Matchbox Monday finishes the 2024 Collectors series

As I close in on the end of the 2024 Matchbox model year in my blog reports, I sit down with the final Collectors batch and do my usual contemplations. Why are these so hard to find in the UK? Thankfully, Wheel Collectors were on hand to help me out, by shipping them over from the USA. Thanks guys. Are 20 models a year enough? Is it time to up the quantity? 6 per batch? A set of 24? Little steps. Especially as they are now adding in a number of castings that are specifically designed to only be used in premium outings. With so few slots a year, this means we are going to be seeing them once in a blue moon.

Like the first model in the batch. This is a brand-new casting of a 1973 Mazda Savanna RX-3. MB1419 is a premium only casting. It debuts in the number 16 slot in red, with a very familiar feeling Japanese Nostalgic Car theme.

When I open it up, I do notice that there are no opening features to the casting. However....

It is sporting a metal base, along with the metal body. This makes it a heavy casting. But, as has been noted by the Matchbox team, any model that comes with a metal body and metal base (double-diecast), will only be used in premium outings. There are only 2 premium outings. The Collectors series and Mattel Creations. I don't know why, but I am not expecting to see this appear in the 2025 Collectors series. Just think, a number of new castings were created in 2023 with metal bodies and bases, and were any seen in 2024? Nope! Lexus LFA? Jaguar D-type? Porsche 910? With so few slots in the Collectors series, I can see these getting a random outing every 2-3 years? Which I think is a shame. They go to all that trouble in creating these models, and then have them sit around gathering dust, with just a random outing once in a while. Core models can be upgraded to premium levels, whether it be basics or Moving Parts. But, premiums are not going to be downgraded. This is why I feel the time should be ripe for expanding the premium series. We know that basics are being upped to 125 for 2025. However, Moving Parts and Collectors are still at 50 and 20 respectively. I do think both deserve expansion. In fact, I would love to see them do a twin pack of a core and a premium together. Just imagine a special set with this RX-3 and the later RX-8 from the basics, in a matching scheme. The Jaguar D-type with an E-type. The Porsche 910 and 911GT3. I could go on. Their other brand at Mattel gets loads of sidelines. Matchbox still feels left behind. I wish it wasn't. Anyway, enough ranting. What do I think of this new casting?

The Mazda Savanna RX-3 was an offshoot of the Mazda Grand Familia. The Grand Familia, which was known as Mazda 818 or 808 in export markets, was launched in 1971 as a planned replacement to the Familia. However, sales of the Familia were strong enough to keep them going side by side. The Grand Familia was a little larger, so they decided it best to market them seperately. However, Mazda was a leader in the rotary engine market, and they also created an off-shoot, the Savanna. This was created for the Japanese market, as the rotary engine had a small engine, and Japanese tax laws at the time enabled them to be sold with a lower yearly road tax. It was created as a coupe, sedan or wagon, but the coupe was by far the bestseller. It was sold outside of Japan, but now under the name RX-3. When the model was replaced in 1978, the Savanna was just sold as a coupe, and export markets renamed it to RX-7. And it became a completely separate model to the original Grand Familia from where it was based.

From checking out pictures, the casting has been developed on the standard road version of the Savanna, and thanks to Garry Gopinath, looks amazing. However, the tampo design, while sticking with a certain theme of Japan Nostalgia in the design (I believe Michael Heralda has designed this), it does have a few racing elements to it.

I mean, this does have Adlar58 in the side design. That is a giveaway of Michael's work. Plus, it does have Mazda Racing and the number 9 on the side. We also get various other logos.

It's a busy design, but with the idea of giving it a racing look, is expected. The orange windows suit it well, and I have to be honest, remind me a lot of the Lesney era. Which, when you think about it, was around during the 1970s. The decade this model is from. So, it also gives off nostalgia vibes in that respect. Sure, I am one for the stock road look in general, but we can't always have that with every single model. So, I am happy enough with this as a debut, and hope that when they do the next one (in 2, 3, 4 years, I already complained about that), I hope we get a stock look.

So, scoring this one. Inclusion. I am very happy to see this. The RX-7 is an icon, but people often forget it had a father. I am pleased they have decided to add this to the range, although as a premium exclusive? This is where things get tough. You see, I am very happy for it to arrive, but knowing it will see occasional use only as a premium sort of deflates that for me. If you understand what I mean? I would have preferred this to be a core model, and upgraded to premium on occasion. So, 9.5 for inclusion. It was tough. Casting? Garry has done an excellent job, and I think has captured the real vehicle very well. However, this is one of the awkward things. Some markets would have wing mirrors on the wings. Others would see them on the doors. How do you do that when it is being marketed both as Savanna and RX-3? Well, you just don't bother. Is it the right choice? That is also a tough one. Boy, who would have thought scoring a toy car would give me such a headache. I think, perhaps, it is not of great importance. So, I am going to be fine to have none. That was the only unusual thing, but I think he made the best of both options. Ignore them. So, I am also giving this a 9.5 out of 10. I think it is one of those daft things where I don't think it could have scored a 10. Design? I love the stuff that Michael does, and this is a bit of a recurring theme. We have had a number of models release with that Japanese Nostalgic Car logo. It saw 5 passes through the tampo machine, and there was no need for any more. It is busy, but not in a bad way. I am scoring this a 10, but with an asterisk. The next one had better be a stock issue. So we get 29 out of 30 for the debut. When I am old and grey, I will let you know what I think of the follow up. Okay, enough harping on about metal bases and lack of outings. On to model number 2.

The other new casting in the batch. The MB1420 Aston Martin V8 Vantage. Although, the package is marking it down as a 1977. The base made no mention of that. It takes the number 17 slot in the range, and debuts in blue.

Now, this is a stock release. Imperial Blue was one of the Aston Martin colour options at the time, and Matchbox has replicated this very well in miniature.

If you read my top 10 rundown of 2024 at Christmas on the Lamley Group, you will already know I love this. It was my number 3 new casting of the year. It was only bested by the Porsche 356 and Ford Fiesta MkII.  I have been wanting a model of a V8 Vantage for, well, it feels like forever. I grew up in the 1970s, and when Aston Martin debuted the V8 Vantage in 1977, I loved it. I knew I would likely never afford a real one, so was hoping to get a model of one. It only took 47 years! I am patient. When launched in 1977, it was hailed as Britain's first supercar. As Matchbox was British owned at the time, I was always surprised they never went for it. There was a plan for a DBS earlier in the decade, but only got as far as a resin mock-up before being dropped.

Was this worth the wait? Yes! Next question. Ha ha! I absolutely love it! Garry Gopinath has done a wonderful job replicating the real vehicle down to small scale here. Now, there is one thing I have noticed. Do you see the chrome bumpers? The way they stick out the front and rear of the model?

Bringing in the base shot early, do you see that this sports a plastic base. So, you would think perhaps this could mean it is also a basic range issue, due to no opening parts. Well, I highly doubt it. You see, the body extends to the base here. The chrome bumpers are inserts, that appear to be slotted in each end, and then held in place with the rivet that comes from the body through the base. I honestly don't know how they have achieved that? I tried popping off the rubber part of the wheel to try and see inside the wheel arch better, but am still confused. I am not prepared to drill the model apart to see how this has been achieved. I want my model in 1 piece.

So there lies the quandary. This is a 6-part build. I highly doubt we will ever see this as a core release. I think this is another premium exclusive casting, which means we are not going to see it that much. Which is a real bummer for me. Sure, I am patient. It looks like I will need to be, as it may be a few years before we see another, unless they do a Mattel Creations release. Has anybody ever heard of "The Muncher"? This was actually a DBS V8 that was 3rd in the 1977 Le Mans 24 Hour Race in class (17th overall). Sure, this is a V8 Vantage, but I could see them making a Mattel Creations release paying homage to that look on this model. I would not say no to it.

But, getting back to this one, I have one minor thing to be critical about. Do you see the lump on the side above the front bumper? Do you know what that is? Yes, the side indicator. And where is the little orange touch of tampo for it? Underneath the side vent, behind the front wheel. Huh? What went wrong there? Honestly, when it comes to the side, on a stock model, there is nothing else they could have added. They just needed that indicator tampo print on the actual indicator.

This vehicle is RHD. The window wipers are positioned as to be correct for a RHD model. The front end has been perfectly printed. That is, if you are looking above the bumper line. Again, under it should be more indicator lights. I know, these are minor imperfections, but they are all I can come up with on this. Indicators. Yes, the 1 flaw revolves around the indicators. Both on front and sides, as the rear is correct.

So, this is where it gets very interesting. Remember, this model is my third favourite release of the entire year. And I have given a number of perfect scores this last year on many a release. So, inclusion? 9.5! Boom! Not perfect. The reason? Well, you just read up on the Mazda. I am not giving it a perfect score, purely based on the fact that this is being created as a premium exclusive, and their premium offerings are thin on the ground. Had their premium offerings been greater, and we would have a possibility of seeing this on a yearly basis, it would be an easy 10. Casting? I can't complain. That is a 10. Design. I don't know, there might have been an indication that I was not giving this a perfect 10. Yes, 9.5. Had those indicators been done correctly, again, this would have been a perfect 10. I know, these are such trivial things to deduct points for, which is why I am only deduction half points for them. Which means this gets a 29 out of 30. Neither change would have altered its overall position in my Top 10 lists. I still absolutely adore this one. And I am so looking forward to getting a second one, at some point, one day, when I am old and grey. Hopefully sooner! I really hope for a sooner outing because, well, I am surprised by what is next.

Because taking the number 18 slot in the range is the MB1402 '53 Ford COE. Why is this a surprise? Because it debuted in the 2023 Collectors series. That means this is the first casting to see Collectors series releases 2 years in a row. We have had a few castings return between the Superfast 2019/2020 era and the Collectors 2021-2023 era, with a number of years between premium outings. Some models have had Mattel Creation outings and Collectors outings in close proximity (the BMW M30 E3 being the latest, earlier in 2024).

The thing is, this model appears to be a standard 4-part build, and sports a plastic base (which is chromed), which means that this could easily be a core range model. Yet, to date, we have seen 2 premium outings for it. Is that a complaint? No. Far from it. This is me getting my hopes up that perhaps some of the premium exclusive castings could see further outings faster than I was initially thinking. We don't know the last 2 batches of 2025 yet. However, we do know that 5 of them are new castings (if all goes to plan), which leaves us with 5 blanks. 3 of the new castings have been shown in sneak peeks by Matchbox, which I assume will be part of the 3rd batch, with 2 new castings not yet shown. But, to date, we have not seen a sneak peek of any Collectors series recolours beyond batch B.

So, what do I think of this one? I think it is cool. We have seen a number of Mooneyes models in the Matchbox range. I love that they get involved with them as well as other model brands doing Mooneyes. And the fact that this is a very similar look to a previous Collectors series release makes it even better.

I am scoring this a 10 for the new look. I have to admit, I think it is nicer than the previous black Mooneyes model.

Which was the MB1174 '35 Ford Pickup in the 2022 Collectors series.

With this model itself debuting in the 2023 series, and also featuring a recurring theme. A theme that started back in the 1980s!

I am a sucker for recurring themes. Now, when is this going to be appearing as a core model? I have to admit, although this has increased my hope of seeing actual premium exclusive castings coming back quicker, I am a little surprised they chose this to be the one to be the debut for a 2-year-in-Collectors-in-a-row club. As if that's a thing.

I am very happy to see this casting. The MB1182 '18 Jeep Wrangler JL Rubicon 4-door has been a big favourite of mine since it debuted in 2019, but does not get a lot of action. I don't know why. It takes the number 19 slot in the series, and comes in a dark fuschia colour.

It is an official colour. Jeep debuted Tuscadero Pink for the 2021 model year with a plan for 1 year only, but demand was so strong that they didn't get them all done in time, and it spilled over into 2022. Jeep stated that when they first debuted it, 30,000 people put in orders! After they finished with them, people still kept asking. They saw that this was a popular choice, so have brought it back for the 2024 model year. So, it seems obvious for Matchbox to make a model of it.

Being a premium outing gives this model access to a wide array of tampo prints. Aside from the side detailing, which we have seen multiple times, the front is detailed up, and the hood gets a black section, and lovely detailing for the wiper blades. We also see the wheel arches getting a tampo print to denote the ligths.

And, for the first time, the rear is also getting a tampo hit. Including real riders as well, I think this model is absolutely stunning. The only thing that detracts a little for me, are the wheel hubs. They are tan. Is it me, or does that not suit the rest of the model? Honestly, I think they should have done them in pink as well. I know if you were to check pictures of real ones, they always appear to have either black hubs, or grey parts to them. But, as a model, I think pink would have served a better purpose than tan. They just look out of place. The wheel choice is great. No arguments with the wheel. It is simply down to the tan hub. Which is the reason why I am scoring this a 9 out of 10. Such a shame, as I think this is so cool in pink. Growing up, I had a Jeep Hot Rod in pink. It was my first Matchbox Jeep, so another pink Jeep is ever so welcome (and nostalgic).

Dive back time. This casting debuted in 2019 both in the basic range in green, and as a Walmart exclusive in the Jeep series that year in charcoal. That one featured a Skyjacker design, based on one that Skyjacker actually made.

After that, it has only seen one more basic outing, when it was white in the 2020 range.

If that isn't bad enough, it had no outings in 2021. 2022 saw a red issue as a 9-pack exclusive.

With 2023 seeing a 70th Anniversary special as a Walmart exclusive again, in their 70th Anniversary batch.

This is officially the only 2024 outing, but there was a carry forward as well, as the Skyjacker themed model returned for another outing in the Skyjacker Suspensions 5-pack. The newer run is a darker charcoal than the original, and the gold tampo is a different hue.

Which means that this model has eked out 6 different looks over the 6 years it has been available. But, I do feel it deserves more. Plus....

They have also created a 2-door version. The MB1278 casting debuted in the 2022 Jurassic World Dominion series, but has nothing on the casting that might denote it as being in any way modified into a Jurassic themed casting. Plus, it makes no mention of any Jurassic copyrights or trademarks.

So why has this one never seen any further outings? A few Jurassic themed models have managed to sneak out of the Jurassic realm. The '86 Ford F-150 & Mercedes-Benz Unimog U520 for example. So, why not this one?

Oops! I forgot to take a photo of the last model in the blister. Well, I think your imagination will work for that. This is the MB1369 '69 Ford Mustang Boss 302. It comes in medium lime metallic, which is an official Ford colour option. But, not on the 1969s.

This is one of the few problems with the fact that Matchbox have chosen to do the 1969 Boss 302. Ford made 1,628 Boss 302s in 1969. Out of those 1,628, there were only 4 colour options. The most common was bright yellow. 649 came in that colour. 410 were painted Calypso Coral (red, for those who were wondering). 375 came in Acapulco Blue, which is the colour that Matchbox debuted the model in the 2023 Moving Parts series in. Finally, 194 came in Wimbledon White. Over 7,000 were made for the 1970 model year, and these include Medium Lime Metallic as one of 16 official colour options (although nobody opted for Light Ivy Yellow). Plus, 64 people opted for a "special order paint" job. Which means there could be up to 64 other colours on top. So, it does sort of seem logical that Matchbox dips into the 1970 pallet, as they would run out very fast otherwise. The model also comes with the pretty standard non-glare racing black hood (as Ford called it). And, as this is a premium issue, extra attention has been made to the headlights. I love the fact that they got right in there, deep into the outside lights, which are set back. With the front grille detail, the front end looks amazing.

And the opening engine compartment shows off the lovingly detailed inside. So, front is awesome. What about the rear?

Hmm! We get the rear lights detailing. Superb. However, I was partly expecting the rear spoiler to have been painted black. As with the front, the rear spoiler was usually painted black as well. Seeing as this is a premium outing, I was thinking they would have got that detail added in as well. Is it important? Well, not massively, but I think they should have gone that extra little bit. Everything else was so good, and it just felt like this one little thing stopped it from being just about perfect in its execution. So, with that in mind, I am knocking a point off again. Yes, being cruel. 9 out of 10.

As I mentioned, this debuted in Acapulco Blue in the 2023 Moving Parts series. It had the black hood, and some side stripes. But no front or rear tampo. It did get a shade as well.

And the engine was detailed inside.

With 2024 giving us a black Moving Parts release. It was one of the 64 special order colours in 1970, known as Black Jade.

Which means we are currently up to 3 releases. There will be another to "chase" down in 2025. But, for now, I am done with another blog.

A batch that sees 2 new castings, both of which I see sporadic releases for.

And, funnily enough, the new castings were British and Japanese, with the 3 returning models all being from the USA. A good array of colours in the mix.

Next week, I will be going ultra premium as I edge closer to the end of the 2024 model year. Until then, I hope everybody has a safe and happy week.