Matchbox Monday converts the final Walmart set of 2024 into a report

As we get towards the end of the year, we start working our way through a number of final batches. Apart from basics. I still have a few of those to go. 2024 will be the final year of Walmart stores in the USA receiving batches containing 6 models.  As of 2025, the batches will change to groups of 5. However, the best part is, the one that is dropped is a carry forward model. So, in the future, most batches will see 3 new items and only 2 models carried forward. Plus, as they are shipped in boxes of 10, I am really hoping that this will be a simple case of putting 2 of each model in the box. I hope they don't do something silly like put 3 of a carry forward and only 1 of a new release in. Carry forwards are, in general, the slowest to sell.  If it was me in charge of the contents of an assortment, I would put in 3 examples of 2 of the new items, along with 2 examples of the other. Then the 2 carry forwards would be 1 per case. 1 box of 10, and I bet they would be selling much better that way. Because the way they do assortments now is not good. As I go through the models, I am also going to include their quantity per box. As you will see, I feel that they did that really badly.  

Because, the first model in this final set of 6 is the brand new casting. The MB1449 '63 Chevy Corvette. It debuts in silver.

The first thing I am going to talk about is the MAN number. If you remember a short while ago, we had 2 Moving Parts models that showed MAN numbers that were the same as other Moving Parts models. Well, this one is joining the club. Yes, the base has MB1451 on it. 

But, the '73 BMW 3.0CSL also debuted in Moving Parts this year with that number. I checked in with the guys at Mattel and have had it confirmed. The BMW is MB1451. The Corvette is MB1449, and the base will be modified before its next appearance. So, for anybody who made note of the model by the MAN number on the base, please make sure to adjust it. Mattel will in due course. 

We don't want people mixing things up too much. BMW correct, Corvette wrong. For now....

So, with that cleared up, let's talk about the model in question. The Corvette C2 debuted in late 1962 as a 1963 car, and Matchbox made a casting of it many years ago. The MB200 Corvette Grand Sport debuted in 1990, running until 1995 in the ROW market, and on to 1998 in the US market. This is the convertible, which is a very different vehicle. After the vehicle debuted, either as a coupe or convertible, there were some people within Chevrolet who wanted to create a racing vehicle for the International Grand Touring circuit. Plans were underway to create 125 for homologation, but sadly, the bigwigs canned the project after only 5 were made. All 5 still exist, and are all in private collections in the USA. The regular Corvettes were made over the course of 5 years before the C3 debuted, and over 115,000 were made in real life. Attention to detail on the casting includes hood louvres, which only appear on the 1963 models. From 1964, they were removed. And you may notice a certain 327 written across the hood bulge. This denotes the engine. A 327" V8 was underneath.  It was enlarged to 396" in 1965, and then to 427" in 1966. I have to admit, you almost miss that little detail on the model. You can see the Corvette badge on the front. 

Rear tampo printing is very tasteful. Lights, badges and a VET327 licence plate. 

I think they have done a fantastic job replicating the shape of the vehicle. As I said, the details are incredible, and they are definitely working with a 1963 vehicle here. No mistaking. 

I am seriously impressed with this model. I think it did get a lot of people buzzing when it was announced last year. Was it worth the wait? Most definitely. 

Scoring this is easy. Inclusion? It is about time we saw more classic 'Vettes in the Matchbox range. It has been a long time since they last ventured into the history of the vehicle. I would love to see a late run C4 Corvette Coupe made in the future. Somewhere, circa 1994-96. Possibly a ZR1? Anyway, I am sidetracking. 10 out of 10 for inclusion. Casting. They have done an amazing job with this one I can't fault it. 10 out of 10 again. Design. I love the silver, and the detailing is minimal. Just about perfect. Okay, the MAN number issue is pretty irrelevant. I am still giving this a 10. Right. Last one. Quantity in the box. 10 models in the box, some will have to only be 1. But, this one? The new casting? The one that is likely going to be the most popular? Who's bright idea was that? I am not scoring that out of 10. I am just going to point out that it was a dumb decision. This should have been 2 per case. 

Next up, number 2 in the batch is the MB1264 '75 Cadillac Eldorado. A model that debuted as a Walmart exclusive back in 2021. It gets another Walmart exclusive outing here in metallic dark green.

Cadillac called this Inverary Green. I am not 100% sure where they got that name from? But, it is a real colour option for the Eldorado, and Matchbox has done wonders again with it. As we have seen with every release to date, the model simply sports a little pin striping down the sides.

And plenty of chrome. Now, the model sports a creamy looking interior, but from what I can see, the real model sported a lighter green one. Or, you could choose a patterned look. Well, it was the 1970s. Could the model have been given a lighter green interior? I think it would have been nicer. Not that the cream is bad. It does suit it well, but a more authentic light apple green would have been more realistic. That being said, when it comes to the final look, I am still giving it a 9.5.  It is a minor issue, that interior. It barely detracts. But, as I said, quantity. There were 3 in the box. Yes, with 6 models in a box of 10, they went and made this 3 per box. Why? Yes, it is a new look, but that is still too much bias towards this one. Why was there 3 of this and only 1 of the new casting? There should have been 2 of each. 

I am still waiting for this to appear outside of the USA specials. It debuted as a Walmart exclusive in the 2021 Cadillac series. At that time, there were less ranges, but each one was doubled through the year, and batch A saw a brown, and batch B a yellow one. 

Then, it was made a Target Retro release in the US for 2022. This was in steel blue. Of course, I know that these Walmart models are seen in select other countries, but not everywhere. And the last year of the Target Retro stuff went a little weird as well. But, they were still only technically, store exclusives. 

With this being back as a Walmart model, we keep getting singles in short run ranges. There is an 8-pack model this year, and I will be doing a rundown of all the 8-packs for 2024 shortly (as a continuation of the 9-pack article I did a short while ago), but again, 8-packs are not being found in many places. Mainly in the American market. This model really deserves a worldwide outing. Either as a basic range model, or as part of a 5-pack.

Number 3 in the set of 6 is the 3rd new look. The MB1036 '16 Chevy Camaro Convertible sees a bright white release.

With simple front and rear tampo printing, you cannot really fault the look of this. White is a regular Camaro colour option. Summit White is the name that Chevrolet go with. It looks stunning. I am a big Camaro fan, and any time they give me a new look on a Camaro, I am always happy. 

I cannot fault this, so I am giving it another 10. All 3 new additions for this set have been remarkable. However, where Mattel fall flat is with their allotment of models in a case. This is another that is 1 per case. 6 models in a case of 10. 3 of the models are new. Those should be the priority for doubling up. Not 2 singles and a triple. That is weird. This means that the new stuff in the case take up half the space. That means that with 3 carry forwards, 2 of them were doubled up. We saw it with the last batch, where the peg warmers were those that carried forward (in particular the Ridge Raider, which was actually tripled up in the case). Seriously, they do need to look at the quantities of items in cases. I have to be honest, if it was me with this batch sorting out how many of everything went in the case, I would actually have put 3 of the new casting Corvette in, as well as 2 each of the other 2 new look models. Then there would be 1 each of the 3 carry forwards. 

Now before I get to those carry forwards, I just wanted to spend a little more time with the Camaro. I am not doing a regular dive back, as, spoiler alert, that is coming with an upcoming basic range outing. But, I did want to bring in the MB1139 '16 Chevy Camaro (the Moving Parts hardtop), as that saw a white outing in 2021.

I do love to see the hardtop and convertible share a look. This is not the first time it has happened.

They have both seen black outings (convertible in a 2021 5-pack, hardtop in 2022), red (convertible in 2017, hardtop in 2021 again) and blue (convertible in 2018, hardtop in 2019/2020). I am still waiting on a brown convertible (to match the 2019 hardtop) and orange or silver hardtops (to match the 2019 5-pack and 2020 5-pack issues). Plenty of options to keep this going a little longer. Ha ha!

Now, I loved the 3 new additions found in this assortment. Granted, quantities in the case were appalling. Too much or too little. But, when it comes to the carry forwards, I am really disappointed. First up is the MB302 '69 Chevy Camaro SS396 Convertible in orange. It takes the number 4 slot in the set.

And, yes, this is the exact same carry forward that we saw last year in the Walmart exclusive US Muscle series. Last year, I loved it. The casting has seen a modification in recent years, and when it returned in 2022, it saw a new look, but then 2023 saw the first carry forward. Being a carry forward of an older release from before the modification....

The 2007 US Classics 5-pack release, just adding it was enough for a frenzy. A modified casting? Perfect for an instant variation, and worth getting again. But, then, 1 year later, the exact same model, with no shade or anything, released again (and 2 per case). That is such a wasted opportunity. Sure, the Camaro has had a long history, but I can think of some of the latter releases that could have been brought back.

The model was a 10-pack exclusive in 2011. 3 batches, 1 in black, 1 in yellow and 1 in red. Take your choice. Any of them coming back now would have been worthy of a frenzy. And, yes, I could have been okay with 2 per case. Because the instant variation would still have made this a worthy addition. The 3 new looks and this being doubled up and 1 each of the other 2. That works.

Or perhaps the final model before the hiatus, and surgery. The 2013 basic range release in tan. It could have come back. This was a big wasted opportunity.

Since the revamp, the model has seen an orange Target Retro release with flames in 2022, and 2023 also saw a brown Blue Highways 5-pack issue. Plus this 2023 carry forward, now also the exact same 2024 carry forward. If you are a package art collector, then I am sure you don't worry too much. But, for the rest of us, anything but these 3 carried forward would have been welcome. Anything!

Number 5 in the set was also doubled up. This was the MB1170 '18 Ford Mustang Convertible in blue. 

This one is almost as bad. This is the 2020 basic range release carried forward. But, wait, didn't it already carry forward to the 2022 Walmart exclusive Local Cruisers series? Why, yes, it did. So, this blue is recurring every 2 years in Walmart stores. It was one of the biggest peg warmers of the 2022 series, so why is back again? 

Well, there was a small variation for collectors who were really into the minor stuff. The rear lights were a different red. 

And shades were already found. The new one is nothing new in any way. It is just a duplicate, now on a new card. 

Could they have brought back the 2019 debut? Sure, I already found shades of orange, but we could have seen more in the way of rear light variations. 

Heck, could the 2020 Walmart exclusive Mustang set model be given a further outing? I think even that would have been better than a 3rd stab at blue. 

It has seen 2 more outings. A 2021 basic in black was the final new single.

And it was a 2022 9-pack exclusive in silver. I don't think either of these would have worked as well as the first 2. They would have been slightly better options than repeating the blue yet again.

Especially as the final model in the set, the MB1241 '53 Buick Skylark was also blue. Granted, it is a different blue, but it is still blue. 

Granted, this is the first time that this model has carried forward, and it is only 1 per case, but I still found absolutely no difference between this and the 2021 basic range debut look for the model. Which is a big shame, as this blue is often good for a shade or 2. And I do love the Skylark. I have to be honest, out of the models chosen as carry forwards, this is the one I would have likely gone with doubling up. Purely because it is the longest since it was last seen. The Camaro was last year, the Mustang 2 years ago, and this was 3 years ago. Does that make sense?

We have only seen 2 further looks for this, and being a 2022 basic range black.

And the 2023 yellow both being too new to repeat (he says, seeing things back year after year). I know this second half of the report has felt a little negative. Not my usual bubbly style, I know. I just feel that some of these carry forwards are getting lazy. Honestly, I had a thought for a few minutes and came up with a trio I think would have been fantastic as carry forwards.

These are the 3 carry forwards we have. None of them are sporting any kind of variation to when they were last around. 

These are the 3 I would have chosen to carry forward. As I said, the Camaro was fine to carry forward, but I would have repeated the 2011 10-pack exclusive in red. It looks gorgeous in red. I would have also chosen the 2010 10-pack "Real" exclusive release of the MB610 '71 Chevy Chevelle in yellow. Plus, the 2008 10-pack "Real" exclusive version of the MB042 '57 Ford Thunderbird. Both castings have seen minor alterations in the interim, and with both being out of the spotlight for many years, both would have been awesome to see return. And, with both being classic vehicles, neither would have felt old. 

And, as you can see, had these vehicles returned in these colours, we would have had a very nice colour spread. Which I know is also something that they try to do. No 2 blues. 

As it stands, this was a case of mixed emotions. 3 fantastic new additions. I love all 3 and gave all 3 top marks. The Corvette had a full trio of top marks. Quantities? Well, yeah, not great. Loving the models (the good), feeling sad about how they were filled in the case (the bad).

And really not liking the choice for carry forwards (the ugly). Yes, I just managed to get a classic Spaghetti Western title into the blog report. Hey, I am trying to end this on a positive. I know, and I understand the idea behind carry forwards. I just feel that the more we see carry forwards, the less effort is being made to make them an interesting option.  2 of these carry forwards in particular were literally Walmart exclusive carry forwards in the last 2 years. I really feel that more effort should he put into the choices for carry forwards. Make a note of what is already carried forward, and look for an alternative (even just from that particular casting's history in some cases). They don't have to look that far. 

Anyway, I hope you still enjoyed my ramblings. I hope I haven't scared anybody off. Next week, I will be going through more basics. I still have 3 batches of those to finish 2024 off. Until then, I hope everybody has a safe and happy week.