Matchbox Monday grapples with Moving Parts batch G

Sadly, I have received my package from Germany a little late to do a report for this week. Guess what next week will be? I hope people had fun with the last auction from Dirk. So, with my planned Leipzig promotional models being showcased next week, I will be continuing with the usual reports. This week, I am looking at Moving Parts batch G. Yes, the 2nd to last batch of 2024. This has been rolling along very nicely in the markets it sells in. The basics have been a little out of sorts in some places (namely the UK where I live, and the USA where Wheel Collectors are based), and so my basics reports are a little slower than normal. I can see me doing a lot of these in coming months.  I will catch up again. But, for now, let's get on with a really cool batch of new Moving Parts.

We tended to find this last year, as the series drew to a close, the batches became stuffed. Shall I do my usual "8 models in a case is not enough" rant? I mean, this batch contains 8 models. So, we get 1 of each release. Okay, you can just get away with it here. But, this brings us up to 42 out of the 50 regular releases for the year. That means the last batch is going to feature 8 more. Again, a fully bloated box. But, every 2nd batch has a chase. Yes, batch H will feature a chase model as well, which means something has to be deleted for the chase to be inserted. But what? The whole batch is new castings in batch H! So, something will become a chase in itself. For this batch? Well, you are getting mini chases in a sense. Because this is the MB1333 '56 Morris Minor 1000 Tourer in the number 10 slot.

A beautiful model in burgundy. I love the colour on this one, and the dark tan interior suits it so well. It sports a simple front and rear tampo print.

And a very British looking rear licence plate (or number plate as we call them in the UK). It is stunning. However....

This is one of those models with an Easter Egg. The interior is either LHD or RHD. This means that you will need to find at least 2 cases to get both. If you happen to be buying by the case, you may not get lucky by getting 2. Thankfully, the guys at Wheel Collectors helped me out with these, and I got both sent over. Thanks guys.

The model itself does have 4 passes through the tampo machine, as the interior is tampo printed for the engine compartment. With the bonnet seeing a print, as well as front and rear, that means this is well detailed. I absolutely love it. It is my favourite release to date on this. So, when it comes to the finished product, I am giving this an easy 10. However, due to there being only 1 per case, and often stores filling 1 case at a time, I really want larger cases to be shipped out. 10 or 12. The last batch saw 2 of the Range Rover, so we had both LHD and RHD in most cases, giving us the Easter Egg in 1 go. I just really would love to see these cases enlarged.

It is now in year 3 in Moving Parts. With a cream debut in 2022....

And a 70th Anniversary special in 2023.

It's really building up fast. 3 releases in, and 6 variations to date. I hope we see plenty more of this one. In larger assortment cases. Ha ha!

Of course, I couldn't move on without a quick word about the fact the MB1351 Morris Minor Saloon had a very similar look in the 9-packs earlier this year. You might notice that those are a darker shade than this release. And they had a black interior.

Now we move on to the first of the brand new castings. With 8 models in the batch, half of them are new castings. They really struggled to get the castings out more evenly. 4 here, and the last batch containing 8 new castings. 12 of the 24 new castings appear in the last 2 batches. And, amazingly, 24 out of 50 are new. That is a lot of new tooling for Moving Parts. Is it not time to expand the range as well? We have a lot of tooling (plus some of the new Collectors castings also work here) in the database now to start expanding the Moving Parts series. Whether it be a larger series (maybe 60 or perhaps the golden 75 moniker from before). Or expanding to side sets. A Moving Parts triple pack? 3 models themed together? Anyway, I am sidetracking. New casting. This is the MB1472 '22 Nissan Townstar, A modern van for Moving Parts. This is well and truly needed. Let's see, a quick addition, carry the 1, yes, this is the 2nd van created for Moving Parts. The MB1222 DIVCO Milk Van being the other. I don't include the MB1373 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, as I see that as an RV, based on a van. Not a regular van.

The Nissan debuts in the number 12 slot in 2024, and launches in a simple MBX Dry Cleaners design.

I am loving the look. I like the dry cleaners design for the model. Very realistic. The shape of the van appears to be captured very well.

However, there does appear to be quite a big flaw, when it comes to the opening doors. For this, they have created a sliding rear door on both sides. I did check, just in case you could make up something silly in the writing with it, you can't. But, do these look very level to you?

They are not well-fitted at all. I can't show it off, but they slot beautifully in place. There is a resounding click when you close them. Closed, they are excellent. Open, and they don't slide well, are wobbly, and almost feel like you can wrangle them out of the body. I don't want to try and do that, just in case I break it and have to buy another. Or is that the point? Break. Buy another. Spend more money. Ha ha! I think, trying to look inside the top edge with a torch, that what they did was create a double slot along the top end to click into. So, when you click it shut, both top ends are clicked into place. But, in doing that, when you start sliding open, the rearmost slot becomes a notch that the front corner can wobble into and cause the whole door to go funny. If that makes sense. The bottom also uses notches to slot into, and this has the same problem. But, even more than that, when you check the door hinges, there is too much play between the top of the body and the top of the interior section. This means that the doors are wobbly while opening as well. Their internal hinges have quite a gap to play with.  So, when it is open, you do see quite a lot going wrong. Sometimes, if you get it lined up wrong, it catches when you attempt to slide it back as well. It is a shame, as this is really not a great way of building up the opening part here. By comparison, the original opening sliding door model, the MB128 Dodge Caravan, had a single notch on the top. That was it. But, this notch extended sideways over the front door. This would give it rigidity. You pull out, and slide sideways smoothly. Of course, if you were to pull from the bottom, that could snap off. So, I think the best solution would have been a single notch top and bottom, with the ability to slide them along over and under the front doors. There is enough space to accommodate that without the extra pieces being noticeable.

Being a Nissan, it is a bit boring at the front. Is it me, or does the Nissan brand not have an eye-catching front end any longer (except on the sportiest of vehicles)? But, the Matchbox model has captured that perfectly, helped with the fact it received a tampo print. Along with the 2 sides and 2 doors being printed, that means it got 5 passes through the tampo machine in total. Not bad going.

Scores. Inclusion. I think that is a 10. As I noted, to date the Moving Parts has had 1 van. And that was a classic. It is about time it had another, and the most logical would be a modern one. So, well done on giving us another van. Casting? Shape? Great. Attention to detail? Brilliant. Opening feature? Yikes! I do think that is a real sore point with the model. The idea for opening the sliding doors is fantastic. The way it has been done is not. It really lets it down. So, I am scoring this a 5 out of 10. It is a poor opening feature on this one. Design? I think it is a fun design, and extremely realistic. I am not sure how it translates into other languages beyond English, but as an English speaker, I am also giving this a 10. A grand total of 25.

As it is a new casting, it gets the obligatory base shot.

Next up, we have the MB1387 '24 Chevy Blazer EV. This debuted in the final batch last year, and returns in blue in the number 14 slot.

If you have been following my reports for a while, you might remember that I was not the biggest fan of this one when it arrived. It was mainly down to the roof being a part of the window section. Something we have seen a lot in basics, but are now starting to see in Moving Parts as well. Considering many models simply have 1 extra piece over a basic, and sometimes 1 or 2 extra passes through the tampo machine, the fact that they cost considerably more, to me, meant that the body would still be mainly metal. So, getting a roof like that in a higher cost vehicle was not preferable to me.

However, I do like this blue more. It does seem to pop better than the dark red of the debut did. The detailing is top-notch, as expected. Why change a winning formula there? And I didn't even notice the little side detailing last time, just behind the front wheel. Obviously, that model was much darker, and it didn't stand out. Now it does, I think it is a slight improvement.

Under the hood does seem to be better. Last time, it really just felt like somebody had thrown some black paint at it. This time, you can clearly see the Chevy bow-tie, and a few other enhancements make it just that bit better. I still feel that this was perhaps not the right part to have opened. If this is how the real Blazer looks underneath, they should have opened the doors instead. What? You would need a full metal body for that? Oh, well, sacrifices. Ha ha! Was that a little sneaky jibe? Overall, I think this is not a bad look. I am giving it a 8.

I think it is mildly better than the red was.

And they have enhanced the tampo printing. So, I am happier with this one than I was with last year's debut.

Ooh! Porsche! This is the MB1465 Porsche Taycan GTS Sport Turismo. Phew! That's a mouthful. It takes the number 19 slot in the Moving Parts series for 2024, and debuts in a lovely dark red.

I am going to get this straight out of the way. There was a small blooper at the factory when they were creating the base. This is, confirmed by Mattel, MB1465. The base had MB1468 on it. It has been rectified, and next year's release will correctly state it is MB1465.

The correct MB1468 is the '78 Ford Bronco, which arrived a few batches ago. So, if you have made a note of the manufacturing number from the base, please amend it. Just like Mattel have amended the base for future outings. Again, this is MB1465.

So, let's begin with the name. The Porsche Taycan is an electric vehicle from Porsche. The standard electric vehicle is classified as a saloon (or sedan). Then they have created a shooting brake style, known as Turismo. There are 2 versions. A Cross Turismo is lifted, and more in the vein of an SUV. The Sport Turismo is lower (hence the Sport moniker), and is a regular Shooting Brake vehicle, which is another way of saying that is a wagon. Or estate in some markets. GTS is just the version. Taycan, Taycan 4, 4S, GTS, Turbo and Turbo S are the 6 main levels of vehicle. It is really cool having a Porsche wagon in the range. This is definitely something new. There has never been a Porsche wagon in Matchbox before. The Panamera is classified as a Liftback. I believe it is the first true Porsche wagon in real life as well. Just as wagons start falling out of favour, Porsche jump on the bandwagon. Ha!

You might be thinking, are those doors weird? It looks like the side profile jumps as the door begins. No, that is how Porsche designed the Taycan. Matchbox has done a fantastic job in replicating this. using the base section to come up at the rear like that matches the real vehicle. I am really not seeing faults with this. And I am not being biased because it is a Porsche!

The doors are solid. They have a good clunk to them when you close them. They fit neatly in the space. I'm actually trying to find a fault now.

And I am just not getting one. The roofline here is a great replica of the way that Porsche made theirs. So, this should really be formed from the window element in that way. They have done this beautifully with the rest of the section still created from the body. This is how I would love to see other models made. Just look at how wonderfully created the side of the roofline is, built up from the body section. The rear spoiler at the top standing out like that by being a part of the body. This is just a dream casting for me.

Scoring this is easy. Inclusion. 10 out of 10. A Porsche wagon? Oh boy, oh boy! Brilliant choice. Casting? 10 out of 10. There is a small gap to the rear of the front doors when closed, but it is enhanced in this picture compared to how it looks in person, when you are holding it. Design? Porsche calls this colour Carmine Red. It is a standard Porsche option. With simple front and rear tampo printing, it is pretty much all I would expect from it. There is no real need for any further enhancements. So, 10 out of 10. Yes, I am extremely satisfied with this one. I don't care about the mess-up of the MAN number. It is being corrected. A total score of 30 out of 30 for a new casting. Wow! More like this please.

Next up, we see the MB1311 '95 VW Golf Mk3 in blue. It takes the number 21 slot in the series for 2024.

I believe this might have been the Mystic Blue option that VW had at the time. Or it could have been Starblau. It is not the easiest to judge, but VW did have a few dark blue colour options at the time. So, this is very realistic.

The model has simple front and rear tampos. Very realistic. Nothing to complain about there. The wheels are pretty standard. But, this is a standard Golf. They didn't attempt the GTi variant or anything fancy. Just a regular Golf. A bit like when Lesney first launched the first Golf back in 1976. That was an LS version. Nothing fancy (although it did have surfboards on the roof).

And because this has an opening rear, that does equate to 3 passes through the tamp machine. Front and rear body, plus the tailgate pass. That just contained the VW badge and licence plate. Hmm! Nothing in the rear.

With many thanks to the guys at Wheel Collectors, they made sure to get me the alternate with items in the back. This was no easy feat, as with the new for 2024 packaging, you cannot see in the back. The only way to know which you have is to open the package. And, bless them, they opened a few up, to ensure I got one of each. I actually cannot fault this look. So, I am giving it a 10 out of 10.

It joins the 2022 metallic red debut with 2 interior variations.

And the 2023 release in mint green, all with 2 variations.

So, just like with the Morris Minor Tourer at the start of this report, we are no2 3 years in, and 6 variations in for the model. Mind you, I saw that Luke McKenna in Australia has pointed out that this has a nice shade of blue to it. I do not know yet whether I am going to be able to get both shades in both variations. It is out there, and I will see what I can do. I do love a shade!

That Golf was in blue, and I showcased the Chevy Blazer, which was also in blue. Hmm! Not enough blue. Let's throw another in the mix. Yep. This is the 3rd blue model in a set of 8. Overkill? Perhaps. Although, this one is much more of an electric blue than the 2 darker ones shown already. It is the MB1304 '16 Land Rover Evoque Convertible, taking the number 29 slot in the range. As with the Moggie and Golf, this is also in its 3rd year in the range. But, with no variation to find, this means there are only 4 to date. Wait? What? It debuted twice!

I have to say, I love this shade of blue. Back in 2017, Land Rover released a special version of the Range Rover Evoque. It was known as the Landmark Special Edition, and was painted in Moraine Blue, which was inspired by the turquoise waters of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. I think this is what they were aiming for with this release. I think it looks stunning. Yes, there is still quite a gap to the opening doors. But, when it comes to the look of the model, this is my favourite one released to date.

Tampo-wise, I cannot fault the look there either. The simple front and rear detailing is spot on, and looks fantastic. It really pops on this blue release. I think the double 10-spokes work great as well. This whole thing seems to pop.

The gaps in the doors are still jarring. And the way the passenger side door doesn't align is still annoying. Why don't they fix that? But, when it comes to the look, I absolutely love this one. Purely based on the design, I am giving this a 10. If I was to point out that the doors (particularly the passenger) need fixing, it would reduce the score.

As I mentioned, it debuted twice. At the beginning of the 2022 series in white.

Returning at the end of the year in dark red.

For 2023, we had a champagne coloured model. I do like this model, and would be more than happy to see more. But, please, fix that darned door!

For those not paying attention, the blue was the first one with chrome wheels. 2022 was gunmetal, and 2023 was plain black. Next year, they are white. Ha ha! Only kidding. Although if they are, I will be laughing so loud.

There are 2 models left to go, and both are brand new castings. The first, well this has a few bloopers. Firstly, this is a 2022 OPEL Mokka.

If you were to pay attention to the artwork, you might have noticed the first mistake. That's a Vauxhall badge on the front of the car.

Now we move on to blooper number 2. What does that say on the base? 2022 Opel Mokka? Yep. Expected. MB1453? Shades of Taycan. Wrong!

MB1453 is the '23 Audi RS6 Avant. I have confirmed again with Mattel, this model has had the base altered in readiness for its next outing. It is MB1454. Only 1 out this time.

So, the Opel (and yes, that is an Opel badge on the front of the model) debuts in the number 41 slot in 2024 and comes in green. The real vehicle is sold in Iconic Green. However, I have to admit, the real green is actually a brighter shade than this. It feels like this was a little reserved. It reminds me a little of the Mazda 2 when it debuted in a duller green, then saw a running change to brighten it up. However, with such a small production window, it is not going to get a running change. Shame!

Another thing I have noticed with this is that there is no exhaust on it. A little history, the Mokka was first launched in 2012. Opel of Vauxhall, depending on market, and in other countries around the world, GM, who owned them at the time, also created the Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Trax, Chevrolet Tracker and Holden Trax for various other markets as well. However, after Stellantis bought Vauxhall/Opel from GM, they created a second generation, and it is just the Mokka. They then launched an electric offshoot, known as the Mokka-e alongside the regular ICE engine version. It appears that Matchbox has gone with the electric one without making a big song and dance about it.

Which I believe is confirmed by the opening of the engine bay. That looks to be a mock-up of an electric vehicle bay to me. Honestly, I know cars, but when you open up the engine bay, I am useless. It is metal, pipes, places to add fluids and other stuff. I could never rebuild an engine. I am hopeless.

But, vehicles? I know them. And I think they have nailed this effortlessly. Even the opening engine bay. Just look how far it opens, and stays up easily. It closes smoothly and snugly. The shape is spot on. Even those wheel arches. You might be thinking those wheel arches don't look very smooth as they go over the top of the wheel. But, that is how the real vehicle is built. The cladding around the wheel arch does sport a little notch at the top. This is a great casting, and something I am extremely happy to see.

Scores. Inclusion? As a British person, I am slightly sad over not seeing the Vauxhall nameplate being used. A cheeky wink with the artwork aside. But, I see why they would obviously go with the more worldwide brand name. So, it is not a deal breaker. Seeing a modern Opel/Vauxhall vehicle again is a sight for sore eyes, and I am very happy to get one again. So, this gets a 10 from me. Casting. Again, a beautiful job in creating this in miniature. I cannot fault the build. 10 out of 10 again. Design. The 1 flaw. As I said, I think they should have given us a jazzier green paint. More in line with the Iconic Green of the real vehicle. It would have made this stand out even more. That was the only flaw in an almost perfect debut. 9 out of 10. I am definitely looking forward to seeing many more of these over coming years.

And this brings us to the last model in the set. And the last of the new castings. This is the MB1467 '92 Buick Roadmaster Estate. It debuts in the number 47 slot in the series, and comes in white, with a faux wood panel design.

This is quite a significant model. The Wagon was a popular type of vehicle in the United States during the mid 20th century, but as tastes change, people started looking at different offerings, and an American made wagon was actually stopped with the last of the 8th Generation Roadmaster in 1996 (and Chevy Caprice). The next US wagon was a certain Dodge Magnum 8 years later. So, this was the last of a certain type. The Magnum gave the wagon a new style. The history of this model is actually a convergence of 2 different Buick lines. The Roadmaster debuted in 1936, when Buick decided to differentiate its vehicles from the sister Cadillac and Oldsmobile vehicles. Each were known as "Series (followed by a number, divisible by 10)".  The Buick Series 80 became Roadmaster.  It ran for 7 generations until 1958, and served as a flagship model for most of it. In 1991, they decided to bring the nameplate back for their latest flagship model. But, they already had the Estate moniker in use, as this had debuted in 1940, but had been replaced in 1964 by a Sport Wagon. 1970 saw the Estate name return as their top wagon offering. This converged with the Roadmaster name for the final generation, as the Estate was (from 1970 through 1990) a unique model, but the Roadmaster was a sedan and wagon. It ran from 1991 through 1996, and Matchbox have given us the 1992 look. And, it looks stunning!

I am loving all the wood on this. Not just down the sides, but the rear is covered in it as well.

Combined with a front detail, and the fact that the doors open on this, I count 6 passes through the tampo machine. And this model is nice and long. Nice and heavy. Nice and solid. It has been so expertly executed in its design.

The doors open and close smoothly, and fit snugly. The detailing all over in the casting is fantastic. I don't about other people, but I think this is definitely one of the highlights of the batch (along with the Porsche, which is also a wagon).

This is just about perfect. What a debut! The lines are just right, with the sloping rear cast just as a real vehicle would look. I can literally see no issues with this model. I love it! I have to admit, I have been lobbying to get this in the Matchbox range for a few years. I always thought we should have had a model like this, and boy have they not disappointed me. Thank you Mattel!

I am sure you have already guessed my scores for this. 10, 10, 10! Inclusion is something I have been wanting for years. That was obvious. Casting is flawless. I can't see anything that could have been changed to enhance this further than what they have done already. This is one of Garry Gopinath's creations. I remember when the Lincoln Continental arrived in the basic range, singing his praises. He is an amazing designed, and it was a pleasure meeting him at the 2023 Matchbox Gathering in Albuquerque. It is a shame he wasn't at the 2024 event for me to shake his hand, and thank him for these amazing models. I hope he is reading. If so, thanks Garry! Design? How can you knock this. A full wrap of tampo prints. And all that wood-effect put to good use. I am so looking forward to seeing many more of these over the next few years. All complete with all that wood!

And if it could be any more perfect, here is a shot of the base, with the correct MAN number already in place. Boom! Mic drop!

Rats! Where did the mic go? I have my closing statement to make. I hope you enjoyed my latest ramblings. I have to say, this is a solid batch. There are some real standouts in the crowd as well. I love that every model is unique in the box, but still wish for bigger box assortments. Having half the batch consisting of new castings is a high percentage, but wait to the next batch.

As next batch is not exactly going to have much in the way of existing castings. The only one will be a chase model. I am curious which of the brand new tools that get launched in the final batch will be dropped to make way for it? Giving us a second chase of sorts. Because, box cases are too small. Do you think I will get tired of complaining about that?

And thank you Wheel Collectors for ensuring that I got both interior variations on the 2 models that sport them.

As these head off, my attention turns to next week, where I hope to show off the Leipzig promotionals. Keeping my fingers crossed for no postal hiccups! Until then, I hope everybody has a safe and happy week.