Matchbox Monday high fives the first half of the 5th batch

This is the first 8 models from a large assortment that makes up the 5th 2026 basic range batch from Matchbox. However, there has been a small blooper. You see, when it comes to the guys in El Segundo, they work in numerical mixes, as they call them. So, the first batch of 2026 was known as mix 1. The second batch mix 2. And so on, up to mix 12 for the twelfth batch. This is how they are referred to. But, when these "mixes" get sent out to the factory in Thailand, they will be given 3 different codes to work from made up of a mix of letters and numbers. They have a code for long card assortments, a code for short card assortments, and a final code for power grabs. Each model within these assortments will also be assigned 3 codes. Again, a mix of letters and numbers. Each one assigned to a specific model and how it is packaged, whether in long or short card, or in a box (even if it doesn't fit in the box and ends up being left out). The factory works off these codes, and when they finish production of a batch of models, these will end up in the outer box with the code for the type of package inside (long, short, power), and then they print a letter at the end to denote which assortment it is. We have the usual skipped letters. I, being too close to 1. O, being too close to 0. However, usually, the rest will match up. Mix 1 becomes batch A across all 3 different package types. Mix 2 becomes batch B. Mix 3 becomes batch C. Mix 4 becomes batch D. Mix 5? Well, that should be an "E". Sadly, the factory has made a small mistake. When they got the details of producing mix 5, they accidentally misread the selection. Mix 5 has 15 models in it. Yes, 15! They initially started to run only 9 of them. This was in a long card assortment, and these were boxed up and shipped out with an E at the end of the case details. Then they realized there was supposed to be another 6. Oops! These were then added to the production run before running any short card or power grab assortments, and at this time, they put the assortment of models in all 3 types of package (long and short card, power grab) in outer boxes. Somebody in the factory thought, hmm, new batch, and printed an "F" on them. It wasn't a new batch, it was just a corrected batch. These had already been shipped out before anybody realized. So, it's too late to bring them all back and repackage in a box that says E. So, what to do? Just continue on. Therefore, the 5th batch of the year is going to be in boxes that have an F on them, as well as a few random long card boxes that will say E and be missing 6 of the batch. This is why models that roll over into a second batch were still being included in what we see as the F box. Because it is technically E part 2. Therefore, the actual 6th batch will have a G on the outer boxes. 7th batch H, 8th batch J, 9th batch K, 10th batch L, 11th batch M with the 12th and final batch seeing an N. This is how 2026 will be playing out in the basic range. Other ranges, like Moving Parts, will still see an E as normal. 2027, all being well, will be back to normal. It was just the 2026 basic range that had a small blip due to missing 6 of the models in the batch in the first run. So, when you see a box that has a G on it, and think it is the 7th batch of 2026? No, it is only the 6th batch. You see a box that says H? 8th batch? No, 7th batch, and possibly including the super chase, because super chases appear in every 3 batches. Which, for 2026, will now be A, D, H and L. Hopefully, this has been made clear. I don't want people saying after the M boxes appear that not all 125 models are out. There will not be 125 models at that point. As it currently stands, batch M (now the 11th batch) will take us up to 115 out of 125, with a final 10 models due in batch N, as long as everything else goes to plan. So, 1 final time. This 5th batch is both batch E & F if you were to find the outer boxes unopened on long card. Short card and power grab have simply jumped from D to F, no E. Okay, now that I have hopefully cleared all that up, we will start working our way through the first 8 models in the large batch. 

Wheel Collectors have kindly sent me over batch F. This first report will only see me showing models in their power grab boxes, as they got those in first. However, they do have long cards as well. They were just late in getting those. You will see some of those in my second half of batch F in a few weeks. And the first one is a new casting. The MB1598 '97 McLaren F1 GT. It debuts in a lovely British Racing Green as MB32.

I am so happy to see models like this in the Matchbox range. Ever since Mattel took over the Matchbox brand, they have been very careful about how to differentiate between Matchbox and their other in-house brand. I don't say their name, but you know who I am talking about. But, there has been a recent push for the Matchbox portfolio to get a sprinkling of super cars and racing cars, which at one point would only be across the hall. And I do applaud the Matchbox team for that. They are David, to the other team's Goliath. For me? This is a big win. Wow! The McLaren F1 GT? The F1 was McLaren's very first road car. They had been a Formula 1 team since 1966, after Bruce McLaren set up his own team in 1963, finally arriving in F1 at the 1966 Monaco Grand Prix. It was Gordon Murray, their chief technical designer, who convinced Ron Dennis, who was in charge of McLaren at the time, to create an actual car for the road. The aptly named F1 debuted in 1992, and was produced for 7 years finishing in 1998. It wasn't until 2012 that they decided to go all-in on making road cars as well, with the debut of the MP4-12C. When it came to the F1, they made 62 standard F1s, with 7 going to the USA, and being altered by Ameritech for legal reasons. In 1996, they released the LM variant, 5 special models as a celebration of winning the 1995 Le Mans race in a racing version of the F1. 2 additional F1s were altered into a High Downforce Kit (HDK) which mirrored the LM. Finally, for 1997, with increased competition in GT racing, the standard F1 as a racing car was not going to cut it, especially with an overhaul for 1997. So, they created a unique car known as the GTR for racing. It was longer, had wider wheel arches and extra louvres. A few other subtle variations. At that time, they only had to homologate 1 for road use. It was known as the GT, and was painted Silverstone Green, as the model is, and displayed at motor shows. They weren't even going to sell it. It just had to be made. But, a private seller in Switzerland convinced them to sell it to him. The next thing, the Sultan of Brunei was at their door. I want one. Yep, sure. They made him one in black. They then did a final one in burgundy, which now sits in the ZAZ museum in Japan. So, we actually have 3, but the original was not an actual production car. It is technically classed as a prototype, as it was not planned to be sold. The F1 GT is therefore produced in a grand total of 2 production and 1 prototype in real life. And Matchbox has made a model based on the prototype. 

The model has actually been cast by Ronald Wong. Ronald has been with Mattel since 2014, but actually works on their other car brand, where he is currently in charge of their premium line. But, when he heard that Matchbox were going to tackle the F1 GT, he was straight over. He needs to make that one. Sure, go for it. And, go for it, he did. As I said, he usually works on premium stuff. So he knows how to create a decent casting. All I can say is wow! This almost feels like a premium model. It is exceptionally well done. Is this convincing me to look at the main competitor to Matchbox? No. I will only collect Matchbox. But, when people come in and show me what they can do, I can say that they know their stuff. After all, he has been there for 12 years. If he wasn't good, he wouldn't still be there, and now in charge or certain areas. So, kudos to Ronald. He has blown my mind with this one. 

There are not an awful lot of pictures of the original to go by, But, when I check the model against those I do see, I honestly cannot fault this in any way. Ronald has absolutely nailed it! The louvres on the front are very well crafted.

And the way that the roof looks is spot-on. I honestly cannot fault this in any way. It almost brings a tear to my eye. It is fantastic. 

When it comes to the design, again, flawless. The Silverstone Green is absolutely perfect. This is exactly how the show car looked. The rear has been beautifully tampo printed. 

The interior in the real one was tan leather. This is tan. Perfect. The light smoke windows suit it very well, and those wheels are the best ones they have in their portfolio for it. The real one had 5-spoke wheels as well. And, to be honest, it doesn't really need anything beyond the 2 passes through the tampo machine. Front and rear. Faultless. 

I bet you are really curious how I am going to score this. Inclusion. 10. Casting. 10. Design. 10. Are you in any way shocked? This is a fantastic addition, and a perfect way to start. I am very much looking forward to seeing if they are able to do the other 2 "real" colours?

We saw a rare look at the Sultan of Brunei's car when he shipped it back to the UK in 2022 for McLaren to tidy it up. There were a few snapshots as it got unloaded from the plane at Heathrow Airport, before it was covered up for transporting. 

And the burgundy one in Japan has seen the sunlight on occasion too. 

This is a new casting, so it does get the obligatory base shot. 

The second model is also new. The MB1616 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Ambulance. This one debuts in the MB35 slot in white.

I was always quite amazed that Matchbox never made models of the Sprinter before. The first generation debuted in 1995, with a second gen in 2006, and the current one arriving in 2018. However, we never saw any Sprinter until the MB1373 Sprinter arrived in Moving Parts in 2023, as a camper vehicle. It was only used twice (to date), as I am hoping it will still return. And now we get a basic range model. This is a completely different style. This is an ambulance. Which I do like. Take a model, and give us different variants of it. A camper in Moving Parts, and an ambulance in basics. Brilliant. 

Now, first things first, this is a basic range model. So it gets the plastic body, metal base treatment. Much like the previous Renault Master Ambulance casting. The camper was given a metal body, and is heavier. But, Moving Parts allows for them to do a bit more. Less plastic, more tampo. Parts that move. So, I am not overly fussed about having the plastic body. I know some are not keen on it. But, what I tend to find is, plastic allows them to give us much sharper detail to models. The door lines here are very sharp. The shape has been captured very well too. 

And for those who are curious, there is a side window on the far side. So, you can look inside and see the interior. It comes with blue windows as these also form the roof light. 

It has been a long time since we had a vehicle with a separate light bar. I have grown used to it. It doesn't bother me. You can see the sharp details in the roof here too. 

The rear as well. Excellent work on getting all the details on the model. It is quite important on a model like this, as in general, we are likely to only see side printing on the model. The front and rear are very unlikely to be detailed. 

Which brings me to the front. Is it me, or does the front look a little blobby? It doesn't feel crisp, sharp, detailed. You can just make out the tristar. But, the detail at the very front is somewhat of a letdown. Which is a complete shame. As this one part lets down the vehicle for me. 

The side design looks nice. Quite American in its livery. Where I am in the UK, you can't put blue and yellow on an ambulance. Blue and yellow is police. Red and yellow is fire. Black and yellow is traffic control. Green and yellow is paramedic/ambulance. We are quite picky in the UK, but I know other countries will have a completely different way of doing things. So, it felt quite American to me, but I am sure other people in other countries will also say it feels quite a bit like something they could see in their country. I have no qualms with the look. I like it. It is very realistic. So, scoring it is as follows. Inclusion. Yes, 10. It's about time we had a Sprinter in the basic range. Casting. An 8. I think the front end is the biggest letdown on this model. It lost its fine detailing. Design. I am happy with the final look. A white ambulance always works, and the design does look good. Back to a 10. This gives the model a 28 out of 30 for a debut. Still pretty decent. 

Oh, and there's that metal base. 

The third model is the latest outing for the MB723 VW Beetle 4x4. For 2026, it comes in tan as MB38.

I can't believe that this debuted all the way back in 2007, and Ryu Asada's design has only once needed altering. The interior and rear engine were amalgamated into one piece in 2014. By my count, this is design number 21 for the model. And the first time that it has appeared in beige. Which is quite qurprising. After all, this is the sort of vehicle to be found bouncing around on dunes, and in the sand. I thought that a colour sort of similar to sand would be quite logical. But, no, 20 years! Thankfully, Michael Heralda has fixed that little gap with this lovely look. I love the sweeping red, orange and yellow design. It gives it a bit of a retro vibe. And he has thrown in a few fun little notes. His A58 moniker, so you know who was behind the design. Plus a Payne Speed Shop (for Julian Payne) and Gopinath Exhaust Systems (for Garry Gopinath). And that VW logo behind the window matches so well. The gold wheels are a lovely touch.

The most recent designs on this one have been absolute corkers, and all give me a bit of a retro vibe. This is definitely one of the best looks this model has seen. I am definitely happy to give this a perfect 10. And what's even better than this one?

These 3! Ha! I have called them creamy tan, pinky tan and yellowy tan. I love finding shades! My wallet doesn't. But it doesn't have a say. I am not going to bounce back into the history of this one again, as I only did a dive back a few months ago when it was in the 2025 basic range. I have another big dive on a model in this batch, and thought 2 of them? Not this time. 

This brings us to the third new casting of the batch. The MB1588 '02 Mazda RX-7 Spirit R. This is the 4th classic Mazda RX casting we have seen this decade, after the '04 Mazda RX-8 (basics), '88 Mazda RX-7 Convertible (Moving Parts) and '73 Mazda Savanna RX-3 (Premium). I am still hoping for a 1974 Mazda RX-4 Wagon at some point. I don't think a miniature scale model of it has ever been made? Although somebody might correct me. The new Spirit R debuts in silver as MB45.

Now, I have often mentioned how I don't want the same vehicle done multiple times. Matchbox made the third and final generation of RX-7 back in 1993, and MB251 was actually used in one range or another until 2002. However, when you dig deeper into the Mazda RX-7 range, the first generation was given 2 updates during its time, and are known as series 1, 2 and 3. The second generation was given a single facelift, and these are known as series 4 and 5. The final RX-7 debuted in 1992 (series 6), given a facelift in 1996 (series 7) and a final facelift in 1998 (series 8). Which means that technically, we had a series 6 and now we get a series 8. But, not just any series 8. Series 6 was sold worldwide, but when series 7 came out in 1996, it was only made in RHD, and only sold in countries where that works. Australia, New Zealand, UK. Europe was stopped due to new emission regulations, and sales in North America were low, so it wasn't deemed continuing a LHD variant. When series 8 arrived in 1998, they just stopped exporting it full stop. It was Japanese exclusive. A true JDM. And when it came to the Spirit R, this was a final hurrah for the car. A limited edition of 1,500 models, It was epitome of everything cool about the RX-7. Absolutely every extra that they had made for limited edition runs were thrown in, plus a few extra bits. 

This is the first model to see a new wheel. Yes, that is a new wheel. It looks a lot like the wheel that was on the McLaren. That is because it is the same design. 5-star. However, this is smaller than the other wheel. And the star itself does look fractionally thicker. It is subtle, but it is there. This is also another vehicle that has been created by Tyler Charest. He has done an amazing job. From the curvature of the doors, expertly crafted, and the subtle way the side arcs out towards the rear wheel, he has captured the look very well. I am seriously impressed. And just look at the way the window and roofline match up. Smooth! 

The front skirt is low, and sits out the front from the base section. Which works perfectly because the rear one is not body coloured. It also features a standard front Japanese licence plate section, as this was a JDM model. The front air intake is fantastic, and the way the tampo lights on the edge and front plate are minimal, just matches the real vehicle. However, the one thing that is wrong. Do you notice something on the interior? This is facing us, so that is LHD. It's a JDM model. It should have been RHD. It's the one little faux pas with the casting. Which is such a shame, because it is awesome.

I love the back end, and the rear spoiler is a fantastic little creation. Again, highlighted with just the right tampo printing necessary, although why didn't they put the same rear licence plate detail on the front licence plate? Talking of which, 13B REW? You might be wondering what that means? Is it a code? Nope. It is the internal name for the rotary engine that is found in the 3rd generation RX-7. A little nod to the engine. How cool is that?

And I love the colour. Titanium Grey Metallic was an exclusive colour made just for the Spirit R. It feels like this was a logical colour to start with. I love the red interior as well, and the tampo was great. Although, I do wish they put the rear licence plate on the front as well. Match them up. 

So, let's put some scores to this one. Inclusion. I love it. A final hurrah for the RX-7 is such a cool model to include. A perfect 10. Casting. Tyler did a brilliant job. But, it's a JDM, and should have been RHD. So I have to knock a point off. 9 out of 10. Design. Again, I am being a little mean. I do think front and rear plates should match, if they are detailing them up. Plus, again, it is a JDM. It should not have had a California plate. California is not in Japan. Sure, there could be a grey import knocking around California somewhere. But, they should have stuck to more of a stock Japanese look. RHD and Japanese plates, which have to match front and rear. So, again, it loses a point. Another 9. Which gives this one a 28 out of 30. The same as the Sprinter. That is still very decent, and I do absolutely love this one. Scores be damned, this is still one of my favourite models of the year so far. 

And I am very much looking forward to seeing plenty more of these over the coming years. It is awesome!

From one of Tyler's castings, to another. The MB1524 '23 Chevy Corvette Z06 convertible. This is the model's second outing in the basic range, and this time it takes the MB48 slot in orange.

Chevy called this Amplify Orange Tint. It is one of their official colour options for the Z06, and translating it to the model, all I can say is ooh yeah! This looks incredible. Last year's debut in black was sexy, but this orange look does look fantastic as well. This model is seeing some fantastic looks. It still keeps the black interior, and those chrome ringed wheels work very well on this one. Especially next to those headlights. It's such a great match. As we would expect, this model sees just front and rear tampo, which you cannot go wrong with on a basic range car.

It really does not need anything more added. I love the licence plate. Envy! Let me reiterate, ooh yeah! There is nothing that can be done with this one to make it even better. Oh wait, one thing....

Shades! Now it is perfect. An easy 10 out of 10 for this one. It looks incredible. 

I do like black cars. They look awesome in black. But, this one in orange definitely takes last year's debut and improves it. 

And last year, they didn't even put a licence plate on it. I do like the recurring ring on a wheel look. I wonder if that will continue with the next release? Not too long to wait. It's in an upcoming Walmart set. Something I am really looking forward to showcasing later this month.

Next up, we move on to the MB1356 '20 Polaris Ranger EV. 2026 marks its fourth outing in the basic range now, and it takes the MB50 slot in grey.

You have to take your hat off to Mattel for plugging away with side by sides, ATVs, or whatever you call them. They are never the most popular of vehicles. They are a little bit of a niche area for the brand, and this current one is definitely warming pegs where I am. So much so, that the next batch is out, selling through, and this one is still sitting there accumulating space. I don't know how it is doing in other countries. Maybe they are selling better. Which is a shame. This is so well done. Abe Lugo created a fantastic rendition of the real vehicle, and this grey design is an official Polaris look for the Pro XD model, from their commercial division. You can't really fault the end look for this one. Well, should I say the side look. The front end does not get any detailing for the first time. 

However, the rear did get detailed for the first time. They obviously decided to take it a different way with their eking out tampo prints on this one. It is very well done. I give them that. And for the look, I can't deny them a 10 for effort. It does look exactly like the real Pro XD does. But, I do worry that this is not the best model for continued use in the basic range. None of the Polaris castings have ever felt to me to be one that sells well. The Slingshot. The RZR. The recent '25 RZR Pro R 4 Sport. All very different to each other, but each one still being a bit of a niche vehicle. And I don't think the kids really want a lot of niche ones. Hence, them being pegwarmers. 

Let's remind ourselves of the previous ones again. It debuted in 2023 in black. It could be found with either a satin or matte finish, which is why I have 2. Plus, it is useful to show off that they used to see side plus front tampo. 

In 2024, it turned up in white.

And last year, it was given a blue outing in the basic range. 

Which does mean this one gets a nice variety of colours over the 4 years. Not like the original RZR that only came in black. But, I do worry that this is not the best for basic range use. Multipack use? Sure. Let's get some 5-pack outings of a rural nature. It's about time we had another farming style 5-pack. This would work really well in a pack like that. Heck, I would not be opposed to seeing this in National Parks. Ooh! That would be cool. If Polaris were to sign off on that, I would give it one more shot as a basic. But, otherwise, I am hoping this is the last single issue for it. 

We move on from that to a model that does actually work in a long run. Why? Well, this MB953 Chevy K-1500 Pickup 4x4 was originally released in 1996, under the MB249 moniker. So, in its 21st year of usage, it makes a return to the basic range in a retro looking vibe as MB51.

The thing is, the 1990s are cool again. We are seeing quite a lot of retro stuff from the 1990s making a comeback. CD and tape sales are on the up. Kids are buying disposable cameras for that retro vibe. And Matchbox has been adding quite a few new castings from the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s into the mix. So, this one fits in absolutely perfectly. And we have seen a proper retro look on this recently in a Target Retro outing, but this new look is a nod to the originals, without being an actual colour design re-used.

It's almost like a mix of 2 basic range outings from the 1990s being mashed together for a new outing. I love it. However, I do think that the grey used on the base section was a little light. Light greys do tend to look quite wishy-washy, with little streaks running through them. And you can see some of the streaks running down the front of the model. On the interior, it doesn't matter quite as much. But, because that front end does see a lot of the base running up to the hood, I would have preferred a darker grey tint, unless there was any way they could chrome it. I know they are limited to how many models get chromed, due to cost, but this is one that could have seen it. That would have been awesome, as it was always chromed in the early years. But, it is a minor quibble. Nothing to really get worked up about, but it does stop me giving it a perfect 10. So, a 9.5 for this one. Really good, and I hope we still see occasional outings. It still has life. It still looks sharp. 

Now, when this debuted back in 1996, under the MB249 manufacturing number, it was a US exclusive in black. It came with the same side design colours that the new release came in, although on that one, I did see some shading to the yellow part. 

Although it did make it out to the world as part of the 1996 Off Road 5-pack in bright orange. 

1997's basic range outing was still only for the US market, and this time it was in yellow, with the same design, but now in red and white. 

And if you were in the USA, you might have found 1 of 10,000 Gold Challenge models, mixed in with the basics. However, if you are like me, you will have 2, as the shade varied on the gold.

But, again, worldwide 5-packs saw another outing, this time in green in the Rugged Riders pack.

In 1998, the model finally arrived worldwide in the basic range. This was the blue that Target Retro repeated a few years back. However, as you can see, this had a much darker blue colour, which did shade a little, and the side tampo was green and white. Now, there is a small addendum to this one, as the USA saw a 20-pack "Starter Collection" that year, and the Chevy came with a red and white side instead of green and white. I am still trying to finish off finding them all, with the last 2 exclusive models from that set (this and the all-white Refuse Truck) still eluding me. 

Aside from the 2 blues, we also saw 2 5-pack outings. Red was part of the Rugged Riders pack, and white was a World Cup issue.

In 1999, it was back to being a US exclusive. Again it was blue, and this time it had a proper design on the side for Evergreen Landscapes. A design that would not be out of place on a new model. Hint hint. 

After this, the model took 2000 off, and returned in 2001 in the Summit Seekers 5-pack, sporting the new oval 4x4 wheel that Mattel had launched that year. 

In 2002, it was back in the basic range in dark green. However, yet again, it was a US exclusive. The first 10,000 sported a 50 logo on the hood. 

Another year off in 2003, and it was back in 5-packs again. This New House featured the model with a generic looking landscaping design. Well, it was Hero City, and some of the designs were squarely based at the very young.

Another year out in 2005, and it returned in 2006 in a big way. We saw this Mummys Gold 5-pack release.

We had a Battle Kings outing, in the Jungle Recon pack.

And it was added to the Superfast series, which meant it got a full tampo treatment. 

In 2007, the model was used in 2 multipacks. A Super Mario licensed 5-pack saw it in orange, and a white version appeared as an Adventure 10-pack exclusive.

In 2008, the basic range saw a 3-way split for 4 years. 100 models for the US range, with an assortment of 75 out of them for LAAM markets, and a different assortment of 75 out of them for ROW markets. And, guess what? It was thrown back in as a US exclusive. This time in orange. 

In 2009, we saw a blue look in the Adventure 10-pack. 

And then it took 2 years off, before returning to the 2012 basic range, which is the year that it all got amalgamated back into one. Which means, if you were counting, this is the second time it was available outside the US basic range. 

Again, another year off in 2013, and for 2014, we saw this BFGoodrich themed white model in the basic range worldwide. Which was good for a wheel variation. 

In 2015, the model saw its last outing under the original MB249 moniker. Again, it was in the basic range, where it came in yellow. 

This model was actually a carry forward in a 2024 Off Road 5-pack, now under the MB953 moniker. This is a perfect visual for seeing the difference. The casting was altered to turn the rear bed into part of the interior, as well as the roll bar, which had always been a separate piece. Now, for those who follow MAN numbers, the casting was going to be re-altered into MB1000. However, while the slot was assigned, it never got a further alteration, and MB1000 never saw the light of day. 

This new, updated casting, first appeared in the 2016 Monster Week licensed 5-pack in blue.

Immediately took a year off, and appeared in green in the Walmart Chevy 100 Year Truck series in 2018.

It then took another year off, before returning for what was its last basic range outing before the new one. That was in 2020 in grey. This also appeared in a 2022 MBX Adventure 12-pack.

And, aside from the 2024 carry forward I showed already, the last new outing was in the 2021 Target Retro series, where it mimicked the 1998 basic range look. No chrome, different wheels, no chrome, updated casting, a little lighter. But the new one sees a new light blue colour with the classic 1990s vibe. 

As this model does not get overused, I have no qualms in seeing it return for more outings in the future. The classics still work. 

Which brings me to the last model in this half of the 5th batch. The MB789 Skidster. Since debuting in 2010, this model has barely had a breather since (only seeing no action in 2015). For 2026, it takes the MB52 slot in silver.

We all know that the Skidster is an original design, and it is extremely small. I can see why Mattel likes to keep using it. The manufacturing costs for this one are on the lower end of the spectrum, and it will make them more money. But, this one is not exactly a fantastic seller. And I am still waiting for an INC outing. Where is the INC blue and yellow? It does better than the Polaris I mentioned does. But, not a lot. I do see it being one of the last to go. Again, this works great in multipacks. It has play value with the bucket that goes up and down.

Well, I say that, but it is falling off way too easily. I don't know if this is just the one that I got, or if this is just a fact that the casting is starting to wear down from lots of usage. But, my bucket has tabs to clip in place at the back, but it is extremely loose now. You lift up the front, and it just comes right off. Hmm! Not great. The design itself is very nice. Grey with a realistic design. Stand clear. Max load capacity 2000lbs. I did a Google search to find out what this translates to in tonnes. In the US, they deal with a short "ton" and 2000lbs is 1 ton. Easy. In Europe and elsewhere, they deal with a long "tonne" which is equivalent to 2240lbs. However, in science, they deal with a metric tonne, which is 2204.6lbs, as that is equivalent to 1000kg. What the? Why did I think I should Google a ton? Maybe I should Google Kilograms. As that is what is used in Europe and most countries. The USA still deals with imperial, as does Liberia and Myanmar. The UK, where I live, refuses to fully integrate metric. After all, imperial was created in the UK. We are all over the place with our systems. Good luck trying to figure it out. Canada sometimes uses imperial as well, as does other former British colonies. But, for the most part, they have moved to metric. So, 2000lbs is equivalent to just over 907kg. There you go, useless information. Yeah, I am just killing time here while I decide how to score this. I am giving this Skidster a 7. The design is nice. Grey a little bland. But, the fact that it is falling apart so easily says to me that they need to do something with it. And then bring it back in an INC look. Ha!

And because the dive back on the Chevy was so big, I am not going to do it on the Skidster again. I did it with last year's basic range release. You can still find that report on the Matchbox Monday section, as Wheel Collectors leave them up for many years. If you really need a reminder of past outings. For now, I am finishing this one up. 3 new castings. 

Along with 5 new looks on older castings that make up the first 8 of this 5th batch of the year. Which, as I noted right at the start, is batch E and F. An initial run on long card for batch E, and then updated with 6 more, when switched to F packaging, with more long cards, as well as short cards and power grabs. 

I will return to the batch E/F saga in 2 weeks, after I "work" through a different batch of models (with a mini dive), and 2 weeks after that, I will be on batch G, which will be the 6th mix of the year. I am definitely hoping that people have understood how the basic range is going this year after all this. Until next time, I hope everybody has a safe and happy week.