Matchbox Monday Checks of Collector C and a few creations

I hope people have not been over-stuffed with Christmas food (if they celebrate, not everyone does), and are ready for some more Matchbox fun.  The majority of this week's Matchbox blog has been kindly sent over to me by Wheel Collectors.  They received batch C of the 2022 Collectors series, which included 5 models in the assortment.  However, I thought the article needed a little bonus (well it is Christmas week), so I have added a couple of Mattel Creations models at the end of the first part for added fun.  So let's get down to it.  

We start off with the MB933 Dodge Charger Pursuit, which takes the number 7 slot in the series of 20.  I am quite surprised to see this one in the Collectors series.  

Not that I am at all sad to see it.  I have always liked this casting, and it is nice to see it get some premium treatment.  I am just a little surprised to see it after 9 years.  But then, the Dodge Charger is still in the same generation now (only facelifted since this debuted), and these are still being added to fleets across the USA, so it does make sense.  

But I cannot deny the look.  The Illinois State Police livery on this one looks fantastic.  And the perfect timing too, because this year they are celebrating their 100th Anniversary.

I am loving all the extra details on the model too.  The rear licence plate with "I C YOU" as the plate.  That made me chuckle.  And obviously the special 100 years logo.  

This was a contest run back in 2017, for people to make the 100 years logo.  It started in November 2017, and the deadline was the 1st of March 2018.  The Illinois State Police themselves voted on the winner, which was announced in July that year.  Aaron Rath, from Springfield IL was the winner, and as well as seeing his design used on cars, patches, apparel, letterheads etc, also won a $500 prize too. That is pretty cool.  

I have to say, this works perfectly with the Texas Highway Patrol car from the other year, too.  That was from a 2018 Texas Rangers 5-pack, and with both sporting a state on the doors, and one being white with black, the other black with white, I thought they made for a great pair.  

And I couldn't let this pass me by.  The Charger has seen one other premium outing.  It was back in 2014, when it was chosen to be the dealer model at the Gathering in Albuquerque.  Until now, that had been my favourite look for the model, but this new one is a contender for the crown.  

Although there is one little thing that lets it down.  Why it didn't get the front lights detailed, as a premium model, is beyond me.  The promotional one saw it, and they really do enhance the model.  That is the one little thing that lets down this one.  It looks like the ABQ dealer model still sits at the top of the pile.  Such a shame.  "I C YOU" wasn't quite enough to topple it.  

Next up is a casting I am very happy to see again.  The MB1080 NASA S.E.V. Chariot.  

I am never a fan of the "1-and-done" models. This model debuted as MB90 in the 2018 basic range, and well, this is the follow-up.  It takes the number 11 slot in the series for the 2022 Collectors range.

And it looks fantastic, all decked out with the NASA logos and full detailing all over.  The extra detailing really helps to enhance the model's characteristics, and this is a nice improvement over the already nice debut.

There are NASA logos all over, and US flags.

Although again, there is a side that has no detailing.  In this case, it is the rear. However, when you look at the real vehicle, the 2 slots at the back are to house 2 suits, and the rest is fairly plain anyway.  So it is not really as noticeable this time.  So for me, this is not a big deal.  I mean, the Charger wasn't a big deal.  I just thought it could have done with lights.  This, I do feel it is fine as it is.

So how does it compare to the 2018 basic range issue?  Comparison time.  Obviously, this one is going to have more tampo and real riders, instead of plastic wheels.  

But, for the most part, the only additional detailing is the fact that all the lights are now depicted.  Being a representation of the real vehicle, I don't think there was an awful lot they could do.  

The lower portion is now a much brighter gold.  The best part?  The wheel hubs are matching in both models.  The bright gold for this, matching the lower section.  The duller gold for the old one, matching the duller lower section.  I think they have done a tremendous job differentiating between the 2 releases.  I don't know if there is really much more they can do with this, other than have the same release with grey dust all over it, to simulate it driving around on the moon.  That could be fun.  But, I am happy.  We got a second outing. This is no longer in the 1-and-done pile.  

Drag Beetle!  That's a quick way to name it.  The MB1268 '72 Custom VW Beetle Dragster being the long one.  It takes the number 12 slot in the series.

And this one is a really cool, yellow Mooneyes recurring theme release as well. Great stuff.  I love recurring themes.  

This one looks fantastic.  I love the eyes on the front. The black accents and stripes adorning the model and lights too.

Yes, I am very impressed with this one.  In fact, I am going to go out on a limb here, as I know many love the Mattel Creations one. I prefer this.  

Don't get me wrong.  I thought that was a great debut.  Paying homage to the original Dragon Wheels from 1972, of which the casting was based on in the first place.  I thought that was great.  But, there is just something about this one that appeals to me.  Again, it is a repeated theme.  The other was a homage, this is a recur.  

But this just looks nicer to me.  I know many will think I am mad for not preferring the link to the Lesney past with it.  But I admit, growing up, I was not exactly the biggest fan of Dragon Wheels.  

I had one as a kid.  The hook that held up the body snapped, and therefore did not work any more. These hooks are admittedly more solid, so I think it will take a lot more to snap them. But I still remember my old childhood sadness of not being able to play with the model correctly any more, and side lining it to concentrate on others.  So yes, it is cool.  But this Mooneyes look is just more fun for me.  On a personal level.  

Well, as I am mentioning it being a recurring theme, I should run through them.  If you can remember.  I mean, it has been a long time since we saw one.  This is what?  Collectors batch C.  The last one was Collectors batch B. Yes, it has been a whole batch since we saw one.  Am I complaining? No chance!  Have I mentioned my love of recurring themes?  I am more than happy seeing this Mooneyes look used in 2 batches in a row.  The last being the MB1174 '35 Ford Pickup, which was actually in black.  So, a recurring theme, but not necessarily all yellow.  See, it all stands out.  

I might as well carry on going backwards this time (just to be different) as the previous one was in last year's Collectors series.  The MB1143 '63 Chevy C10 Pickup, which was another in the more commonly used yellow.  

Before the premiums though, we were getting more core releases.  The 2020 MB95 release of the MB327 '33 Ford Coupe was the last core release seen so far.  

With the first release being the MB300 '56 Ford Pickup in 2018, as part of the Coffee Cruisers 5-pack. It was also sold as a single the following year at Walmart stores in the USA.  It was carried forward to the Ford 100 years Truck series.

So yes, I love a recurring theme.  These Mooneyes ones are cool.  I hope we continue to see more of them over coming years.

Next up is the MB1238 '62 Plymouth Savoy.  It is in the number 17 slot in the series.

After debuting in the 2021 basic range in a very simple black, we are now getting the "bells and whistles" version in the Collectors series.  

I have a feeling I know who was behind this one.  Michael Heralda? It has his signature handiwork all over it. The Lyons Bros logo is one of his.  

And when you think of it, the MDRD (Matchbox Drag Racing Division) design that adorns this model does fit in very well with the previous model I just looked at.

Because that last one was called Drag Beetle on the packaging.  This has "Drag" on the model itself.  Sort of like they were deliberately pairing these 2 up in the assortment for this reason.  A sort of theme, without being a proper recurring theme. I like these little connections.

And it is nice to see models given the full tampo treatment occasionally.  So yes, I like it.  A fun little outing.  

Quite a bit different to the 2021 basic range debut, wasn't it.  The MB12 that year was a plain black.  

And of course Mb22 saw a white MB54 too.  Another very simple look.  This one definitely stands out.  

Doesn't it!

The final model in the set this week is the MB1012 Mazda MX-5/Miata.  It takes the number 18 slot in the set.  

Another relative surprise, as the casting first debuted as a basic range model back in 2016.  But again, the 4th Generation ND-series of the MX-5 debuted in late 2014 as a 2015 vehicle, and Mazda have barely changed anything about it.  So this is still very current. So it does make sense that it gets a premium outing.  And it is nice to see it get one too.

This one comes in white, with additional graphics on it featuring lots of red, a 2 roundel, and a logo that does look rather familiar.  

Yes, that logo was first seen on the MB1022 '71 Nissan Skyline 2000GTX, when it was in the 2020 Superfast series.  So, another recurring theme? Oh boy, these are all seeming to link in with other things.  Events, the past, recurring themes. I am quite impressed with this batch as a whole.  

Although I am noticing, the logo says Japanese Nostalgic car.  Is the current generation of the MX-5 nostalgic?  The NA-series first debuted in 1989, with the NB-series taking over in 1998, and NC-series in 2005.  Is it nostalgic for the previous MX-5s? I guess so.  Or am I getting way too involved here?  Questioning everything.  

The old Skyline was definitely nostalgic.  

I do like this look.  There is something about a number in a roundel.  It just makes a model look cool. Well, at least to me, it does.  So, time for a recap of the MX-5s past again.  

As I mentioned, this was a 2016 debut for Matchbox.  MB3 in the range that year.  It came in red with simple front and rear detailing.  

We also saw a promotional issue that year as well.  The Albuquerque Gathering had it as the dinner model that year. It was green with stripes.  This was a nod to the old Mazdaspeed vehicles that used to race.  In fact, the Mazda 787B won the 24 Hours Le Mans in 1991 in this look.  The dinner model for 2016 had additional rear tampo printing on the first 75 "early bird" models.  

In 2017, the model moved to MB10 in the basic range, and came in grey, with these little accents on the edges of the front.  I always liked that little extra piece.  

After that, the model appeared to be getting a little sidelined.  For 2018, it wasn't in the basic range, and saw the one outing in blue as a 9-pack exclusive.  Look!  Another roundel.  I like it!

We did not see it in 2019 at all, but for 2020, it was back in the basic range again.  It was MB35 in metallic orange, which I did find a little shade variation to.  

2021 saw it as MB58 in black with front and rear detailing again, and cool gold wheels.  Gold wheels really look good on a black model, don't they.  So we get 2 white ones this year.  One core, one premium.  They even had the same interior.  It is nice seeing a random premium outing though. I can't believe that both the older castings used in this batch were also in premium guises as an Albuquerque promo.  Funny coincidence or what?

And, as I showcased earlier this year, the 2022 MB61 was also in white.  This had a stripey side design.  

Well, this does bring me to the end of the Wheel Collectors set that was sent to me.  But, as it is Christmas, I am squeezing in a few extras.  

Well, I did get a little behind with these too.  The Mattel Creations models.  I have not gone through the MB1269 Nissan Z Proto yet.

I am not going to take too long with the unveiling, as we are now a good few releases into the series, and as such we know what to expect.  You open up the outer box, and inside is a large plexicase with the vehicle inside.  

The back of which contains a little blurb about the model.

Yoink!  The model is gone.  It left so fast, it just left a blur in the case.  

So this is the debut look for this brand-new casting.  As was noted in the blurb on the back of the package, Matchbox has had a good history with various Z-models from the Nissan brand over the years, and I am very happy to see we are finally getting a new one.  

For the debut, through the Mattel Creations website, we get the model in a nice shiny gold.  Could they have gone with the yellow?  I guess.  But I bet any model manufacturer who made an example of this went with that.  So, this is a little different.  What have I often stated?  Thinking outside the box.  I am happy to see this in a different look to the original yellow.  Leave that for a regular release.  

The model features opening doors, showing off the LHD interior inside.  

It also features a black roof with silver striping down the sides.  As well as the front and rear detailing, plus a little bit of side too.  After all, this is premium too.  Just like the Collectors series.  

I had to do a double take with the front lights.  When I first opening it, I thought they were a part of the window section of the model.  I had to look closer to realize that they were actually tampo printed.  Great job there.  This is a great looking debut.  I am very happy with it.  Of course, I do expect a yellow one at some point, but I like this shiny look, with simple detailing all over. But this was a brilliant start for the model.  

As it is a new casting, I do like to show off the base for those who are interested.  If I remember (it was like 2 minutes ago), I read up in the blurb that Matchbox has a good history with the Zs. I guess I should recall what they are talking about.  Now, I am not going through everything for each model.  I haven't got all year.  

Nissan, at the time using the Datsun name, wanted to come up with a flagship sports vehicle in the 1960s.  They were selling a Datsun Fairlady/Datsun Sports (depending on market) since 1959.  They partnered with Yamaha and came up with a concept.  The Yamaha YX-30 was the result.  Nissan didn't like it, so Yamaha went to Toyota, and it eventually became the Toyota 2000GT.  Nissan were unimpressed, so came up with their own take.  The S30.  It was sold in Japan as the Nissan Fairlady-Z, other markets selling it as the Datsun 240Z, then 260Z and 280Z.  Matchbox made a model of this first generation, and released it as MB67-C in 1978.  The first look was purple (shown), and the Datsun 260Z 2+2 ran 3 years, before turning silver for a single year, then adding tampo for a final year in 1982.  It was then used in twin packs in silver or black until 1985, and shipped out to Bulgaria in 1991 for local production, where the casting still sits.  Although a secondary one was sent to China for a test run in 1991, which was then thrown in a multipack for various markets that year.  

The Japanese market was being tapped for something different by Lesney, and they outsourced some R&D and production of 4 models to a Japanese company in 1978.  These launched in Japan in 1979 exclusively, although Lesney were not happy with the end result.  One of the models was a second generation Fairlady-Z. It was MBJ-5 in 1979 in either red or silver, and then the Japanese exclusives were all stopped.  Lesney took the tooling, sent it to Hong Kong to see what they could do.  They came up with a silver or black one for Australia in 1980, and in the USA, a Limited Edition black with details, or a plain black in a 4-pack with stickers (shown with stickers attached).  It was then added to the US basic range in 1981 for 2 years while Lesney were retooling a new version of the second gen car.  

By the time the Lesney model was finished, they had gone bust, and Universal had taken over.  The MB077 take on the second generation car was launched in 1983 and ran until 1985, except, strangely enough, in Japan (Universal saw Japan differently to Lesney), where it ran until 1987.  Japan even saw a secondary exclusive look for their market.  We also had Superfast/Laser Wheels releases from 1986/87 respectively, until 1990, and a Roadblasters issue too.  After it was finished, the tooling for this was also sent to China, and a sample set was made in red.  These were not generally sold, and are not the easiest to find nowadays.  One of those is shown here.  

The Japanese market even saw an exclusive police variant for 4 years from 1984 until 1987.  This MB144 casting was white with a Japanese police design on it.  

The reason the second generation S130 was not around too long was because Nissan were launching the third generation Z31 in 1984.  Matchbox were trying to keep current, so dropped the 280ZX for the MB167 Nissan 300ZX Turbo in 1986.  This too only ran 3 years.  The first in silver, before 2 more in white with a Fuji rally design (pictured). This too got the Superfast/Laser Wheels pairing in 1987, running until 1990, and a couple of promotional issues.  

Matchbox were a little quicker with the Z32 4th generation model.  That launched in real life in 1989, and the Matchbox MB219 arrived in 1990.  It ran until 1997 in the basic range worldwide, with the ROW market eking out another year too.  I thought the 1997 gold Challenge was a cool one to utilize for the picture, as you know, gold vs gold.  

And I should not forget the 1993 Swop Tops model too.  Launched to great fanfare, the series was not a good seller, and dropped after the 1 year. There were 6 upon release, with a further 2 castings added late on. They would be convertibles.

But when you raised the rear up, you could flip the interior section around.

Turning them into hardtops.  It was quite a clever little concept, but as I said, it didn't take off, so they stopped after the 1 set. Those last 2 are very hard to find.  

The sports car scene in the late 1990s was not good.  Nissan dropped the Z after 1997, and the Matchbox model was phased out too.  But interest was renewed in the early 2000s, and Nissan launched a 5th generation in 2002. The Z33 was known as 350Z in most markets, or Fairlady Z in Japan, so Matchbox simply released it with the overlapping part.  The MB611 Nissan Z arrived in 2004, and, due to the fact that they never made a 6th generation, is still in use.  Again I went with something close to the new Proto.  The 2006 Superfast issue was a golden tan.  

Matchbox may not have produced a sixth generation Nissan Z, but in the interim have made another stab at the second generation. The MB1146 '82 Datsun 280ZX has been around since 2019, and this blue 2022 Collectors issue is the latest in a group of premiums for the model. So yes, Matchbox and Nissan Zs do have a fantastic history.  I look forward to seeing more of this casting.  

There is another Mattel Creations I will go through here too.  Because, why not.  The MB1221 '20 Chevy Corvette.

This is one I really like the look of.  Because, this is another recurring theme model, and I always love a good "Gulf" model.  The Gulf livery is just one of the coolest ever.  So I am always happy to get more of them.  

Again, it has some blurb on the back to read.

And just like with the Nissan, that is about as far as I get with the box, as the model is now loose.

I love the Gulf stuff. It is just synonymous with cool. Could it be the Le Mans winning Ford GT40s, or Steve McQueen's 1971 Le Mans film, about those Fords?  I don't know.  Probably both.  But ever since, whenever we see a Gulf look, people do get to talking.  

And this one is not disappointing.  The Chevy Corvette is an iconic vehicle on its own.  Add in the iconic Gulf livery, and have we just raised the bar even higher?  Seeing the full livery on all surfaces makes this super-cool.  

This is definitely one of the best, if not THE best, look for this vehicle.  I love it.  I have to admit, this casting has seen a number of premium outings recently, yet none have been a regular premium release.  As stated, this was a Mattel Creations release.  A special limited edition.

In 2021, it was the inaugural Super Chase for the basic range.  A premium look for a core range.  Again, something a little unusual.  

And earlier this year, this was a dinner model at the Albuquerque Convention.  It was in blue, unless you managed to get the early bird special, which was in green.  I can't believe this is the third time that I have mentioned the Albuquerque convention in my write-up.  It's almost as if there is something significant happening in regard to the convention.  Oh wait...

Oh yeah, registration will start on Sunday 1st January for the next convention. It begins at midnight at the start of the day, specifically in Jim's time zone, which is mountain time USA, or GMT-7. Not at midnight in your own time zone.  I am already planning my trip, and my niece is going to be coming along with me again.  She was unable to make the last one.  If you require a registration, please email Jim Gallegos at matchb0x1@aol.com for one.  Please note, his email uses the number "0" not the letter "o" in the name.  Each year (not including 2020 and 2021) just keeps getting bigger and better.  Definitely a worthwhile time to be had if you can make it.  That is why I try my hardest not to miss it.  

The Gulf livery and Matchbox has quite a short history.  But a history none-the-less. It all started in 2018 when we were surprised to see the MB995 Ford GT sporting it in the Globe Travelers series. 

Now, as I pulled the model, it did dawn on me that the new Corvette is a much more sea-green type shade than the others were.  

The MB788 Ford F-150 Raptor was not far behind, as the 2018 basic range issue was in the same Gulf livery.  

Then, in 2019, the MB723 VW Beetle 4x4 saw a Gulf outing in the No Road, No Problem 5-pack.  

The MB861 '66 Dodge A100 Pickup was next to sport the look, and again it was in a 5-pack.  Oddly enough, the MBX Construction II pack. I had no idea how this was being related to construction, but I didn't care.  It was cool.  And, even more, the model underwent a casting modification part-way through production, and the rear corner windows were blocked out.  

Last year saw the MB1222 Divco Milk Van as the next model to utilize the Gulf look, in the Collectors series.  

Which places this as number 6 in the list.  As you can see, it is definitely the most greenish hue to date.  But it is still too cool for school.  Which does bring me to an end on the "new" portion.  Time for a couple of classic to finish off.  

This week I begin with a real classic.  The MB73-A Mercury Commuter. Lesney had never had a Mercury in the Matchbox range until 1969, when suddenly they added 3 of them.  The Park Lane (as a police car) and the Cougar were also added alongside this one.  And Lesney being Lesney, used the same base on this one and the Park Lane.  At first, they marked them as a 1968 Mercury, but quickly knocked off the "1968" part by adding a tab and just having Mercury on it.  

The Commuter had a unique trait, that Fords didn't have at the time.  They had rear windows that would retract into the tailgate.  Something which enabled the Matchbox model to sport a very realistic "2 dogs looking out of the rear" look, which was later paid homage to by, when the MB777 '71 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser arrived.  The Commuter debuted in metallic green in 1969, but did sport a regular wheel at the time.  It was converted to Superfast in 1970.  

As with pretty much anything Lesney, shades are always possible on models.  The green here was to be found in lighter or darker shades.  

In 1971, they altered the casting to accommodate the newer wider wheels they had developed, specifically for use down the new tracks they had developed.  So the rear wheel arches were enlarged. This obviously necessitated the removal of the fuel flap.  This is because, err, it was Lesney, and they went by their own rules.

For 1972, they gave the model a whole new look.  It was changed to red, and sported a label on the front.  They also decided to add some ribs to the roof too.

This new casting was still missing that fuel flap.  

But later on, they decided to put it back in place.  Because, why not.  

The model could be found in shades of red too.  Nothing ever stayed consistent with Lesney.  

Just like that cow head label.  It appeared on 95% of the red models, but you can find it without.  Although some of the ones without will actually have an alternate label in place. The Mod Rod's labels were most commonly used as alternates, with both the earlier brown cat and later spotted cat ones to be found. After 1973 the casting was dropped from the basic range and never seen again.  

For my other dive, I am jumping in to the 1990s. And the MB277 '95 Ford Mustang Cobra. Matchbox had been using quite a few Mustangs over the years.  But many were actually based on a 1st generation "Boss" which had launched in 1972.  It had turned in to a Vantastic (partial generic), a Piston Popper (partial generic) and an IMSA.  The IMSA was still plodding along in the US range. A later 3rd generation Mustang had been "borrowed" by Universal, adapted from an old Kenner tool, but this was only sold in the US market, and only for a few years.  But in the mid 1990s, under Tyco, they decided to go nuts.  A concept vehicle arrived just before this, and within a few years, 3 classics had all debuted too.  But this was a casting of the brand new 4th generation Mustang.  They also decided to go with the special Cobra release, from the SVT division of Ford. It debuted exclusively in the US range as MB71 in 1995. It came in red, with a large cobra designed front end.  However, they decided that maybe this was not something that would only sell in the US market, so in 1996, they decided to add it to the ROW range as MB43 as well. It was still the same initially, as the model went unchanged into the year.  It was replacing the MB004 '57 Chevy that was being dropped from the ROW range for 1996, but this arrived before the new colour arrived.  

It later turned black for the worldwide market.  The design was the same, but was now in alternate colours.

It was also added to the Convertibles 5-pack, and this was in white, featuring a rather familiar design.  

This one was actually the same tampo colours as the original red model.  

It also started to see premium outings that year.  This red one was the first, a part of World Class series 2. We also saw purple, white and black premiums.

For 1997, the model saw another new look.  This time, the basic range MB71 US or MB43 ROW was in blue with a large mustang (the horse) design on the side.  

This was also a Gold Challenge year, so in the USA, we saw a special run mixed in with the basics in gold.  

Late in 1997, a white Pace Car was added to that year's Convertibles 5-pack.  

As the set was still in production in early 1998, at a time when Mattel (who had recently taken over) were moving manufacturing from Thailand to China, this was moved too to finish up.

In 1998, the model was recoloured again.  This time to red, and featuring the same design as in 1997.  But this was only in the US market, as the ROW market had already dropped it.  

Being an early in the year change, we did get a production run in Thailand before this too was moved to China.  Where the 5-pack white model was mainly Thailand produced, this is mainly China produced.  And that led to a lot of fun.  

Because when it came to China production, this did throw up a few notable variations.  One of the biggies was the fact that the usually grey interior could be found in white.  

And for those like me, the shade of red was also good for a shade or 2.  

A Beach Fun 5-pack was released too, which saw this model in a very plain red look.  

1997 had only seen 1 premium, a Gold Collection model in pumpkin.  But 1998 saw a few more again.  Blue and green (still looking for both) and teal and gold (I have pictured).

There was also a promotional issue made for the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival, that took place from April 29th through May 3rd 1998.  It was in bright pink.  

With a newer Mustang casting debuting in 1999, this was dropped from the US basic range too after 1998.  But it still sported a 5-pack release.  It was in the Open Road 5-pack, and this plain blue model was good for a shade.  

It was also a part of the Mustang gift set sold through Matchbox Collectibles that year, too.  This was in a bronze design.  

It was not seen at all in 2000, but in 2001 did see 2 premium outings.  One (pictured) was in a Coca-Cola series, the other (not pictured as I am still hunting it) was a Toys R Us exclusive in the USA in a "then and now" series in yellow.  

2002 was a quiet one too, but in 2003, it popped up in a Coca-Cola series again.  This time a core style outing in silver in a window box.  The interior could be found in either pink or red.

In 2004, they added it to the Superfast range in blue.  It was in the number 66 slot that year.  

However, unlike most other models, this did actually move for 2005.  It was now sold in the number 22 slot.  Silver was the ROW release and yellow was the US one.  

After this, the model did go a little quiet for a while.  But in 2009, they decided to add it to the 10-packs of the year.  But this wasn't in one of the all-exclusive packs.  This was as an alternate in one of the other 2 packs, with a different look for each assortment.  Sold alongside the "Real" pack was a tan version.  Good for a shade or 2.  

For the 2nd batch, sold alongside the "Action" pack was another with a blue Mustang.  

We then move to batch C, and the "Adventure" pack was bundled with 2 others, one containing a black Mustang.  

And at the end of the year, a red Mustang was one of the alternates to the all-exclusive "1st Editions" pack.

We then had another quiet year in 2010, before a 2011 licenced Mickey Mouse Clubhouse pack saw this blue model with Donald Duck on it.  

Before this model saw 1 final outing (unless it pops back up at any time) in a Batman 3-pack for 2013.

I am showing the model twice, as the 2 sides have completely different designs.  Something that we only discover if we open it up.  After that release, the model was retired.

And that is the end of this report.  

A Collectors batch that included 3 out of 5 models in white.  

And another 2 with a drag racing theme to them.  

Plus an additional 2 models, courtesy of Mattel Creations.

I hope you enjoyed it.  Next week, I think I need to finish off batch E of the basic range.  Until then, enjoy the last week of 2022, have a great New Year, and catch you all again in 2023.