Matchbox Monday commits to Moving Parts batch C

6 models. That is how many were included in the third Moving Parts of 2025. In a box of 8. This means that 2 were given a 2-per-box outing, with the others all being 1-per-box. Okay, nothing bad about that. It is how they usually do things. But, this is me just reminding people about my complaint over the last batch. 8 models, and 1 had to be removed to accommodate a Super Chase. Wouldn't it have been easier to simply hold one of those models back, and include it in this batch? The last batch could have seen one of the three new castings doubled up, and that double removed when a Super Chase was added. Then, this group of 7, which includes 1 new casting, would be an obvious fill. 1 of each, except the sole new addition, which gets doubled up. Because, I do think the new casting this time out is one of their best for a while. Maybe I should ask Mattel for a job. Except, sadly, they have reduced their workforce. I don't think they are hiring. But, anyway, time to get out of my fantasy life, and start living the regular one. That means reviewing. So, what's first?

Hmm! The MB1140 '06 Ford Crown Victoria Police. It takes the MB8 slot in the series in grey.

Now, that is a recurring theme. Something I am a big fan of. This casting is one of the first Moving Parts castings that they created in 2019, but has not been seen since 2022. I am happy that they remember the early ones do still exist. We seem to get a lot of castings coming, and lasting a year or 2, then forgotten about. They have built up an extensive database of them now. I did a quick count, and they have easily passed 100 opening parts castings now. That is really cool, as this means there is plenty of scope for expansion. Bring it up to 75! Make this an iconic 1-75 series. I dare them.

And, for those who were wondering, this is the 2020 basic range release of the MB821 Ford Taurus Police Interceptor.

And this is the 2022 basic range issue of the MB1198 '94 Chevy Caprice Classic Police.

With this making it 3. Officially a recurring theme, as opposed to a repeated design or retro look, that a model might be classified as if it is the second one. The first in Moving Parts as well. Mind you. I am trying to think. A Dodge Durango arrived at the end of the 2024 series as a police unit (specifically a K-9 one). But, Moving Parts appears to have a lack of police units. No European ones at all, and this is the oldest US style? Those are 2 areas that they really could do with looking at.  A classic US vehicle from the 1970s maybe? 1973 Dodge Polara? 1972 Plymouth Satellite Wagon? A modern Euro-spec model maybe? Skoda Superb Combi? VW Passat? Just throwing out ideas.

Because this one does seem to suffer with an identity crisis. Again, the model has the Taxi sign in the roof. I don't know why they cannot get that right? I think they managed it once. I will need a dive back to remember.

Due to the way they have made this model, the rear opening doors have been made out of blue plastic. Well, it matches the windows elsewhere, and the tampo print is coming out spotlessly. Well, almost. The silver grey is slightly out. But, I have seen a lot worse on clear plastic, so that is not a bad job. The wheels work here. I am giving it a 9 out of 10. Had they got the proper window piece with the police bar out of the top, it would have got a 10. Not bad for what is about the oldest Moving Parts model going. Right, let's count the correct police bar roof issues.

Okay, so year 1. A.K.A. 2019. A small range of models, and a total of 20 releases. However, with everything being a new casting, many were doubled up. This was. It saw a white NYPD release and a brown Boone Country release. And they both had a taxi sign in the roof. Doh!

In 2020, before they had built up enough to expand, they did another set of 20, but some were carried forward from 2019 for a second outing. Boone County was, but look. A police bar sticking out of the roof! Woohoo! They got it right. Fixed that issue.

In 2021, it actually had 2 outings in the series. However, both were taxi ones, so the taxi sign sticking out of the roof was correct.

And 2022, the last time it was used, it was back to being a police vehicle. But, there's a taxi sign sticking out of the roof again.

Which I count as 6 taxi releases and 1 police release. However, 2 taxi liveries and 5 police liveries. That makes for 4 errors. And the only one they got right was the one that took 2 goes to get there. I think this still deserves a place. Especially if they expand it. But, please, next time it gets a police livery, can somebody point out the correct window piece to use at the factory!

Now, this is something that is pretty awesome! The new casting in this batch is the MB1549 '16 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. It debuts in the batch in a bright yellow, with tan surfboards on top.

I have to admit, one thing I was a little surprised with, was the fact that they decided to make a new model on the previous generation Wrangler. Jeep debuted the Wrangler as a replacement for the CJ-series in 1986. Being such an iconic vehicle, they don't go overboard with replacement models. It tends to have a turnaround of roughly a decade per generation. The YJ-series debuted in 1986, replaced by the TJ-series in 1996. This was swapped out for the JK-series in 2006. However, the JL-series was 1 longer year in development, replacing the JK in 2017. Which means, they have made a casting of the final look for the previous JK-series Wrangler. However, this is sort of a good thing. You see, the first Wrangler they made was a '98. That would be 2nd gen. They then made a Superlift variant of the 3rd gen. This was a heavily modified Wrangler, and not a standard one. The 1st gen was then covered as part of the Jurassic license, and the 4th gen was both a basic and a Jurassic. Both appear in fairly standard looks. Which means that 1st, 2nd and 4th gen Wranglers have been made in standard form. A 3rd gen in a standard form was never done. It looks like they plugged a gap. However, it does come with surfboards. So, maybe not so standard?

No. Alongside the opening doors, you find that the surfboards also come off. Of course, this is no classic Lesney VW Golf style surfboards.

These are a 1-piece unit. They also have a slot mechanism unlike those that have been used in recent years on models like the '65 Land Rover Gen II Safari, '59 Chevy Brockwood and Trailer Trawler. So, they are not interchangeable. That is not an awful thing. It is fun switching parts around on those models, but not every removable item has to fit the same. I know when they did a premium Land Rover Gen II Safari, the roof piece was almost the same as others, but was slightly out. Which was annoying. But, this has been made with a definitive not interchangeable moniker on it.

A.K.A. also putting Jeep on the board's tampo print. I like that the 2 surfboards were given the Jeep branding differently. The main parts of the board also had different printing. This was well thought out.

Anyway, what of the casting? I think they have made a wonderful job of creating this one. The detailing is all there. Those doors are opening and closing smoothly. They are perfectly aligned, and the gaps between door and body are exactly as I would expect from a model. Not too large, as some tend to be. This has been done well.

We are seeing 3 passes through the tampo machine. Front and rear on the Jeep, as well as the surfboard tampo. That is perfectly fine. Did it really need more? No. I love that they also included the middle rear light in the tampo. It is well-formed, with the spare wheel snuggling in just under it. I am loving this one.

I honestly cannot fault it. This is exactly the sort of thing I would want Matchbox to come out with. I did have initial reservations about it being a 2016, but once I realized the gap it was filling, that reservation went away. I hope that this one sticks around for many years. It is very easy to score. Inclusion. 10 out of 10. Casting. 10 out of 10. Design. 10 out of 10. The Baja yellow is a gorgeous debut.

And, just in case anybody was curious, you can't fit the surfboards inside the Jeep. What? Nobody was asking? Oh well.

And, of course, the obligatory base shot for a new casting. I believe the next gen Wrangler is currently slated for 2028, so we still have a few years to go before I want them to tackle a new one.

The MB1471 '61 Chevy Corvair Rampside is back for a second outing. It takes the number 16 slot in the series, and comes in a lovely red look this time.

Aside from it being red, this model has come out in the exact same tampo design as the original did. Which is something that I usually like. I love consistency. However, just like with the original, there is just one thing that irks me. Aside from the fact that the red paint on the ramp is darker than the rest.

The plain rear. I know it is daft, but even the artwork on the card shows the rear being detailed. I would have said, being red, all this would have taken was a bit of white on the back. Sure, some people have been known to grab a Sharpie and detail it themselves. But, I am one of those people who likes to leave models in the way that they came from the factory. No additional detailing myself.

I do love that ramp, though. It is solid. It clicks down and back up again beautifully. Definitely a well crafted part of the model. But, I cannot ignore my gut with this one. When it comes to scoring it, I have to lose it a point for the lack of rear tampo printing, and also a half point for a bad match between the 2 metal painted parts. Trying to match plastic to metal is tough, and I can forgive models like the Crown Vic being a little out between the 2. But, metal and metal? How did they get that so far out? 8.5 out of 10.

I do prefer the red over the blue. Last year's debut was nice, but this is a nicer release.

I do fear that this will never see a rear print. I can see all core releases coming out in a similar way. Hmm! Maybe this could get a premium outing? Mind you, I don't know if there is a lot more that can be added apart from a rear print? Maybe detailing the rear bed? I mean, let's be honest, a rear print would just about make this perfect. There is precious extra that can be done, unless they want to do a different colour between the upper and lower parts between the stripes.

The MB1468 '78 Ford Bronco is back again. This has had quite a year. It was already a part of the Collectors series, and now gets a Moving Parts outing as well. Woohoo! This was one of my favourites from last year, so I am more than happy to get 2 this year. It comes in brown as number 20 in the series.

Look, rear detailing. Ha ha! Of course, this is, just like last year's debut, still a 3 sided print.

Because, the front is part of the base section. Being chromed, giving us that instant colour break, it can get away without detailing. I can give them that. This was an original 1978 colour option for the Bronco. Medium Copper is Ford's name for it. And, I did a little checking, and it appears that white rear sections were the norm on a medium copper model. Again, highlighting the great decision to make that rear canopy a separate part.

This does have 4 passes through the tampo machine, as the engine under the hood is detailed. Of course, the Rampside did technically have 4 passes, as the opening ramp needed its own pass on top of the 3 sides of the main body section. With the Crown Vic getting 4 passes (both sides and both opening doors), only the Jeep so far has seen just 3 passes. So, we are pretty consistent with the amount of tampo hits models get. It does have to be a higher average than a basic range, as there are moving parts that sometimes need detailing. Anyway, I am going off topic a bit. I need to score the Bronco. Easy. Loving it! A 10 again. Especially as the hood matches the rest of the body. See, it can be done, Rampside!

Again, I am actually preferring this look to the debut. That blue was gorgeous. But this medium copper look is even better.

Although that Collectors release earlier this year is something else. It just screams the 1970s to me.

So far, I have to give the Collectors the top placing, with newbie in second, and the debut third. I can't wait to see what they come up with next time.

The MB1464 '95 Chevy C1500 is a little more common this year. Last year, it was 1 per case, and removed to make way for a Super Chase. Making it a sort of non-super chase. However, this time, it is in all cases. Thankfully! It takes the number 41 slot in dark red.

Oh look, rear tampo printing. I really should stop doing that now. This is the opening rear tailgate.

Actually, not all of it is. When you open it, you will see that the rear lights are still depicted. So, it got 2 rear section prints. Mind you, this has no side detailing. I do want to say, I am not sure if mine is just defective, but the tailgate is quite loose when closed. When you push it up, it can easily overshoot the top and go slightly in towards the rear bed. It's only a minor overshoot at the moment. I didn't take a photo of it, but it is not quite lining up properly. The tan debut did. So, I will wait to hear if others are reporting the same thing before dropping it points for the casting falling apart.

Because the hood is still amazing. It closes securely, looks completely flush, and you have to get your nail in there to pop it. I could not ask for a better fit. And, with the front getting some detail, and the engine bay also being detailed, this again get 4 tampo hits. Combined with the Dark Cherry Red paint finish (a real Chevy option at the time) and a lovely tan interior, I am still currently prepared to give this a 10. However, I am keeping an eye on the tailgate, as if future issues are also bad, or even worse, something really needs to be done to fix it.

Not wanting to sound like a broken record here, but this is so much nicer than the debut last year. The tan was a decent marker, or Dark Autumnwood, as Chevy called it, but again, they are coming out with nicer versions this year.

I do think a nicer light Quasar Blue or Stellar Blue look for a future issue will work well. I hope to see many more of these as well. They have some really cool models in the range, don't they.

While we wait for the new Charger to debut in batch E, the previous generation gets another outing in batch C, as the MB1316 '20 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat returns as number 48 in the series in metallic black. Can you believe that this is the model's 4th year in the Moving Parts series.

As many know, this is the 7th generation Charger, and the 8th generation debuted in 2024 as an electric vehicle, replacing both this and the Challenger. An ICE version will appear on the new Charger in 2025. So, I wonder how much longer they will keep producing this model for? It might get another version? You never know. But, it has had a 4-year run in Moving Parts, so has done pretty well. With so many castings coming and going, this has been quite consistent. This colour is called "Phantom Black Tri-Coat Pearl" by Stellantis. Quite a mouthful. It's metallic black. I find it funny seeing some of the names car companies come up with. Tampo printing on the front is quite minimal. The sides simply have the Hellcat logo behind the front wheel arch.

While the rear sees a little splash of colour, with red depicted on the rear lights. But, this is still dark and brooding. However, the chromed wheels stand out. Could they have been left black? No, I think it is nicer like this. They pop! I love the interior shade as well.

As it extends to form the engine bay under the hood as well. However, this time round, it is not detailed. Huh! Wait a sec. That can't be a 4-pass model. The Hellcat logos on each side are just a silver hit. They could be done in one go by just flipping the model over after the first hit. Then the engine could have been detailed as well. After seeing 2 engine bays lovingly detailed, this sort of feels like a cost-reduction? Am I right? Yes, I know the Jeep only got 3 passes as well. But, there is just a small part of me that says they could have detailed the engine as well here. It's only minor, so I am giving it a 9.5 out of 10.

A quick recap of the last 3 years, as I don't know if we will see this next year. The 2022 debut was in orange, and the only one that didn't have the Hellcat logo on the side.

While the 2023 run did see the Hellcat on its side.

As did the 2024 yellow.

Charger SRT, Hellcat, Stinger Yellow, Hellcat. The 4 licence plates on the 4 releases. I like that they are not always the same. It's a shame they didn't put PHANTM on the rear of this one, to denote the phantom black colour. That would have been a little cherry on the top of the cake. Is it too late to knock another half a point off? Ha ha! I do hope to see it again. I know it has been replaced in the real world, and the new one is also about to appear as well in Moving Parts. But, I was patiently waiting to see if they would release one of these with dual stripes going over the top. I still want one. Maybe do a premium. I would buy a Collectors one with dual stripes.

And, on that plea, I am done for another batch. It only had the 1 new casting of a US vehicle.

Along with 5 returnees of, yes, US vehicles. Not one Japanese, European or British in there. Plus, they are yet to add an Australian vehicle to the Moving Parts series. Ooh, ooh! Holden Sandman! Yes, more pleas.

As these head off to be added to my collection, my thoughts turn to, wait a sec, where's the surfboards. Ooh, that sneaky Rampside. Just because I complained about it. I see this one is going to be a problem. Anyway, next week I will be working through and creating something else before finishing off batch D basics. See if you can figure out what that means. Until then, I hope everybody has a safe and happy week.