet it from the underside of the rear bed easily. And because the upper half is pretty much a half, the weight is also kept lower due to the bottom half being plastic. Another reason why the rear bed can be metal. This almost feels like a throwback to the classics of old. I am so impressed with it. 

Well, at this point, I had to bring in the classic. This is a 1970 release of the MB49-A Unimog. It had debuted during the regular wheel era of Lesney ownership, and after a brief tan over blue look in 1967, it switched to blue over red at the start of 1968, and staying like it through the transition to Superfast in 1970, and until being replaced in 1973. Superfast gets a lot of shades, and a lot of them were metallic blue, but I thought this was the closest to the new issue. You might notice that the old one has large spiro wheels. These were a mid-size wheel that was between a regular wheel for Superfast, and the Superkings wheels that were used on some 4x4 models. And, by chance, a certain 1975 Ford F-100 had just debuted with a brand new wheel type that could be classified as a successor to that one, so the new Unimog gets the new wheel too. Which is absolutely perfect timing. Because, this really enhances the look of the model. It feels so much like the classic. 

Which means, as you can see here, the 2 vehicles are sitting at about the same height. having the same size wheels really helps to bring this home. Sure, the classic was cool, but the new one has some lovely little extra touches. The window wipers. The funnel on the corner of the window. Wing mirrors. And an interior (the original didn't have one). Now, there is a small point to be made here. Do you notice a certain indentation in the front bumper on the new model? Unimogs came with a section in the front grille where you could attach a winch. In 1963, when the 406 debuted, it was just in the lower edge of the grille, but in 1964 they also added the other half to it into the bumper. So, technically speaking, the Lesney one is a 1963, and Mattel is a 1964 onwards. The package said it was a 1963?

The base of the casting makes no mention of any year for the Mog. So, I am not going to score it down for casting. That is more of a typing error. Just like the Ford F-100 said it was a stake truck on power grabs. They may type things wrong on packaging, but it makes no difference to the casting. This is a real point to the Unimog 406 after 1963, and it was in production until 1989 in real life. I am more than happy with it. 

The new casting is very similar in size. Just fractionally longer. I think it works so well against the original. 

I have looked at pictures of the 406. They came with windows on the back of the cab. New one correct, old one wrong. The classic had loads of charm, but the new one has just as much. 

Sure, the previous one had a tow hook. I did wonder at first whether that was a missed opportunity. But, I decided no. The model sits high. To get the tow hook correct to be able to tow current trailer units, it would require a rather unusually low hook. I was never a fan of how they made a certain '72 Ford Bronco 4x4 get a tow hook. And a Jeep 4x4 has one too high, meaning things look daft when being towed. I prefer it being off. Good call. 

Now, when it comes to the design. Sure, they could have put a red base to this, but I am happy with black. Being blue bodied is enough of a retro look for a debut to me. Perfect. And, the front end gets a lovely little detail. Lights, the winch slot, grille, badge, and the funnel on the corner is also detailed. 

And it gets some door detailing as well. This is a great debut. I love it.

I was expecting this rear to be blank. So, let's score it. Inclusion. A big, fat 10. I was very happy to see that the classic 406 was being revisited. Casting. Wait, I need for it to return from Jupiter. Where it was knocked that far out of the park to. I think you have already guessed this was a 10. Perfect! Design. In a very unsurprising twist, this is also a 10. As I said, this is an end of year Top 10 contender for my 2026 poll. Long may this one run around the Matchbox ranges. A perfect 30 out of 30. Mog!

We have a third new casting debuting in this second half of the batch. This is the MB1592 SHERP N1200. This one debuts in the MB82 slot in yellow.

What is SHERP? Well, this is a fairly new company. It comes from Kyiv, in Ukraine, which means this is the first time we have a Ukrainian vehicle in the range. The N1200 is their first offering, and is a simple UTV, which comes with huge wheels, which can be inflated and deflated from within the cabin, to allow it to traverse any terrain. This is where the name comes from. They are paying homage to the Sherpa people, who were native to the Himalayas, and known for being able to traverse any terrain. 

I do like seeing some of the random vehicles that Matchbox finds to do. This one is so far out of left field, I think it is in the eye-line of the Unimog! Oh, yes, callback to the last model. Ha ha!But, I like when they come up with these random models. It is unlike anything else in the range. Totally unique. And that makes it pretty cool. It is weird. Sure, I can't argue that point. Does that make it eye-catching in a kid's eye? Well, they have been on sale in my local area for a few months, and I have not seen any signs of this warming the pegs (or the orange tubs, in the case of Tesco). So, I am thinking, yes, it is eye-catching. Maybe the kids are as fascinated as I am about what this is. It comes with massive wheels on the side. We have never seen a wheel this big on a basic range model. But, we have seen it before. 

It's a Working Rigs wheel. Which I think is pretty nostalgic. Why? Well, back in the early 1980s, Lesney started creating some basic range models that sported huge wheels. Romping Rabbit. Chevy Van 4x4. 4x4 Open Back Truck. What wheels were the using? Superkings ones. After the demise of Superkings, the wheels that were in use continued on as miniature 4x4 wheels. And now we have the larger Working Rigs series, and wheels from those have been adapted for use on a basic range model for the first time. It's almost like it is tradition. I am loving it. 

I went with the RW026 New Holland Bi-Directional Tractor TV6070 as a reference, because I had one in yellow, just like the SHERP. However, that wheel has been in use on quite a few Working Rigs models. 

It is a small casting. Almost square, as it is very short. This means that they could create the whole upper half out of metal. Which is very good. And it has details on the casting. Like the roof vent here. Kevin Cao was tasked with this model. He has been with Mattel since 2007, but has only recently started working with the Matchbox side of things, as he did a lot of work on their other diecast brand. Well, if this is his level of detail, I am very happy for him to work his magic. They have a talented team there, and I am very happy with their work.The real vehicle can sometimes have windows on the side towards the rear. They decided to go with the plain look, which adds the capability for more tampo detailing. I think that is a good choice.

It has a large window element on the front It is dark. I can't see inside, very well, but I believe there is an interior inside. Again, this is a totally unique vehicle. I am fine with the way this has been built. 

When it comes to the design, they have gone with a signature look for the SHERP. Yellow is a colour that has been used a lot on promotional information about the vehicle. A logical debut look. We didn't get front or rear tampo on this one. They have concentrated on the sides. 

Again, this design on the side is the type that the company was using for promotional purposes. It appears that they have 2 different looks in general for this. Yellow with black printing, or black with orange printing. That looks really cool, and I hope to see that one appear in the future. Yeah, I am content with this. 

And the best part, shades! Yes. I had to do a shade somewhere in this article on a new addition. So, scores. Inclusion. It is weird, it is unique, but it is actually quite a cool little casting. I am giving this a 10. As long as the whole range is not full of unusual vehicles, I enjoy getting odd ones sprinkled in. Casting. Kevin did a great job. I cannot argue with this either, so another 10. Design. I don't think there was much more they could do with it to make it look better. Another 10. Whoa! Another 30 out of 30. I was not expecting that. But, the more I looked at it, and messed about with it, the more it grew on me. Sadly, it might not make my year end Top 10, but it is very well executed, and deserves its spot in the range. I don't know if we will see any other Ukrainian vehicles in the range. They don't have a large motor manufacturing list of companies. 

Again, we get the base shot for the new casting. 

Another casting that doesn't get a lot of action, but am happy to see return is the MB956 Lamborghini LM002. It takes the MB87 slot for 2026 in white.

This is the last of the 6 regular issues I am here to review this week. The LM002 was created by Miguel López and debuted back in 2015. This one? The 4th basic range outing. Yes, 12 model years and 4 of them saw this in the basic range. It's amazing how some models get used so little, where others plug away year after year. I can think of many others that saw way too little basic range action. Where is the '79 Chevy Nova? Anyway, this is in white, which was quite a popular choice for the real LM002. Lamborghini officially called it Bianco. However, they would make a vehicle in any colour you wanted. Even back in the 1980s when this was being sold. We get the usual front and rear tampo print, and the gunmetal wheels work well. However, this sports a black interior. Why am I sayiing it that way? Well, one of the most iconic LM002s was the triple Bianco. A white body, white interior and white carpets. Of course, that would just be the interior piece in total making up the other 2 parts of the triple. Failing that, another popular interior option on a white body was the Rosso Red interior. I think either of those would have been a better option than a standard black. 

I do like that it is consistent with tampo printing. It is very good. But, it could have been just a little better. A white or red interior and this would have been an iconic 10, but it gets a 9 from me. So close!

I am seeing shades on this one as well. Always fun. 

As you can see, this has not changed an awful lot from the debut. Aside from a slight tweak to how the license plate is written, this sports the same tampo as the yellow 2015 debut.

Year 2 for the casting, and was seeing dual action. Red was the basic range release.

While we saw another white one in the Best of series. Again, no red or white interior. 

Then the tumbleweeds ran through. It was 2019 before we saw another one. This was in the Autobahn Express 5-pack in black.

In 2021, it popped back up. A Best of Italy series saw the debut yellow return, but now in a much lighter, lemon yellow shade. 

While Target stores in the USA saw a blue release in the Retro series.

And then the model returned to the basic range in 2024 for only its third outing in that range. It was in grey that time. With the current one being the 4th. 

And, as you can see, that means we officially have only 7 different looks for the model (the carry forward doesn't count). In 12 years of action, that is almost like every other year. I don't know why this doesn't get much love. 

Which brings us to the Super Chase. Yes, SC number 3 of 4 for the basic range. This is the 7th batch (I keep mentioning that), and we get the MB1498 '97 Acura Integra Type R. Yes, the same Integra that was also in the batch as a carry forward in white. And it gets a new basic range outing later in the year. Wheel Collectors did manage to get some in the Power Grab boxes. I was sent one. I have no idea which variant it is.

And they also got them in on long car. That one, I can see which variant it is.

It turns out I got the right hand drive variant on both. As we know, the Integra is one of those models that sports a variation, as it can appear with either a LHD or RHD interior. That was one of the Easter Eggs that Abe Lugo used to like doing with his castings. I wonder if any of the other guys will continue this little tradition? 

Thankfully, due to some help from my friend, Shabbir Malik, I was able to secure the LHD variant for the model. 

It comes in a lovely shade of metallic gold. The upgrade on this is very subtle. What do we have on the side? An SC logo. That is it. The front is detailed. We get real riders, which look fairly similar to the standard plastic wheels. 

And the rear is tampo printed. That is it. Should we expect more from a Super Chase? No. Why do they have to get a lot of tampo? A simple, understated look like this is just as nice, and I think this colour is gorgeous. I have absolutely no qualms with them doing a Super Chase and keeping it plain. 

I mean, the last basic range Super Chase was very simple and understated. Sure, a little silver pin striping. But, no fancy designs. Just as we get with the Collectors series, some do come with a simple look, while others get a lot of tampo. It is how it is, and I like it like that. So, I am more than happy to give this a perfect 10. Excellent. 

2 Acuras in the same batch. One being a 2025 carry forward? I still don't know why the carry forward exists? Maybe they had to drop something last minute, so it was thrown in to keep the 125 topped up. It could be a background issue. Something we are not privy to. It is what it is. I am looking forward to a new look in a few batches, and an easier option to find both variants. 

So, that is it for the first of the second half of the 2026 reports. We are all back to normal again now (until Leipzig rolls around at the start of October). This batch contained 3 new castings.

And an additional 4 in new looks. 

So, as these head off to join my collection, my attention moves to next week. Time for me to "collect" my thoughts over what to talk about next time, if you can guess what batch of items will be coming. Until then, I hope everybody has a safe and happy week.