Matchbox Monday "A"-ctually starts "A" 2026 blog report

It's here! Welcome to 2026.  Oh, wait, it's February. Never mind. It's a new model year for the Matchbox brand, and I think it could be a very exciting year. We have the John Cena fronted Matchbox Movie coming out this summer, and the Matchbox brand will be getting a lot more exposure than it is used to (finally). I expect there will be a number of additional product ranges on top of the standard basics, Walmart exclusives, 5-packs, 8-packs, Moving Parts, Skybusters, Collectors & Candy offerings. I am anticipating news on what we will be getting. So excited! But, before we get to any of those things, we do have some early batches of items to run through. Wheel Collectors have been sending over a lot of items for me, and batch A of the 2026 basic range was received on both long blister and in power grab box. Sadly, it missed one thing.

They sadly never got a single chase in their assortment. Either on long card or power grab! Doh! Luckily, I wandered into my local Tesco store in the UK at the exact right time. A fresh unopened box of batch A on short card was seemingly waiting for me. A representative of The Entertainer was busy refilling items, and she was very kind in opening up the box for me. Bingo! An MB1185 '85 Porsche 911 Rally for my collection. Perfect. I had visions of chasing it half way round the world (yes, I have had Super Chases sent over from Australia before). This is the first of 4 Super Chases from the basic range for 2026. It is appropriately number 1 of 4 and comes in a lovely matte black. 

The matte black look is fantastic, and I love that they added a number 26 on the model. After all, it is a Super Chase in the 2026 model year. We also see silver and gold striping and the luggage finely detailed. 

And, being a Super Chase, it does feature tampo printing all over. It also comes with a light smoke window and bronze rimmed wheels. And, these are also real riders. Not plastic wheels. 

This is a great release of the casting. I love it. I am scoring this a perfect 10. After all, they chose another Porsche as a Super Chase. I cannot argue with their logic in giving us Super Chase Porsches. Dive back time.

This model debuted back in late 2018 as the 2019 Toy Fair model. The casting was created by Abe Lugo back at the time, and he created a lovely vehicle. The Toy Fair model is the only other one to have a full tampo treatment. It sported the rather iconic bronze with blue window look that many Toy Fair models have seen over the last decade or so. You will see more in this report! 

It then appeared early in 2019 in the basic range in white. This model also popped up as a carry forward in the 2020 Off Road Rally series. 

We then saw another green outing in the 2020 basic range, which also popped up again in a later Advent Calendar outing. 

It also appeared in the Target Retro series in brown. This popped back up in the 2023 Best of Germany series. 

After this, we saw no new looks until the 2023 model year, when it returned to the basic range in platinum, as one of the 70th Anniversary models. 

We also had a gloss black look as a Walmart exclusive Porsche series model. The new one being a matte black really stands out as something different (beside the additional tampo).

It then took another year off in 2024, before arriving in the 2025 range in turquoise. 

This means we have seen a total of 8 issues during its life. Which isn't that bad considering it keeps taking time off. I hope we see plenty more still. I am far from satisfied with what we currently have. What? Me saying that about a Porsche? Ha ha!

After this, I now move on to the models that Wheel Collectors sent over. One thing I did notice is that we seem to have a bit of an order here. The first batch contained the first numbers in the range. It is not exactly running through the entire series, but batch A did give us the first dozen numbers in the range. So, I am going to do these in number order. And, due to there being over 10, I have split this into 2 articles. The first 6 coming now, with the rest coming in a few weeks. We start with the MB1037 '16 Fiat 500X. It takes the number 1 slot in yellow. 

Yellow is an option on the 500X. Amalfi Yellow, as it is known. This is another of Abe Lugo's creations, and first appeared in the 2017 range. It appears to have had a bit of a resurgence in recent years. I do like that they keep these stock. And the yellow is a nice colour on the model. 

Especially when it gets some cool shading like this. Yes, I have 3 distinct shades of yellow on this one. Light, medium and dark. I love this type of stuff. I am crazy for the shades. 

We see simple front and rear tampos, as we have seen on every release of this casting. the consistency on this one is astonishing. The gunmetal grey wheel hubs look good here. I think it is a better option than chrome. I have no qualms in giving this a 10. 

I know I only did a dive back on this a few months ago, but I will run through again. The 2017 debut. Green, with shades to be found. 

Then for 2018, it turned metallic orange, and again, this basic range model could be found in various shades, across either this, or a Best of France carry forward in 2021. 

We didn't get a release in 2019, but it was back for 2020. This time in the MBX Highway 5-pack. Again, I saw shades. 

And in 2021, we had another 5-pack outing in the Off Road Rally set. Strangely, this also kept the standard look, and I still managed to find a shade. 

We then had a final 5-pack release in that run in 2022. This was called MBX City Drivers, and again, I saw a little shading, with some being a little more cream than others. 

It then too a hiatus for 3 year, and now has returned. 2025 started with a black issue in the Italian Roads 5-pack, and is still the only one that I do not own more than 1 of. 

With a return to basic range outings late in the year in pale blue. Again, I was back to finding shades. 

Which means, just like with the Porsche, we are now up to 8 releases of this one. Amazingly, I own more than 1 of every release bar the 2025 Italian Roads issue in black. That could be tough. I wonder if we will see this again?

After 1 comes 2. This being the MB1495 Morgan 3-Wheeler. This is the 2nd outing for this casting, and MB2 comes in silver. I thought I would mix things up by doing a Power Grab opening. 

I believe this is still the only casting to date to sport this large narrow wheel. I wonder if we will see it on any other casting. The real vehicle was given one of 10 different colours. Sport Blue, Sport Black, Sport Green, Sport Grey, Sport Orange, Sport Red, Sport Sand, Sport Teal, Sport White and Sport yellow. I have a feeling this may be Sport Grey. Now, they have mixed things up a little by giving us a non-Morgan interior option. They only gave us black leather or saddle brown leather, which is quite a light brown. This is a much darker brown. As I always say, being 100% true to real vehicles is not the most important thing. As a model, I think this darker brown works very well with the grey body. And black wheel hubs do as well. I am not too sure whether not chroming the front section, like we saw last year, works as well. I think last year it set it off perfectly, but this year feels a little bland at the front. I would have preferred it to have been chromed again. 

Aside from this, the model comes with front and rear detailing, just like it did last year. Although last year did add a little silver to the front. It was not needed this time. Had the front been chromed like the debut was, I would have scored this a 10. But, I am knocking off a point for the lack of chrome. So, a 9 out of 10 for this one. 

I did find the grey does sport a little shading. Not as much as the Fiat, but enough for me to have 2.

Last year saw the debut in Sport Green, with the proper leather interior colour and a chrome front (which does include the side exhausts). I think that is a nicer colour, but weirdly, I think the new one stands out better. 

I wonder if we will see another of the 8 official colour options for this one in the near future? The debut release did not appear to sell well, but I have not noticed the new one hanging around quite as much. But, I do think this is a better model for multipacks. 

MB3 is next up. This is also a second outing for a 2025 new casting. The MB1517 Coast 2 Coast. It comes in a red and white Coast Guard theme for 2026. 

I am a little torn over this. Admittedly, I am not a big boat fan, and am not overly enthusiastic about having it in the range. And this model is proving to hang around near me. I don't know if others are finding a similar situation. But, it does have a plus point. The Coast Guard theme has been used a number of times in the past, so it gets an automatic "recurring theme" "yes" vibe from me. But, on the flipside, this is a luxury yacht. It feels unusual putting a coast guard theme on it. I think the debut version has a proper luxury yacht feel to it. The design on the side had that vibe to it. 

Conflicted! Recurring theme? Good? On a vehicle I have little interest in? Hmm! I am giving it a 9. I still would have preferred a design better suited to a luxury yacht. I don't know if we will get another basic range run next year? If we do, we might still be seeing this one there. There are loads of them at my local Tesco store. It's a shame it doesn't float. I would love to see a model like the old boat and trailer from the Lesney era, with the boat being all-plastic, and able to float on water. Now that was a fun boat to have.

I do think a luxury yacht should feel like a luxury yacht. Last year did feel like one for the debut. 

I am sure it won't be the last we see of this. I do hope next will be a luxury yacht design on the luxury yacht. 

Model number 4 in the range, or MB4, is the MB1525 '67 Alfa Romeo Duetto. It comes in a minty green look for 2026. 

I was quite surprised seeing this again so quickly. Mind you, they are planning a 5-pack release later in the year as well. It only debuted in red in the 2nd to last batch of 2025, and as soon as they rotate that out, they rotate in the new one. This is quite an unusual colour. I checked. Back in 1967, Alfa Romeo did sell the Spider in Vazzuro Spazio. It was an official colour option that year. However, that was not metallic, and was a little more blue in hue. But, it was also very bright. As I keep saying, it doesn't have to be an official colour option. I like this minty look. It is a bit different to the red debut, and sort of gives us an idea that they may be heading towards an Italian flag of colours. Will we see a white one shortly?

As with the debut, we see simple and realistic front and rear tampo printing. I think this looks lovely. the colour may not be as iconic as the red, but I think this one still stands out well. I am giving this a 10. 

I think it looks great next to the debut red from 2 batches ago.

As I said, I expect a white will appear at some point soon. I also hope to see a lovely ivory one as well. As well as many more. This was my favourite new basic casting of 2025. I hope we see this for many years. 

Here's a daft fact. I am previewing 7 models in this particular report. Every single one, except the Coast 2 Coast (Garry Gopinath created that), has been created by Abe Lugo. He created the MB1078 '16 Chevy Colorado Xtreme, which takes the MB5 slot in 2026 in matte olive green. 

This model was one that started off with front and rear detailing for a number of years. Then, since it went on hiatus, we have seen a run of vehicles with side designs instead. And this one is a recurring theme as well. The Desert Endurance Race models have been around for quite a few years now. Each one tends to be in a different colour, so you don't always catch it. But, I love that. This model looks great in matte green, and has muddy wheels, matching the muddy side splashes. 

However, I do think they missed a trick by not making the base beige as well. As you can see, there is grey on the base, as it forms the bumpers. I think beige would have been better on that part, but I do like the rest of it. Sure, this does feel a little like 2012 again, at a tipping point where they started to veer off down a route that was not as successful, but models like this, I think they do work well enough. I like the off-road effect we have with models. I am giving this a 9, due to the base being the wrong colour. 

I did see a little shading to the matte green as well. 

I did say that the Porsche was not the only Toy Fair model in this blog report. This model was the 2018 Toy Fair model, released in late 2017 as the first issue. 

Then, as I noted, we saw a run of basic range issues that simply came with front and rear tampos. The 2018 debut was in orange. A colour that is often good for shades. 

Then, in 2019, it was turned into charcoal, but still with simple front and rear detailing. 

Then a final front and rear tampo printed model appeared in the 2020 MBX Countryside 5-pack in blue. 

It then took a year off. During this time, they decided to switch from front and rear prints to side printing. When it returned in the 2022 Hitch & Haul MBX Service II pack, it was in red with an Xtreme side design. 

And after another year off, 2024 saw 2 issues. Both featuring side designs. the blue one was a part of the Walmart Off Road Rally II set. Orangey yellow was the MBX Construction V 5-pack release.

Considering this is one of the oldest models I am reviewing, we still only have 8 issues, and one of those was a promotional item. Funnily enough, this is the first basic since 2019! I think, with the way things are currently going, we will see this a few more times. We do appear to be getting more rally and off road style vehicles again. 

And now on to the final model to be reviewed this week. The MB1243 MBX Field Car. It takes the MB6 slot in the range in green. 

I tell you what, this may be a Matchbox original design. Something that Abe created as a homage to the original Matchbox original design from 1968, when they were going to do an International Scout, but slightly altered it last minute, creating a unique model. But, you could see the Scout in the casting. This model pays homage to that, but has recently seen a bunch of fantastic looks, paying homage to other vehicles by repeating or using recurring themes. And I am loving it. I think this is a lovely casting to begin with, and these looks have just been fantastic. The latest is the "Team" look, which can be either orange or green (as the first one to use it was the MB723 VW Beetle 4x4 in the 2008 basic range, which saw both colours used due to having version 2s that year). Since then, we have seen a number of vehicles employ the "Team" look, in either colour. Although the MB1058 Sonora Shredder has seen both. The MBX Field Car is the latest to see this design, and they went with green on this one. I think it looks fantastic. 

The only way it can be any better is if I find a shade. Oh, wait, I did. Ha! Can you tell I am a little excited with this. I love recurring themes. Yes, I know, I did dip a point on the Coast 2 Coast that sported one. But, I am a little eccentric? Oddball? Nuts? One step away from being put in a strait jacket and dragged to an insane asylum? Yes, I am what I am. 

Which is why, unsurprisingly, this is getting a perfect 10 from me. A decent set of models. 3 of the 7 I reviewed lost a point for 1 reason or another, and the other 4 get top marks. That is not bad going. Of course, there is a review of the other half of batch A to come. It may pull the average for the entire batch down. We will see in a couple of weeks. But, before anything else, one more dive.

Because, amazing as it sounds, 3 of the 7 models I reviewed in this week's blog started off as a Toy Fair model. That is quite a coincidence. This one was the 2021 Toy Fair release, appearing in late 2020. 

It then debuted in the 2021 basic range in orange. Orange is often good for shades, and this did not disappoint. 

In 2022, we saw this blue look in the basic range. 

And in 2023's basic range, we saw it twice. Once in black, and the other time in platinum in the 70th Anniversary design. 

It was also added to a 9-pack in white, with an Adventure theme (or Adventur_ theme on the other side, as they forgot the "e" at the end).

And since then, recurring or repeated themes. 2024 saw 2 outings. Once in the basic range in red, with a look paying homage to the MB098 Ford Mini Pick-up with Canopy from the 1985-89 basic range (last 2 as a US only).

And it was also in the MBX Retro 5-pack, paying homage to the original Field Car, when it was a USA Limited Edition release in 1980. Again, orange, that meant shades!

And last year, we saw it in the ever-popular National Parks recurring theme in the basic range. 

Which gives us a total of 10 different looks to date. This model has seen quite a lot of action. The last 4 are repeated/recurring. The debut could be classified as a recurring theme, as the Toy Fair models tend to follow the same pattern. The 9-pack one was used on a Jeep as well, so is a part of a multi-use livery. The platinum 2023 basic was also one used extensively that year. And with the black 2023 being a mirror of the 2021 debut, sort of tying them together, we only have a blue model that is a completely unique look. I think this, in itself, is so cool. 

And, on that note, I think I am done for another blog. Yes, we did get 2 Matchbox original designs this time. Both are realistic. 

And another 4 licensed vehicles in the regular rotation. And 2 of those were Italian. 

And if you were lucky to find one, a Porsche as well. 

So, as these head off to join the collection, I guess I had better "move" on towards preparing my next report. Until then, I hope everybody has a safe and happy week.