Matchbox Monday fancies a fantastic F batch of Moving Parts

I have said it before, and I will say it again. Moving Parts needs to be larger box counts. Matchbox have given us an awesome batch F of models, and each one was unique to the batch. No duplicates at all. And then they threw in a Super Chase. So, that means one had to go. I am not a fan of this scenario, where getting a Super Chase means you now have to chase down another model. This has happened a number of times now. Yet, non-Super Chase mixes come with 5 or 6 models in them. The easiest solution would be to increase the case count. Make the boxes assortments of 12. It is not a big change. But, at least we will never find a Super Chase replacing another model in the assortment. As we know, Moving Parts are the most popular range in the Matchbox portfolio. I don't know why they are not trying to enhance and expand it. I would love to see a Moving Parts multipack. We get 5-packs of basics. We get 8-packs of basics. Why not a 3-pack of Moving Parts? All themed. A Lamborghini 3-pack with the Aventador, Centenario and Huracan. A Porsche 911 3-pack with '80 911 Turbo, '64 911 and '20 911 Carrera 4S. A Mustang 3-pack with '24 Mustang, '69 Mustang and '95 Mustang. Oh, wait, '95? I should get on with this article. I could go on for ages creating 3-pack of Moving Parts. 

Out of the 8 regular issues in this assortment, an unprecedented 5 are new castings. That's over half new. Another reason why the range should be looked at further. They are cranking out as many new Moving Parts castings as basic castings each year, and many are seeing barely any action. A monthly release. 100 models in total, and 12 model assortments. That is 144 in total, so 44 are duplicates of models (unless there is a Super Chase). But, here's the twist. Make a duplicate a rollover from the previous batch. Not just 2 from the current batch. Expand with 3-packs. Then also create a multipack with a mix of basic, Moving Parts and Collectors. I could go on. If I had my way, I would make a host of different ranges for the Matchbox brand, and also talk Walmart into getting a Moving Parts exclusive system, and Target to expand Reds into the Moving Parts as well. Can anybody tell I really want to expand what Matchbox we see? Especially these ones! Because, the first new casting is actually one we have seen. Well, those of us who attended this year's Gathering in Albuquerque. It is the MB1573 '86 VW Vanagon T3. It debuts in the Moving Parts series in the number 25 slot in mint "National Parks".

Is it me, or do others think they will never tire of Matchbox releasing National Parks themed models? I hope that the current design team are on board with continuing this theme. This is because Michael Heralda, the person who created it and ran with it so successfully, is stepping back from designing Matchbox models. He actually left Mattel a number of years ago, and relocated to Albuquerque. But, over the years, he has been doing ad-hoc work for them, coming up with further designs on models. But, as they bolster their current design team, the time has come for him to savour his retirement. There are going to be odd models. A certain Field Car will see his fingerprints all over it in the 2027 basic range, and Jim Gallegos has convinced both Michael and Mattel to let him continue with the convention models. But, all of these Heralda ideas, National Parks, INC, Ranec, Matchbox Construction etc? I am hoping that Jason and his team will continue to create further issues with them. Especially this one. National Parks is almost an iconic theme in itself. I don't want to see it fade away. Especially when we see models like this one. This is a core model. Yet, the level of detail is out of this world. This feels almost like premium level tampo treatment. Front, sides and roof. Everything is covered. Well, apart from the opening roof section and the rear. And I am loving this look. This model is a National Parks volunteer model. We have Volunteer Services on the front. A volunteer sign 'stuck' on the door. And the extra little bits of detailing are so cool. 

However, as much as I hate to point it out, we actually have a small error. On the side pillar at the rear, we see a bunch of stickers. I love it. I am always happy to see these little fun pieces added to the models. It makes them so much more fun. Yellowstone, Grand Canyon etc. But the bottom black sticker has I [heart] Glasiers. I think it should have been glaciers. I checked. It is an old English variant of the spelling, but is an archaic one, and is not in current usage. And the worst part? The top sticker has 'glacier' in the logo. It is a small thing. Miniscule. You have to look carefully to spot it. I am a nerd. I pay attention to random stuff, and I was always a bit of a spelling buff at school. I live in the UK where we don't have them, but had I grown up in the USA, I might have made it to the National Spelling Bee championships. I might not have. But, I would have likely attempted it. 

I do like that the stickers only appear on one side. The other side has A58. That way we know it is a Michael Heralda design. And look how well detailed those roof pieces are. I am blown away by this model. 

And this is one of the few new Moving Parts models that doesn't show off the engine. What a breath of fresh air. Literally. You open up the roof like that to let the air in. I love this model. And can I just say how incredible those front lights look. Both headlights and roof spots. This is just fantastic. I bet nobody is really surprised that I am scoring this a 10. Yes, even with a spelling mistake, I am still giving it a perfect score. It is that damn good!

And, of course, I had to bring in the Albuquerque Dealer model for a few shots. 

Both of these are Michael heralda designs. He has left a huge legacy of looks from his tenure while officially working at Mattel, and even since retiring from there. I have so enjoyed seeing his work. Jason and his team have big boots to fill. 

And, because this roof section does come off completely, you can switch them over. Somehow, both work on each other's model. Volunteer Services is a support crew. And the black section matches well with the mint as well. Plus, the tan roof piece looks good on the yellow promotional. I am having so much fun with this casting. I do think this may have a possibility of making a return when I do my year-end Top 10 lists. 

New casting number 2. This is the MB1580 '91 Acura Legend Coupe. This one debuts in the number 30 slot in red. 

I can't believe that until last year, Matchbox had never done anything from within the Acura portfolio. But, after debuting the first casting in the basic range last year, Moving Parts has gifted us 2 this year. We saw the '24 Acura Integra Type S HRC appear in a batch recently, but now it is the turn of another classic. The Acura Legend was first unveiled in 1986, and alongside the Integra, was one of the 2 models that launched the brand. Of course, both were based on the Honda Legend, which some may know was built in collaboration with Rover, as the 800-series/Sterling was pretty much the same vehicle. Of course, when the second generation Legend was unveiled in 1990 as a 1991 model, Rover did not follow suit, and continued with their own look. While both the Honda/Acura and Rover built saloon/sedan models (depending on where you live as to what you call it), only the Honda/Acura created a coupe. Rover went with a fastback. When the second generation came, they continued with the 2 body styles, and Matchbox has gone with the coupe look. 

Garry Gopinath was tasked with this one. As usual, he has done a phenomenal job. He has decided to also include the factory optional extra rear spoiler. It was not standard on any variant of the Legend at the time, but was an option that people could add if they wanted. And, I guess Garry wanted to add it to the model as well. Which I think was a great choice. Comparing the silhouette with pictures of real ones I think Garry has nailed this one. I am loving the deep detailing to the door and fuel filler cap. The plastic base section forming the front bumper lip and wheel mud flaps are faultless. They match how the real vehicle looks. 

As was common at the time, most vehicles came with a sunroof. I miss having a sunroof. Leaving the car in the hot sun with the roof popped up just that little bit, to allow the heat to escape. I don't like leaving windows open a crack. You can squeeze your fingers in and push them down too easily. This model is slotted perfectly around the sunroof, leaving a completely smooth finish. I am totally impressed with this. 

However, it comes with the very boring opening hood. Now, I have to admit, because of the way the front grille sits fractionally forward on the Legend, being able to open this is extremely easy. And the work in getting the hood to slot and stay up is wonderful. It is extremely well done, and the engine detail is fantastic. Well, that looks great. Being tampo printed, it looks like an engine to me. But, this one comes with those lovely large doors. I really would have wanted an opening doors look to this one over another opening engine bay. But, if they had to go with an opening engine bay, this was likely the better option for a vehicle to do one. As I said, it is extremely easy to open. 

When it comes to tampo printing, the engine was detailed, and the front gets lights as well. The opening hood section has the grille with Acura badge printed on it, which is technically a different pass through the tampo machine. 

And the rear gets lights and badges depicted. I like that there is a black border to the lights, that helps them to stand out. Sometimes, on a red background, they can be a little lost. The red in question is known as Phoenix Red. It was an official colour option on the launch of the 2nd generation Legend. And with the brown interior and smoke window, I think the end result is beautiful. 

So, let's score this. Inclusion. I am so happy to see them looking beyond the usual manufacturers. Adding a few Acura models has been a long time coming. And after seeing a modern one, throwing a classic in as well is just awesome. I am giving this a 10. Casting. Garry did great work. But, I am not happy to see another opening hood. But, I do think that we can't just have no opening hoods, and out of all the models getting them, this was one of the better options. It is very easy to open due to the way the rear vehicle was made, and replicating that in miniature. Thinking ahead to the other new castings in this batch, I am actually going to give this a 10. You will see why. There are 3 more new castings to come. And by the end of it, you will be thinking yeah, this one did deserve a 10 for opening the hood. Design. Perfect. I cannot see how they could have improved the final look for the model. Which means, this one gets a perfect 30 out of 30 for its debut. Way to go. I look forward to seeing more of these over coming years. 

Being new, I do need to include the obligatory base shot. 

New casting number 3 is the MB1566 '25 BMW M5 Touring. It takes the number 35 slot in a lovely metallic green.

Our second BMW Touring. But, unlike the last one that debuted in 2022 as a 10-year-old model, this one is a current vehicle. Did you know that the 5-series is the oldest of the 3-digit BMW names? Yes, this one appeared before the 3-series did. The first 5-series arrived in 1972. The first 3-series did not appear until 1975. As of 2024, the 5-series is now in its 8th generation, which has the internal moniker G60. However, the 'M' variants of the 5-series did not arrive until 1984. That was part of the way through the life of the 2nd generation 5-series, and as such, the M5 is now technically on its 7th generation. It also gets its own internal moniker, and the current M5 is known internally as G90 of G99. The Touring is G99. Funnily enough, a Touring variant of an M5 is not a regular thing. The second generation M5 had a Touring variant. The 4th generation had a Touring variant, and the current 7th generation is only the third time they have created a Touring variant. It is also the first time that they have sold the Touring variant in North America. So, it is quite an important model. 

Again, Garry Gopinath was tasked with creating this model. And yet again, he has nailed it. I cross-referenced this against pictures of real ones, and as far as I can tell, he has absolutely nailed it. I have no notes. He is a master of model creation. 

I have been trying to find pictures of the roof of the real vehicle. They are not as easy to find. But, I could tell that it comes with a moon roof in real life. This has been replicated by using the window section to form a section of the roof. The only thing I was unsure of was whether the moon roof extends all the way to the rear or not. But, regardless of whether it does or not, I like the way the model has been done. We have not been treated to a whole upper section made out of the window element. I am not a fan of that style of build. We get a small section of the roof, and the edges of it made out of the body section, extending down through the pillars. Brilliant. I am very happy with the way this has been built. Whether it is 100% true or not is not overly important. The shape works, and the end result looks decent. 

The model sees the window dip under that rear section to form the rear spoiler. However, my own personal preference would have been for me to be at the point of showing the opening feature. I love when they have the rear opening on a wagon. But, no.

It's the engine bay again. Seriously. I feel like it is the lazy approach to opening parts. In the early days, they were opening anything and everything. Nowadays, it is a rare occurrence when something different to the engine bay is being opened. And this one is very fiddly. You can see a groove going around the edge of the bay. Why? Well, when closed, it slots inside that ridge. Which is not good. If you have nails, you can hook them under with a little effort and open it. If you have no nails, forget about it! Turning it upside down and tapping it, banging it on your leg, and various other methods also go nowhere. It is quite a tight fit, and when you do open it, it is solid. Yeah, sure, that is a solid build. It is a great fit. It is too hard to open. Now you may be seeing my thoughts on the Acura being okay for an engine opening. This one should not have been the engine bay opening. As I said, the rear would have been much more logical. Even doing doors would have been better. They could have opened the rear door on one side, and front door on the other. Just for a little fun. But, rear would have been perfect. Which is a huge shame, because I love this model in every other respect. Just look at the depth to the front air intake. Garry has done an amazing job replicating it, but opening the thing is so damn hard!

When it comes to the design, again, I am slightly disappointed. This debuts in Isle of Man Green. That is what BMW calls it. A funky metallic shade. That is awesome. I love the colour. But, is the window just a tad dark? It is almost a solid black. I think it really needed a lighter tint. And the way those lights are not wrapping around properly. The rear lights are being cut off on the corner. You can see that there is a section on the side extending out from them. Yes, that should be where the tampo runs to. 

The lights do have that line running through them, so they captured them well. But, the lack of wrapping around the side is not great. 

And the front lights are doing exactly the same. Stopping at the edge, with no wrap. It is a huge shame. The BMW badge appears on the hood. Another reason why they shouldn't have done an opening hood. It is an additional tampo pass because it is a different piece. The engine under would therefore not have been needed, and I bet they could have got the badge included in the front print. They could have then helped wrap things around sides a bit better. 

So, I don't see this score being as good as the Acura. Let's see. Inclusion. Well, that one is a 10. A modern BMW wagon is something I was really hoping for when the last one was announced. As much as I like the last one, I did want a current generation BMW wagon, and now I have it. So, yes, brilliant. Casting. Well, this is where things start going south. As much as Garry has captured the model so beautifully, this really difficult opening feature was the wrong one to open in the first place, and being so difficult doubles up the issue. So, I am giving it an 8 for casting. Design. Windows too dark. Lights not wrapping around well. That's a couple of issues. I love the colour. But, pretty much everything else needed a better job doing to it. Again, an 8. Which gives this a 26 out of 30. Decent. But, I was so hoping for a little more. I love this model. I really want to see more of it. I might just pretend it is a basic range issue, and ignore its opening part. 

And I finish off with another base shot, as it is new.

The 4th of 5 new castings in the batch is the MB1580 '95 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra R. This one takes the number 36 slot in the range and debuts in white. 

I have to admit, I do love a Mustang. Matchbox has quite a history of making some cool ones. Ever since they first debuted the MB8 Ford Mustang in 1967, they have had a long history of giving us a lot of Mustangs. I remember growing up and owning a Boss Mustang (the yellow one with opening black hood) and absolutely loving it. However, back in 1995, they did come up with a '95 Mustang Cobra. Mind you, that was the convertible version, and this is a hardtop. So, it is a different one. Plus, this is the 'R' variant.  Which doesn't really mean a lot in miniature form. I have to be honest, when Ford set up the SVT arm, they first launched the Fox-body Mustang in 1993 as a Cobra R. Why didn't they do that one? I actually think it is a cooler model. It was only made for the 1 year, before the next generation took over. That was a missed opportunity. 

You will probably guess who created this. Garry Gopinath. He has done excellent work yet again. However, it is not easy to tell, but I think the model is actually a little small. Compared to other models, and to the original '95 Mustang Cobra, this does feel like it was shrunk in the wash. But the shape is great. The detailing is all there. At least from the side. 

When you look at pictures of real '95 Cobra R models, the hood bulge does appear to be a little more exaggerated. It does not feel like it is sticking up enough. It is a little too flat. We do get a nice indentation for the grille. 

Which makes this one easy to open. Because, you know, show off the engine. Okay, this is the 'R'. The engine is uprated for the Cobra R. Can you tell on the model? It's an engine. It is well fitting. It opens easy.  But, was it a little flat because bulging it up too much would make it not open fully? 

Honestly. Doors. They would have been a much better opening feature here. Then they could have bulked up that hood better. 

You can see that there is quite a gap at the back of the hood. I think the thicker they made it, the bigger the gap was likely to be, to allow it to open properly. 

Now when it comes to the design, here is a daft fact. Let's give you the 1995 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra R colour range. White. That's it. They made 250 of them in real life, and every single one of them was white. So, it was the obvious colour choice.  Another reason why they should have done the 1993 Fox-body Mustang Cobra R. At least that had 3 colours. Red, teal and black. Of course, I always say they don't have to follow the traditional colours for a model, and after this, every single time we see this, Matchbox will have made up a new colour for it. The front end detailing is fantastic, and the grille looks really good. You can see the Mustang running through it. Excellt work. 

The rear is actually how they did it in real life. The red lights do look like that. There is a white surround that goes over the lights. Yes, this is spot on. The license plate is actually correct. Fox 4 was the code name for the updated platform that the Mustang rode on. It was an evolution of the previous Fox-body, and was given the number 4 because it was the 4th generation. They have done their homework. The look is almost perfect. I say almost.

Why are the windows black? Seriously, the BMW and now the Mustang? I don't get why they are putting all this effort into making an interior, and then hiding it. There is an interior inside. You are just not allowed to see it. It ruins the aesthetic. I am not impressed with it. 

So, let's score this one. Inclusion. Hmm! As I said, I really wanted the '93 Fox-body Cobra R, not the '95, as it is too close to the one we had before. Yes, hardtop vs convertible. But, the previous one would have been so cool. This one is cool, but not as cool. An 8. Casting. It's too small. The hood is not bulging enough. And it opens, instead of the doors. An 8. Design. The window is the only issue this time, so it does eke out a slightly higher score. A 9. No perfect score in any category, and a total score of 25 out of 30. Not bad. And I do like Mustangs, so will be very happy to see more, in unique Matchbox colours. I still want to see the '93 though. 

And before I get on to the last one, another base shot for the new casting. 

The 5th and final new casting in the batch is the MB1565 '47 Dodge Power Wagon. It debuts in the number 37 slot in army green. 

I think a lot of people will say they have waited 17 years for this. Back in 2009, Matchbox debuted the MB783 Jungle Crawler, and so many people made comparisons to the look of that vehicle as the Dodge Power Wagon, asking why they didn't just do the Power Wagon. Well, 17 years later, they got their wish. However, as a 1947 model, this predates the time when a panel van variant was done. When Dodge first created the Power Wagon in 1945, it was only sold as a pickup. First appearing in 1945, it was an offshoot of the WC-series of army vehicles, converted for civilian use. They were often referred to as the FFPW (Flat Fender Power Wagon), and was the first medium duty civilian pickup truck. So, it is quite a significant vehicle. 

And Gerry is yet again the person behind creating the casting. Seeing as it is such an iconic vehicle, there are lots of photos of real ones to go by. And yet again, I think Garry has done an awesome job. The shape has been captured so well, and this really feels like a larger pickup compared to other ones. Yes, this one is a good size. And those new wheels that have debuted this year look really good on it. We saw them on the '63 Mercedes-Benz Unimog a short while ago, and they work so well on this one as well. I am very thankful they did this new wheel style. I think smaller ones would have looked ridiculous, and larger 4x4 wheels would have been too much for it. I am very happy that Matchbox have been putting some effort into creating some new wheel styles, and sizes. 

He has also added a spare wheel into the rear bed of the truck, which matches the new wheel. I just hope they don't switch the wheel for something new down the line, making the spare feel a little odd. But, when you see real pictures, many of these actually have the spare wheel down one side of the vehicle. Why was this not put down the side of the vehicle? The rear could have had some items in the bed, or possibly they could have had an Easter Egg release, with some coming with and others without items. That was a missed opportunity. 

The opening feature on this one is to open the engine bay. Yet again. But, only one half of it. The Power Wagon does have a rather unusual engine bay, which is opened by lifting up the 2 sides into the middle. But, Garry has only opened one of them. The other is still sealed. I am not sure why. It is a little disappointing in one respect. I would have expected both sides to open. However, there is another issue. 

The actual opening feature is extremely small. And it wraps around the fender. This makes it quite fiddly to open. Maybe because I am larger and have larger fingers it is more of an issue. A small child with little fingers might find it a little easier. But, I was not overly impressed with it. 

And when it is open, you can barely see the engine inside. It is mostly hidden in there. I am not liking this opening feature. In theory, it seemed like a cool idea. In practical terms, it was not. 

Which is a huge shame, because the rest of the casting is fantastic. The fenders stick out, being a part of the interior section. I do wonder if they should have opened the rear tailgate? Perhaps a door? One tiny engine lid is not much for a Moving Parts model. 

Debuting it in army green was a great choice. I think it looks fantastic like this. The front end sees the badge and grille depicted. Plus, we get a second tampo hit on the fenders, for the lights. BTW, is it me, or do others like the deep lines for the window wipers?

While the rear was left blank, the sides do have a fun design. We get the iconic shark teeth logo on the model. This has appeared in the past on Matchbox models, so it is cool seeing it again. We also get a bit of an army look with the star logo, and the fun bullet holes across the sides as well. I am loving the design. 

And the bullet holes are different on the other side. I am glad they were not duplicated. The end look is fantastic. 

So, let's get some scores going for this one. Inclusion. I think this has been long overdue. Ever since the Jungle Crawler, I have heard people asking why they didn't do this one. Well, they finally listened. So, this gets a perfect 10. Casting. It looks great. My only issue with the model is the tiny opening feature, how fiddly it is, why it is one side only, and what it doesn't really show off once it is open. So, it gets an 8 here. Design. Oh, I can't fault this one. It looks amazing. The army green with an army style look. It is fantastic. So, back to the 10 for design. Which gives this a 28 out of 30. Out of the 4 that I score across all 3, this one comes in 2nd behind the Acura, with the BMW 3rd and Mustang 4th. 

Does this look weird with the offset rivet? Obviously it was fixed on the side that didn't open. But, it does look weird when you look under the model. Ha ha! I am looking forward to seeing more of this casting. I am sure I am not the only one. 

Now we are done with the new castings, it is time to review the last models, which are all new looks for previously released castings. The first one is the MB1542 '04 Ford Excursion. For year 2, this one comes in green in the number 41 slot. 

This model appears to be sporting what Ford referred to as Estate Green. Although that is more metallic than this one is. It is not overly important. I like this colour. It is quite unique. And pairing it with a golden tan interior and base/grille section works very well. These 2 colours go very well together. Sure, last year, we had lots of chrome for the debut. But, this one looks very nice without it. The front end really pops with the tampo printing. And you can make out the word Ford in the badge. It is extremely well detailed. 

And the rear sees lights and badge depicted. I don't think there was much more that they needed. It is stunning. 

And, because this has the opening hood, as everything does (it feels like), the engine is also detailed. I am not seeing anything else they could have done for this. The golden tan plastic parts are a nice change to the norm. And look at the lovely clear windows. They can do them. 

So, I am definitely giving this a 10. I love it. 

I think it is a great contrast to last year's debut in dark metallic blue with lashings of chrome. 

I am not saying don't put lashings of chrome on a future issue. Ford did a lovely red one, and that deserves the chrome treatment if they make it in miniature. I am keeping my fingers crossed for that one to appear, because I am a big fan of this casting, and I think red is the nicest look for it. 

Our next model is the MB1545 Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato, which takes the number 45 slot in white. 

For the model's second year in the Moving Parts series, it comes in white, with a little black and orange striping down the sides. But, this time, we do not see the additional black and orange going over the top, which is something that we tend to see on the real ones. However, that is not important. I did Google things, and it was sold with no stripes at all. So, this does fit in the middle of the 2 extremes. And, it does look cool. I do like stripes. The wheel arches get a thick black tampo hit as well, and the front sees lights and badge depicted. The window also gets a black edging. I think the black wheels work really well, but yet again, the window does appear a little too dark. What is with all the dark windows?

The rear gets a full detail, which looks awesome. And the engine cover is in black, standing out against the white, which appears to be common to the real vehicle as well. From the surface, the majority looks good. I would have preferred a little lighter tint to the window. 

But, when we open the engine bay, we discover that yet again, there is no detailing to the engine. I thought that reducing the tampo over the top might have meant it was moved to this part. But, no, it is still blank. I don't know why this particular engine bay is not being detailed. We always see an engine bay detailed on other vehicles. Why not this one? It doesn't make sense. 

Which means I am going to be mean with my score again. A point off for the dark window, but 2 points deduction for the lack of engine detailing after reducing the overall tampo over the model. So, a 7 out of 10. It is nice, and I think it does look good in white. But, I wanted a bit more from this one. 

As you can see, last year's debut had additional tampo going over the top in the Moving Parts series. 

And earlier this year, it was given a lovely orange outing in the Collectors series. 

I do think we should see more of this one. But, whatever comes next, the first thing I will be doing is opening the rear to see if they have finally tampo printed that engine!

The final model in the regular assortment is the MB1530 '18 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited, which returns for year 2 in the number 50 slot in grey.

Ooh! More stripes. I believe this is a fairly close rendition of the Granite Crystal paint job that was available on the 2018 Grand Cherokee. Although that one was a metallic finish, and this appears more of a solid colour. But, I think the stripes are a little something extra. I am loving them! And this tint for the window is much better. I think the gold wheel hubs work well as well. This is a really cool look. 

I am loving these red and black stripes going over the top. Why don't they do this more often?

Adding simple front and rear tampo detailing makes this a brilliant release. 

This one gets a 10 from me. What a cool model. I am a bit of a Jeep fan anyway, and add stripes, you know it is going to appease me. I hope they do more released with stripes. Not every one. It would be tiresome to see every issue like this. But, throw stripes on more models. Ha ha!

As you may remember, this one debuted last year as a National Parks model. 

This year's release has gone in a completely different direction. Something I think is excellent to see. I like when they come up with such contrasting looks between releases. 

And did you notice that this means this is the second year in a row that a model has debuted in Moving Parts as a National Parks model. I think they need to do that more often as well. 

And now, it is time for the bonus. The MB1468 '78 Ford Bronco is the third Super Chase out of 4 for the year, and was randomly inserted into this batch. Sadly, it did mean another had to be deleted, because they keep overloading the Super Chase batches, and leave other batches smaller. I don't know why they keep doing that. Luckily, Wheel Collectors did get some boxes with the Super Chase included. I noticed that this particular package was already damaged. 

Luckily, while the insert was damaged as well, the model was completely intact. That is good enough for me. I am only after the models, and packaging will be disposed of in the recycling. 

I am a huge fan of this casting, and this release may be my favourite one to date. I am loving this look. The pale brown screams 1970s. They really have gone nuts in giving this a nostalgic look. 

And this may be the best part of all. Just look at the hood! I am loving this pale yellow and orange stripe effect. 

Here's a real '78 Bronco with a fairly similar look. Brown, pale yellow and orange, although this adds pale red as well. 

The model sees tampo all around the model, and the white roof looks great alongside the rest. This is just gorgeous! 

And being another with an opening hood, the engine is also fully detailed inside. I think this is the nicest look on this model to date. And being a big fan of the casting anyway, I have a feeling that this could be a contender for my new look of the year when I do my year-end Top 10s. 

This hits all the right buttons. It is giving me a real nostalgic feel for the 1970s. They have absolutely nailed it. Way to go. This is one of the easiest 10s I have given on a model. They could not have made this any better if they tried. The lightly tinted window, tan interior, and real riders work so beautifully to set things off. Groovy man!

This one arrived in the 2024 Moving Parts series in blue. 

And last year was given another brown release in the Moving Parts series, albeit in a different hue, and with totally different tampo prints. 

And it was also given a Collectors release last year in black. 

Which means, technically, we have seen 2 core and 2 premium outings for this one. I am really hoping for many more. Although, I have to ask, will we also see more of the MB1485 '79 Chevy Blazer? Also debuting in 2024, that one has only seen the 1 outing, as a Mattel Creations exclusive. But, I think the Bronco and Blazer are just as iconic as each other, and both deserve plenty of releases. 

And, on that note, I think I am done with another report. 5 new castings. Wow! That was a lot for 1 batch of Moving Parts. Some batches see 5 models in total. You know, the ones where you don't get a Super Chase. 

With 4 older castings. 3 of which are US SUVs and 1 Italian off-road Supercar. The Bronco is actually the oldest one in the batch. 2024! Honestly, check out the 2023 Moving Parts series, and you will see barely anything that is still in use. Again, as I started off the report with, I do think the series is too small. We should have a much larger assortment each year. There are so many cool castings being created, and many are seeing 1 or 2 outings, and then are just being forgotten. Will we ever see a second Bentley Continental? A second Unimog U5023? A second Bollinger B2 may be tough. The company went bust. But, we get loads of models that appear and immediately get forgotten, as there is not a big enough range to keep them running. 

But, as these head off, I will return to the basic range next week, as more of the 125 models that are in the 2026 basic range (compared to 50 in Moving Parts with roughly the same amount of new castings for both) are due to be given the Tilley scrutiny. Until then, I hope everybody has a safe and happy week.